Air Pollution Control Patent Landscape 2026
Air Pollution Control Patent Landscape in 2026
The air pollution control patent field is moderately concentrated, with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries leading a set of established industrial and catalyst specialists whose activity has eased back from a 2020 peak. Separation processes dominate the technology mix, and China accounts for the majority of filing activity by jurisdiction.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries leads a concentrated field of industrial incumbents
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries holds the top position with 499 patent families, followed closely by GE Technology (437) and BASF Mobile Emissions Catalysts (295). The top five filers together account for 32% of the combined total across the hundred largest filers, signaling meaningful but not extreme concentration.
A clear tier gap separates the top two players from the rest: Mitsubishi and GE Technology each hold roughly 3× more patent families than the fifth-ranked applicant, Babcock & Wilcox (164). Below rank five, the ranking flattens rapidly, with no single challenger positioned to close the gap quickly.
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. | 499 | |
| 2 | General Electric Technology GmbH | 437 | |
| 3 | BASF Mobile Emissions Catalysts LLC | 295 | |
| 4 | Johnson Matthey PLC | 279 | |
| 5 | THE BABCOCK & WILCOX CO | 164 | |
| 6 | Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Ltd. | 155 | |
| 7 | UMICORE AG & CO KG | 150 | |
| 8 | Alstom Technology Ltd. | 142 | |
| 9 | Solvay SA | 136 | |
| 10 | Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engineering, Ltd. | 133 |
| # | Applicant | Patent families | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Mitsubishi Power, Ltd. | 111 | |
| 12 | LHOIST RECH & DEV SA | 106 | |
| 13 | Jiangnan Environmental Protection Group Inc. | 81 | |
| 14 | Fluor Technologies Corporation | 75 | |
| 15 | Huaneng Clean Energy Research Institute | 60 | |
| 16 | Phillips Petroleum Company | 60 | |
| 17 | NOx II Ltd. | 59 | |
| 18 | KUNMING UNIV OF SCI & TECH | 58 | |
| 19 | Chiyoda Corporation | 56 | |
| 20 | Linde AG | 55 |
The leaders’ positions reflect deep industrial heritage in flue-gas desulfurization, selective catalytic reduction, and combustion residue management — technology routes that require long development cycles and substantial process know-how, raising the cost of entry for new competitors.
Filing counts for 2024 and especially 2025–2026 are subject to publication lag and will rise as applications publish; the apparent decline in those years should not be interpreted as a real drop in R&D activity. Longer-window growth, applicant concentration, and technology-route coverage are therefore more reliable signals than the latest-year bar alone.
Activity peaked in 2020 and has moderated; separation processes dominate the technology mix
Two charts together capture the pace and composition of innovation: the annual filing trend reveals how the field evolved over time, while the IPC branch breakdown shows where technical effort is concentrated.
Annual filing trend
Annual filings grew sharply from 504 families in 2017 to a peak of 1,737 in 2020, then moderated to 1,377–1,514 through 2022–2023. Counts for 2024 onward are understated due to publication lag and should not be read as real decline. The lifecycle evidence confirms the field has eased from its 2020 peak on an annual basis, with recent-window growth at -12%.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaTechnology composition
B01D (Separation processes, including filtration and gas scrubbing) is the overwhelmingly dominant branch, accounting for the largest share of records by a wide margin. Secondary branches — B01J (catalysis), F23J (flue-gas handling), C02F (wastewater treatment), and F01N (exhaust treatment) — are all materially smaller, reflecting the field’s historic focus on scrubbing and sorbent-based removal rather than catalytic or biological routes.
↗ Hover for values · click a bar to ask EurekaHighly cited patent families surfaced by the query
Citation-heavy patent families returned by the query. Use this section as citation context, not as a curated list of the most topic-specific patents.
Spray-drying device for dehydrated filtrate from d…
A spray-drying device includes a spray nozzle that sprays the dehydrated filtrate from the desulfurization wastewater, in a spray-drying device body, an inlet that is provided in the spray-drying device body and introduces flue gas for drying spray liquid, a dry area that is provided in the spray-drying device body and dries the dehydrated filtrate by the… (excerpt from the patent abstract)
| # | Patent | Citations |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New and improved system for processing various che… | 852 |
| 2 | High capacity regenerable sorbent for removal of m… | 391 |
| 3 | Process for removal of mercury vapor and adsorbent… | 383 |
| 4 | Methods of sequestering co2 | 310 |
| 5 | Process for removal or mercury vapor and/ or vapor… | 310 |
| 6 | Ultra cleaning of combustion gas including the rem… | 282 |
| 7 | Thief process for the removal of mercury from flue… | 275 |
| 8 | Methods for removing air pollutants from combustio… | 257 |
Ranked by total forward citations. Citation counts favour older and broadly cited patent families, and broad or adjacent patents may appear when they match the search scope. Treat this section as citation context, not as a curated list of the most topic-specific patents. Some patent titles may be shown in their original, non-English language where an accurate translation could not be guaranteed.
