A THERMAL INSULATING MEMBER FOR A VEHICLE COMPONENT

Abstract

A thermal insulating member includes a multilayer complex having first layer which is made of a hydrophobic aerogel; a second layer which is made of a fiber wool; and a metallic foil, called outer layer. The thickness of the first layer decreases along a variability direction of the multilayer complex. The thermal insulating member can be arranged around a vehicle component which extends in a longitudinal direction and which has a first end at a first temperature T1 and a second end at a second temperature T2 lower than T1, in use. In the mounted state, the variability direction of the multilayer complex is parallel the longitudinal direction of the vehicle component and the greatest thickness of the first layer is closer to the first end.

Claims

1. A thermal insulating member for a vehicle component, comprising a multilayer complex having: a first layer which is made of a hydrophobic aerogel; a second layer which is made of an insulating material that has small pockets of gas trapped in a fibrous or a foam-like structure; a metallic foil, called outer layer; the multilayer complex defining a depth direction across the layers; wherein the thickness of the first layer decreases along a variability direction of the multilayer complex which is orthogonal to the depth direction, at least over part of a dimension of the multilayer complex along said variability direction.

2. The thermal insulating member according to claim 1, wherein the second layer is arranged between the first layer and the outer layer or wherein the first layer is arranged between the second layer and the outer layer.

3. The thermal insulating member according to claim 1, wherein the thickness of the second layer increases in the same way as the thickness of the first layer decreases, along the variability direction, such that the overall thickness of the set comprising the first layer and the second layer is substantially constant.

4. The thermal insulating member according to claim 1, wherein the first layer comprises a portion in which its thickness decreases continuously along the variability direction, whereby in said portion the first layer comprises a face forming a slope without steps.

5. The thermal insulating member according to claim 1, wherein the first layer comprises a portion in which its thickness decreases constantly along the variability direction, whereby in said portion the first layer comprises a face forming a tilted plane.

6. The thermal insulating member according to claim 1, wherein the first layer comprises a portion in which its thickness is substantially constant along the variability direction.

7. The thermal insulating member according to claim 1, wherein the first layer comprises a portion in which its thickness decreases by increments, along the variability direction, whereby in said portion the first layer comprises a face forming at least one step.

8. The thermal insulating member according to claim 1, wherein in at least one portion of the multilayer complex, the thickness of the first layer is zero or the thickness of the second layer is zero.

9. The thermal insulating member according to claim 1, wherein the second layer is made of a mineral wool.

10. The thermal insulating member according to claim 1, wherein the metallic foil is an aluminium foil or a stainless steel foil.

11. The thermal insulating member according to claim 1, wherein the multilayer complex further comprises a third layer made of a hydrophobic aerogel, the second layer being arranged between the first layer and the third layer.

12. The thermal insulating member according to claim 1, wherein the hydrophobic aerogel is a silica gel.

13. The thermal insulating member according to claim 1, wherein: the maximum thickness of the first layer is in the range of 3 to 6 mm; and/or the maximum thickness of the second layer is in the range of 3 to 6 mm; and/or the thickness of the outer layer is in the range of 0.1 to 0.2 mm.

14. The thermal insulating member according to claim 1, wherein the maximum thickness of the third layer is in the range of 1 to 5 mm.

15. The thermal insulating member according to claim 1, wherein the thermal insulating member is flexible so as to be wrapped around the vehicle component.

16. The thermal insulating member according to claim 1, wherein the thermal insulating member is formed as a shell configured to be placed around the vehicle component.

17. An assembly comprising: a vehicle component having a first end and a second end opposite the first end along a longitudinal direction, wherein, in use, the first end has a first temperature and the second end has a second temperature lower than; a thermal insulating member according to claim 1 which is arranged around the vehicle component with the outer layer oriented outwardly and so that the variability direction of the multilayer complex is parallel the longitudinal direction and the greatest thickness of the first layer is closer to the first end.

18. The assembly according to claim 17, wherein, along the longitudinal direction, the multilayer complex comprises a first end on the side of the first end of the vehicle component and a second end on the side of the second end of the vehicle component, and wherein: at the first end of the multilayer complex, the thickness of second layer is zero; and/or, at the second end of the multilayer complex, the thickness of first layer is zero.

19. The assembly according to claim 18, wherein the vehicle component is a pipe.

20. A vehicle comprising an engine, an exhaust gas treatment system and an assembly according to claim 18, wherein the vehicle component is a pipe which carries exhaust gases flowing from the engine towards the exhaust gas treatment system.

21. (canceled)

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0053] With reference to the appended drawings, below follows a more detailed description of embodiments of the invention cited as examples.

