MULTI-CELL STRUCTURE FOR AUTOMOTIVE CATALYST SUPPORT

• US 20150047323A1
• Filed: 09/18/2013
• Published: 02/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Oberski, Christopher, Beaver, Steven Michael, Kunitz, David Walter
• Granted Patent: US 9,512,766 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 60/274
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2255/1021 Platinum
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2255/1023 Palladium
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2255/2061 Yttrium
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/9454 characterised by a specific device
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/9477 with catalysts positioned on separate bricks, e.g. exhaust systems
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 13/009 having two or more separate purifying devices arranged in series
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 13/10 of exhaust manifolds with cooling jacket F01N3/046
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/2803 characterised by structure, by material or by manufacturing of catalyst support
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/2828 Ceramic multi-channel monoliths, e.g. honeycombs
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies

Abstract

An exhaust system is described including an exhaust manifold having different length runners, with an emission control device housing a plurality of catalyst bricks, at least one of which having a multi-cell density. In this way, uneven exhaust mixing may be addressed without modifying packaging of the exhaust system.

Claims

1. An exhaust system, comprising:

an exhaust manifold having different length runners; and

an emission control device housing a catalyst brick with a multi-cell density.

2. The exhaust system of claim 1, wherein the emission control device is in a close-coupled position.

3. The exhaust system of claim 1, wherein the exhaust manifold includes exactly three runners, with one longer than a remaining two runner, the one longer runner being positioned at one end of the manifold opposite the remaining two.

4. The exhaust system of claim 1, wherein a first catalyst brick in the housing has the multi-cell density and a second catalyst brick in the housing has a uniform cell density.

5. The exhaust system of claim 1, wherein a first catalyst brick in the housing has a first multi-cell density and a second catalyst brick in the housing has a second, different, multi-cell density.

6. The exhaust system of claim 3, further comprising an oxygen sensor positioned adjacent the one longer runner.

7. The exhaust system of claim 1, further comprising another emission control device positioned downstream of the emission control device.

8. The exhaust system of claim 1 wherein a difference between an average cell density of a first brick and a second brick in the housing is a greater percentage than a difference in length between the longest runner and the shortest runner of the exhaust manifold.

9. An exhaust system, comprising:

an engine having an integrated exhaust manifold having different length exhaust runners; and

an emission control device housing a plurality of catalyst bricks serially positioned, with varying cell density within a catalyst brick.

10. The exhaust system of claim 9, wherein the emission control device is in a close-coupled position, and wherein the exhaust manifold includes exactly three runners, with one longer than the remaining two runners, the one longer runner being positioned at one end of the manifold opposite the remaining two.

11. The exhaust system of claim 9, wherein a first catalyst brick has a varying cell density in a first region of a front face of the brick and a uniform cell density in a second region of the front face of the brick.

12. The exhaust system of claim 9, wherein a plurality of catalyst bricks have varying cell density.

13. The exhaust system of claim 9, further comprising an oxygen sensor positioned adjacent the one longer runner.

14. The exhaust system of claim 9, further comprising another emission control device positioned downstream of the first emission control device.

15. The exhaust system of claim 9 wherein a first, upstream, brick has varying cell density along only one direction, the one direction being one of horizontal, vertical, and radial.

16. The exhaust system of claim 9 wherein a first, upstream, brick has varying cell density along two directions.

17. A method of operating an engine, comprising:

flowing exhaust gas from a plurality of engine cylinders to an exhaust manifold having different length runners;

combining the exhaust flow downstream of the different length runners and upstream of a close-coupled catalyst housing; and

flowing the combined exhaust gas through a plurality of catalyst bricks each with multi-cell density within the close-coupled catalyst housing.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising sensing exhaust gas content of the combined exhaust flow upstream of a first brick of the plurality of bricks.