CATALYST SYSTEM FOR GASOLINE COMBUSTION ENGINES, HAVING THREE-WAY CATALYSTS AND SCR CATALYST

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a catalyst system for the reduction of the harmful exhaust-gas constituents hydrocarbons (THC), carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen oxides (NO.sub.x), and the environmentally detrimental secondary emissions ammonia (NH.sub.3) and nitrous oxide (N.sub.2O) of combustion engines operated using gasoline and to a corresponding method for exhaust-gas purification. The system is characterized by a particular arrangement of catalysts and is used in the case of engines which are operated with predominantly, on average, stoichiometric air/fuel mixtures. Here, a three-way catalyst produced in accordance with the current prior art is preferably installed in a close-coupled position. In the underfloor position, there is situated an SCR catalyst produced in accordance with the current prior art, followed by a further three-way catalyst produced in accordance with the current prior art. The three-way catalyst in the underfloor region furthermore has a lower oxygen-storing capacity than the close-coupled three-way catalyst.

Claims

1. A catalyst system for reducing harmful exhaust gases from vehicles with gasoline combustion engines operated predominantly, on average, stoichiometrically, having, in this sequence: i) a three-way catalyst arranged close to the engine, ii) an SCR catalyst arranged in the underfloor of the vehicle, having an NH.sub.3-storing capacity, and iii) an additional three-way catalyst arranged downstream of the SCR catalyst, characterized in that the additional three-way catalyst arranged downstream of the SCR catalyst has less oxygen-storing capacity in mg per liter of catalyst volume than the three-way catalyst close to the engine.

2. The catalyst system according to claim 1, characterized in that the three-way catalyst arranged on the downstream side has two different catalytic coatings lying one on top of the other.

3. The catalyst system according to claim 2, characterized in that the base layer has no oxygen-storing material.

4. The catalyst system according to claim 3, characterized in that the base layer has only palladium as catalytically active metal.

5. The catalyst system according to claim 4, characterized in that the top layer has palladium and rhodium as the only catalytically active metals, and oxygen-storing material.

6. The catalyst system according to claim 1, characterized in that the underfloor SCR (uf-SCR) catalyst has no oxygen-storing material.

7. The catalyst system according to claim 1, characterized in that the distance between the three-way catalyst close to the engine and the underfloor SCR (uf-SCR) catalyst is selected so that a temperature of 300 C. to 400 C. is striven for on the uf-SCR catalyst during driving operation.

8. A process for reducing harmful exhaust gases from vehicles with gasoline combustion engines operated predominantly, on average, stoichiometrically, characterized in that the exhaust gas is guided over a system as per claim 1 during driving operation.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0038] FIG. 1: Conceivable catalyst systems for a reduction according to the invention of the gaseous pollutants hydrocarbons THC, carbon monoxide CO, nitrogen oxide NOx, and the secondary emissions nitrous oxide N.sub.2O and ammonia NH.sub.3 in combustion engines operated with gasoline.

[0039] FIG. 2: Test design used for the engine test bench and vehicle tests.

[0040] FIG. 3: Shows the gaseous pollutants hydrocarbons THC (black), carbon monoxide CO (dark gray), and nitrogen oxides NOx (light gray) emitted during FTP-75 tests on the engine test bench in mg/km (mg/mile) for the systems 1-4 investigated.

[0041] FIG. 4: Shows the secondary emissions ammonia NH.sub.3 (black) and nitrous oxide N.sub.2O (gray) emitted during FTP-75 tests on the engine test bench in mg/km (mg/mile) for the systems 1-4 investigated.

[0042] FIG. 5: Shows the gaseous pollutants hydrocarbons THC (black), carbon monoxide CO (dark gray), and nitrogen oxides NOx (light gray) emitted during FTP-75 tests on a 1.4 L vehicle in mg/km (mg/mile) for the systems 1-3 investigated.

[0043] FIG. 6: Shows the secondary emissions ammonia NH.sub.3 (black) and nitrous oxide N.sub.2O (gray) emitted during FTP-75 tests on a 1.4 L vehicle in mg/km (mg/mile) for the systems 1-3 investigated.

[0044] FIG. 7: Shows the temperature inside the underfloor catalyst UFC during an FTP-75 test on the engine test bench, measured 2.54 centimeters (1 inch) downstream of the inlet of the ceramic monolith.

[0045] FIG. 8: Shows the temperature inside the underfloor catalyst UFC during an FTP-75 test on a 1.4 L vehicle, measured 2.54 centimeters (1 inch) downstream of the inlet of the ceramic monolith.

[0046] FIG. 9: Shows the cumulated emissions of a system according to the invention in comparison with 2 catalyst arrangements which are not according to the invention.

