Exhaust headers with integrated heat shielding and thermal syphoning

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021262379-A1
Application number	US-202117184428-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Feb 24, 2021
Priority date	Feb 25, 2020
Publication date	Aug 26, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

An exhaust header with an integrated heat shield is disclosed. In one aspect of the disclosure, the exhaust header comprises a body including an inner wall that defines a cavity through which exhaust gases can be routed. An outer wall is integrally formed with, and radially offset from, the inner wall to define an air gap through which an airflow can be received at an input of the exhaust header and passed along a periphery of the body to collect thermal radiation and route it through an outlet duct. In some embodiments, the exhaust header is coupled to a turbocharger, which itself is coupled to an exhaust outlet of the body and separately, the air gap for effecting an airflow about the turbocharger's perimeter. Further, in various embodiments, the exhaust header is additively manufactured to produce the integrated heat shield and other header components.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . An exhaust header, comprising:
a generally tubular body having an inner wall configured to transport exhaust gases through the body from an inlet to an outlet at different locations along the body; and an outer wall integrally formed over the body and radially offset from the inner wall, the inner and outer walls defining an air gap therebetween to reduce radial outflow of heat.

2 . The exhaust header of claim 1 , wherein the outer wall is shaped at least in some regions of the body to conform with the inner wall.

3 . The exhaust header of claim 1 , wherein the body is additively manufactured, the outer wall being co-printed with the inner wall.

4 . The exhaust header of claim 1 , wherein the body comprises Inconel.

5 . The exhaust header of claim 1 , further comprising:
a second inlet adjacent one end of the body and arranged on an outer wall; and a second outlet adjacent another end of the body, wherein the second inlet and the second outlet are configured to provide an airflow passing through the air gap.

6 . The exhaust header of claim 5 , wherein the outer wall is thinner than the inner wall.

7 . The exhaust header of claim 5 , wherein a width of the air gap is spaced sufficiently small to enable the passing airflow to syphon heat from the exhaust gas and exit the second outlet.

8 . The exhaust header of claim 5 , wherein the radial offset is configured to vary over different regions of the body.

9 . The exhaust header of claim 7 , wherein the second outlet comprises a thermal syphoning duct configured to direct the heated airflow outside the engine bay.

10 . The exhaust header of claim 1 , wherein the outlet is coupled to a turbocharger.

11 . The exhaust header of claim 10 , wherein:
the inner wall is coupled to an input of the turbocharger; and the outer wall is integrally formed over a surface of the turbocharger to enable the air gap to extend across the turbocharger surface.

12 . An exhaust header, comprising:
a body having an inner wall enclosing a first channel through which exhaust gases flow from a first inlet to a first outlet at different locations on the body; and an outer wall extending around, and offset from, the inner wall to integrally form a second channel, the second channel being narrower than the first channel, wherein the second channel is configured to receive an airflow at a second inlet adjacent one region of the body and to pass the airflow to a second outlet adjacent another region of the body.

13 . The exhaust header of claim 12 , wherein the outer wall is thinner than the inner wall.

14 . The exhaust header of claim 12 , wherein the outer wall is offset by at most fifteen (15) millimeters from the inner wall.

15 . The exhaust header of claim 12 , wherein a thickness of the second channel is spaced sufficiently small to allow the passing airflow to absorb heat from the inner wall of the body before exiting through the second outlet.

16 . The exhaust header of claim 12 , being a three-dimensional (3D) printed exhaust header.

17 . The exhaust header of claim 12 , wherein the body comprises Inconel or another Nickel alloy.

18 . The exhaust header of claim 12 , further comprising a thermal syphoning duct coupled to the second outlet.

19 . The exhaust header of claim 12 , further comprising a turbocharger having a turbocharger body, a surface of the turbocharger body having an aperture to receive the exhaust gases at the first outlet.

20 . The exhaust header of claim 20 , wherein the turbocharger includes a turbocharger duct extending at least in part around the turbocharger body, the turbocharger duct receiving the airflow from the second outlet and directing the airflow around the turbocharger body to a duct outlet.

21 . The exhaust header of claim 21 , further comprising a thermal syphoning duct coupled to the turbocharger duct at the duct outlet.

22 . An exhaust header, comprising:
an at least partially elongated, bounded first surface forming a first channel through which exhaust gasses are configured to pass from a vehicle engine bay; a second surface, offset from the first surface and integrally forming a second channel bounded at least in part by the first and second surfaces, the second channel passing an airflow by convection to syphon heat out of the vehicle engine bay.

23 . The exhaust header of claim 22 , wherein the airflow inhibits thermal radiation from the first channel to an area surrounding the exhaust header by absorbing heat from the first surface.

24 . The exhaust header of claim 22 , wherein the first and second surfaces are formed using additive manufacturing.

25 . The exhaust header of claim 22 , further comprising a plurality of supports disposed between the first and second surfaces.

Assignees

• Divergent Tech Inc

Inventors

• Bucknell John Russell
• Vasile Michael

Classifications

• F05D2220/40

  in turbochargers · CPC title

• F01D25/26

  Double casings; Measures against temperature strain in casings · CPC title

• F01N13/143

  with air filling the space between both walls · CPC title

• F01N13/102 Primary

  having thermal insulation · CPC title

• B33Y80/00

  Products made by additive manufacturing · CPC title