Engine exhaust gas recirculation particle trap

• US 6,598,388 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2001
• Issued: 07/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cummins Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Cummins Incorporated
• Inventors: Lucas, Michael, Schneider, Matthew, Dringenburg, Dean, Oldham, Louis P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Denion, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tran, Diem T
• Application Number:
  US09/775,412
• Publication Number:
  US 20020124553A1
• Time in Patent Office: 908 Days
• Field of Search: 602/78, 602/79, 602/97, 603/11, 55D/IG.30
• US Class Current: 60/311
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2340/06 characterised by the arrangement of the exhaust apparatus relative to the turbine of a turbocharger
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/037 by means of inertial or centrifugal separators, e.g. of cyclone type, optionally combined or associated with agglomerators
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 37/00 Engines characterised by provision of pumps driven at least for part of the time by exhaust
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 26/05 High pressure loops, i.e. wherein recirculated exhaust gas is taken out from the exhaust system upstream of the turbine and reintroduced into the intake system downstream of the compressor
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 26/12 characterised by means for attaching parts of an EGR system to each other or to engine parts
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 26/15 in relation to engine exhaust purifying apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 26/25 with coolers having bypasses
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 26/47 the characteristics being temperatures, pressures or flow rates
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 55/30 Exhaust treatment

Abstract

An exhaust gas recirculation system for an internal combustion engine includes intake and exhaust manifolds that respectively receive ambient air and expel exhaust gas. A recirculation line fluidly connects the exhaust and intake manifolds. An exhaust gas recirculation valve is included in the recirculation line and is controlled to distribute exhaust gas into the intake manifold. A particle trap is arranged to receive all of the exhaust gases from the exhaust manifold and includes a particle collection chamber therein. A stagnation region is provided within the particle trap such that all the exhaust gas passed through the exhaust gas particle trap is directed toward the stagnation region therein and at least a portion of debris carried with the exhaust gas is retained within the particle collection chamber.

Claims

1. An exhaust gas particle trap for an internal combustion engine comprising:

a housing defining an inlet configured for fluid coupling to an exhaust manifold of the engine to receive exhaust gas produced thereby, and an exhaust gas outlet;

an acceleration region fluidly coupled to said inlet of said housing and configured to increase exhaust gas flow velocity therethrough; and

an elongate chamber defining at one end an inlet receiving exhaust gas from said acceleration region, at an opposite end a debris receiving portion, and an exhaust gas portal therebetween fluidly coupled to said outlet of said housing, said portal positioned relative to the chamber inlet such that exhaust gas exiting said acceleration region is projected beyond said portal into said debris receiving portion where particles carried by the exhaust gas are collected before the exhaust gas exits said portal.

2. The exhaust gas particle trap of claim 1 wherein said exhaust gas portal defines a flow area sized to prevent excessive back pressure as the exhaust gas flows from said inlet to said outlet of said housing.

3. The exhaust gas particle trap of claim 1 wherein said housing includes a first conduit having a first end defining said inlet of said housing and a second opposite end;

and further including a flow deflector adjacent to said second end of said first conduit, said flow deflector deflecting exhaust gas flowing through said first conduit into said acceleration region.

4. The exhaust gas article trap of claim 3 further including a second conduit having a first end defining said outlet of said housing and a second opposite end fluidly coupled by said exhaust gas portal to said chamber.

5. The exhaust gas particle trap of claim 4 wherein said exhaust gas portal extends transversely between said chamber and said second conduit.

6. The exhaust gas particle trap of claim 4 wherein said elongate chamber extends along a first axial reference and said second conduit extends along a second axial reference substantially parallel with said first axial reference.

7. The exhaust gas particle trap of claim 6 wherein said first axial reference is offset relative to said second axial reference.

8. The exhaust gas particle trap of claim 7 wherein said first conduit extends along a third axial reference substantially parallel with said first and second axial references.

9. The exhaust gas particle trap of claim 8 wherein said third axial reference is offset relative to said first and second axial references.

10. The exhaust gas particle trap of claim 1 wherein said acceleration region defines a first transverse flow area, and said chamber defines a second transverse flow area larger than said first transverse flow area.

