Radial Flow Honeycomb Body With Stacked Foils for Faster Production
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing honeycomb bodies for exhaust gas aftertreatment, particularly those with radial flow channels, face challenges such as material stress, limited channel height, increased deposits during soldering and coating, and high production costs due to discontinuous embossing processes and precise layer positioning.
Innovation Solution
A honeycomb body with a central axial flow channel and radially oriented second flow channels formed between stacked, corrugated metal foils, where the second channels run in a straight line and are rotated relative to each other, allowing for improved exhaust gas distribution and reduced material usage, and a method involving punching, embossing, and automated stacking to enhance production efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If embossing is used to form channels in sheet metal layers, then channel geometry is created, but material stress increases and channel height is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The honeycomb body is divided into multiple individual sheet metal layers, each contributing to the overall channel structure. By stacking multiple thinner layers instead of forming channels in a single thick layer, the embossing process distributes stress across multiple segments, reducing material stress while maintaining channel geometry.
Solution Approach 2:
The channel formation is transitioned from a planar embossing process to a three-dimensional stacked structure. Channels are formed in multiple layers stacked in the axial direction, allowing the channel height to be determined by the number of layers rather than being limited by material flow during embossing.
2Shape
If embossing is used to form channels, then channel geometry is created, but production speed decreases due to discontinuous process
Solution Approach 1:
Sheet metal layers with channel-forming corrugations are pre-formed separately using continuous rolling processes, then stacked and joined in a separate assembly step. This separates the channel geometry creation from the final honeycomb body formation, allowing continuous production of components that are then quickly assembled.
Solution Approach 2:
The production process is segmented into independent steps: continuous corrugation rolling of individual layers, followed by stacking and joining. This allows each segment to be optimized for continuous production, improving overall productivity while maintaining channel geometry.
3Manufacturing precision
If precise positioning of sheet metal layers is required for embossing, then channel alignment is achieved, but production time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sheet metal layers are designed with features such as corrugations and cutouts that automatically align layers during stacking. The corrugated edges and interlocking features guide proper positioning without requiring external alignment mechanisms, achieving precise channel alignment through self-alignment.
Solution Approach 2:
Joining elements or intermediate components are used to facilitate layer alignment during assembly. These intermediaries provide reference surfaces or mechanical guides that ensure precise positioning of layers while simplifying the assembly process, reducing both time and complexity.
4Loss of substance
If flat channels are used in radial flow honeycomb bodies, then material usage is reduced, but deposits increase during soldering and coating
Solution Approach 1:
The channel structure transitions from flat planar channels to three-dimensional corrugated channels formed by stacked layers. The corrugations create depth and surface area within the channels, allowing better flow dynamics and reduced deposit accumulation while maintaining material efficiency through the layered construction.
Data Source
AI summary
A honeycomb body for exhaust gas aftertreatment includes a plurality of interconnected metal foils stacked on one another. The honeycomb body has a central first flow channel running in the axial direction of the honeycomb body, as an inflow section, and has a plurality of second flow channels between in each case two mutually adjacent metal foils. The first flow channel is in fluid communication with the second flow channels. The second flow channels formed between two mutually adjacent metal foils run in a straight line and parallel to one another along a radial direction of the honeycomb body.