Exhaust aftertreatment device with flow diffuser

• US 6,712,869 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2002
• Issued: 03/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cummins Filtration Incorporated (Cummins Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Fleetguard, Inc. (Cummins Incorporated)
• Inventors: Liu, Z. Gerald, Zoran, Randolph G., Cheng, C. Raymond
• Primary Examiner(s): LAWRENCE JR, FRANK M
• Application Number:
  US10/083,954
• Publication Number:
  US 20030159414A1
• Time in Patent Office: 762 Days
• Field of Search: 554/18, 554/34, 554/76, 554/47, 554/57, 55D/IG.30, 602/72, 602/82, 602/99, 603/11, 603/24, 422/176
• US Class Current: 55/418
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/0043 containing fixed gas displacement elements or cores
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/94 by catalytic processes
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2240/20 a flow director or deflector
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/021 by means of filters
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/28 Construction of catalytic reactors
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/2892 Exhaust flow directors or the like, e.g. upstream of catalytic device
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 55/30 Exhaust treatment

Abstract

An exhaust aftertreatment device has a diffuser upstream of an aftertreatment element such as a catalyst element or a filter element such as a diesel particulate filter. The diffuser de-focuses centralized velocity force flow against the aftertreatment element from the inlet in a space efficient and flow efficient construction.

Claims

1. An exhaust aftertreatment device comprising:

a housing extending axially along an axis and having an upstream inlet for receiving said exhaust, and a downstream outlet for discharging said exhaust;

an aftertreatment element in said housing for treating said exhaust;

a diffuser in said housing de-focusing centralized velocity force flow against said aftertreatment element from said inlet,

wherein said diffuser comprises a central axially extending cylindrical tube and a plurality of vanes extending radially outwardly from said tube and curved to impart a non-axial flow direction component, wherein a first portion of said exhaust from said inlet flows axially within said tube, and a second portion of said exhaust from said inlet flows along said vanes and is directed by the curving of said vanes along a non-axial flow component direction.

2. The exhaust aftertreatment device according to claim 1 wherein said second portion of said exhaust is an annulus concentrically surrounding said first portion of said exhaust.

3. The exhaust aftertreatment device according to claim 2 wherein said first portion of said exhaust flows from said inlet axially through said tube to said aftertreatment element.

4. The exhaust aftertreatment device according to claim 2 wherein said tube is perforated.

5. An exhaust aftertreatment device comprising a housing extending axially along an axis and having an upstream inlet for receiving said exhaust, and a downstream outlet for discharging said exhaust, an aftertreatment clement in said housing for treating said exhaust, said housing having a chamber extending axially between said inlet and said aftertreatment element, a diffuser in said housing comprising a perforated plate extending laterally across said chamber and having a first central area and a second surrounding area, said plate being perforated at both of said first and second areas, said second area having larger perforated holes than said first area.