[0054] In the drawings:

[0055] FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a vehicle engine arrangement which comprises an engine and an exhaust gas treatment system, according to an embodiment of the invention;

[0056] FIG. 2 is a cross section of a pipe carrying exhaust gases between the engine and the exhaust gas treatment system of FIG. 1, the pipe being provided with a thermal insulating member comprising a multilayer complex;

[0057] FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of detail III of FIG. 2;

[0058] FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of the multilayer complex;

[0059] FIG. 5 is a cross section view of the multilayer complex of FIG. 4, in plane parallel to a variability direction and to a depth direction of the multilayer complex, the multilayer complex being arranged around the pipe;

[0060] FIGS. 6 to 13 are views similar to FIG. 5, showing alternative embodiments of the multilayer complex.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0061] FIG. 1 schematically shows an engine arrangement 1 of a vehicle. The engine arrangement 1 comprises an engine 2, more particularly an internal combustion engine, such as a diesel engine.

[0062] The engine arrangement 1 further comprises an exhaust line 3 carrying exhaust gases flowing from the engine 2 towards the atmosphere, as well as an exhaust gas treatment system 5 arranged in the exhaust line 3 and fitted on a vehicle chassis. In the specification, for simplicity purposes, the term system when used alone refers to the exhaust gas treatment system.

[0063] The part of the exhaust line 3 which extends between the engine 2 and the system 5 is referred to as the pipe 10. The pipe 10 has a first end 11 connected to the engine 2 and a second end 12 connected to the system 5. The pipe 10 generally extends along a longitudinal direction X which corresponds to the vehicle longitudinal direction.

[0064] The system 5 comprises several devices intended to purify the exhaust gases flowing in the exhaust line 3 before they are released in the atmosphere, so that the so purified gases meet the applicable regulations. These devices may be arranged in a same housing 6, called a muffler, which is fastened to the vehicle chassis.

[0065] According to a non-limiting embodiment, in the flow direction of the exhaust gases in the exhaust line 3, the system 5 can successively comprise: [0066] an oxidizing catalyst device 14, or Diesel Oxidation Catalyst. Such an oxidizing catalyst device 14 can be used to convert NO, CO and HC into NO.sub.2, CO.sub.2 and CO.sub.2+H.sub.2O, respectively, by means of O.sub.2; [0067] a particulate filtering device 15, or filter, for retaining the particulate matter contained in exhaust gases and preventing it from being released to the atmosphere; [0068] a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) device 16 in which NOx can be converted essentially into water and nitrogen by means of ammonia used as a reductant. To that end, the system 5 further comprises an injector 17 by which a flow of gaseous ammonia can be supplied to the exhaust line 3 and mixed with the exhaust gases upstream from the SCR device 16. There may be provided a mixing chamber 18 downstream from the injector 17 and upstream from the SCR device 18, for mixing the exhaust gases and the gaseous ammonia before they enter the SCR device 18; [0069] an additional oxidizing catalyst device 19, or Ammonia Slip Catalyst, for controlling a possible ammonia slip.

[0070] In use, the first end 11 of the pipe 10 has a first temperature T1, and the second end 12 of the pipe 10 has a second temperature T2 lower than T1, because of the heat loss to the cooler ambient air around the pipe 10. The temperature of an area of the pipe 10 is generally substantially the same as the temperature of the exhaust gases in said area.

[0071] In order to ensure a good efficiency of the system 5, whatever the operating conditions, it is highly desirable that the exhaust gases entering the system 10 are hot enough for operation of the exhaust treatment devices. In other words, it is of paramount importance to minimize the heat loss from the pipe 10.

[0072] For that purpose, the invention provides a thermal insulating member 100 which is arranged around the pipe 10.

[0073] Although the invention is more specifically described with reference to an exhaust pipe, it is more generally directed to any vehicle component in which the temperature decreases along a direction, and where it is desired to maintain the temperature (in other words to slow the heat loss) as much as possible.

[0074] The thermal insulating member 100 comprises a multilayer complex 20 which may be in the form of a flexible sheet, as illustrated in FIG. 4. The sheet can be substantially flat in an unconstraint state, and can be wrapped around the pipe 10 and secured by appropriate fasteners (not shown).

[0075] The multilayer complex 20 comprises a first layer 21 which is made of a hydrophobic aerogel, such as a silica gel. The multilayer complex 20 also comprises a second layer 22 which is made of an insulating material that has small pockets or bubbles of gas trapped in a fibrous or a foam-like structure, such as a glass wool or fiber wool. The multilayer complex further comprises a metallic foil 24, also called outer layer, which can be an aluminium foil or a stainless steel foil.

[0076] As shown in FIG. 4, the multilayer complex 20 defines a depth direction Z across the layers 21, 22, 24. Orthogonal to the depth direction Z is defined a variability direction X.

[0077] In case the multilayer complex 20 forms a substantially flat and rectangular sheet, as in FIG. 4, depth direction Z is orthogonal to the main faces of the multilayer complex 20, and X can be a longitudinal direction of the multilayer complex 20. A third direction Y, orthogonal to X and Z, is then a transverse direction of the multilayer complex 20.

