Muffler with catalytic converter arrangement; and method

• US 5,426,269 A
• Filed: 03/02/1993
• Issued: 06/20/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Donaldson Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Donaldson Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Barris, Marty A., Wagner, Wayne M., Flemming, Douglas E., Rothman, James C., Betts, Peter A., Winnes, David E., Wiese, John S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gellner, M. L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEE, EDDIE C H
• Application Number:
  US08/025,058
• Time in Patent Office: 840 Days
• Field of Search: 181/231, 181/232, 181/240, 181/252, 181/255, 181/256, 181/257, 181/258, 181/264, 181/282, 60/299, 60/302
• US Class Current: 181/232
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 1/02 by using resonance
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2230/04 Catalytic converters
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2330/40 made of a single sheet, foil or plate
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2470/18 the axis of inlet or outlet tubes being other than the longitudinal axis of apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2470/22 Inlet and outlet tubes being positioned on the same side of the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2490/155 being disposed one after the other in flow direction
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2490/20 Chambers being formed inside the exhaust pipe without enlargement of the cross section of the pipe, e.g. resonance chambers
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/2817 only with non-corrugated sheets, plates or foils
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/2857 the mats or gaskets being at least partially made of intumescent material, e.g. unexpanded vermiculite
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/2867 the mats or gaskets being placed at the front or end face of catalyst body
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/2885 with exhaust silencers in a single housing
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/2892 Exhaust flow directors or the like, e.g. upstream of catalytic device
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 3/06 with compression ignition compression ignition engines using air or gas for blowing fuel into compressed air in cylinder F02B13/02

Abstract

An apparatus for modifying an exhaust stream of a diesel engine is provided. The apparatus includes a muffler arrangement having an exhaust inlet and an exhaust outlet in construct and arrange for sound attenuation therein. The apparatus also includes a catalytic converter arrangement positioned within the muffler arrangement. During operation, the exhaust flow is directed both through the muffler arrangement and the catalytic converter arrangement, to advantage.

Claims

1. An apparatus for modifying an exhaust stream of a diesel engine;

said apparatus comprising;

(a) a muffler arrangement comprising;

an outer shell having a first end, a second end, an exhaust inlet in said first end of said outer shell, and an exhaust outlet;

(i) said muffler arrangement including a sound attenuation arrangement within said shell;

(b) a catalytic converter arrangement positioned within said muffler arrangement;

said catalytic converter arrangement comprising a converter core having an upstream surface and an opposite downstream surface;

said converter core having an outer periphery;

(c) an internal shell positioned within, and spaced from, said outer shell, to define an exhaust gas flow annulus therebetween;

(i) said converter core being operably positioned within said internal shell;

(d) said sound attenuation arrangement including a sound attenuator tube having an entry port spaced from said converter core downstream surface;

(e) an exhaust flow arrangement for directing exhaust gases through said catalytic converter arrangement, in a direction of flow from said upstream surface to said downstream surface, whenever exhaust gases operably flow through said muffler arrangement from said exhaust inlet to said exhaust outlet;

(f) an annular flow arrangement for directing exhaust gases, after the exhaust gases have been directed through the catalytic converter core, in a direction past the converter core, and around an outer periphery thereof, in a direction of flow from the catalytic core downstream surface toward the catalytic core upstream surface;

(i) said annular flow arrangement directing flow of exhaust gases through said exhaust flow annulus and to said outlet;

(ii) said annular flow arrangement directing flow of exhaust gases into said exhaust flow annulus at a location between said sound attenuator tube entry port and said converter core upstream surface such that in use gases can, but are not required to, flow from said converter core downstream surface into said exhaust flow annulus without being directed through said attenuator tube; and

,

(g) said shell being constructed and arranged with said exhaust gas inlet being positioned in said shell at a location closer to said catalytic converter core upstream surface than to said catalytic converter core downstream surface; and

, said shell being constructed and arranged with said exhaust gas outlet being positioned in said shell at a location closer to said catalytic converter core upstream surface than to said catalytic converter core downstream surface;

said catalytic converter core being physically positioned between said shell second end and both of said exhaust inlet and said exhaust outlet.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said sound attenuation arrangement comprising downstream acoustic elements including said sound attenuator tube extending from one resonating chamber to a second resonating chamber.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said catalytic converter arrangement comprises a metal foil core having an effective amount of catalyst dispersed thereon.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said catalytic converter comprises a ceramic core having an effective amount of catalyst dispersed thereon.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said catalytic converter includes an insulation mantle wrapped around said ceramic core.

6. An apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said catalytic converter includes:

(a) a flexible insulation mantle wrapped around said ceramic core; and

,

(b) a sheet metal casing wrapped around said flexible insulation mantle.