Concentric Filter Layers for Exhaust Gas Cleaning

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing filters for gasoline engines are inadequate in addressing the unique temperature and pressure conditions of exhaust gases, leading to inefficiencies in particle filtration and potential health hazards due to unfiltered particles released into the environment.

Innovation Solution

A filter design featuring concentrically arranged ring-shaped filter layers with corrugations and fluid-tight connections, utilizing metal fleece and fluid-impermeable strips for enhanced stability and surface area, which tapers and widens flow channels to minimize back pressure and maximize separation efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional filters are used for gasoline engines, then particle filtration is insufficient, but the filter cannot handle the higher temperature and pressure conditions of gasoline exhaust

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefiltration effectivenessVSAvoidadaptability to temperature and pressure conditions
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the material parameters of the filter layers by using sintered metal structures with controlled porosity and pore size distribution. The metal sintered layers are designed with specific permeability characteristics that allow them to withstand gasoline exhaust temperatures and pressures while maintaining effective particle filtration, thus adapting the filter to the harsher operating conditions of gasoline engines compared to diesel engines.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If the filter body uses multiple concentric filter layers, then the volume-specific surface area increases, but the back pressure increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveseparation rateVSAvoidback pressure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by creating alternating layers with different permeability characteristics. The sintered metal layers have controlled porosity that provides high surface area for particle separation, while the porous ceramic layers provide structural support and additional filtration. This local differentiation of layer properties allows the filter to achieve high separation rates without uniformly increasing back pressure across all layers, as each layer is optimized for its specific function.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The filter body is segmented into multiple discrete filter layers with alternating permeability characteristics. This segmentation allows the exhaust gas to flow through a series of progressively finer filtration stages, where each layer captures particles of different sizes. The segmented structure increases the effective surface area for separation while distributing the pressure drop across multiple layers, preventing excessive back pressure buildup.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Loss of energy

If the filter layers are made with high porosity for gas flow, then the pressure loss decreases, but the particle retention capability decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepressure lossVSAvoidparticle retention
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the porosity parameter by using sintered metal layers with controlled pore size distribution rather than uniform porosity. The sintering process creates a hierarchical pore structure with larger interstitial spaces for gas flow and smaller pores formed by the metal wire mesh structure for particle capture. This parameter optimization allows the filter to maintain low pressure loss while achieving effective particle retention through the combined effect of the sintered metal structure and the porous ceramic layers.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The filter achieves a high cleaning rate with low pressure loss and increased stability, effectively filtering particles while maintaining a compact and robust design suitable for various exhaust line cross sections.

Implementation Method 1

the ring-shaped filter layers have a corrugation extending in the circumferential direction of the filter body

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFlow deflection:

Implementation Method 2

The filter layers are designed to allow the exhaust gas to flow through them, while particles of a certain defined minimum size are retained by the filter layers

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPhysical filtration: Filter (physical)

Implementation Method 3

two filter layers adjacent to each other in a radial direction are fluid-tightly connected to each other at the inlet side

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFluid-tight sealing:

Data Source

PatentEP3529468B1Filter and method for producing a filter
Publication Date: 2021.03.24 VITESCO TECHNOLOGIES GMBH
  • EP3529468B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3529468B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3529468B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

The invention relates to a filter for cleaning exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine, having a housing through which exhaust gas can flow in the axial direction and which has inlet side and an outlet side, wherein a filter body comprising a plurality of filters layers is formed in the housing, through which exhaust gas that can flow through the housing can flow, wherein the filter layers (2, 16) are formed annularly and are arrange concentrically with respect to one another, wherein, alternately, two filter layers (2, 16) that are adjacent to each other in the radial direction are connected to each other in a fluid-tight manner on the inlet side, and two filter layers (2, 16) that are adjacent to each other in the radial direction are connected to each other on the outlet side. The invention further relates to a method for producing a filter.