Off-Road Vehicle Exhaust Aftertreatment Rear Mounting

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional exhaust gas aftertreatment systems for off-road vehicles face issues such as heat damage to engine components and hoods, impaired driver visibility, and inadequate compliance with stringent emission standards, particularly due to suboptimal arrangements of exhaust components.

Innovation Solution

The exhaust gas aftertreatment device is arranged outside the engine hood, with a particle filter, oxidation catalytic converter, and SCR catalytic converter positioned to minimize heat impact and visibility obstruction, featuring a mixing device placed in front of the SCR catalytic converter and integrated into a compact DOC/DPF module, allowing for efficient heat dissipation and easy retrofitting, while maintaining driver visibility by positioning components laterally and diagonally to avoid the driver's field of view.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Volume of moving object

If the exhaust aftertreatment system is arranged inside the hood covering the internal combustion engine, then the structure is compact, but heat from the exhaust aftertreatment system damages engine components and the engine hood

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecompactness of exhaust aftertreatment systemVSAvoidheat damage to engine components and hood
Core Design Contradiction:
Volume of moving objectVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The exhaust aftertreatment system is extracted from the hood area and relocated to a position outside the hood, specifically at the rear of the vehicle. This separation removes the heat-generating exhaust components from proximity to heat-sensitive engine components and the hood, eliminating thermal damage while maintaining system integration through dedicated mounting structures.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Temperature

If the exhaust aftertreatment system is arranged above the internal combustion engine, then heat dissipation is improved, but the driver's view is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat dissipation capabilityVSAvoiddriver's visibility
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The exhaust aftertreatment system is relocated from vertical positioning (above the engine) to horizontal positioning (at the rear of the vehicle). This dimensional shift moves the system away from the driver's line of sight through the windshield while preserving its elevation for effective heat dissipation, thus resolving both visibility and thermal management requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Device complexity

If the mixing device is arranged behind the SCR catalytic converter, then the structure is simplified, but the driver's view is impaired

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural simplicity of exhaust systemVSAvoiddriver's visibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The mixing device is repositioned from a longitudinal arrangement (behind the SCR converter) to a lateral arrangement (on the side of the SCR converter). This spatial reconfiguration places the mixing device outside the driver's forward view through the windshield while maintaining exhaust flow continuity and structural integration through side-mounted connections.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

4Temperature

If the exhaust aftertreatment device is arranged outside the hood, then heat dissipation is efficient and retrofitting is easy, but the components occupy more space

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveheat dissipation efficiencyVSAvoidspace occupied by exhaust components
Core Design Contradiction:
TemperatureVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The exhaust aftertreatment system is segmented into modular components (DOC/DPF module, SCR converter, mixing device) that can be independently positioned and mounted. This modular segmentation allows the system to be arranged in an optimized spatial configuration at the rear of the vehicle, distributing components to minimize overall footprint while maximizing heat dissipation surface area and maintaining serviceability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

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 arrangement effectively dissipates heat, reduces component damage, and enhances driver visibility by positioning exhaust components in a way that they do not obstruct the driver's view, while meeting stringent emission standards without altering existing engine designs or impairing visibility.

Implementation Method 1

The particle filter is preferably a diesel particulate filter and/or is preferably designed to capture particulate matter (PM) contained in the exhaust gas

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFiltration: Filter (physical)

Implementation Method 2

The oxidation catalyst is preferably a diesel oxidation catalyst and/or is preferably designed to oxidize carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons contained in the exhaust gas

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectOxidation: Oxidation

Implementation Method 3

an SCR catalytic converter... designed to reduce nitrogen oxides (NOx) contained in the exhaust gas

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCatalysis: Catalysis

Data Source

PatentEP3673158B1Vehicle, in particular off-road vehicle, comprising an exhaust gas aftertreatment device
Publication Date: 2022.09.07 MAN TRUCK & BUS SE
  • EP3673158B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3673158B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3673158B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a vehicle, in particular an off-road vehicle (1), comprising a driver compartment (2), an internal combustion engine (3), and an exhaust gas aftertreatment device (100). The exhaust gas aftertreatment device (100) comprises a particle filter (112), an oxidation catalyst (113), a mixing device (130) for mixing exhaust gas and a reducing agent, and an SCR catalyst (150). The SCR catalyst (150) is arranged downstream of the mixing device (130; 230) in the exhaust gas flow direction, and the mixing device (130) is arranged downstream of the particle filter (112) and the oxidation catalyst (113) in the exhaust gas flow direction. Furthermore, the exhaust gas aftertreatment device (100) is arranged on the outside of a cover (4) which covers the internal combustion engine (3). According to the invention, the mixing device (130) is arranged upstream of the SCR catalyst (150) when viewed in the forward drive direction of the vehicle and/or on an SCR catalyst (150) side facing the front face of the vehicle.