Exhaust gas treatment system for an internal combustion engine

Abstract

An exhaust gas treatment system for an internal combustion engine includes an exhaust pipe and an energy applying device. Exhaust gas discharged from the internal combustion engine flows into the exhaust pipe. The energy applying device applies energy to the exhaust gas flowing through the exhaust pipe. The energy applied to the exhaust gas is greater than the energy for decomposing nitrogen monoxide (NO) and less than the energy for decomposing nitrogen (N 2 ).

1 . An exhaust gas treatment system for an internal combustion engine comprising:
 an exhaust pipe into which exhaust gas discharged from the internal combustion engine flows; and   an energy applying device for applying energy to the exhaust gas flowing through the exhaust pipe,   wherein the energy applied to the exhaust gas is greater than the energy for decomposing nitrogen monoxide (NO) and less than the energy for decomposing nitrogen (N 2 ).   
   
   
       2 . The exhaust gas treatment system according to  claim 1 , wherein the applying energy by the energy applying device is set in a range from 642 to 942 kJ/mol. 
   
   
       3 . The exhaust gas treatment system according to  claim 1 , wherein the applying energy by the energy applying device is adjustable according to amount of the exhaust gas. 
   
   
       4 . The exhaust gas treatment system according to  claim 3 , wherein the applying energy by the energy applying device is adjustable according to temperature of the exhaust gas. 
   
   
       5 . The exhaust gas treatment system according to  claim 1 , the exhaust gas treatment system further comprising a NOx detector for detecting NOx concentration, wherein the operation of the energy applying device is controlled based on NOx concentration in the exhaust gas. 
   
   
       6 . The exhaust gas treatment system according to  claim 1 , wherein the energy applying device is a low-temperature plasma generator. 
   
   
       7 . The exhaust gas treatment system according to  claim 6 , wherein the low-temperature plasma generator has a pair of electrode plates arranged within the exhaust pipe and a high-frequency power source connects to the electrode plates. 
   
   
       8 . The exhaust gas treatment system according to  claim 1 , wherein the energy applying device is an ultraviolet irradiating unit. 
   
   
       9 . The exhaust gas treatment system according to  claim 1 , wherein the exhaust gas treatment system has a plurality of the energy applying devices. 
   
   
       10 . The exhaust gas treatment system according to  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of the energy applying devices is arranged in series along the exhaust pipe. 
   
   
       11 . The exhaust gas treatment system according to  claim 9 , wherein the exhaust pipe is branched and the energy applying devices are disposed in each branched exhaust pipe in parallel arrangement.