Heating Conductor Formations for Exhaust Heater Vibration Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heating conductors for exhaust gas heaters in internal combustion engines lack sufficient stiffness, leading to vibration-induced oscillation effects and mechanical loading, which can cause noise and structural damage.
Innovation Solution
The heating conductor is designed with formations having varying heights in the width direction and optionally in multiple layers, featuring alternating orientations and offset patterns to enhance stiffness, while maintaining a meandering structure for thermal interaction with exhaust gas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a heating conductor is made from simple flat material, then ease of manufacture is improved, but stiffness deteriorates leading to vibration-induced oscillation effects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dimensionality change by forming three-dimensional formations (protrusions and recesses) on the otherwise flat heating conductor material. These formations extend in the thickness direction, adding structural complexity in the third dimension while maintaining the fundamental flat material construction. This increases stiffness and prevents vibration-induced oscillation without fundamentally changing the manufacturing approach.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements local quality by creating formations with varying heights at specific locations along the heating conductor. The formations are not uniform throughout but are strategically positioned and sized (with varying formation heights h1, h2, h3) to provide localized stiffening where needed to prevent oscillation while maintaining overall simplicity.
2Strength
If formations with varying heights are added to increase stiffness, then strength is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The heating conductor is segmented into multiple sections along its longitudinal direction, with formations positioned at different locations (first, second, and third formations). Each formation can have different heights and characteristics, allowing the structure to be optimized for stiffness where needed while maintaining simplicity in other regions. This segmentation prevents oscillation without requiring complex structures throughout the entire conductor.
3Strength
If multiple layers with alternating orientations are used, then stiffness is enhanced, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple functional features into a single integrated structure. The formations with varying heights serve multiple purposes: they increase stiffness, create turbulence for heat transfer enhancement, and can be formed in a single manufacturing step from flat material. The alternating orientations of formations in different sections work together synergistically to provide enhanced stiffness without requiring separate manufacturing steps for each feature.
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 design effectively prevents oscillation effects and reduces mechanical loading, ensuring efficient heat transfer with minimal material addition, while maintaining structural integrity and flow efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a heating conductor (16) which is constructed from flat material
Implementation Method 2
the heat taken up in the exhaust gas at a heating device can be transferred to a downstream exhaust-gas treatment arrangement
Data Source
AI summary
An exhaust gas heater for an exhaust gas system of an internal combustion engine includes a heating conductor. The heating conductor is constructed from flat material which is elongate in a heating-conductor longitudinal direction and has heating-conductor broad sides situated opposite one another in a heating-conductor thickness direction and heating-conductor flat sides situated opposite one another in a heating-conductor width direction. A plurality of formations, which follow one another in the heating-conductor longitudinal direction or/and follow one another in the heating-conductor width direction, are oriented substantially in the heating-conductor thickness direction and have varying formation heights in the heating-conductor width direction.