Mixer baffle with integrated sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021388751-A1
Application number	US-202016902397-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 16, 2020
Priority date	Jun 16, 2020
Publication date	Dec 16, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

A mixer for a vehicle exhaust system, according to an exemplary aspect of the present disclosure includes, among other things, a mixer outer shell defining an internal cavity configured to receive engine exhaust gases, the mixer outer shell having a first end and a second end opposite the first end. A baffle is associated with one of the first and second ends. The baffle comprises a body that includes at least one sensor area formed within the body.

First claim

1 . A mixer for a vehicle exhaust system comprising:
a mixer outer shell defining an internal cavity configured to receive engine exhaust gases, the mixer outer shell having an upstream end and a downstream end opposite the upstream end, and wherein the mixer outer shell defines a mixer central axis; and a baffle associated with one of the upstream and downstream ends, wherein the baffle comprises a plate body that faces an upstream or downstream direction and that includes at least one sensor area formed within the plate body to face the upstream or downstream direction.

2 . The mixer according to claim 1 , wherein the plate body includes at least one opening that receives a majority of the engine exhaust gas, and wherein the at least one sensor area is circumferentially spaced away from the at least one opening about the mixer center axis.

3 . The mixer according to claim 2 , wherein the plate body includes a plurality of additional openings that are smaller than the at least one opening, and wherein the at least one sensor area is spaced apart from and located in the plate body circumferentially between the at least one opening and the plurality of additional openings.

4 . The mixer according to claim 2 , wherein the at least one sensor area comprises at least two sensor areas each configured to receive at least a portion of a sensor.

5 . The mixer according to claim 2 , wherein the plate body comprises a flat plate that covers one of the upstream and downstream ends of the mixer outer shell, and wherein the flat plate includes a planar surface that faces the upstream or downstream direction, and wherein the at least one sensor area comprises a recessed area that is formed within the planar surface.

6 . The mixer according to claim 5 , wherein the recessed area is configured to receive at least a portion of a NOx sensor or a temperature sensor.

7 . The mixer according to claim 5 , wherein the baffle includes an outer peripheral edge that extends about the flat plate and forms a rim or lip that fits against an inner surface of the mixer outer shell, and wherein the recessed area extends away from the outer peripheral edge of the flat plate toward the mixer center axis.

8 . A mixer for a vehicle exhaust system comprising:
a mixer outer shell defining an internal cavity configured to receive engine exhaust gases, the mixer outer shell having a first end and a second end opposite the first end; a baffle associated with one of the first and second ends, wherein the baffle comprises a body that includes at least one sensor area formed within the body; wherein the body includes at least one opening that receives a majority of the engine exhaust gas, and wherein the at least one sensor area is spaced away from the at least one opening; wherein the body comprises a flat plate that covers one of the first and second ends of the mixer outer shell, and wherein the at least one sensor area comprises a recessed area formed within the flat plate; wherein the mixer outer shell defines a mixer central axis, and wherein the recessed area extends from an edge of the flat plate toward the mixer center axis; and wherein the recessed area has a length that is greater than a width, and wherein the width increases along the length in a direction toward the edge.

9 . The mixer according to claim 8 , wherein a maximum width of the recessed area is at the edge and a minimum width of the recessed area faces the mixer central axis.

10 - 11 . (canceled)

12 . A vehicle exhaust system comprising:
a mixer having an upstream end configured to be connected to an upstream exhaust component and a downstream end configured to be connected to a downstream component, the mixer having a mixer outer shell providing an internal cavity that surrounds a mixer center axis, and wherein the mixer outer shell has a doser opening and at least one sensor opening; and an inlet baffle mounted at the upstream end, wherein the inlet baffle comprises a flat plate body that faces an upstream direction and includes at least one sensor area formed within the flat plate body to face the upstream direction, and wherein the at least one sensor area is open to the at least one sensor opening.

13 . The vehicle exhaust system according to claim 12 , wherein the flat plate body includes at least one primary opening that receives a majority of the engine exhaust gas, and a plurality of additional openings that are smaller than the at least one primary opening, and wherein the at least one sensor area is circumferentially spaced apart from and located circumferentially between the at least one primary opening and the plurality of additional openings.

14 . The vehicle exhaust system according to claim 13 , wherein the at least one sensor area comprises a pocket or recessed area formed within a planar surface of the flat plate body that faces the upstream direction.

15 . The vehicle exhaust system according to claim 14 , wherein the at least one sensor area comprises at least two sensor areas each configured to receive at least a portion of a sensor that comprises a NOx sensor or a temperature sensor.

16 . The mixer according to claim 14 , wherein the inlet baffle includes an outer peripheral edge that extends about the flat plate body and forms a rim or lip that fits against an inner surface of mixer outer shell, and wherein the pocket or recessed area extends away from the outer peripheral edge of the flat plate body toward the mixer center axis.

17 . The mixer according to claim 16 , wherein the pocket or recessed area has a length that is greater than a width, and wherein the width increases along the length in a direction toward the edge.

18 . A method comprising:
forming a mixer baffle as a plate body including an integrally formed sensor area configured to receive at least a portion of a sensor; and mounting the mixer baffle to a mixer outer shell having an upstream end configured to be connected to an upstream exhaust component and a downstream end configured to be connected to a downstream component, the mixer outer shell providing an internal cavity that surrounds a mixer center axis, and wherein the plate body faces an upstream direction or a downstream direction, and wherein the integrally formed sensor area is formed within the plate body to face the upstream or downstream direction.

19 . The method according to claim 18 , wherein the mixer baffle comprises an inlet baffle, and including providing the mixer outer shell with a doser opening and at least one sensor opening, mounting the inlet baffle at the upstream end of the mixer outer shell such that the plate body faces the upstream direction, forming the integrally formed sensor area as a pocket or recessed area that faces the upstream direction and has a length that is greater than a width, aligning a doser mount configured to receive a doser with the doser opening, and aligning the at least one sensor opening with the at least one sensor area.

20 . The method according to claim 18 , wherein the plate body comprises a flat plate that includes a planar surface that faces the upstream or downstream direction, and including
forming the at least one sensor area as a pocket or recessed area within the planar surface to face the upstream or downstream direction, forming the mixer baffle with an outer peripheral edge that extends about the flat plate and forms a rim or lip that fits against an inner surface of the mixer outer shell, and wherein the pocket or recessed area extends away from the outer peripheral edge of t

Assignees

• Faurecia Emissions Control Technologies Usa Llc

Inventors

• Cvelbar Randall
• Alano Eduardo
• Bhatt Amee
• Rakkasagi Amaresh
• Burnett Anthony

Classifications

• Y02T10/40

  Engine management systems · CPC title

• Y02A50/20

  Air quality improvement or preservation, e.g. vehicle emission control or emission reduction by using catalytic converters · CPC title

• F01N11/002

  the diagnostic devices measuring or estimating temperature or pressure in, or downstream of the exhaust apparatus · CPC title

• F01N2560/06

  the means being a temperature sensor · CPC title

• F01N3/2892 Primary

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