EXAMPLES

Example 1

[0047] The ceramic substrates were coated with the different washcoats of the catalysts shown in FIG. 2 according to the current prior art. The catalysts close to the engine were then aged in a ZDAKW aging process on the engine test bench in order to simulate a mileage of 160,000 km in the vehicle. The aging is characterized by regular phases of overrun fuel cutoff, which then, with temporarily lean exhaust gas composition, results in a bed temperature of over 1000 C. These conditions result in an irreversible damage to the oxygen-storing material and the noble metals. The underfloor catalysts were aged due to the low exhaust gas temperature with a bed temperature of 800 C. These catalysts were subsequently tested on a highly dynamic engine test bench, on a current 2.0 L four-cylinder application, in the dynamic FTP-75 driving cycle (FIG. 2). In so doing, the distance of the catalysts close to the engine from the underfloor catalysts was selected so that the bed temperature of the underfloor converters did not exceed 400 C. The pollutant concentrations of THC, CO, and NOx were measured by means of continuous modal analysis. Nitrous oxide and ammonia were determined by means of FTIR measurement. After completion of the test, the modal concentrations were cumulated, and the resulting pollutant masses were weighted according to current U.S. law. The results are shown in FIGS. 3-4. Systems 3 and 4 show considerable advantages in nitrogen oxide emissions compared to system 1. However, system 4 is distinguished from system 3 by its significantly lower ammonia and nitrous oxide emissions.

Example 2

[0048] The ceramic substrates were coated with the different washcoats of the catalysts shown in FIG. 2 according to the current prior art. The catalysts close to the engine were then aged in a ZDAKW aging process on an engine test bench in order to simulate a mileage of 160,000 km in the vehicle. The aging is characterized by regular phases of overrun fuel cutoff, which then, with temporarily lean exhaust gas composition, results in a bed temperature of over 1000 C. These conditions result in an irreversible damage to the oxygen-storing material and the noble metals. The underfloor catalysts were aged due to the low exhaust gas temperature with a bed temperature of 800 C. These catalysts were subsequently tested on a current 1.4 L four-cylinder turbo application with direct gasoline injection in the dynamic FTP-75 driving cycle (FIG. 2). The distance of the catalysts close to the engine from the underfloor catalysts was approx. 110 cm, as in the series configuration. The exhaust gas of the respective phases of the FTP-75 was collected in a CVS system in three different bags. After completion of the test, the bags were analyzed and weighted according to current U.S. law. Nitrous oxide and ammonia were determined by means of continuous FTIR measurement. After completion of the test, the concentrations were cumulated, and the resulting pollutant masses were weighted analogously to the bag results according to current U.S. law. The results are shown in FIGS. 5-6. Compared to systems 1 and 2, system 3 shows advantages in the pollutants THC, CO, and NOx. Moreover, compared to the other systems 1 and 2, system 3 is distinguished by significantly lower ammonia and nitrous oxide emissions.

Example 3

[0049] The ceramic substrates were coated with the different washcoats of the catalysts shown in FIG. 2 according to the current prior art. The catalysts close to the engine were then aged in a ZDAKW aging process on the engine test bench in order to simulate a mileage of 160,000 km in the vehicle. The aging is characterized by regular phases of overrun fuel cutoff, which then, with temporarily lean exhaust gas composition, results in a bed temperature of over 1000 C. These conditions result in an irreversible damage to the oxygen-storing material and the noble metals. The underfloor catalysts were aged due to the low exhaust gas temperature with a bed temperature of 800 C. Three different three-way catalysts arranged downstream of the SCR catalyst were investigated. The two entries 1 and 2 contain three-way catalysts arranged downstream of the SCR catalyst which have the same or more oxygen-storing capacity, calculated in mg per liter of catalyst volume, than the three-way catalyst close to the engine. However, in entry 3 according to the invention, the three-way catalyst arranged downstream of the SCR catalyst has a smaller oxygen-storing capacity than the three-way catalyst close to the engine. These catalysts were subsequently tested on a highly dynamic engine test bench, on a current 2.0 L four-cylinder application, in the dynamic FTP-75 driving cycle (FIG. 2). The distance of the catalysts close to the engine from the underfloor catalysts was selected so that the bed temperature of the underfloor converter did not exceed 400 C. (FIG. 7). The pollutant concentrations of THC, CO, and NOx were measured by means of continuous modal analysis.

[0050] After completion of the test, the modal concentrations were cumulated, and the resulting pollutant masses were weighted according to current U.S. law. The results are shown in FIG. 9. The system 3 according to the invention shows lower emissions compared to systems 1 and 2.