[0078] According to the invention, the thickness of the first layer 21 decreases along the variability direction X of the multilayer complex 20, at least over part of the dimension of the multilayer complex along said variability direction X.

[0079] In an embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the structure of the multilayer complex 20 (i.e. the layout and thickness of the layers) may be identical in any plane parallel to directions (X,Z). In other words, in this embodiment, the cross-section of the multilayer complex 20 in a plane orthogonal to direction Y is the same in any one of such planes.

[0080] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the thermal insulating member 100 is arranged around the pipe 10 with the metallic foil 24 oriented outwardly, that is, positioned as the outermost layer, and so that the variability direction X of the multilayer complex 20 is parallel the longitudinal direction X and the greatest thickness of the first layer 21 is closer to the pipe first end 11. Consequently, the thickness reduction of the first layer 21 along direction X corresponds to a drop of the exhaust gases/pipe temperature along direction X. In other words, as the temperature decreases, the insulation capacity provided by the thermal insulating member 100 decreases, insofar as the thickness of the material providing the higher insulation capacity decreases.

[0081] The multilayer complex 20 may be contiguous to an outer face 13 of the pipe 10.

[0082] Once arranged around the pipe 10, the multilayer complex 20 has a first end 31 located on the side of the pipe first end 11, and a second end 32 located on the side of the pipe second end 12, along the longitudinal direction X. In FIG. 1, the ends 31, 32 of the multilayer complex 20 are substantially coincident with the corresponding ends 11, 12 of the pipe 10, but this should not be considered as limiting; alternatively, the multilayer complex 20 could extend along only part of the pipe 10 in the longitudinal direction X. In FIG. 4, there is illustrated a sheet ready to be wrapped around the pipe 10, the sheet having first and seconds ends 31, 32; said sheet can result from the cut-out of a longer multilayer complex. The length of the pipe 10 that is wrapped in the multilayer complex 20 can be up to 3 or 3.5 m.

[0083] The thickness of the first layer 21 at the first end 31 of the multilayer complex 20 is denoted e21-1, and the thickness of the first layer 21 at the second end 32 of the multilayer complex 20 is denoted e21-2. Similarly, the thickness of the second layer 22 at the first end 31 of the multilayer complex 20 is denoted e22-1, and the thickness of the second layer 22 at the second end 32 of the multilayer complex 20 is denoted e22-2 (see FIG. 5 in particular).

[0084] The first layer thickness can decrease by 20%, or by 30%, or by 50%, from the first end 31 to the second end 32 of the multilayer complex 20. The thickness e21-1 of the first layer 21 at the first end 31 may be around 3 to 6 mm; the thickness e21-2 of the first layer 21 at the second end 32 may be around 1 to 5 mm. The maximum thickness of the first layer may be in the range of 3 to 6 mm.

[0085] The maximum thickness of the second layer 22 may be in the range of 3 to 6 mm.

[0086] In embodiments, such as the one shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the thickness of the second layer 22 increases in the same way as the thickness of the first layer 21 decreases along the variability direction X. As a result, the overall thickness of the set comprising the first layer 21 and the second layer 22 is substantially constant.

[0087] The thickness of the outer layer 24 may be in the range of 0.1 to 0.2 mm.

[0088] In embodiments such as the one shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the multilayer complex 20 further comprises a third layer 23 made of a hydrophobic aerogel, such as a silica gel. The third layer 23 may be adjacent the metallic foil 24, within the multilayer complex 20 (i.e. the metallic foil 24 forms the outer layer of the multilayer complex 20). It may have a substantially constant thickness. The maximum thicknessor uniform thicknessof the third layer 13 may be in the range of 1 to 5 mm, preferably in the range of 2 to 3 mm. Such a third layer 23 helps prevent the cold ambient air from cooling the pipe 10 and exhaust gases, especially in cold weather. The third layer 23 could be reduced or omitted, in particular, when the vehicle is used in warmer countries.

[0089] The overall thickness of the multilayer complex 20 may be in the range of 8 to 12 mm.

[0090] The arrangement of the layers in the multilayer complex 20, from the pipe 10, may be as follows: [0091] the first layer 21 forms the inner layer of the thermal insulating member 100; [0092] the second layer 22 is adjacent the first layer 21; [0093] the third layer 23 is adjacent the second layer 22; [0094] the metallic foil 24 is adjacent the third layer 23 and forms the outer layer of the thermal insulating member 100.

[0095] However, this arrangement, which is the one illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, should not be considered as limiting. In particular, the first layer 21 and the third layer 23 could be switched.

[0096] Having the first layer 21 arranged as the inner layer is advantageous in that the aerogel can efficiently resist heat loss despite the high temperature of the pipe 10.

