Device for catalytic conversion having a reduced activation time

Abstract

A device for catalytic conversion of NOx to 8 and/or of CO to CO2, including: a ceramic support including at least a plurality of channels; a thermal barrier made of thermal insulating material covering at least one part of the internal surface of the channels; porous SiC at least partially covering the thermal barrier such that the SiC is separated from the support by the thermal barrier; one or more conversion catalysts at least on the SiC.

Claims

1. A device for catalytic conversion comprising: a ceramic support including at least one surface; a thermal barrier made from at least one thermal insulating material covering at least one part of the surface of the support, the thermal barrier having a thermal conductivity less than 10 W/m.Math.K; porous SiC at least partially covering the thermal barrier such that the SiC is separated from the support by the thermal barrier; one or more conversion catalysts at least on the porous SiC.

2. The device for catalytic conversion according to claim 1, wherein the thermal barrier includes at least one layer, the layer being made from at least one of materials chosen from TiN, YSZ, AlZ, TiAlN.

3. The device for catalytic conversion according to claim 1, further comprising a buffer layer inserted between the SiC and the one or more conversion catalysts.

4. The device for catalytic conversion according to claim 3, wherein the buffer layer is made of at least one material chosen among CeO.sub.2, ZrO.sub.2, Al.sub.2O.sub.3, BaCO.sub.3.

5. The device for catalytic conversion according to claim 1, wherein the one or more conversion catalysts are chosen from Pt, Pd, Rh, Ag or a combination of the metals.

6. The device for catalytic conversion according to claim 5, wherein the porous SiC has a porosity between 55% and 70%.

7. The device for catalytic conversion according to claim 6, wherein the porous SiC has a porosity between 60% and 65%.

8. A device for treating the exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine comprising the at least one device for catalytic conversion according to claim 5.

9. A method for manufacturing the device for catalytic conversion according to claim 5, comprising: a) production of a ceramic support, b) formation of a thermal barrier on at least one part of a surface of the ceramic support; c) formation of porous SiC on at least one part of the thermal barrier; d) formation of one or more conversion catalysts on the porous SiC.

10. The method of manufacture according to claim 9, wherein d) takes place by chemical vapour deposition.

11. The method of manufacture according to claim 10, wherein in b), a continuous layer of SiC is formed; the continuous layer then undergoes a porosification.

12. The method of manufacture according to claim 11, wherein during the porosification, a heating to between 800? C. and 1100? C. takes place.

13. The method of manufacture according to claim 9, wherein in d), the one or more conversion catalysts are deposited, and wherein the one or more conversion catalysts are deposited in different sub-operations.

14. The device for catalytic conversion according to claim 1, wherein the support is made from cordierite or mullite.

15. The device for catalytic conversion according to claim 1, wherein the support comprises channels, the at least one surface of the support being formed by an inner surface of the channels.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

(1) This invention shall be better understood after reading the following description with reference to the appended figures, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one example of a catalytic conversion support according to the invention,

(3) FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic illustration of a cross-sectional view of an area of the device for catalytic conversion in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS

(4) FIG. 1 shows one example of a device for catalytic conversion according to the invention. The device is intended to be arranged in an exhaust duct and passed through by the entire exhaust flow. The device comprises a plurality of channels 2 extending in the direction of the exhaust gas flow. The exhaust gases come into contact with the inner surface of the channels that comprise catalysts resulting in the conversion, for example, of NOx into N.sub.2 and of CO into CO.sub.2. In the example illustrated, the channels have a square cross-section, however they could have a hexagonal cross-section in order to resemble a honeycomb structure. More generally, the channels have a polygonal cross-section. Furthermore, any other shape allowing for a good level of contact between the gases and the device are suitable.

(5) As a variant, the device could comprise channels, one of whose ends is blanked off. For example a channel, comprising a blanked-off longitudinal end, would be surrounded by channels comprising an opposite longitudinal end that would be blanked off in order to force the gas to pass through the wall of the channels, whereby the latter are porous. This structure results in an increase in the time during which the gases are present in the device, and thus increases the quantity of pollutants converted.

(6) FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional view of the wall of a channel 2 illustrated diagrammatically.

