A system for reforming a fuel may include a first sensor configured to measure an operating parameter of an engine. The operating parameter may correlate to a NO.sub.x emission level of the engine. The system may also include a controller in communication with the sensor and a reformer. The controller may be configured to determine a target NO.sub.x emission level for the engine. The controller may be also configured to determine a target value of the operating parameter corresponding to the target NO.sub.x emission level. The controller may be further configured to control the reformer to reform at least a portion of the fuel based on a difference between the measured value and the target value of the operating parameter.

A method to process exhaust gas expelled from at least one cylinder of a plurality of cylinders of an internal combustion engine, the method comprising providing an internal combustion engine, wherein the engine comprises a steam hydrocarbon reformer including a steam reformation catalyst, treating exhaust gas of the engine containing hydrocarbon and water by reacting the hydrocarbon and water in the presence of the steam reformation catalyst in the steam hydrocarbon reformer to provide treated exhaust gas. The treated exhaust gas includes carbon monoxide gas and hydrogen gas produced from the reaction, and mixing the treated exhaust gas, including the carbon monoxide gas and hydrogen gas produced in the steam hydrocarbon reformer with air to provide the mixture of air and treated exhaust gas introduced into the cylinders of the engine.

A fuel reforming system includes: an engine combusting reformed gas to generate mechanical power; an intake line connected to the engine to supply the reformed gas and air to the engine; an exhaust line connected to the engine to circulate the exhaust gas discharged from the engine; a fuel reformer provided at an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) line diverging from the exhaust line; and a catalyst disposed at the exhaust line and purifying nitrogen oxide included in the exhaust gas at a front end of the fuel reformer. In particular, the fuel reformer mixes the fuel with the EGR gas which is a part of the exhaust gas and passes through the EGR line, and reforms the fuel mixed in the EGR gas.

A modular plasma treatment system has interchangeable and easily accessible inner and outer electrodes that concentrically nest within an outer housing of one or more plasma reformers. The inner and outer electrodes have self-centering features that allow for blind-fitting of the interchangeable inner and outer electrodes during electrode replacement and maintenance. A plurality of reformers that generate different types of plasmas are preferably arranged serially to allow for a mixture of separate plasmas within the same reaction area and to increase utilization of short-lived radicals.

A fuel reforming system may include an engine combusting reformed gas to generate mechanical power, an intake line connected to the engine to supply reformed gas and air to the engine, an exhaust line connected to the engine to circulate exhaust gas expelled from the engine, a fuel reformer provided at an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) line diverging from the exhaust line, into which a fuel is injected from the EGR line, mixing the fuel injected from the EGR line and the EGR gas, and reforming the fuel mixed in the EGR gas, and a catalyst disposed in the exhaust line and purifying nitrogen oxide included in the exhaust gas at a front end portion of the fuel reformer.

The disclosure provides a system for treating an exhaust gas stream from a gasoline engine. The system is configured to introduce controlled quantities of hydrogen gas into the exhaust gas stream upstream of a catalyst article during a cold-start period. Further provided are related methods of treating such exhaust streams. Such systems and methods are useful in reducing a level of one or more of hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen oxide in a gaseous exhaust stream from a gasoline engine.

An integrated catalyst reformer is described, including a housing which surrounds and defines at least two individualized and adjacent chambers. The first chamber is intended for the catalytic conversion of exhaust gases from the MCI and at least one second chamber intended for reforming fuel, ethanol or others, and the heat generated in the first chamber is transferred to the second chamber by thermal conduction. The first chamber is connected, upstream, to the exhaust manifold of the MCI from the inlet nozzle and is connected to the exhaust of the vehicle from the outlet nozzle, while the plenum of the first chamber is filled with a catalytic mesh. The second chamber includes a plenum filled with a catalytic mesh; an intake nozzle intended to receive both ambient air and the fuel to be reformed; and an exhaust nozzle, connected upstream of the intake manifold, so as to allow the reformed fuel to be aspirated.

A fuel reforming system includes an engine combusting reformed gas to generate mechanical power; an intake line connected with the engine to supply the reformed gas and air to the engine; an exhaust line connected with the engine to circulate exhaust gas exhausted from the engine; a fuel reformer provided at an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) line diverging from the exhaust line, mixing the exhaust gas passing through the EGR line with fuel and reforming the fuel mixed with the exhaust gas; a water temperature controller (WTC) provided at the engine to control coolant cooling the engine; a radiator for radiating a portion of heat generated from the engine to atmosphere through the coolant; a temperature sensor provided at the EGR line at a front end of the fuel reformer and measuring temperature of the exhaust gas at the front end of the fuel reformer; a coolant passage provided to connect an exit of the engine, the fuel reformer, the radiator, and an entrance of the engine in series; and a coolant supply control valve for supplying the coolant into an inside of the fuel reformer according to engine driving condition and temperature of the exhaust gas.

One embodiment of the present invention is a unique method for operating an engine. Another embodiment is a unique engine system. Other embodiments include apparatuses, systems, devices, hardware, methods, and combinations for engines and engine systems. Further embodiments, forms, features, aspects, benefits, and advantages of the present application will become apparent from the description and figures provided herewith.

An exhaust purification system of an internal combustion engine provided with a heat and hydrogen generation device (50) and an exhaust purification catalyst (14) comprised of the three way catalyst. Heat and hydrogen generated in the heat and hydrogen generation device (50) is fed to the exhaust purification catalyst (14). When an air-fuel ratio of the air and fuel made to burn in the heat and hydrogen generation device (50) is made a predetermined target set air-fuel ratio, the air-fuel ratio of the exhaust gas discharged from the engine is controlled to the target adjusted air-fuel ratio required for making the air-fuel ratio of the gas flowing into the exhaust purification catalyst (14) the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio.