Counter-swirl mixer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10443477-B2
Application number	US-201715496128-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 25, 2017
Priority date	Apr 25, 2017
Publication date	Oct 15, 2019
Grant date	Oct 15, 2019

Abstract

An aftertreatment system may include an exhaust gas passageway and a mixer assembly. The exhaust gas passageway may receive exhaust gas from an engine. The mixer assembly is disposed within the exhaust gas passageway and may include an upstream baffle, a downstream baffle, and a tube extending between and connected to the upstream and downstream baffles. The tube may include an inner surface defining a first flow path through the mixer assembly. The upstream and downstream baffles may be attached to each other, the tube and the exhaust gas passageway. The upstream and downstream baffles may cooperate to define a second flow path through the mixer assembly. The second flow path may extend in a rotational direction around an outer surface of the tube.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An aftertreatment system comprising:
an exhaust gas passageway receiving exhaust gas from an engine; and
a mixer assembly disposed within the exhaust gas passageway and including an upstream baffle, a downstream baffle, and a tube extending between and connected to the upstream and downstream baffles, the tube including an inner surface defining a first flow path through the mixer assembly, the upstream and downstream baffles cooperating to define a second flow path through the mixer assembly, the second flow path extending in a rotational direction around an outer surface of the tube,
wherein the second flow path includes an inlet opening and an outlet opening, the inlet opening is defined by the upstream baffle and disposed radially outward relative to the tube, the outlet opening is defined by the downstream baffle and disposed radially outward relative to the tube and angularly offset relative to the inlet opening, wherein the upstream and downstream baffles are attached to each other by a flange, wherein the flange partially defines the inlet opening and the outlet opening.

2. The aftertreatment system of claim 1 , wherein the upstream baffle includes a first blade and a second blade that is angularly spaced apart from the first blade, and wherein a radially extending edge of the first blade and a radially extending edge of the second blade cooperate to define the inlet opening.

3. The aftertreatment system of claim 2 , wherein the downstream baffle includes at least one blade that extends radially outward relative to the tube and defines the outlet opening, and wherein the at least one blade of the downstream baffle is disposed entirely downstream of the entire first blade and the entire second blade.

4. The aftertreatment system of claim 3 , wherein the upstream and downstream baffles cooperate to define a third flow path through the mixer assembly, the third flow path extending around the outer surface of the tube in the same rotational direction as the second flow path, and wherein the third flow path includes an inlet opening and an outlet opening, the inlet opening of the third flow path is defined by the upstream baffle and disposed radially outward relative to the tube, the outlet opening of the third flow path is defined by the downstream baffle and disposed radially outward relative to the tube and angularly offset relative to the inlet opening of the third flow path, and wherein another radially extending edge of the first blade and another radially extending edge of the second blade cooperate to define the inlet opening of the third flow path.

5. The aftertreatment system of claim 4 , wherein the first, second and third flow paths are separate and distinct from each other.

6. The aftertreatment system of claim 5 , wherein the upstream baffle includes a central hub disposed between the first and second blades, wherein the central hub at least partially covers an open axial end of the tube and includes a plurality of apertures in communication with an interior of the tube, and wherein the apertures define inlets of the first flow path.

7. The aftertreatment system of claim 6 , wherein the central hub includes a plurality of deflectors, each of the deflectors extends from an edge of a corresponding one of the apertures, the deflectors are angled relative to a longitudinal axis of the tube such that the deflectors cause fluid flowing through the first flow path to swirl in a rotational direction opposite the rotational direction of the second flow path.

8. The aftertreatment system of claim 7 , wherein the radially extending edges of the first and second blades extend radially from the central hub to radially outermost peripheral edges of the first and second blades, respectively.

9. An aftertreatment system comprising:
an exhaust gas passageway receiving exhaust gas from an engine; and
a mixer assembly disposed within the exhaust gas passageway and including an upstream baffle, a downstream baffle, and a tube extending between and connected to the upstream and downstream baffles, the tube including an inner surface defining a first flow path through the mixer assembly, the upstream and downstream baffles cooperating to define a second flow path through the mixer assembly, the second flow path extending in a rotational direction around an outer surface of the tube,
wherein the second flow path includes an inlet opening and an outlet opening, the inlet opening is defined by the upstream baffle and disposed radially outward relative to the tube, the outlet opening is defined by the downstream baffle and disposed radially outward relative to the tube and angularly offset relative to the inlet opening,
wherein the upstream baffle includes a first blade and a second blade that is angularly spaced apart from the first blade, and wherein a radially extending edge of the first blade and a radially extending edge of the second blade cooperate to define the inlet opening,
wherein the downstream baffle includes at least one blade that extends radially outward relative to the tube and defines the outlet opening, and wherein the at least one blade of the downstream baffle is disposed entirely downstream of the entire first blade and the entire second blade,
wherein the first and second blades are flat and coplanar with each other, and wherein the at least one blade of the downstream baffle is flat and is parallel to the first and second blades.

10. An aftertreatment system comprising:
an exhaust gas passageway receiving exhaust gas from an engine; and
a mixer assembly disposed within the exhaust gas passageway and including an upstream baffle, a downstream baffle, and a tube extending between and connected to the upstream and downstream baffles, the tube including an inner surface defining a first flow path through the mixer assembly, the upstream and downstream baffles cooperating to define a second flow path through the mixer assembly, the second flow path extending in a rotational direction around an outer surface of the tube,
wherein the second flow path includes an inlet opening and an outlet opening, the inlet opening is defined by the upstream baffle and disposed radially outward relative to the tube, the outlet opening is defined by the downstream baffle and disposed radially outward relative to the tube and angularly offset relative to the inlet opening,
wherein the upstream baffle includes a first blade and a second blade that is angularly spaced apart from the first blade, and wherein a radially extending edge of the first blade and a radially extending edge of the second blade cooperate to define the inlet opening,
wherein the first and second blades contact an inner diametrical surface of the exhaust gas passageway, and wherein each of the first and second blades includes a flange that is attached to the downstream baffle.

11. An aftertreatment system comprising:
an exhaust gas passageway receiving exhaust gas from an engine; and
a mixer assembly disposed within the exhaust gas passageway and defining a first flow path, a second flow path, and a third flow path, the mixer assembly including a first upstream blade, a second upstream blade, a first downstream blade, a second downstream blade, a tube, and a central hub, the central hub at least partially covering an open end of the tube and including apertures that cooperate with an interior of the tube to define the first flow path,
wherein the second flow path includes a first inlet opening and a first outlet opening and extends around the tube in a rotational direction, wherein a first radially extending edge of the first upstream blade and a first radially extending edge of the second upstream blade cooperate

Assignees

• Tenneco Automotive Operating Co Inc

Inventors

• Sampath Manoj K
• Champhekar Omkar
• Zhang Yanping

Classifications

• F01N3/2892 Primary

  Exhaust flow directors or the like, e.g. upstream of catalytic device · CPC title

• F01N13/009

  having two or more separate purifying devices arranged in series · CPC title

• F01N2610/02

  the substance being ammonia or urea · CPC title

• F01N3/2066

  Selective catalytic reduction [SCR] · CPC title

• B01F5/0473

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic