Exhaust Gas Mixing Element for Uniform Flow Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing exhaust gas treatment systems for internal combustion engines face challenges in achieving uniform mixing of exhaust gases at high speeds, leading to non-uniform treatment and unreliable measurement of components like nitrogen oxides, especially in dual-flow systems.
Innovation Solution
The exhaust gas treatment device incorporates a mixing element that divides the treatment chamber into an inlet area and a flow-through area, with strategically positioned inlet openings to ensure thorough mixing of exhaust gases before they reach the flow-through area, using a housing design that optimizes flow paths and reduces back pressure through perforations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If exhaust gas supply lines run parallel to the exhaust gas treatment chamber, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the exhaust gas is not mixed thoroughly and flow through is non-uniform
Solution Approach 1:
The exhaust gas treatment chamber is divided into a mixing chamber and a flow-through chamber by the mixing element. This segmentation allows exhaust gases from multiple supply lines to be thoroughly mixed in the mixing chamber before entering the flow-through chamber, ensuring uniform flow and treatment while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
A mixing element is introduced as an intermediary component between the exhaust gas supply lines and the flow-through chamber. This mixing element includes mixing channels and outlets that facilitate thorough mixing of exhaust gases from different supply lines, achieving uniform flow without requiring complex arrangement of supply lines.
2Productivity
If exhaust gas flows at high speed through the treatment chamber, then productivity is high, but mixing is insufficient and treatment reliability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
Exhaust gases are preliminarily mixed in the mixing chamber before entering the flow-through chamber. The mixing element creates multiple flow paths and mixing outlets that ensure thorough mixing at high speeds, so that when gases enter the flow-through chamber, they are already uniformly mixed, maintaining both high throughput and treatment reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The mixing element introduces a new spatial dimension for mixing by creating vertical and lateral flow components through multiple outlets oriented in different directions. This multi-dimensional mixing approach enables thorough blending of exhaust gases even at high flow speeds, ensuring uniform treatment without reducing productivity.
3Measurement precision
If separate flow paths are maintained for measurement, then measurement of individual streams is possible, but reliable statements about measured values cannot be made in dual-flow systems
Solution Approach 1:
Exhaust gases from multiple supply lines are merged and thoroughly mixed in the mixing chamber before entering the flow-through chamber. This merging ensures that the exhaust gas composition is homogeneous throughout the treatment process, allowing reliable measurement representations that accurately reflect the overall exhaust gas composition rather than just individual stream characteristics.
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
This design achieves improved mixing and uniform treatment of exhaust gases, allowing for reliable measurement of components like nitrogen oxides, enhancing the effectiveness of catalytic converters or particle filters and improving the overall treatment process.
Implementation Method 1
The mixing element has a plurality of inlet openings, namely at least one first inlet opening facing a first side of the inlet area and at least one second inlet opening facing a second side of the inlet area
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The device (4) has a housing (8) enclosing an exhaust-gas treatment chamber that is divided into an upstream-side inlet region (16) and a downstream-side flow region (17). The housing comprises inlets (12, 13) for attaching exhaust gas supply lines (2, 3), where the inlets open into the inlet region. A mixing element (15) comprises two inlet ports (22, 23) that fluidically connect the inlet region with the flow region and are turned to two sides (18, 19) of the inlet region. The two sides of the inlet region are spaced from each other transverse to a longitudinal direction (20) of the housing. An independent claim is also included for an exhaust system for a combustion engine.