(7) The device comprises a support 4 made from a ceramic material such as mullite, cordierite or isotropic ceramic; the support forms the framework of the device and comprises a plurality of channels parallel to each other. The support is, for example, made from a porous material with a porosity between 30% and 70%.

(8) The ceramic of the support is chosen such that it is less fragile than SiC and advantageously has a lower cost price than SiC. Moreover, the material of the support 4 is electrically and thermally insulating.

(9) Mullite and cordierite have a low thermal conductivity of less than 1 W/m.Math.K.

(10) The device comprises a thermal barrier 6 on the support 4, the thermal barrier 6 comprising one or more thermal insulating materials 6, said thermal insulating materials at least partially covering the support 4. The thermal barrier 6 can comprise one or more layers of thermal insulating materials.

(11) The device further comprises porous SixCy 8, where 0<x<1 and 0<y<1, on the material 6, a buffer layer 10 also referred to as a wash-coat on the SixCy, and one or more catalysts 12 on the buffer layer 10, intended to be in contact with the exhaust gases.

(12) For simplicity purposes, the SixCy will hereafter be referred to as SiC.

(13) The porosity of the SiC provides a large extended surface allowing either the size of the support to be reduced while maintaining the same surface area of the SiC, or the surface area of the SiC to be increased, while maintaining the same support size. Moreover, the porous SiC has a structure that causes the exhaust gas flow to swirl, which improves the contacts between the gases and the catalysts and eases the conversion reactions. The structure of the porous SiC can be fine enough to form a nanostructure. The SiC has an effective porosity. It is, for example, between 55% and 70%, preferably between 60% and 65%, determined by the BET method (Brunauer-Emmett-Teller theory).

(14) The one or more materials forming a thermal barrier 6, for example formed from one or more layers, are chosen, for example, from TiN, YSZ, AlZ (mixture of Al.sub.2O.sub.3 and ZrO.sub.2 with 5% and 30% ZrO.sub.2), or TiAlN. The one or more materials forming the thermal barrier have a thermal conductivity preferably less than 10 W/m.Math.K. The YSZ has the advantage of stopping cracks within the material.

(15) In the example illustrated, the thermal barrier 6 is discontinuous. This discontinuity can be a result of the heterogeneous nature of the support. A device in which the thermal barrier covers the support in a continuous manner does not fall outside of the scope of this invention.

(16) The buffer layer 10 is, for example, made from CeO.sub.2, ZrO.sub.2, Al.sub.2O.sub.3, or BaCO.sub.3.

(17) The one or more catalysts 12 are, for example, chosen from Pt, Pd, Rh, Agora combination of the latter.

(18) Preferably, the one or more catalysts are selectively deposited on the SiC.

(19) It should be noted that Pt and Pd are preferably used to oxidise the CO into CO.sub.2 and Rh is preferably used to reduce the NOx into N.sub.2.

(20) For the purposes of illustration, the support has a thickness between 1 and 2 mm, the thermal barrier layer has a thickness between 20 ?m and 250 ?m, preferably about 150 ?m+/?20 ?m, the porous SiC layer has a thickness between 1 ?m and 50 ?m, preferably between 5 and 10 ?m and the catalyst layer that can be discontinuous has a thickness between 4 and 12 nm.

(21) The paragraphs below will now describe the operating mode of the device for catalytic conversion. This mode is described with reference to the conversion of NOx into N.sub.2.

(22) For example, the device is arranged in an exhaust duct. On start-up of the combustion engine, the device, and in particular the catalysts are cold, are thus not activated and are incapable of converting NOx into N.sub.2.

(23) The hot exhaust gases come into contact with the surface of the device, which is cold; however, due to the good thermal conductivity of SiC, its temperature rises quickly, all the more so as the thermal barrier 6 limits the thermal losses at the level of the support. The SiC therefore radiates the heat towards the catalysts, which therefore quickly heat up and quickly become activated. They are ready to convert the NOx contained in the exhaust gases into N.sub.2. The activation temperature is between about 150? C. and 600? C.

