Center air manifold for catalytic converter
First Claim
1. In a catalytic converter for combustion product comprising a shell defining first and second longitudinally spaced apart shell portions, said shell having an interior wall, a first substrate containing a reducing catalyst, the first substrate disposed in the first shell portion, a second substrate containing an oxidizing catalyst, the second substrate disposed in the second shell portion, said shell further having an inlet for introducing combustion product into the first shell portion and an outlet for exhausting combustion product from the second shell portion, and a third passageway providing communication between the first and second shell portions, means for introducing air into the combustion product flowing longitudinally through the third passageway and means for providing access to the air introducing means through the shell, the inprovement wherein the air introducing means comprises at least one channel section, the at least one channel section being formed to extend perimetrally substantially completely about the interior wall of the shell generally transversely to combustion product flow through the third passageway, the at least one channel section including upstream and downstream edge portions for engaging the interior wall of the shell and an intermediate portion extending between the upstream and downstream edge portions for defining between the channel section and the shell interior wall a manifold, said manifold including a plurality of apertures opening inwardly for directing a plurality of streams containing air from the manifold into the combustion product.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A catalytic converter includes a shell defining first and second shell portions. A first substrate supports a reducing catalyst in the first shell portion. A second substrate supports an oxidizing catalyst in the second shell portion. The shell further includes inlet and outlet passageways. The inlet passageway is disposed in the shell adjacent the first shell portion and allows combustion products to enter the shell. The outlet passageway is disposed adjacent the second shell portion and allows combustion products to exit from the shell. A third passageway located longitudinally between the first and second shell portion allows combustion product to flow readily from the first shell portion into the second shell portion. A manifold introduces air into the combustion product flowing through the third passageway and an air fitting provides access to the manifold through an exterior wall of the shell. The manifold extends perimetrally at least partially about, and conforms to the interior wall of, the shell in the third passageway. The manifold has a plurality of apertures which open inwardly to direct a plurality of streams of air from the manifold into the stream of combustion product flowing through the third passageway. The converter can be of a "clam shell" type, having first and second longitudinal shell halves, or it can have a one-piece main shell portion.
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Citations
5 Claims
- 1. In a catalytic converter for combustion product comprising a shell defining first and second longitudinally spaced apart shell portions, said shell having an interior wall, a first substrate containing a reducing catalyst, the first substrate disposed in the first shell portion, a second substrate containing an oxidizing catalyst, the second substrate disposed in the second shell portion, said shell further having an inlet for introducing combustion product into the first shell portion and an outlet for exhausting combustion product from the second shell portion, and a third passageway providing communication between the first and second shell portions, means for introducing air into the combustion product flowing longitudinally through the third passageway and means for providing access to the air introducing means through the shell, the inprovement wherein the air introducing means comprises at least one channel section, the at least one channel section being formed to extend perimetrally substantially completely about the interior wall of the shell generally transversely to combustion product flow through the third passageway, the at least one channel section including upstream and downstream edge portions for engaging the interior wall of the shell and an intermediate portion extending between the upstream and downstream edge portions for defining between the channel section and the shell interior wall a manifold, said manifold including a plurality of apertures opening inwardly for directing a plurality of streams containing air from the manifold into the combustion product.
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4. In a catalytic converter for combustion product comprising a shell defining first and second longitudinally spaced apart shell portions, said shell having an interior wall, said shell further comprising a generally cylindrical shell main portion having first and second ends, a first substrate containing a reducing catalyst, the first substrate disposed in the first shell portion, a second substrate containing an oxidizing catalyst, the second substrate disposed in the second shell portion, said shell further having means defining an inlet passageway for admitting combustion products into the first shell portion and an outlet passageway for exhausting combustion products from the second shell portion, the means for defining an inlet passageway including an inlet head attached to the first end of the shell, the means for defining an outlet passageway including an outlet head attached to the second end of the shell, and a third passageway providing communication between the first and second shell portions, means for introducing air into the combustion product flowing longitudinally through the third passageway and means for providing access to the air introducing means through the shell, the improvement wherein the air introducing means comprises a manifold extending perimetrally about at least a substantial portion of the interior wall of the shell, the manifold having a plurality of apertures opening inwardly for directing a plurality of streams containing air from the manifold into the combustion product, the manifold having at least one surface shaped to conform to the wall of the shell main portion, the manifold comprising an upstream manifold portion and a downstream manifold portion, one of the manifold portions including a plurality of peripherally spaced apart, inwardly opening holes, and the other manifold portion including an equal plurality of peripherally spaced slots cooperating with the holes in the assembled converter for providing the air introducing apertures, the air introducing apertures opening inwardly to direct air generally perpendicularly of the longitudinal direction of combustion product flow in the third passageway.
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5. A two-stage catalytic converter comprising a shell having an interior wall defining a first reducing catalyst housing portion and a second oxidizing catalyst housing portion, the shell further including means defining an inlet opening for admitting combustion products into the converter upstream from the first housing portion and an outlet opening for exhausting combustion products from the converter downstream from the second housing portion, first means for supporting a reducing catalyst along the path of combustion product flow through the converter, the first means being disposed in the first housing portion, second means for supporting an oxidizing catalyst along the path of combustion product flow through the converter, the second means being disposed in the second housing portion, the shell having a passageway for conducting combustion products from the first housing portion to the second, the passageway being disposed between the first and second housing portions, the shell comprising a generally cylindrical main portion having first and second ends, the means defining an inlet opening comprises an inlet head, the means defining an outlet opening comprising an outlet head and a manifold for introducing air into the flowing combustion products, the manifold being disposed in the passageway and having at least one surface conforming to and extending perimetrally about a substantial portion of the shell interior wall, the manifold including means defining a plurality of apertures for directing air into the flow of combustion product through the passageway and means defining an entry port for permitting air to be introduced into the manifold, the manifold including an upstream manifold portion and a downstream manifold portion, each of the portions having an annular shape and a surface conforming to the interior wall of the shell, the air introducing apertures being defined by a plurality of peripherally spaced apart, inwardly opening holes on one of the upstream and downstream manifold portions and an equal plurality of cooperating peripherally spaced, longitudinally extending slots on the other portion.
Specification