CATALYTIC CONVERTER FOR EXHAUST GAS AFTERTREATMENT, WITH IMPROVED STRUCTURE

Abstract

A catalytic converter for aftertreatment of exhaust gases from an internal combustion engine, having a honeycomb body formed by wrapping from at least one metal foil, where the honeycomb body has a center axis that runs along its axial extent from a gas entry side of the honeycomb body up to a gas exit side of the honeycomb body, and the honeycomb body has a multitude of flow channels through which a flow can pass from a gas entry side of the honeycomb body to a gas exit side, wherein the honeycomb body is divided into individual axial sections along its axial extent along which the center axis runs, where the axial sections have flow channel sections that run along different angles relative to the center axis.

Claims

1.-10. (canceled)

11. A catalytic converter configured for aftertreatment of exhaust gases from an internal combustion engine, comprising: a honeycomb body formed by wrapping at least one metal foil; a gas entry side of the honeycomb body; a gas exit side of the honeycomb body; a center axis that runs along an axial extent of the honeycomb body from the gas entry side to the gas exit side; a multitude of flow channels through which a flow can pass from the gas entry side to the gas exit side; and individual axial sections into which the honeycomb body is divided along the axial extent of the honeycomb body, wherein the individual axial sections have respective flow channel sections that run along different angles relative to the center axis that make up the multitude of flow channels.

12. The catalytic converter as claimed in claim 11, wherein each flow channel, in accordance with a number of axial sections, has flow channel sections that each extend along one of the axial sections.

13. The catalytic converter as claimed in claim 11, wherein the flow channel sections of the axial section that begins on the gas entry side of the honeycomb body run parallel to the center axis of the honeycomb body and/or the flow channel sections of the axial section that ends on the gas exit side of the honeycomb body run parallel to the center axis.

14. The catalytic converter as claimed in claim 11, wherein directly adjacent axial sections have a different flow direction relative to the center axis.

15. The catalytic converter as claimed in claim 11, wherein a length of the axial sections is between 5 mm and 50 mm measured along the center axis.

16. The catalytic converter as claimed in claim 11, wherein at least one metal foil, in at least one axial section, has slots that run in circumferential direction of the honeycomb body.

17. The catalytic converter as claimed in claim 11, wherein the axial section adjoining the gas entry side has flow channel sections that run parallel to the center axis, and support pins inserted into individual flow channels are permanently bonded to the honeycomb body.

18. The catalytic converter as claimed in claim 11, wherein the honeycomb body, along its axial extent, has alternating axial sections having a first flow direction running parallel to the center axis and a second flow direction running at an angle to the center axis.

19. The catalytic converter as claimed in claim 11, wherein the honeycomb body is formed from a plurality of metal foils stacked one on top of another, which are wound around at least one center of rotation.

20. The catalytic converter as claimed in claim 11, wherein a transition between two directly adjacent axial sections in each case constitutes a deflection point for a flow direction of a flow channel.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] The invention is elucidated in detail hereinafter by working examples with reference to the drawings. The drawings show:

[0035] FIG. 1 is a section view through a catalytic converter having a honeycomb body;

[0036] FIG. 2 is a detail view of a specific shape of a corrugated foil, where the corrugation has a region at the corrugation maximum that has a bulge in the opposite direction;

[0037] FIG. 3 is a section view through a catalytic converter, showing a support catalytic converter where a heating disk is attached on the gas entry side by support pins;

[0038] FIG. 4 is a section view through a support catalytic converter and a heating disk, with a configuration of the successive axial regions;

[0039] FIG. 5 is a section view through a catalytic converter, where the honeycomb body has slots running in circumferential direction within individual axial sections; and

[0040] FIG. 6 is a section view through a catalytic converter, where the honeycomb body has slots running in circumferential direction at the transitions between mutually adjacent axial sections.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0041] FIG. 1 shows a catalytic converter 1, where the honeycomb body 2 is accommodated in a shell tube 3. The honeycomb body has several axial sections 4, 5, through which exhaust gas can flow from the gas entry side 6 to the gas exit side 7.

[0042] The working example of FIG. 1 shows, in alternation, axial sections 5 with flow channel sections set at an angle to the center axis and axial sections 6 having flow channel sections running parallel to the center axis. The axial sections 5 have, in alternation, a positive angle to the center axis and a negative angle to the center axis, which gives rise to upward and downward movement of the flow channels in the section image of FIG. 1 along the axial extent of the honeycomb body 2.

[0043] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a corrugated metal foil 8, where the upward corrugation maxima have bulges 9 that bulge from the corrugation in the opposite direction. In the working example of FIG. 2, the bulging regions 9 in turn have lower corrugation compared to the main corrugation.

[0044] FIG. 3 shows an alternative configuration of a honeycomb body 2. A heating disk 12 is positioned upstream of the honeycomb body on the gas entry side, and is bonded to the honeycomb body via support pins 11.

[0045] The honeycomb body 5 has, on its gas entry side and on the gas exit side, a respective axial section 4 having flow channel sections running parallel to the center axis. The rest of the honeycomb body 2 is formed by axial sections 5 that each have flow channel sections set at an angle.

[0046] It is apparent that the axial sections 4 each have a distinctly shorter axial extent on the gas entry side and the gas exit side than the middle axial sections 5.

[0047] FIG. 4 shows a honeycomb body 2 with an upstream heating disk 12. The axial sections 4 and 5 are arranged alternately here, such that, beginning with an axial section 4, this is followed by an axial section 5, and so forth, before being followed again by an axial section 4 on the gas exit side. The flow channels thus created thus follow an upward and downward movement along the axial extent of the honeycomb body.

[0048] FIG. 5 shows a further alternative honeycomb body 2, again with an alternating arrangement of axial sections 5 and axial sections 4. By contrast with the preceding figures, the axial sections 4 now have additional slots 13 that run in circumferential direction of the honeycomb body 2. The slots 13 are disposed in the middle of the axial sections 4.

[0049] FIG. 6 shows a honeycomb body 2 as in FIG. 5. By contrast with FIG. 5, the slots 13 are now disposed directly in the transitions between the axial regions 4 and 5.

[0050] The different features of the individual working examples may also be combined with one another.

[0051] The working examples of FIGS. 1 to 6 especially do not have any limiting character and serve to illustrate the concept of the invention.

[0052] Thus, while there have shown and described and pointed out fundamental novel features of the invention as applied to a preferred embodiment thereof, it will be understood that various omissions and substitutions and changes in the form and details of the devices illustrated, and in their operation, may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, it is expressly intended that all combinations of those elements and/or method steps which perform substantially the same function in substantially the same way to achieve the same results are within the scope of the invention. Moreover, it should be recognized that structures and/or elements and/or method steps shown and/or described in connection with any disclosed form or embodiment of the invention may be incorporated in any other disclosed or described or suggested form or embodiment as a general matter of design choice. It is the intention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the claims appended hereto.