Exhaust Cooling Device With Necked-Down Section And Openings

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional exhaust systems, particularly for diesel particulate filter applications, experience high exhaust gas temperatures that can exceed 650°C, posing a risk of igniting flammable materials and necessitating a solution to reduce exhaust temperatures and eliminate hot spots.

Innovation Solution

An exhaust cooling device with a tubular housing featuring a necked-down section and frusto-conical nozzle element, along with circumferentially spaced openings to allow ambient air flow for cooling, and an optional debris shield to prevent debris entry, effectively directing exhaust gas flow and mixing it with cooler ambient air for temperature reduction.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Temperature

If conventional exhaust systems are used for diesel particulate filter applications, then exhaust gas temperatures can exceed 650°C, but this poses a risk of igniting flammable materials

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveexhaust gas temperatureVSAvoidignition risk of flammable materials
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces ambient air as an intermediary cooling medium that mixes with the hot exhaust gas in the tubular housing. The frusto-conical nozzle directs exhaust flow while the openings allow ambient air to enter, creating a mixed flow that reduces temperature before exit, thereby eliminating the ignition risk without directly modifying the exhaust gas composition

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts heat from the exhaust gas system by introducing external ambient air through the openings in the necked-down section. This extracted heat is dissipated to the surrounding environment, allowing the exhaust temperature to be reduced to safe levels below the ignition point of flammable materials

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If a cooling device is added to reduce exhaust temperature, then ignition risk is reduced, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveignition riskVSAvoidexhaust system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The tubular housing serves multiple functions: it acts as a mixing chamber for ambient air and exhaust gas, provides structural support for the frusto-conical nozzle, and facilitates heat dissipation to the surrounding environment. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate cooling components, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The frusto-conical nozzle is nested within the tubular housing structure, with the nozzle element positioned concentrically inside the housing. The openings are integrated into the necked-down section of the housing itself. This nested arrangement consolidates multiple components into a compact integrated assembly, minimizing the increase in overall device complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

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 solution effectively reduces exhaust temperatures by increasing exhaust flow velocity through the nozzle, creating a suction effect that draws in ambient air for mixing and cooling, thereby mitigating the risk of ignition and maintaining a standard exhaust pipe appearance.

Implementation Method 1

The venturi forming element or nozzle 22 creates a suction effect which draws the cooling air flow into the housing/pipe 20 for mixing and cooling the exhaust flow

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectVenturi effect: Venturi Effect

Implementation Method 2

The cooling device includes a tubular housing having an upstream portion and a downstream portion, with the upstream portion having a necked-down section tapered in an upstream direction, and a plurality of openings formed in the necked down section to allow an ambient air flow from an exterior of the tubular housing to an interior of the tubular housing

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Data Source

PatentEP2262982B1Tail pipe exhaust cooling device
Publication Date: 2016.08.17 TENNECO AUTOMOTIVE OPERATING COMPANY INC
  • EP2262982B1 patent drawingFigure 1~5
  • EP2262982B1 patent drawingFigure 6

AI summary

An exhaust cooling device (10) is provided for an exhaust pipe (12) of a combustion process. The cooling device (10) includes a tubular housing (20) having an upstream portion (16) and a downstream portion (18), with the upstream portion (16) having a necked-down section (24) tapered in an upstream direction, and a plurality of openings (30) formed in the necked-down section (24) to allow an ambient air flow from an exterior of the tubular housing (20) to an interior of the tubular housing (20). The cooling device (10) further includes a nozzle element (22) fixed in the necked-down section (24) to direct an exhaust gas flow into the tubular housing (20).