Trap for exhaust system

• US 8,464,524 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2008
• Issued: 06/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/06/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Bidner, David Karl, Roth, John M., Jahr, Ken O., Surnilla, Gopichandra, Kerns, James Michael, Clark, Timothy Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Denion, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRAN, DIEM T
• Application Number:
  US12/187,217
• Publication Number:
  US 20100031645A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,777 Days
• Field of Search: 602/74, 602/98, 603/01, 603/09, 603/20, 603/24
• US Class Current: 60/309
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 1/02 by using resonance
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 1/023 Helmholtz resonators
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2240/20 a flow director or deflector
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2240/22 a condensation chamber
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/005 for draining or otherwise eliminating condensates or moisture accumulating in the apparatus F01N3/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/0807 by using absorbents or adsorbents
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/0842 Nitrogen oxides
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 13/0207 changing valve lift or valve lift and timing
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 13/0219 by shifting the phase, i.e. the opening periods of the valves are constant
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 26/15 in relation to engine exhaust purifying apparatus

Abstract

A system for trapping liquid exhaust during a cold start of an internal combustion engine is provided. As one example, a system includes, an exhaust inlet, an exchange area fluidly coupled downstream of said exhaust inlet, a trap coupled to said exchange area having a liquid exhaust chamber for collection of liquid exhaust, and a catalytic converter fluidly coupled downstream to said exchange area. In another example, a method includes condensing, at least partly, exhaust from the engine in an exchange area in an exhaust system into liquid exhaust, collecting liquid exhaust into a trap disposed in the exchange area, and evaporating the liquid exhaust into the exchange area after an evaporation temperature is reached in the trap.

Claims

1. A system for trapping liquid exhaust during an internal combustion engine cold start, comprising:

an exhaust manifold coupled to a reducer cone;

an exchange area coupled downstream of said exhaust manifold at a juncture of the reducer cone and an emissions reduction device housing;

a trap comprising a drain opening into the exchange area and a liquid exhaust chamber fluidly coupled to the drain, the chamber receiving gravity dripped liquid exhaust from the exchange area and the exchange area receiving evaporated liquid exhaust from the chamber; and

a catalytic converter fluidly coupled downstream of said exchange area in the housing.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a baffle disposed between the drain and the catalytic converter.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a heater coupled to the trap.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the trap further includes a heat shield.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein a portion of the exchange area is at least partially sloped to enable flow of the liquid exhaust into the trap.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the trap is a Helmholtz resonator.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising an engine controller coupled to at least one of said engine, said catalytic converter, and an exhaust inlet, where the exhaust inlet includes said exhaust manifold coupled to said reducer cone.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the catalytic converter includes a NO_x trap.

9. A device comprising:

a drain opening into an exchange area, the exchange area fluidly coupled downstream of an exhaust manifold at a juncture of a reducer cone and an emissions reduction device housing and upstream of a baffle with a circular pin-wheel structure; and

a chamber fluidly coupled to the drain, the chamber receiving gravity dripped liquid exhaust from the exchange area and the exchange area receiving evaporated liquid exhaust from the chamber.

10. The device of claim 9, further comprising a passageway fluidly linking the drain and the chamber.

11. The device of claim 9, further comprising a heat shield at least partially insulating the chamber.

12. The device of claim 9, wherein the chamber is a Helmhotz resonator.

13. The device of claim 9, wherein the chamber is bulbous.

14. The device of claim 9, wherein the baffle is disposed downstream of the drain and inside of the housing upstream of a catalytic converter.

15. A method of operating an internal combustion engine during cold start, comprising:

condensing, at least partly, exhaust from the engine in an exchange area in an exhaust system into liquid exhaust;

collecting liquid exhaust into a trap, the trap comprising an opening into the exchange area and a passageway coupling the opening to a liquid exhaust chamber; and

evaporating the liquid exhaust from the chamber into the exchange area via the passageway after an evaporation temperature is reached in the trap.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein evaporating the liquid exhaust is delayed until after a catalytic converter is at a light off condition.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising increasing the centrifugal action of the exhaust in the exchange area via a baffle disposed upstream of a catalytic converter and downstream of the opening of the trap.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the exhaust is E85 exhaust.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising reducing and oxidizing the evaporated liquid exhaust in a catalytic converter.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the catalytic converter includes a NO_x trap.

21. The method of claim 17, further comprising redirecting a portion of exhaust flow back upstream to the exchange area via the baffle.