Method and apparatus for reducing toxic compounds in exhaust gases from combustion type power plant

Claim 1

A method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a step of adding to the diluted air the atmospheric air during a condition in which the power plant is operated with a relatively heavy load.

Claim 2

An apparatus for separating nitrogen from air comprising: a rotary drum having elongated chambers for the passage of air therethrough, each extending parallel to the axis of rotation of said rotary drum from one sector in one end of said rotary drum to the opposite sector in the opposite end of said rotary drum and containing therein a pack of nitrogen impermeable material; a housing within which said rotary drum is mounted, said housing having respective end plates to the opposite ends of said rotary drum, one of said end plates having formed therein first and second apertures which are substantially opposed to each other through the axis of rotation of said rotary drum, the other end plate having formed therein a third aperture which is axially aligned to said first aperture along the axis of said rotary drum; sealing means carried by said sectors and sliding on the adjacent end plates of said housing to thereby seal one from another of said elongated chambers; air supply passage means communicating with said first aperture for passing air into one of said elongated chambers; denitrified air passage means communicating with said third aperture for removing denitrified air from said one elongated chamber; and nitrogen discharge passage means communicating with said second aperture for removing nitrogen unable to permeate through said one elongated chamber.

Claim 6

An apparatus for minimizing the content of nitrogen oxides in exhaust gases from a combustion power plant having a carburetor, comprising nitrogen separating means operable to separate nitrogen from air passing therethrough to a mixing chamber; a denitrified-air passageway leading from an outlet of said nitrogen separating means and opening to said mixing chamber; an exhaust gas recirculation passageway leading from an exhaust pipe of opposite power plant and opening to said mixing chamber; end a mixture passageway leading from said mixture chamber to said carburetor of the combustion power plant.

Claim 9

An apparatus for minimizing the content of nitrogen oxides in exhaust gases from a combustion power plant having a carburetor comprising pumping means for delivering a stream of an air under pressure, nitrogen separating means operable to separate nitrogen molecules from the air, said stream of air being passed through said nitrogen separating means for substantially denitrifying the air, at least one denitrifying air passageway leading from said nitrogen separating means for passing therethrough the denitrified air delivered from said nitrogen separating means, an exhaust gas recirculation passageway leading from an exhaust pipe of said power plant for recirculation therethrough exhaust gases from the power plant, a mixing chamber into which said denitrified air passageway and said exhaust gas recirculation passageway are opened at their downstream ends for mixing the denitrified air and recirculated exhaust gases with each other therein, a passageway leading from said passageway to said carburetor of said power plant, and additional air supply passageway leading from the atmosphere and opening at its downstream end into said mixing chamber and a flow control valve incorporated in said additional air supply passageway adapted for passing the atmospheric air to said mixing chamber during a condition in which said power plant is operateD with a relatively heavy load, said nitrogen separating means comprising at least two sections which are separate from each other and passage means adapted to provide alternate communication between said pumping means and said at least two sections of the nitrogen separating means, a suction pump, and nitrogen discharge passage means adapted to provide alternate communication between said suction pump and said at least two sections of the nitrogen separating means to remove nitrogen unable to impermeate through said at least two sections.