(24) Moreover, the porous SiC forms thermal reservoirs as it is thermally insulated from the support. It therefore forms a source of available heat for the catalysts, maintaining them at a temperature close to the activation temperature, or even at the activation temperature. Consequently, the interim catalyst activation periods during the shutdown/start-up phases are shortened, resulting in a substantially continuous depollution of the exhaust gases.

(25) This results in a reduction, or even elimination of the NOx discharged into the air.

(26) One method for manufacturing the device according to the invention will now be described.

(27) During a first step, a ceramic support, for example made from cordierite or mullite is produced. The support has the general shape shown in FIG. 1 for example.

(28) During a subsequent step, the thermal barrier 6 is formed on the support.

(29) During a subsequent step, the porous SiC is formed on the thermal barrier. Advantageously, a layer of continuous SiC is initially deposited; this layer then undergoes porosification. The layer of SiC is, for example, made by coating, for example using a polysiloxane. This layer is then heated, for example between 800? C. and 1100? C., which makes the layer porous.

(30) During a subsequent step, the wash-coat is formed, for example by impregnation.

(31) During a subsequent step, the one or more catalysts are deposited onto the wash-coat.

(32) Preferably, the catalysts are deposited by chemical vapour deposition or CVD, and preferably in a selective manner on the SiC.

(33) The deposition by CVD on the porous SiC has the advantage of reducing the quantity of catalyst necessary, as the deposition takes place selectively on the SiC. Indeed, the deposition of the catalysts on the SiC takes place at a lower temperature than on the cordierite; therefore by heating the SiC to a sufficient temperature to ensure the deposition of catalyst on the SiC only, a deposition is obtained wherein catalysts are deposited on the SiC only. This reduction of the required quantity of catalyst is even more advantageous because it generally involves precious metals. The required quantity of catalysts can be reduced by up to 50%. CVD takes place, for example, at a temperature between 300? C. and 400? C. In order to perform the CVD, the object on which the deposition is to be made is heated, for example by radiation and is then placed in contact with a gaseous mixture containing a precursor of said metal to be deposited or precursors of said metals to be deposited and/or of their alloys.

(34) As stipulated hereinabove, Pt and Pd are preferably used to oxidise the CO into CO.sub.2 and Rh is preferably used to reduce the NOx into N.sub.2.

(35) Preferably, the devices for catalytic conversion comprise both oxidation catalysts and reduction catalysts.

(36) Preferably, the deposition of catalysts takes place in two sub-steps:

(37) For example, during a first sub-step, the one or more oxidation catalysts are deposited, for example Pt and/or Pd, and during a second sub-step, the one or more reduction catalysts are deposited, for example Rh. This order is not limiting and the reduction catalysts can be deposited before the oxidation catalysts.

(38) Thanks to the invention, the catalysts are activated more quickly. For example, taking into consideration the NEDC (New European Driving Cycle), wherein the catalysts undergo cold-start testing, in a device of the prior art, the catalysts take around 1 min from a cold start to be activated, whereas in a device according to the invention, this activation time is reduced by 5 s to 20 per cycle. Moreover, the catalysts can be continuously or substantially continuously activated, thus improving the depollution of the gases. Furthermore, the swirls generated by the nanostructure of the surfaces of the conversion device further promote the conversion of the pollutants.

(39) For example, with regard to the depollution methods in the diesel motors requiring the injection of fuel for the reduction catalysts, the device according to the invention avoids the need for said injection and thus generates a saving in the quantity of CO.sub.2 emitted.

(40) Moreover, the structure of the device according to the invention allows the quantity of precious metals by CVD to be reduced, and also results in a catalyst activation temperature that is reduced by about 15? C., which provides for even faster activation of the catalysts.

(41) The catalysts deposited by CVD on the porous SiC have a faceted structure which makes them more active, and a structure of a controlled size, for example between 4 and 12 nm. This produces an optimum yield between the material used and the active material.

(42) A device for the catalytic conversion of CO only or of NOx only does not fall outside of the scope of this invention.

(43) Furthermore, the invention applies to the catalytic conversion of any substance, whereby the one or more catalysts are chosen to suit the one or more substances to be converted.

(44) Moreover, the invention is not limited to exhaust gas conversion devices for motor vehicles, but to any system producing gases requiring treatment.