Aftertreatment system for locomotive

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12553372-B2
Application number	US-202418791768-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 1, 2024
Priority date	Aug 1, 2024
Publication date	Feb 17, 2026
Grant date	Feb 17, 2026

Abstract

Apparatus, systems and methods including an apparatus for aftertreatment of exhaust flow from a diesel engine of a locomotive are shown and described. The apparatus can include: a housing having an elongate length and a height that is relatively smaller than the elongate length; a mixing tube configured to receive the exhaust flow of the diesel engine, wherein the mixing tube is positioned within the housing and extends longitudinally along at least a portion of the elongate length of the housing; a first plurality of treatment units in fluid communication with the exhaust flow from the mixing tube, wherein catalysts of the first plurality of treatment units are configured to treat the exhaust flow; and a door forming part of a roof of the locomotive, wherein the door is openable to provide access to at least some of the first plurality of treatment units.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An apparatus for aftertreatment of exhaust flow from a engine of a locomotive, comprising:
a housing having an elongate length and a height that is relatively smaller than the elongate length; a mixing tube configured to receive the exhaust flow of the engine, wherein the mixing tube is positioned within the housing and extends longitudinally along at least a portion of the elongate length of the housing; a first plurality of treatment units in fluid communication with the exhaust flow from the mixing tube, wherein catalysts of the first plurality of treatment units are configured to treat the exhaust flow; a first door forming part of a roof of the locomotive, wherein the first door is openable to provide direct access to at least some of the first plurality of treatment units; a first multi-path pre-treatment system located laterally to a first side of the mixing tube and is in fluid communication with the mixing tube to receive the exhaust flow therefrom and pass the exhaust flow to the first plurality of treatment units; a first multi-path aftertreatment system in fluid communication with the first plurality of treatment units; an outlet in fluid communication with the first multi-path aftertreatment system to receive the exhaust flow and pass the exhaust flow from the apparatus; a second plurality of treatment units in fluid communication with the exhaust flow from the mixing tube, wherein catalysts of the second plurality of treatment units are configured to treat the exhaust flow; a second door forming a second part of the roof of the locomotive, the second door is openable to provide direct access to the second plurality of treatment units; a second multi-path pre-treatment system located laterally to a second side of the mixing tube and is in fluid communication with the mixing tube to receive the exhaust flow therefrom and pass the exhaust flow to the second plurality of treatment units; a second multi-path aftertreatment system in fluid communication with the second plurality of treatment units; and a second outlet in fluid communication with the second multi-path aftertreatment system to receive the exhaust flow and pass the exhaust flow from the apparatus.

2 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first multi-path pre-treatment system has one or more portions along a flow path of the exhaust flow configured to accelerate the exhaust flow to achieve a substantially uniform flow rate of the exhaust flow into each of the catalysts.

3 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first multi-path pre-treatment system is partially defined by an angulated wall that forms a downward sloping ramp extending from adjacent the mixing tube to adjacent one or more of the first plurality of treatment units, and wherein the angulated wall forms part of a flow passage for the exhaust flow from the mixing tube to the first multi-path pre-treatment system.

4 . The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the first multi-path pre-treatment system is additionally partially defined by a plurality of perforated walls positioned between the mixing tube and at least some of the first plurality of treatment units, wherein the angulated wall is spaced longitudinally from one or more of the plurality of perforated walls.

5 . The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the mixing tube is at least partially surrounded by an enclosure that is formed by portions of the housing and an internal wall that is spaced from the mixing tube and positioned between the mixing tube and the first multi-path aftertreatment system.

6 . The apparatus of claim 5 , further comprising a plurality of structural support elements coupled to and extending between the mixing tube, the portions of the housing and the internal wall, wherein at least some of the plurality of structural support elements extend into the first multi-path pre-treatment system, and wherein the plurality of structural support elements have passages to allow for exhaust flow therethrough.

7 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first door and the second door are each angulated relative to a top surface of the housing to simulate a roofline of the roof of the locomotive to conform with a tunnel profile.

8 . The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is configured to be integrated into the locomotive to form the portion of the roof thereof and is configured with the first door and the second door to provide for on-locomotive servicing of the catalysts of the first plurality of treatment units.

9 . An apparatus for aftertreatment of exhaust flow from an engine of a locomotive, comprising:
a housing having an elongate length and a height that is relatively smaller than the elongate length; a mixing tube configured to receive the exhaust flow of the engine, wherein the mixing tube is positioned within the housing and extends longitudinally along at least a portion of the elongate length of the housing; a first plurality of treatment units in fluid communication with the exhaust flow from the mixing tube, wherein catalysts of the first plurality of treatment units are configured to treat the exhaust flow; and a door forming part of a roof of the locomotive, wherein the door is openable to provide direct access to at least some of the first plurality of treatment units; and wherein the apparatus is configured to be received in a recess of the locomotive above the engine and the apparatus includes a recess therein configured to accommodate a height profile of the engine, and wherein the apparatus has a maximum height of less than 700 mm.

10 . The apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising:
a first multi-path pre-treatment system located laterally to a first side of the mixing tube and is in fluid communication with the mixing tube to receive the exhaust flow therefrom and pass the exhaust flow to the first plurality of treatment units; a first multi-path aftertreatment system in fluid communication with the first plurality of treatment units; and an outlet in fluid communication with the first multi-path aftertreatment system to receive the exhaust flow and pass the exhaust flow from the apparatus.

11 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the first multi-path pre-treatment system has one or more portions along a flow path of the exhaust flow configured to accelerate the exhaust flow to achieve a substantially uniform flow rate of the exhaust flow into each of the catalysts.

12 . The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the first multi-path pre-treatment system is partially defined by an angulated wall that forms a downward sloping ramp extending from adjacent the mixing tube to adjacent one or more of the first plurality of treatment units, and wherein the angulated wall forms part of a flow passage for the exhaust flow from the mixing tube to the first multi-path pre-treatment system.

13 . The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the first multi-path pre-treatment system is additionally partially defined by a plurality of perforated walls positioned between the mixing tube and at least some of the first plurality of treatment units, wherein the angulated wall is spaced longitudinally from one or more of the plurality of perforated walls.

14 . An apparatus for aftertreatment of exhaust flow from an engine of a locomotive, comprising:
a housing having an elongate length and a height that is relatively smaller than the elongate length; a mixing tube configured to receive the exhaust flow of the engine, wherein the mixing tube is positioned within the housing and extends longitudinally along at least a portion of the elongate length of the housing; a first plurality of tre

Assignees

• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Barke Lance Clay
• Zhu Qiang
• Scott Douglas Tuenge
• Denis Andrew M

Classifications

• F01N3/2839

  Arrangements for mounting catalyst support in housing, e.g. with means for compensating thermal expansion or vibration · CPC title

• B61C5/04

  Arrangement or disposition of exhaust apparatus · CPC title

• F01N2590/08

  for heavy duty applications, e.g. trucks, buses, tractors, locomotives · CPC title

• F01N2450/30

  Removable or rechangeable blocks or cartridges, e.g. for filters · CPC title

• F01N3/2892 Primary

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