What the competitive structure means for R&D investment decisions
Four structural observations — maturity, concentration, collaboration, and geography — translate the patent data into directional guidance for engineers and strategists evaluating where to invest.
Field is in decline phase, with annual volume easing from its 2020 peak
The lifecycle evidence classifies the field as Decline, with annual filings easing back from the 2020 peak of 1,737 families. This suggests that core separation and scrubbing technology is maturing, incremental patents are becoming harder to defend, and R&D resources may yield better returns in adjacent or emerging sub-domains. New entrants face a crowded prior-art landscape in the dominant branches.
Lifecycle: DeclineTwo-tier structure with a wide gap between the top pair and the rest
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (499 patent families) and GE Technology (437) anchor the top tier, with BASF Mobile Emissions Catalysts (295) and Johnson Matthey (279) forming a second tier. The top five control 32% of the hundred largest filers’ combined total. This structure means incumbents have durable IP moats in core routes, while mid-tier players may be more vulnerable to licensing pressure or technology substitution.
High concentrationCo-filing is concentrated within established industrial clusters
The most active co-filing pair is Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engineering (37 joint families), reflecting intra-group coordination. The Alstom Technology / GE Technology pair (26 families) traces to a corporate acquisition. Babcock & Wilcox co-files with McDermott Technology (24 families) and GEA Engineering (13 families). BASF co-files with Purdue Research Foundation and the University of Central Florida Research Foundation (8 families each), indicating academia-industry linkages in sorbent chemistry. These clusters suggest that meaningful collaboration outside established groups remains limited.
Cluster-drivenChina dominates filing activity; U.S. and Europe are secondary jurisdictions
China accounts for the largest share of patent records by a substantial margin, consistent with the country’s large installed base of coal-fired power and heavy industry. The United States, EPO, and WIPO (PCT) form the next tier of filing jurisdictions, followed by Japan, Canada, and India. Enforcement strategy and freedom-to-operate analysis should prioritize China first, then the U.S. and European patent offices.
China-centricGo beyond the landscape: Eureka’s TRIZ Solution agent breaks down an R&D problem and returns patented concept solutions, each with a technical approach and cited patent & literature evidence.
| Applicant | Collaborator | Co-filings |
|---|---|---|
| Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. | Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engineering, Ltd. | 37 |
| Alstom Technology Ltd. | General Electric Technology GmbH | 26 |
| The Babcock & Wilcox Company | McDermott Technology, Inc. | 24 |
| Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. | The Kansai Electric Power Co., Inc. | 18 |
| Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. | Osaka Gas Co., Ltd. | 14 |
| The Babcock & Wilcox Company | GEA Engineering Technology Co., Ltd. | 13 |
| BASF Mobile Emissions Catalysts LLC | BASF SE | 10 |
| BASF Mobile Emissions Catalysts LLC | Purdue Research Foundation | 8 |
| BASF Mobile Emissions Catalysts LLC | University of Central Florida Research Foundation, Inc. | 8 |
| Johnson Matthey PLC | Johnson Matthey Catalysts (Germany) GmbH | 8 |
Co-filing pairs, ranked by the number of jointly-filed patent families.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and GE Technology lead on volume; catalysis specialists hold niche depth
The two largest filers are diversified industrial groups with broad technology coverage, while the next tier — BASF Mobile Emissions Catalysts, Johnson Matthey, and Umicore — are narrower catalysis and exhaust-treatment specialists.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
With 499 patent families, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries is the clear corpus leader. Its technology focus centers on B01D 53 (gas separation and scrubbing, 601 records), F23J 15 (flue-gas and combustion residue, 116 records), and C01B 32 (inorganic compounds, 94 records), reflecting deep integration across the flue-gas desulfurization chain. Momentum has declined sharply (▼ -86% in recent filings vs. prior period), consistent with a mature portfolio shifting from prosecution to enforcement and licensing.
patent families: 499Johnson Matthey
Johnson Matthey holds 279 patent families and differentiates from the top two through a dual emphasis on catalysis (B01J 35, 190 records) and exhaust treatment (F01N 3, 158 records) alongside separation processes (B01D 53, 269 records). This positions Johnson Matthey as the strongest challenger in mobile and stationary emissions catalysis rather than large-scale scrubbing. Recent momentum shows a ▼ -49% trend, a shallower decline than the top leader, suggesting relatively more sustained recent activity.
patent families: 279| Applicant | Recent (3 yrs) | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. | 2 | ▼ -86% |
| BASF Mobile Emissions Catalysts LLC | 61 | ▼ -81% |
| Johnson Matthey PLC | 43 | ▼ -49% |
| Umicore AG & Co. KG | 27 | ▼ -43% |
| Lhoist Recherche et Développement SA | 5 | ▼ -85% |
Under-served adjacent branches worth monitoring
Relative to B01D’s dominance, several technically adjacent IPC branches carry meaningfully lower filing density. These are observations of sparsity within the corpus; entry-path viability depends on regulatory drivers and technical feasibility specific to each branch.
