Catalyst subassembly, device comprising same for purifying exhaust gases from an internal combustion engine, modular system for the subassembly, and method for manufacturing the subassembly

Abstract

A catalyst subassembly for a device for purifying exhaust gases from an internal combustion engine, in particular a diesel engine, includes an SCRF catalyst and an SCR catalyst upstream of the SCRF catalyst. The two catalysts are arranged in a common catalyst housing. The catalyst housing, the SCRF catalyst and the SCR catalyst can be selected from a modular system for different variants of the internal combustion engine.

Claims

1. A catalyst subassembly for a device for purifying exhaust gases from an internal combustion engine, the catalyst subassembly comprising: a common catalyst housing; a regeneratable particulate filter and an integral SCRF catalyst on the particulate filter for selective reduction of nitrogen oxides, where the common catalyst housing and the SCRF catalyst are usable for a plurality of variants of an internal combustion engine; and an SCR catalyst for selective reduction of nitrogen oxides, wherein the SCR catalyst is arranged upstream of the SCRF catalyst, the SCRF catalyst and the SCR catalyst are arranged in the common catalyst housing, and the SCR catalyst is variably dimensioned depending on a selected engine variant among the plurality of variants of the internal combustion engine, while the common catalyst housing and the SCRF catalyst each are identically dimensioned independently of the selected engine variant.

2. The catalyst subassembly according to claim 1, wherein the SCR catalyst comprises a metallic or ceramic through-flow substrate.

3. The catalyst subassembly according to claim 2, wherein the ceramic through-flow substrate is a disc-shaped honeycomb monolith.

4. The catalyst subassembly according to claim 1, further comprising at least one spacer element arranged between the SCR catalyst and either the SCRF catalyst or an axial wall surface of the common catalyst housing, such that a different axial extent of the SCR catalyst depending on the selected engine variant is compensated in the common catalyst housing.

5. The catalyst subassembly according to claim 1, wherein the catalyst subassembly is for a device for purifying exhaust gases from a diesel engine.

6. A modular system for a catalyst subassembly for a device for purifying exhaust gases from an internal combustion engine, the catalyst subassembly comprising a common catalyst housing; a regeneratable particulate filter and an integral SCRF catalyst on the particulate filter for selective reduction of nitrogen oxides, where the common catalyst housing and the SCRF catalyst are usable for a plurality of variants of an internal combustion engine; and an SCR catalyst for selective reduction of nitrogen oxides, wherein the SCR catalyst is arranged upstream of the SCRF catalyst, and the SCRF catalyst and the SCR catalyst are arranged in the common catalyst housing, wherein the modular system comprises: a plurality of the common catalyst housings and a plurality of the SCRF catalysts, where each common catalyst housing and each SCRF catalyst are dimensioned independently of a selected engine variant among the plurality of variants of the internal combustion engine; and a set of different SCR catalysts, where each SCR catalyst is differently dimensioned depending on the selected engine variant.

7. The modular system according to claim 6, wherein the SCRF catalysts of the modular system have an identical ratio of length to cross-section.

8. The modular system according to claim 7, wherein the SCRF catalysts of the modular system have identical external dimensions.

9. The modular system according to claim 8, wherein the differently dimensioned SCR catalysts have a different axial extent matched to a respective engine variant.

10. The modular system according to claim 6, wherein the SCRF catalysts of the modular system have identical external dimensions.

11. The modular system according to claim 6, wherein the differently dimensioned SCR catalysts have a different axial extent matched to a respective engine variant.

12. The modular system according to claim 6, further comprising a set of different spacer elements, the different spacer elements each being matched to dimensions of the plurality of SCR catalysts.

13. A device for purifying exhaust gases from an internal combustion engine, the device comprising: a catalyst subassembly, the catalyst subassembly comprising: a common catalyst housing; a regeneratable particulate filter and an integral SCRF catalyst on the particulate filter for selective reduction of nitrogen oxides, where the common catalyst housing and the SCRF catalyst are usable for a plurality of variants of an internal combustion engine; and an SCR catalyst for selective reduction of nitrogen oxides, wherein the SCR catalyst is arranged upstream of the SCRF catalyst, the SCRF catalyst and the SCR catalyst are arranged in the common catalyst housing, and the SCR catalyst is variably dimensioned depending on a selected engine variant among the plurality of variants of the internal combustion engine, while the common catalyst housing and the SCRF catalyst each are identically dimensioned independently of the selected engine variant.

14. The device according to claim 13, further comprising: a reducing agent supply unit arranged upstream of the catalyst subassembly.

15. The device according to claim 14, further comprising: an oxidation catalyst and/or an NOx storage catalyst arranged upstream of the catalyst subassembly and upstream of the reducing agent supply unit.

16. The device according to claim 15, further comprising an ammonia barrier catalyst arranged downstream of the catalyst subassembly.

