Inlet assembly for aftertreatment system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12352199-B1
Application number	US-202418828152-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Sep 9, 2024
Priority date	Sep 9, 2024
Publication date	Jul 8, 2025
Grant date	Jul 8, 2025

Abstract

An inlet assembly for an aftertreatment system includes an inlet portion that receives a flow of exhaust gases, and a diffuser plate. The diffuser plate includes a body including a first section disposed in front of a first DOC. The first section defines a number of first holes having a first diameter to direct exhaust gases towards the first DOC. The body also includes a second section disposed in front of a second DOC. The second DOC is disposed adjacent to the first DOC in a parallel configuration. The second section defines a number of second holes and an elliptical opening. Each of the number of second holes has a second diameter that is different from the first diameter. The number of second holes and the elliptical opening direct exhaust gases towards the second DOC.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An inlet assembly for an aftertreatment system, the aftertreatment system including a diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) assembly including a first DOC and a second DOC disposed adjacent to the first DOC in a parallel configuration, the inlet assembly including:
an inlet portion adapted to receive a flow of exhaust gases; and
a diffuser plate disposed between the inlet portion and the DOC assembly along an exhaust gas flow path, wherein the diffuser plate includes a body, the body including:
a first section disposed in front of the first DOC, the first section defining a plurality of first holes, wherein each of the plurality of first holes has a first diameter, and wherein each of the plurality of first holes directs a portion of the flow of exhaust gases from the inlet portion towards the first DOC; and
a second section disposed in front of the second DOC, the second section defining a plurality of second holes and an elliptical opening adjacent to the plurality of second holes, wherein each of the plurality of second holes has a second diameter that is different from the first diameter of each of the plurality of first holes, wherein each of the plurality of second holes and the elliptical opening direct a portion of the flow of exhaust gases from the inlet portion towards the second DOC.

2. The inlet assembly of claim 1 , wherein the second diameter of each of the plurality of second holes is greater than the first diameter of each of the plurality of first holes.

3. The inlet assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first diameter of each of the plurality of first holes, the second diameter of each of the plurality of second holes, and a size of the elliptical opening are variable based on a size of the inlet portion.

4. The inlet assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of second holes are disposed between the plurality of first holes and the elliptical opening.

5. The inlet assembly of claim 1 , wherein the inlet portion extends in a radial direction relative to the body of the diffuser plate.

6. The inlet assembly of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of first holes and the plurality of second holes are circular in shape.

7. The inlet assembly of claim 1 , wherein a size of the elliptical opening is greater than the second diameter of the each of the plurality of second holes.

8. The inlet assembly of claim 1 , wherein the diffuser plate is made of stainless steel.

9. An aftertreatment system to treat exhaust gases exiting an engine, the aftertreatment system comprising:
an inlet portion adapted to receive a flow of exhaust gases;
a diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) assembly in fluid communication with the inlet portion, the DOC assembly including:
a first DOC:
a second DOC disposed adjacent to the first DOC in a parallel configuration; a diffuser plate disposed between the inlet portion and the DOC assembly along an exhaust gas flow path, wherein the diffuser plate includes a body, the body including:
a first section disposed in front of the first DOC, the first section defining a plurality of first holes, wherein each of the plurality of first holes has a first diameter, and wherein each of the plurality of first holes directs a portion of the flow of exhaust gases from the inlet portion towards the first DOC; and
a second section disposed in front of the second DOC, the second section defining a plurality of second holes and an elliptical opening adjacent to the plurality of second holes, wherein each of the plurality of second holes has a second diameter that is different from the first diameter of each of the plurality of first holes, and wherein each of the plurality of second holes and the elliptical opening direct a portion of the flow of exhaust gases from the inlet portion towards the second DOC;

a diesel particulate filter (DPF) assembly in fluid communication with and disposed downstream of the DOC assembly along the exhaust gas flow path; and
a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) module in fluid communication with and disposed downstream of the DPF assembly along the exhaust gas flow path.

10. The aftertreatment system of claim 9 , wherein the second diameter of each of the plurality of second holes is greater than the first diameter of each of the plurality of first holes.

11. The aftertreatment system of claim 9 , wherein the first diameter of each of the plurality of first holes, the second diameter of each of the plurality of second holes, and a size of the elliptical opening are variable based on a size of the inlet portion.

12. The aftertreatment system of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of second holes are disposed between the plurality of first holes and the elliptical opening.

13. The aftertreatment system of claim 9 , wherein the inlet portion extends in a radial direction relative to the body of the diffuser plate.

14. The aftertreatment system of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of first holes and the plurality of second holes are circular in shape.

15. The aftertreatment system of claim 9 , wherein a size of the elliptical opening is greater than the second diameter of the each of the plurality of second holes.

16. The aftertreatment system of claim 9 , wherein the diffuser plate is made of stainless steel.

17. A method of treating exhaust gases exiting an engine using an aftertreatment system, the aftertreatment system including a diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) assembly, the DOC assembly including a first DOC and a second DOC disposed adjacent to the first DOC in a parallel configuration, the method comprising:
receiving, via an inlet portion of the aftertreatment system, a flow of exhaust gases within the aftertreatment system along a first direction;
redirecting the flow of exhaust gases from the first direction to a second direction, wherein the first direction is orthogonal to the second direction;
contacting the flow of exhaust gases with a diffuser plate of the aftertreatment system, wherein the diffuser plate is disposed between the inlet portion and the DOC assembly along an exhaust gas flow path, and wherein the diffuser plate includes a body, the body including:
a first section disposed in front of the first DOC, the first section defining a plurality of first holes, wherein each of the plurality of first holes has a first diameter; and
a second section disposed in front of the second DOC, the second section defining a plurality of second holes and an elliptical opening adjacent to the plurality of second holes, wherein each of the plurality of second holes has a second diameter that is different from the first diameter of each of the plurality of first holes;

uniformly dividing, by each of the plurality of first holes, each of the plurality of second holes and the elliptical opening in the diffuser plate, the flow of exhaust gases into a first stream of exhaust gases and a second stream of exhaust gases; and
flowing the first stream of exhaust gases through the first DOC and the second stream of exhaust gases through the second DOC.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the step of receiving, via the inlet portion of the aftertreatment system, the flow of exhaust gases into the aftertreatment system along the first direction includes receiving the flow of exhaust gases into the aftertreatment system along a radial direction.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the step of redirecting the flow of exhaust gases from the first direction to the second direction includes redirecting the flow of exhaust gases from the radial direction to an axial direction.

Assignees

• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Mukati Sharad
• Arun V S

Classifications

• B01D53/9477

  with catalysts positioned on separate bricks, e.g. exhaust systems · CPC title

• B01D53/944

  Simultaneously removing carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons or carbon making use of oxidation catalysts (three-way-catalysts [TWC] B01D53/9445) · CPC title

• F01N2470/18

  the axis of inlet or outlet tubes being other than the longitudinal axis of apparatus · CPC title

• F01N3/103

  Oxidation catalysts for HC and CO only · CPC title

• F01N2240/20

  a flow director or deflector · CPC title