EXHAUST GAS SYSTEM

Abstract

An exhaust system for the aftertreatment of exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine, having an annular catalytic converter which is flowed through by exhaust gas, wherein the annular catalytic converter has an inflow point and an outflow point and the annular catalytic converter has a tubular first flow path and an annular second flow path which are oriented concentrically with respect to one another and which are flowed through in series, wherein the first flow path is surrounded to the outside in a radial direction by the second flow path, wherein a pipe is led in the radial direction from the outside through the second flow path, wherein the pipe opens into the annular catalytic converter and the pipe has a radial extent at least as far as into the inner first flow path.

Claims

1. An exhaust system for the aftertreatment of exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine, comprising: an annular catalytic converter which is flowed through by exhaust gas; an inflow point being part of the annular catalytic converter; an outflow point being part of the annular catalytic converter; a tubular first flow path being part of the annular catalytic converter; an annular second flow path being part of the annular catalytic converter, the tubular first flow path and the annular second flow path are oriented concentrically with respect to one another and which are flowed through in series; and a pipe led in the radial direction from the outside through the second flow path, the pipe opens into the annular catalytic converter and the pipe has a radial extent at least as far as into the inner first flow path; wherein the first flow path is surrounded to the outside in a radial direction by the second flow path.

2. The exhaust system of claim 1, wherein the exhaust gas, at a first axial end region of the annular catalytic converter, is caused to flow into the radially inner, first flow path through the inflow point and is caused to flow into the radially outer, second flow path by a flow diversion at the second axial end region, situated opposite the inflow point, of the annular catalytic converter, in which exhaust gas in the radially outer, second flow path is caused to flow back to the first axial end region counter to the flow direction in the radially inner, first flow path, and the exhaust gas, at the first axial end region, is caused to flow into a channel which leads to an outflow point.

3. The exhaust system of claim 1, wherein the aqueous urea solution is metered in a radial direction into the pipe.

4. The exhaust system of claim 1, the pipe further comprising a radial extent through the radially inner, first flow path into the radially outer, second flow path.

5. The exhaust system of claim 1, the pipe further comprising a conically tapering cross section.

6. The exhaust system of claim 1, wherein the pipe is arranged at the axial end region of the annular catalytic converter at which the exhaust gas is caused to flow into the annular catalytic converter through the inflow point.

7. The exhaust system of claim 1, the pipe further comprising surface-enlarging elements on its inner shell surface and on its outer shell surface.

8. The exhaust system of claim 1, the pipe further comprising surface-enlarging elements on its inner shell surface.

9. The exhaust system of claim 1, the pipe further comprising surface-enlarging elements on its outer shell surface.

10. The exhaust system of claim 1, wherein the pipe is of structured form and is coated on its inner shell surface and on its outer shell surface.

11. The exhaust system of claim 1, wherein the pipe is of structured form.

12. The exhaust system of claim 11, wherein the pipe is coated on its inner shell surface

13. The exhaust system of claim 11, wherein the pipe is coated on its outer shell surface.

14. The exhaust system of claim 1, wherein the pipe is coated on its inner shell surface and on its outer shell surface.

15. The exhaust system of claim 1, the pipe further comprising a third flow path, and the exhaust gas in the first flow path and in the second flow path flows around the pipe.

16. The exhaust system of claim 1, further comprising a hydrolysis catalytic converter integrated into the pipe.

17. The exhaust system of claim 1, further comprising: an exhaust-gas turbocharger connected upstream of the inflow point: wherein the exhaust gas flowing out of the exhaust-gas turbocharger is caused to flow through the inflow point into the annular catalytic converter.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] The invention will be explained in detail in the following text on the basis of exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawings, in which:

[0032] FIG. 1 is a sectional view through an annular catalytic converter according to the invention, wherein the centrally extending tubular first flow path is shown, which is surrounded by an annular second flow path, wherein a pipe is led from the outside through the second and the first flow path, into which pipe the aqueous urea solution is metered, and

[0033] FIG. 2 is a side view of the annular catalytic converter from FIG. 1, wherein the view is directed to the inflow point at the first flow path, and it is possible to particularly clearly see the pipe which is led from the outside through the outer wall of the annular second flow path into the annular catalytic converter and which extends through the tubular first flow path in the radial direction.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0034] The following description of the preferred embodiment(s) is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses.

[0035] FIG. 1 shows an annular catalytic converter 1. The annular catalytic converter 1 has a first tubular flow path 2, to which exhaust gas is admitted through an inflow point 3. The exhaust gas may flow along the tubular first flow path 2 in an axial direction 4 and, at the axial end region 5 situated opposite the inflow point 3, is diverted by the housing 6 through 180 degrees and flows over into the annular second flow path 7. In the annular second flow path 7, the exhaust gas flows, counter to the axial direction 4, along the axial direction 8 toward the axial end region 9, which has the inflow point 3. At this axial end region 9, the exhaust gas may flow out along a radial direction into a channel 10 which extends at least partially parallel to the flow paths 2, 7. Via this channel 10, the exhaust gas is supplied to further exhaust-gas aftertreatment components.