F01N · Exhaust silencers & aftertreatment
F01N (Exhaust treatment) shows 1,008 records — roughly one-eighteenth of the B01D count — despite the intensifying regulatory pressure on mobile-source NOx and particulate emissions worldwide. The primary technical value lies in integrating advanced catalyst geometries, electrically heated catalysts, and close-coupled aftertreatment for electrified powertrains. An entry path exists for companies with ceramic substrate or precious-metal catalyst competencies not currently represented among the top filers, who are predominantly stationary-source specialists.
Search this in Eureka →C01B · Non-metallic elements & inorganic compounds (sorbent chemistry)
C01B appears with 1,089 records — well below the B01D total — despite its direct relevance to next-generation sorbents for mercury capture, CO2 absorption, and multi-pollutant control. The most-cited patents in the corpus include several focused on high-capacity regenerable sorbents and mercury-vapor removal, signaling unmet need. Organizations with expertise in activated carbon, zeolite synthesis, or novel mineral sorbents could find whitespace here, particularly for combined SO2/mercury/heavy-metal capture applications that span both stationary and industrial source categories.
Search this in Eureka →How leaders differ by technology route
Strength of each leader across the main technology routes.
| Player | B01D 53 · Separation processes (filtration etc.) | B01D 46 · Separation processes (filtration etc.) | B01D 50 · Separation processes (filtration etc.) | F23J 15 · Flues & combustion residue | B01D 47 · Separation processes (filtration etc.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. | Strong · 601 | Absent | Emerging · 11 | Emerging · 116 | Emerging · 24 |
| BASF Mobile Emissions Catalysts LLC | Strong · 511 | Emerging · 17 | Absent | Absent | Absent |
| Alstom Technology Ltd. | Strong · 366 | Absent | Absent | Emerging · 59 | Absent |
| Johnson Matthey PLC | Strong · 269 | Emerging · 45 | Absent | Absent | Absent |
| The Babcock & Wilcox Company | Strong · 125 | Absent | Absent | Strong · 63 | Moderate · 52 |
| General Electric Technology GmbH | Strong · 195 | Absent | Absent | Emerging · 33 | Absent |
| Mitsubishi Hitachi Power Systems, Ltd. | Strong · 129 | Absent | Absent | Moderate · 49 | Absent |
Frequently asked questions
The corpus contains 11,115 patent families covering air pollution control technologies across all major jurisdictions.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries leads with 499 patent families, ahead of GE Technology (437) and BASF Mobile Emissions Catalysts (295).
China is by far the most active jurisdiction by patent-record count, followed by the United States, EPO, WIPO (PCT), Japan, Canada, and India.
B01D (Separation processes, including gas scrubbing and filtration) is overwhelmingly dominant. Secondary branches include B01J (catalysis), F23J (flue-gas and combustion residue), C02F (wastewater treatment), and F01N (exhaust treatment).
The field is classified as Decline, with annual filings having eased back from a peak of 1,737 families in 2020. The most recent filing years (2024–2026) are also subject to publication lag and will partially recover as applications publish.
The most active co-filing pairs are Mitsubishi Heavy Industries with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engineering (37 joint families), Alstom Technology with GE Technology (26 families), and Babcock & Wilcox with McDermott Technology (24 families). BASF also co-files with Purdue Research Foundation and the University of Central Florida Research Foundation (8 families each).
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Disclaimer. This page is generated from PatSnap Eureka data drawn from a limited snapshot of global patent and scientific-literature records, and is provided for general information and reference only.
Patent data carries inherent limitations: recent filings (typically the most recent 18–24 months) are under-counted due to standard publication lag; counts may be reported at either a patent-family or a patent-record basis and are not always directly comparable; classification, applicant-name, and citation data may contain errors, duplicates, or omissions; and the underlying search query defines and constrains the scope shown. As a result, the analysis may be incomplete or inaccurate and may not reflect the full technology landscape.
Nothing on this page constitutes an exhaustive prior-art, novelty, freedom-to-operate, or validity search, nor does it constitute legal, financial, investment, or professional advice, and it should not be relied upon as such. Any patent, commercial, or strategic decision should be verified independently and reviewed with qualified patent, legal, and domain professionals. PatSnap makes no warranties, express or implied, as to the accuracy, completeness, or fitness for any particular purpose of the information presented.