17. The device according to claim 13, wherein the device is for a diesel engine.

18. A method for producing a catalyst subassembly from a modular system for use with a plurality of engine variants of an internal combustion engine, the method comprising the acts of: providing a plurality of catalyst housings and a plurality of SCRF catalysts, each catalyst housing and each SCRF catalyst being identically dimensioned independently of a selected engine variant among the plurality of variants of the internal combustion engine; selecting an SCR catalyst from a set of different SCR catalysts, the selected SCR catalyst being variably dimensioned depending on the selected engine variant; and assembling the selected SCR catalyst with the SCRF catalyst in a common catalyst housing to form the catalyst subassembly.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising the acts of: selecting a spacer element from a set of the different spacer elements in accordance with dimensions of the SCR catalyst; and installing the selected spacer element in the catalyst housing.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

(1) FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a device for purifying exhaust gases from an internal combustion engine having the catalyst subassembly according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

(2) The device 10 shown schematically in FIG. 1 is used, in particular, to purify the exhaust gases 12 from a diesel engine (not shown) and, in the direction of flow of the exhaust gases, includes: a known exhaust turbocharger 14; a known oxidation catalyst 16, wherein the oxidation catalyst can be replaced by an NOx storage catalyst or can be combined with an NOx storage catalyst; a known device 18 for supplying a reducing agent for nitrogen oxides, e.g. an injection device for a urea solution having a mixing element (not shown) positioned after the injection device; the catalyst subassembly 20 according to the invention; and a known ammonia barrier catalyst 22, from which the purified exhaust gases can be released into the environment. Instead of the ammonia barrier catalyst 22 or in addition thereto, a further SCR catalyst, an oxidation catalyst or a combination of an SCR catalyst and an oxidation catalyst can be provided, as is known in the prior art.

(3) The catalyst subassembly 20 according to the invention includes an SCR catalyst 24 and an SCRF catalyst 26 positioned after the SCR catalyst and arranged downstream.

(4) The SCR catalyst 24 is used for selective reduction of nitrogen oxides and is preferably designed as a through-flow substrate without a filtering function, in particular as a disk-shaped honeycomb monolith.

(5) The SCRF catalyst 26 is constructed from a particulate filter that can be regenerated and an integral catalyst on the particulate filter for selective reduction of nitrogen oxides.

(6) The SCR catalyst 24 and the SCRF catalyst 26 are arranged in a common catalyst housing 28.

(7) According to the invention, the catalyst subassembly 20 can be a modular system. The modular system allows a modular construction of the catalyst subassembly 20 which can be used for a plurality of variants of an internal combustion engine, in particular a diesel engine.

(8) The module includes a plurality of catalyst housings 28 and a plurality of SCRF catalysts 26, which are each dimensioned for a plurality of variants of the internal combustion engine independently of the engine variant, i.e. they have identical external dimensions. Deviations that lie within the normal manufacturing tolerances are regarded as identical dimensions here.

(9) Moreover, the module includes a set of different SCR catalysts 24, which are each dimensioned for the plurality of variants of the internal combustion engine in a manner dependent on the engine variant.

(10) The catalyst housings 28 and the SCRF catalysts 26 in the module can preferably have an identical volume and/or an identical ratio of length to cross section.

(11) The dimensions of the various SCR catalysts 24 in the modular system are preferably chosen so that the respective SCR catalyst has an axial extent matched to the associated engine variant and optionally a geometry matched to the external dimensions of the SCRF catalyst.

(12) In addition, the modular system can include a set of several different spacer elements 30 (shown schematically), which are matched to the dimensioning of the various SCR catalysts 24. The spacer elements 30 serve to compensate any empty spaces which arise in the catalyst housing owing to the use of SCR catalysts 24 with different dimensions. Solid spacers, such as spacing rings, or the heat-resistant wire meshes that are also used to compensate manufacturing tolerances can be used as spacer elements with different wall thicknesses.

(13) To manufacture the catalyst subassembly 20 from the modular system, a catalyst housing 28 and an SCRF catalyst 26 with predetermined dimensions matched to the plurality of engine variants is first of all prepared. A suitably dimensioned SCR catalyst 24 from a set of SCR catalysts having different dimensions or axial extents is then selected in accordance with the respective engine variant. The catalyst housing 28, the SCRF catalyst 26 and the SCR catalyst 24 selected from the modular system are then installed, optionally together with spacer elements likewise selected from the modular system, to form the catalyst subassembly 20.

(14) As an example of the dimensioning of the catalyst subassembly 20, comparison with a conventional diesel particulate filter (CSF) for a diesel engine with a cubic capacity of 2.0 dm.sup.3 may be used: CSF volume=2.8 dm.sup.3

(15) Maintaining the optimum ratio of length to cross section of the CSF, this gives a volume of 3.5 dm.sup.3 for an SCRF catalyst.

(16) The hybrid system of the catalyst subassembly 20 made up of an SCR catalyst 24 and an SCRF catalyst 26 can accordingly have the following volume:

(17) $\begin{array}{c}\mathrm{Volume}\mathrm{of}\mathrm{hybrid}\mathrm{system}=\mathrm{SCR}\mathrm{volume}+\mathrm{SCRF}\mathrm{volume}\\ =0.7{\mathrm{dm}}^3+2.8{\mathrm{dm}}^3\\ =3.5{\mathrm{dm}}^3\end{array}$

(18) For use with a different engine variant, the SCRF volume is retained and only the SCR volume or the axial extent of the SCR through-flow substrate is varied. With the modular system according to the invention, it is thus possible to achieve a low-cost modular construction of the catalyst subassembly. At the same time, there are also technical advantages since the SCR through-flow substrate has a lower heat capacity and exhibits a better thermal light off behavior. At the same overall volume, it is furthermore possible to improve the efficiency of the catalyst subassembly since NOx conversion by the SCR catalyst is greater.

(19) The foregoing disclosure has been set forth merely to illustrate the invention and is not intended to be limiting. Since modifications of the disclosed embodiments incorporating the spirit and substance of the invention may occur to persons skilled in the art, the invention should be construed to include everything within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof.