Patent ID: 8726661

Claim:
An exhaust aftertreatment system for treating an exhaust gas feedstream of an internal combustion engine, including: a catalytic converter; a fluidic circuit comprising a working fluid heat exchanger inserted into the exhaust gas feedstream upstream of the catalytic converter, the working fluid heat exchanger including a first heat transfer surface in fluid contact with the exhaust gas feedstream and a second heat transfer surface, wherein the fluidic circuit contains a working fluid in contact with the second heat transfer surface; a Stirling engine comprising a closed-cycle regenerating heat engine including a hot side, a cold side and an output member, the hot side fluidly connected to the fluidic circuit containing the working fluid and the output member mechanically coupled to an electric motor/generator; the Stirling engine configured to transform thermal energy from the working fluid heat exchanger to mechanical power transferable to the electric motor/generator to generate electric power; the Stirling engine configured to transform mechanical power from the electric motor/generator to thermal energy transferable to the working fluid heat exchanger; and an auxiliary air blower configured to pump ambient air into the exhaust gas feedstream upstream of the working fluid heat exchanger and the catalytic converter, the working fluid heat exchanger configured to transfer thermal energy to the ambient air pumped into the exhaust gas feedstream prior to flowing through the catalytic converter.