[0036] In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1, the channel 10 has, at the axial end region 5, an outflow point 11 which allows the exhaust gas to flow out of the annular catalytic converter 1 in a radial direction. The point at which the exhaust gas passes over from the second flow path 7 into the channel 10 may also be referred to as outflow point.

[0037] Furthermore, FIG. 1 shows a pipe 12 which extends through the housing wall which delimits the second annular flow path 7 to the outside, which pipe is led in the radial direction through the second flow path 7 and the first flow path 2 and opens into the lower region of the second flow path 7, which is adjacent to the radial passage into the channel 10.

[0038] On the outside of the annular catalytic converter 1, there is arranged a metering module 13 which is used for metering the aqueous urea solution into the pipe 12. The injector of the metering module 13 projects into the pipe 12 in such a way that the aqueous urea solution is metered into the pipe 12 in the radial direction of the annular catalytic converter 1 and in the axial direction of the pipe 12.

[0039] The pipe 12 is flowed around in the axial direction 4 by the exhaust gas which flows through the inflow point 3 into the annular catalytic converter 1. Here, heating of the pipe 12 occurs by virtue of heat energy being transferred from the flowing exhaust gas to the wall of the pipe 12. As a result of the transfer of the heat from the exhaust gas to the pipe 12 and thus to the aqueous urea solution that is metered into the pipe 12, the thermolysis and the hydrolysis are promoted, whereby evaporation of the aqueous urea solution occurs, in the case of which gaseous ammonia and carbon dioxide are formed. The ammonia subsequently reacts with the nitrogen oxides in the exhaust gas to form nitrogen and water.

[0040] The pipe 12 thus serves as an evaporation path for the aqueous urea solution. By means of the advantageous arrangement of the pipe 12 at the inlet side of the annular catalytic converter 1, the exhaust gas impinges at a high temperature on the pipe 12, resulting in particularly rapid heating of the pipe 12 and thus in rapid evaporation of the aqueous urea solution. In particular, the arrangement of the annular catalytic converter 1 in the direct vicinity of the internal combustion engine, for example downstream of the exhaust-gas turbocharger, contributes to the fact that the exhaust gas does not undergo intense cooling before entering the annular catalytic converter 1 and impinging on the pipe 12. It is thereby achieved that the time until the activation of the metered addition of the aqueous urea solution, which is started only after a minimum temperature has been attained, is as short as possible. This leads to a faster complete exhaust-gas aftertreatment and thus, in particular also during cold starting, to a faster reduction of the emissions in the exhaust gas.

[0041] In the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1, the pipe 12 is led all the way through the first flow path 2, such that the urea solution cannot pass over into the first flow path 2. The pipe 12 opens into the second flow path 7, so that the urea solution flows over here into the exhaust-gas flow and is entrained with the exhaust-gas flow. The reaction between the generated ammonia and the nitrogen oxides in the exhaust gas is therefore downstream of the pipe 12 and substantially in the channel 10.

[0042] In alternative embodiments, the pipe may also open into the first flow path or at least have a first outlet into this flow path. This would allow the urea solution to flow out into the exhaust-gas flow in the first flow path. It would also be possible to provide an opening in the region of the metering point, which opening permits the inflow of exhaust gas from the second flow path into the pipe. This would accelerate the mixing of the urea solution with the exhaust gas and increase the discharge rate of the urea solution into the exhaust-gas flow.

[0043] In FIG. 1, the pipe 12 is shown as a pipe 12 which tapers conically from the metering point and which has smooth walls. In alternative embodiments, the cross section of the pipe may also be designed differently. Also, the walls of the pipe may have structures for surface enlargement and/or coatings. It is also possible for the pipe, which in FIG. 1 runs so as to be deflected slightly out of the vertical, to be oriented differently. Here, it is particularly advantageous if the pipe is oriented toward the outflow point of the annular catalytic converter in order to transfer the evaporated urea solution into the exhaust-gas flow in such a way that the evaporated urea solution is entrained as far as possible without residues and is distributed in the exhaust-gas flow as effectively as possible.

[0044] FIG. 2 shows a side view of the annular catalytic converter 1. It is seen in FIG. 2 that the pipe 12 extends in the interior of the annular catalytic converter 1 so as to be inclined with respect to the vertical, so that the mouth of the pipe 2 is oriented in the direction of the flow transfer point from the second flow path 7 into the channel 10.

[0045] In the view of FIG. 2, which corresponds to a view of the annular catalytic converter along the flow direction 4 in the first flow path 2, it is clearly seen how the pipe 12 crosses the first flow path 2 and extends in front of the inflow point 3 such that the pipe 12 is flowed around by the inflowing exhaust gas.

[0046] Various honeycomb bodies, filters or other devices for exhaust-gas aftertreatment may be arranged in the flow paths within the annular catalytic converter 1.

[0047] The exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is in particular not of a limiting nature and serves for illustrating the concept of the invention.

[0048] The description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the invention are intended to be within the scope of the invention. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.