Patent ID: 7377101

Claim:
A method of treating engine exhaust comprising the steps of: providing an exhaust aftertreatment system comprising: an engine exhaust outlet; an exhaust valve system having an exhaust valve inlet an exhaust valve first outlet and an exhaust valve second outlet; a plasma fuel converter (PFC) having a PFC inlet operatively coupled to the said exhaust valve first outlet, and a PFC outlet; a NOx adsorber having an adsorber inlet and an NOx adsorber outlet; a fuel tank having a fuel tank outlet; a fuel pump having a fuel pump inlet and a fuel pump outlet; a PFC fuel injector having a PFC injector inlet and a PFC fuel injector outlet; a reductant pump having a reductant pump inlet and a reductant pump outlet; and a tailpipe having a tailpipe inlet and a tailpipe outlet, wherein said fuel tank outlet is operatively linked to said fuel pump inlet, said fuel pump outlet is operatively linked to said PFC fuel injector input, said PFC fuel injector outlet is operatively linked to said PFC fuel inlet, said exhaust valve system inlet is operatively linked to said engine exhaust outlet, said exhaust valve first outlet is operatively linked to said PFC inlet, said exhaust valve system second outlet is operatively linked to said NOx adsorber input, said PFC outlet is operatively linked to said reductant pump inlet, said reductant pump outlet is operatively linked to said NOx adsorber inlet, said NOx adsorber outlet is operatively linked to said tailpipe inlet and said tailpipe outlet is operatively vented to the atmosphere; and supplying reductants produced by converting fuel in said PFC to said NOx adsorber.