[0097] Having the second layer 22 arranged as a middle layer can reduce the conduction from the aerogel and maintain thermal stability. Moreover, said second layer 22 is then protected on both sides by an aerogel, which minimizes the entry of water and fungi.

[0098] In the embodiment of FIG. 5, the first layer thickness decreases constantly along the whole length of the thermal insulating member 100, from the first end 31 to the second end 32. Thus, the first layer 21 comprises a face 25 which forms a tilted plane. Said face 25 here forms the interface between the first layer 21 and the second layer 22.

[0099] Other embodiments are described with reference to FIGS. 6 to 13. It has to be noted that the specific features of all illustrated embodiments can be combined, so that other variants can be contemplated.

[0100] In FIGS. 6 and 7, the multilayer complex 20 does not include a third layer 23. In FIG. 6, the second layer 22 is arranged between the first layer 21 and the outer layer 24; then, the first layer 21 is the inner layer. In FIG. 7, the first layer 21 is arranged between the second layer 22 and the outer layer 24; then, the second layer 22 is the inner layer. The first layer thickness decreases constantly along the whole length of the thermal insulating member 100, from the first end 31 to the second end 32. Thus, the first layer 21 comprises a face 25 which forms a tilted plane.

[0101] In an embodiment, at least one of the first and second ends 31, 32, the thickness of one of the first layer 21 and second layer 22 is zero. In FIG. 8, the thickness of the second layer 22 is zero at the first end 31. In FIG. 9, the thickness of the second layer 22 is zero at the first end 31 and the thickness of the first layer 21 is zero at the second end 32. The first layer 21 may comprise a face 25 which forms a tilted plane.

[0102] In an embodiment, the first layer 21 comprises a portion in which its thickness is substantially constant, along the direction X, X. For example, from the first end 31 to the second end 32 of the thermal insulating member 100, the first layer 21 can comprise: [0103] a first portion P1 in which the thickness of the first layer 21 is substantially constant, and then a second portion P2 in which the thickness of the first layer 21 decreases, for example constantly (see FIG. 10); [0104] or, a first portion P1 in which the thickness of the first layer 21 decreases, for example constantly, then a second portion P2 in which the thickness of the first layer 21 is substantially constant, and finally a third portion in which the thickness of the first layer 21 decreases, for example constantly (see FIG. 11).

[0105] It has to be noted that several variants are possible. There may be provided a different number of portions from the first end 31 to the second end 32. The way the thickness of the first layer 21 varies may be different than the one illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 11. Although there is a continuity in successive portions in terms of thickness, alternatively the successive thicknesses can form a series of discrete values; in other words, the first layer 21 may comprise a face 25 which forms at least one step. Besides, the thickness of one of the first and second layers 21, 22 can be zero at one of the ends 31, 32.

[0106] In an embodiment, the first layer thickness does not decrease continuously but by increments, at least over part of the length of the thermal insulating member 100, from the first end 31 to the second end 32. Thus, the first layer 21 comprises a face 25 which forms at least one step. For example, from the first end 31 to the second end 32 of the thermal insulating member 100, the first layer 21 can comprise: [0107] a first portion P1 in which the thickness of the first layer 21 is substantially constant, for example equal to e21-1, and then a second portion P2 in which the thickness of the first layer 21 is substantially constant, for example equal to e21-2 (see FIG. 12); [0108] or, a first portion P1 in which the thickness of the first layer 21 decreases, for example constantly, before decreasing according to a step to a lower value, for example zero, and then a second portion P2 in which the thickness of the first layer 21 is substantially constant and equal to said value (see FIG. 13). Thus, in FIG. 13, there is no first layer 21 in the second portion P2.

[0109] Thus, the invention makes it possible to improve the exhaust after treatment system performance by ensuring the exhaust gases temperature at the system inlet is as high as possible, due to reduced heat losses in the pipe 10. Such an improvement is achieved with a low financial impact, owing to the decreasing thickness of the most efficient, yet most expensive, insulating material, along the pipe length.

[0110] Tests have been conducted to compare the efficiency of the thermal insulating member of the invention with a conventional thermal insulating member comprising only fiber wool, when used on a pipe 10. The temperature drop from the first end 11 to the second end 12 of the pipe 10 was measured to be around 35? C. with the invention, and around 50? C. with the conventional thermal insulating member, which means an improvement of around 30%.

[0111] Other advantages of the invention include: [0112] highly reduced cost as compared to a thermal isolation provided only by an aerogel; [0113] ultra low weight; [0114] significant noise reduction, as aerogels have very low sound velocity through structure (?100 m/s) and are exceptional reflectors of audible sound, making excellent barrier materials.

[0115] It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above and illustrated in the drawings; rather, the skilled person will recognize that many changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the appended claims.