Exhaust system for a combustion engine including a flow distributor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11549422-B1
Application number	US-202117543535-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Dec 6, 2021
Priority date	Dec 6, 2021
Publication date	Jan 10, 2023
Grant date	Jan 10, 2023

Abstract

A flow distributor provided within an exhaust system for a combustion engine configured to generate an exhaust fluid stream. The flow distributor comprising an inlet, and a plate. The plate having at least one perforation defining an outlet, a first peak and a second peak spaced from the first peak.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A flow distributor provided within an exhaust system for a combustion engine, the combustion engine generating an exhaust fluid stream during operation of the combustion engine, the flow distributor comprising:
an inlet configured to receive at least a portion of the exhaust fluid stream; and
a plate having a centerline axis and being provided downstream of the inlet, the plate comprising:
at least one perforation defining an outlet for the exhaust fluid stream;
a first peak defining a center point of the plate and extending axially outwardly from the plate along the centerline axis;
a second peak radially spaced from the first peak with respect to the centerline axis;
a first valley extending radially between the first peak and the second peak; and
a second valley formed on an opposite side of the second peak with respect to the first valley.

2. The flow distributor of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first peak or the second peak extend circumferentially about an entirety of the centerline axis.

3. The flow distributor of claim 1 , wherein the first peak is defined by a first apex, the second peak is defined by a second apex, the first valley is defined by a first minimum, and the second valley is defined by a second minimum, with the first apex, the second apex, the first minimum and the second minimum defined by a maximum distance of the first peak, the second peak, the first valley, and the second valley, respectively, between the first apex, the second apex, the first minimum and the second minimum and a plane normal to the centerline axis and intersecting a point midway between the first apex and the second apex, and wherein the maximum distance is equal for the first apex, the second apex, the first minimum and the second minimum.

4. The flow distributor of claim 1 , wherein the first peak and the second peak extend circumferentially about the plate to define a set of spaced circumferential peaks that are radially spaced from each other with respect to the centerline axis.

5. The flow distributor of claim 1 , wherein the first peak and the second peak form concentric circles on the plate, with the first valley extending therebetween.

6. The flow distributor of claim 1 , wherein the plate further comprises a first linear region defining a transition between the first peak and the first valley or the second peak and the first valley, and wherein the first linear region extends linearly with respect to the centerline axis, and wherein the first peak, the second peak, and the first valley are defined by a first radius of a curvature, a second radius of curvature and a third radius of curvature, respectively.

7. The flow distributor of claim 6 , wherein the first linear region extends at an angle with respect to the centerline axis, the angle being between 0 degrees and 45 degrees.

8. The flow distributor of claim 6 , wherein the plate further comprises a second linear region extending between the second peak and the second valley, and wherein the first linear region extends at a first angle and the second linear region extends at a second angle, non-equal to the first angle, with respect to the centerline axis.

9. The flow distributor of claim 6 , wherein the plate is defined by a plate thickness, and wherein a total length of the first linear region is greater than four times the plate thickness.

10. The flow distributor of claim 6 , wherein the first linear region extends between the first peak and the first valley, and wherein the at least one perforation terminates at one of either:
a distance greater than or equal to one times the first radius of curvature from a point on the linear region nearest the first peak; or
a distance greater than or equal to one-fourth times the third radius of curvature from a point on the linear region nearest the first valley.

11. The flow distributor of claim 1 , wherein the at least one perforation is included within a first plurality of perforations and a second plurality of perforations, and wherein:
each first perforation of the first plurality of perforations includes a first cross-sectional area when viewed along a plane intersecting and extending along a respective first perforation; and
each second perforation of the second plurality of perforations includes a second cross-sectional area, smaller than the first cross-sectional area, when viewed in a plane intersecting and extending along a respective second perforation.

12. The flow distributor of claim 11 , wherein the first plurality of perforations include at least two radially spaced rows of circumferentially spaced first perforations, and the second plurality of perforations include at least two radially spaced rows of circumferentially spaced second perforations, and wherein each radially spaced row of first perforations is adjacent at least one radially spaced row of second perforations.

13. The flow distributor of claim 11 , wherein the first plurality of perforations and the second plurality of perforations one of either do not intersect a first apex of the first peak, a second apex of the second peak, or a minimum of the first valley, or at least one radially spaced row of first perforations of the first plurality of perforations intersect a respective apex of one of either the first peak or the second peak, and at least one radial row of second perforations of the second plurality of perforations intersect a minimum of the first valley.

14. The flow distributor of claim 11 , wherein the first cross-sectional area and the second cross sectional area are formed as circles, ovals, or polygons.

15. The flow distributor of claim 1 , wherein the plate is defined by a wave formation having a sinusoidal formation, non-sinusoidal formation, ripple formation, or stepped formation.

16. A flow distributor provided within an exhaust system for a combustion engine, the combustion engine generating an exhaust fluid stream during operation of the combustion engine, the flow distributor comprising:
an inlet configured to receive at least a portion of the exhaust fluid stream; and
a plate defining a centerline axis and being provided downstream of the inlet, the plate comprising:
at least one perforation defining an outlet for the exhaust fluid stream;
a first peak defined by a first radius of curvature;
a second peak radially spaced from the first peak with respect to the centerline axis and defined by a second radius of curvature;
a first valley extending radially between the first peak and the second peak and defined by a third radius of curvature; and
at least one linear region extending linearly between the first peak and the first valley;
wherein the at least one perforation terminates at one of either a distance greater than or equal to one of the first radius of curvature from a point on the at least one linear region nearest the first peak, or at a distance greater than or equal to one-fourth times the third radius of curvature from a point on the at least one linear region nearest the first valley.

17. A flow distributor provided within an exhaust system for a combustion engine, the combustion engine generating an exhaust fluid stream during operation of the combustion engine, the flow distributor comprising:
an inlet configured to receive at least a portion of the exhaust fluid stream; and
a plate having a centerline axis and being provided downstream of the inlet, the plate comprising:
at least one perforation defining an outlet for the exhaust fluid stream;
a first peak;
a second peak radially spaced from the first peak with

Assignees

• Tenneco Automotive Operating Co Inc

Inventors

• Hill Edward C
• Yule Matthew
• Poplin Christopher
• Gwaltney Brooke E
• Zhu Xuegeng

Classifications

• F01N3/2892 Primary

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

• F01N3/00 Primary

  Exhaust or silencing apparatus having means for purifying, rendering innocuous, or otherwise treating exhaust (electric control F01N9/00; monitoring or diagnostic devices for exhaust-gas treatment apparatus F01N11/00) · CPC title

• Y02T10/12

  Improving ICE efficiencies · CPC title