SCR Center Inlet Vertical Exhaust Splitter
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing exhaust treatment systems for work vehicles face challenges in reducing NOx emissions while maintaining operator visibility and avoiding obstruction or interference with vehicle components, as they require additional components that must be compactly integrated under the hood or externally without extending outwardly.
Innovation Solution
The exhaust treatment system incorporates a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system with a center inlet, featuring upper and lower exhaust chambers that split the exhaust flow, allowing for a vertically oriented and elongated design that reduces space requirements and maintains operator visibility, using substrates with adjustable cell densities to manage backpressure and NOx conversion efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If additional exhaust treatment components are added to reduce NOx emissions, then emissions reduction effectiveness is improved, but operator visibility and access to vehicle components are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The SCR system transitions from a horizontal configuration to a vertical orientation with the inlet positioned at the center of the housing. This dimensional change allows the system to extend vertically rather than horizontally, reducing the lateral footprint and preventing interference with operator visibility and vehicle operations while maintaining effective NOx treatment capacity
2Volume of moving object
If SCR system size is reduced to improve mounting flexibility, then space requirements are improved, but NOx conversion efficiency and backpressure management are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The exhaust flow is segmented into multiple streams by dividing the internal housing into separate chambers (first chamber for upward flow, second chamber for downward flow). This segmentation allows the exhaust to travel through extended substrate pathways within a compact external footprint, maintaining adequate contact time for NOx conversion while managing backpressure through distributed flow paths
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses vertical stacking of exhaust chambers and substrates to achieve extended treatment pathways within a reduced horizontal footprint. The multi-chamber vertical configuration allows sufficient substrate length for effective NOx conversion while keeping the overall system compact for flexible mounting
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 configuration enables efficient NOx reduction while minimizing space and obstruction, providing greater visibility and flexibility in mounting, and allowing for lower cell densities with larger channels, thus optimizing the system's integration on work vehicles without excessive backpressure.
Implementation Method 1
SCR systems use a diesel oxidation catalyst (DOC) system which includes diesel engine fluid (DEF) reductant(s) which may include, for example, urea, that are introduced into the exhaust flow
Implementation Method 2
When the exhaust flow enters the SCR at the center inlet, the exhaust flow enters a central chamber where it is split into upper and lower exhaust flows. The upper exhaust flow is moved upward through the upper exhaust chamber and through substrate therein
Data Source
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AI summary
An exhaust treatment system for a work vehicle, which has an exhaust conduit transmitting an exhaust flow from an engine and to a DOC system, is disclosed. The DOC system has a reductant introduced and mixed into the exhaust flow, and a DOC conduit connects the DOC to a center inlet of an SCR. The SCR includes at least two exhaust chambers. When the exhaust flow enters the SCR at the center inlet, the exhaust flow enters a central chamber where it is split into at least two separate exhaust flows which are moved in at least two different directions away from each other. Each separate exhaust flow is moved through a separate exhaust chamber and substrate. A conduit moves at least one of the separate exhaust flows into an area holding another exhaust flow, and the two separate exhaust flows are combined and expelled through an outlet.