Reactant introduction device for introducing reactant into the exhaust gas stream of an internal combustion engine

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10570796-B2
Application number	US-201715709949-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 20, 2017
Priority date	Sep 21, 2016
Publication date	Feb 25, 2020
Grant date	Feb 25, 2020

Abstract

A reactant introduction device, for introducing reactant into an exhaust gas stream of an internal combustion engine, includes a reactant introduction housing (16) with a reactant introduction space (20) surrounded by a housing wall (18). The housing wall (18) includes an incoming flow wall area (30) positioned upstream in relation to an exhaust gas flow direction (A), an outgoing flow wall area (32) positioned downstream, in relation to the exhaust gas flow direction (A) and two side wall areas (34, 36) between the incoming flow wall area (30) and the outgoing flow wall area (32). At least one flow-through opening (72, 74, 76) is provided in at least one side wall area (34, 36) or/and in the outgoing flow wall area (32). A reactant injection device (28) injects reactant into the reactant introduction space (20) in a reactant introduction direction (E) onto a heatable reactant release element (48).

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A reactant introduction device for introducing reactant into the exhaust gas stream of an internal combustion engine, the reactant introduction device comprising:
a reactant introduction housing elongated in a direction of a housing longitudinal axis and comprising a housing wall extending along the housing longitudinal axis such as to surround a reactant introduction space, wherein the housing wall comprises an incoming flow wall area to be positioned upstream in relation to an exhaust gas flow direction of an exhaust gas flow directed towards the reactant introduction housing, an outgoing flow wall area to be positioned downstream in relation to the exhaust gas flow direction and a first side wall area between the incoming flow wall area and the outgoing flow wall area and a second side wall area between the incoming flow wall area and the outgoing flow wall area, wherein a flow-through opening is provided in the outgoing flow wall area or in the first side wall area or in the second side wall area or in any combination of in the outgoing flow wall area, in the first side wall area and in the second side wall area;
a heatable reactant release element; and
a reactant injection device for injecting reactant into the reactant introduction space in a reactant introduction direction towards the heatable reactant release element, the reactant injection device being arranged for injecting reactant in the direction of the housing longitudinal axis.

2. A reactant introduction device in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising a tubular reactant guide element associated with the reactant injection device.

3. A reactant introduction device in accordance with claim 2 , wherein the reactant guide element shields the provided flow-through opening against direct discharge of reactant from the reactant injection device from the reactant introduction space.

4. A reactant introduction device in accordance with claim 3 , wherein the reactant guide element at least partially overlaps the provided flow-through opening in a reactant introduction direction.

5. A reactant introduction device in accordance with claim 2 , wherein
the reactant guide element extends in the direction of the housing longitudinal axis into the reactant introduction space.

6. A reactant introduction device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the reactant release element comprises a reactant release plate heatable by energization with electrical energy.

7. A reactant introduction device in accordance with claim 6 , wherein the reactant release plate comprises a reactant release surface oriented at right angles to a reactant introduction direction.

8. A reactant introduction device in accordance with claim 6 , wherein the provided flow-through opening is arranged between the reactant injection device and the reactant release plate with respect to a reactant introduction direction.

9. A reactant introduction device in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising a support device provided at the housing wall, the support device supporting the reactant release element without interruption in a direction of a housing longitudinal axis of the housing wall or in a circumferential direction along a region of the housing wall or in a combination of a direction of a housing longitudinal axis of the housing wall and a circumferential direction along a region of the housing wall.

10. A reactant introduction device in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising an insulating device holding the reactant release element so as to be insulated in relation to an inner side of the housing wall.

11. A reactant introduction device in accordance with claim 10 , wherein the reactant introduction housing is configured with an elliptical cross-sectional profile in relation to a housing longitudinal axis or an oval cross-sectional profile in relation to the housing longitudinal axis or a drop-shaped cross-sectional profile in relation to the housing longitudinal axis.

12. A reactant introduction device in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising insulating material positioned on a side of the reactant release element facing away from the reactant injection device.

13. A reactant introduction device in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the reactant introduction housing has a flattened shape with a distance between the incoming flow wall area and the outgoing flow wall area that is greater than a distance between the first side wall area and the second side wall area.

14. An exhaust system for an internal combustion engine, the exhaust gas system comprising:
an exhaust pipe, through which exhaust gas can flow in an exhaust gas flow direction; and
a reactant introduction device positioned in the exhaust pipe such that exhaust gas flowing in the exhaust pipe can flow past the reactant introduction device, the reactant introduction device comprising:
a reactant introduction housing elongated in a direction of a housing longitudinal axis and comprising a housing wall extending along the housing longitudinal axis such as to surround a reactant introduction space, wherein the housing wall comprises an incoming flow wall area positioned upstream in relation to the exhaust gas flow direction of an exhaust gas flow directed towards the reactant introduction housing, an outgoing flow wall area positioned downstream in relation to the exhaust gas flow direction and a first side wall area between the incoming flow wall area and the outgoing flow wall area and a second side wall area between the incoming flow wall area and the outgoing flow wall area, wherein a flow-through opening is provided in the outgoing flow wall area or in the first side wall area or in the second side wall area or in any combination of in the outgoing flow wall area, in the first side wall area and in the second side wall area;
a heatable reactant release element; and
a reactant injection device for injecting reactant into the reactant introduction space in a reactant introduction direction towards the heatable reactant release element, the reactant injection device being arranged for injecting reactant in the direction of the housing longitudinal axis.

15. An exhaust system in accordance with claim 14 , wherein the reactant introduction device is arranged in the exhaust pipe such that a housing longitudinal axis of the reactant introduction housing is oriented at right angles, such that the incoming flow wall area forms an upstream end area of the housing wall, the outgoing flow wall area forms a downstream end area of the housing wall and the side wall areas extend in the exhaust gas flow direction between the incoming flow wall area and the outgoing flow wall area.

16. An exhaust system in accordance with claim 15 , wherein the provided flow-through opening comprises a first flow through opening on the first side wall area and a second flow through opening on the second side wall area such that the first flow through opening and the second flow through opening are located opposite each other at right angles.

17. An exhaust system in accordance with claim 15 , wherein the provided flow-through opening comprises a first flow-through opening in a vertex area of the first side wall area and a second flow-through opening in a vertex area of the second side wall area.

18. An exhaust system in accordance with claim 15 , further comprising a reactant guide element associated with the reactant injection device, wherein the reactant guide element shields the provided flow-through opening against direct discharge of reactant from the reactant injection

Assignees

• Eberspaecher Exhaust Tech Gmbh

Inventors

• Kurpejovic Enver
• Semenov Oleksandr
• Glaser Steffen

Classifications

• F01N2610/102

  after addition to exhaust gases, e.g. by a passively or actively heated surface in the exhaust conduit · CPC title

• F01N2610/10

  the substance being heated, e.g. by heating tank or supply line of the added substance · CPC title

• F01N2240/20

  a flow director or deflector · CPC title

• F01N2610/02

  the substance being ammonia or urea · CPC title

• F01N2610/14

  Arrangements for the supply of substances, e.g. conduits · CPC title