Exhaust gas recirculator devices

• US 7,552,722 B1
• Filed: 12/26/2007
• Issued: 06/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyota Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Shieh, Teng-Hua, Rajan, Naveen, Sampath, Manoj
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuff; Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; Hung Q
• Application Number:
  US11/964,306
• Publication Number:
  US 20090165755A1
• Time in Patent Office: 552 Days
• Field of Search: 123/568.15, 123/568.17, 123/568.18, 123/568.19, 123/568.11, 123/590, 606/052, 602/78, 602/80, 606/02
• US Class Current: 123/568.17
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 26/19 Means for improving the mixing of air and recirculated exhaust gases, e.g. venturis or multiple openings to the intake system

Abstract

Embodiments of an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) device comprise a mixing pipe having an air inlet port and an outlet port disposed at opposite ends of the mixing pipe, and an exhaust inlet port disposed at a region of the mixing pipe between the air inlet port and the outlet port, wherein the exhaust inlet port is configured to deliver exhaust to be mixed with air inside the mixing pipe. The exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) device further comprises a nozzle disposed internally within a region of the mixing pipe between the exhaust inlet ring and the outlet port such that the diffuser nozzle defines an outer mixing channel in the spacing between the diffuser nozzle and the mixing pipe region.

Claims

1. An exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) device comprising:

a mixing pipe having an air inlet port disposed at one end of the mixing pipe;

an outlet port disposed at an opposite end of the mixing pipe;

an exhaust inlet port disposed at a region of the mixing pipe between the air inlet port and the outlet port, wherein the exhaust inlet port is configured to deliver exhaust to be mixed with air inside the mixing pipe; and

a diffuser nozzle comprising an outwardly tapering cross section disposed coaxially within a region of the mixing pipe between the exhaust inlet port and the outlet port, the diffuser nozzle further comprising a closed first end adjacent a region of the mixing pipe defined by the exhaust inlet port, an open second end opposite the first end and adjacent the outlet port, and at least one opening disposed in the side of the diffuser nozzle,

an outer mixing channel disposed in the spacing between the diffuser nozzle and the mixing pipe; and

a central mixing channel disposed adjacent the at least one opening of the diffuser nozzle and extending through at least a portion of the diffuser nozzle.

2. The EGR mixing device of claim 1 further comprising helical vanes disposed upstream of the outlet port and configured to turn an air/exhaust mixture.

3. The EGR mixing device of claim 1 wherein the diffuser nozzle comprises multiple openings for entry into the central mixing channel.

4. The EGR mixing device of claim 1 wherein the mixing pipe region interfaces with the outlet port at a substantially right angle.

5. The EGR mixing device of claim 1 wherein the mixing pipe region interfaces with the outlet port via a curved interface.

6. The EGR mixing device of claim 1 wherein the mixing pipe region interfaces with the outlet port via a slanted extension.

7. The EGR mixing device of claim 1 wherein the mixing pipe region comprises an outwardly tapering cross section.

8. The EGR mixing device of claim 1 further comprising an exhaust inlet ring disposed coaxially around the mixing pipe at a region between the air inlet port and the outlet port, the exhaust inlet ring being comprised of a plurality of radial openings extending through the inlet ring.

9. The EGR mixing device of claim 8 wherein the radial openings comprise holes, tubes, or combinations thereof.

10. An exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) device comprising:

a mixing pipe having an air inlet port disposed at one end of the mixing pipe;

an outlet port disposed at an opposite end of the mixing pipe;

an exhaust inlet ring disposed coaxially around the mixing pipe at a region between the air inlet port and the outlet port, the exhaust inlet ring being comprised of a plurality of radial openings extending through the inlet ring, wherein the exhaust inlet ring is configured to deliver exhaust to be mixed with air inside the mixing pipe via the plurality of radial openings; and

a diffuser nozzle disposed internally within a region of the mixing pipe between the exhaust inlet ring and the outlet port;

wherein the diffuser nozzle further defines a central mixing channel extending through the diffuser nozzle; and

wherein the diffuser nozzle comprises multiple openings for entry into the central mixing channel.

11. The EGR mixing device of claim 10 wherein the EGR mixing pipe comprises an outer mixing channel in the spacing between the diffuser nozzle and the mixing pipe region.

12. The EGR mixing device of claim 10 further comprising helical vanes disposed upstream of the outlet port and configured to turn an air/exhaust mixture.

13. The EGR mixing device of claim 10 wherein the exhaust inlet ring comprises an exhaust inlet tube extending from the outer surface of the exhaust inlet ring and in communication with the plurality of radial openings, the inlet tube being configured to receive exhaust and deliver exhaust to the plurality of radial openings for subsequent delivery to the mixing pipe.

14. The EGR mixing device of claim 10 wherein the radial openings comprise holes, tubes, or combinations thereof.

15. The EGR mixing device of claim 14 wherein the inlet tube extends past the inner surface of the inlet ring.

16. The EGR mixing device of claim 10 wherein each radial opening is spaced a set distance from an adjacent radial opening along the inner surface of the exhaust gas inlet ring.

17. The EGR mixing device of claim 10 wherein the plurality of radial openings comprise a diameter of between about 2 mm to about 10 mm.

18. An exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) device comprising:

a mixing pipe having an air inlet port disposed at one end of the mixing pipe;

an outlet port disposed at an opposite end of the mixing pipe;

an exhaust inlet ring disposed coaxially around the mixing pipe at a region between the air inlet port and the outlet port; and

a diffuser nozzle disposed coaxially within a region of the mixing pipe between the exhaust inlet port and the outlet port, wherein the mixing pipe region coaxially surrounding the diffuser nozzle defines an outwardly tapering cross section, the diffuser nozzle further comprising a closed first end adjacent a region of the mixing pipe defined by the exhaust inlet port, an open second end opposite the first end and adjacent the outlet port, and at least one opening disposed in the side of the diffuser nozzle,

wherein the EGR mixing pipe comprises an outer mixing channel in the spacing between the diffuser nozzle and mixing pipe region, and a central mixing channel disposed adjacent the at least one opening of the diffuser nozzle and extending through the diffuser nozzle.

19. The EGR mixing device of claim 18 wherein the exhaust inlet ring comprises a plurality of radial openings extending through the inlet ring, wherein the exhaust inlet ring is configured to deliver exhaust to be mixed with air inside the mixing pipe via the plurality of radial openings.