11. The exhaust gas particle trap of claim 1 wherein the engine further includes an intake manifold and an exhaust gas recirculation conduit fluidly coupled between said exhaust manifold and said intake manifold, the exhaust gas particle trap disposed in-line between said exhaust manifold and said exhaust gas recirculation conduit.

12. An exhaust gas particle trap for an internal combustion engine comprising:

a housing having a first conduit having a first end defining an inlet configured for receiving exhaust gas produced by the engine and a second opposite end defining an outlet, and a second conduit having a first end defining an exhaust gas outlet of the particle trap and a second opposite end;

a flow deflector adjacent to said second end of said first conduit and operable to deflect exhaust gas flowing through said first conduit; and

an elongate chamber defining at one end an inlet receiving exhaust gas deflected by said flow deflector, at an opposite end a debris receiving portion, and an exhaust gas portal therebetween fluidly coupling said chamber to said second end of said second conduit, said portal positioned relative to said chamber inlet such that exhaust gas entering said chamber inlet is projected beyond said portal into said debris receiving portion where particles carried by the exhaust gas are collected before the exhaust gas exits said portal.

13. The exhaust gas particle trap of claim 12 wherein said exhaust gas portal defines a flow area sized to prevent excessive back pressure as the exhaust gas flows from said inlet to said outlet of said housing.

14. The exhaust gas particle trap of claim 12 further including an acceleration region disposed between said flow deflector and said inlet of said chamber, said acceleration region increasing exhaust gas flow velocity from said first conduit into said chamber.

15. The exhaust gas particle trap of claim 14 wherein said exhaust gas portal extends transversely between said chamber and said second conduit.

16. The exhaust gas particle trap of claim 12 wherein said elongate chamber extends along a first axial reference and said second conduit extends along a second axial reference substantially parallel with said first axial reference.

17. The exhaust gas particle trap of claim 16 wherein said first axial reference is offset relative to said second axial reference.

18. The exhaust gas particle trap of claim 17 wherein said first conduit extends along a third axial reference substantially parallel with said first and second axial references.

19. The exhaust gas particle trap of claim 18 wherein said third axial reference is offset relative to said first and second axial references.

20. The exhaust gas particle trap of claim 14 wherein said acceleration region defines a first transverse flow area, and said chamber defines a second transverse flow area larger than said first transverse flow area.

21. The exhaust gas particle trap of claim 12 wherein the engine further includes an intake manifold and an exhaust gas recirculation conduit fluidly coupled between said exhaust manifold and said intake manifold, the exhaust gas particle trap disposed in-line between said exhaust manifold and said exhaust gas recirculation conduit.

22. An exhaust gas particle trap for an internal combustion engine comprising:

a housing having a first conduit having a first end defining an inlet configured for receiving exhaust gas produced by the engine and a second opposite end defining an outlet, said first conduit extending along a first axial reference, and a second conduit having a first end defining an exhaust gas outlet of the particle trap and a second opposite end, said second conduit extending along a second axial reference;

a flow deflector adjacent to said second end of said first conduit and operable to deflect exhaust gas flowing through said first conduit;

an acceleration region fluidly coupled to said flow deflector and configured to increase exhaust gas flow velocity therethrough; and

an elongate chamber extending along a third axial reference, with said first, second and third axial references substantially parallel and offset relative to each other, said chamber defining at one end an inlet receiving exhaust gas from said acceleration region, at an opposite end a debris receiving portion, and an exhaust gas portal therebetween extending transversely between said chamber and said second end of said second conduit, said portal positioned relative to the chamber inlet such that exhaust gas exiting said acceleration region is projected beyond said portal into said debris receiving portion where particles carried by the exhaust gas are collected before the exhaust gas exits said portal.

23. The exhaust gas particle trap of claim 22 wherein the engine further includes an intake manifold and an exhaust gas recirculation conduit fluidly coupled between said exhaust manifold and said intake manifold, the exhaust gas particle trap disposed in-line between said exhaust manifold and said exhaust gas recirculation conduit.