Chemical apparatus and process disinfecting – deodorizing – preser – Chemical reactor – Waste gas purifier
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-03
2003-12-09
Tran, Hien (Department: 1764)
Chemical apparatus and process disinfecting, deodorizing, preser
Chemical reactor
Waste gas purifier
C422S177000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06660235
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a catalyst carrier configuration, a structural unit having catalyst carrier configurations and further relates to an exhaust system of an internal combustion engine.
For catalytically converting components of an exhaust gas from an internal combustion engine, it is known to apply at least one catalytically active substance to a catalyst carrier. The catalyst carrier has gas passages through which an exhaust gas can flow. The gas passages extend in the longitudinal direction of the catalyst carrier. It is known to provide a catalyst carrier in the form of a honeycomb. The catalyst carrier may be formed from layers of sheet metal which are at least partially structured. Furthermore, catalyst carriers which are formed of a ceramic material are known. Such catalyst carriers are extruded.
The catalyst carrier is disposed in a housing which is part of an exhaust system. Various configurations of the housing are known depending on the material of the catalyst carrier.
International Patent Publication WO 90/02251 describes a housing with a catalyst carrier which is suitable in particular for installation close to the engine and within the exhaust system. The housing has a larger cross section than the catalyst carrier. The housing has an approximately rectangular opening, the length of which is greater than the maximum length of the catalyst carrier and the width of which is greater than the maximum width of the catalyst carrier. The catalyst carrier is attached to a flat or curved retention plate which has a greater length and width than the opening in the housing. The retention plate serves as a closure cover for the housing, the catalyst carrier projecting into an inner chamber in the housing. This simplifies installation of the catalyst carrier in the housing and removal of the catalyst carrier from the housing.
Further configurations of catalyst carrier configurations are known, for example, from International Patent Publications WO 96/27735, WO 96/01698 and WO 96/19647.
Particularly in the case of internal combustion engines which are installed in passenger vehicles, installing a catalyst carrier close to the engine is not without problems, since the spatial conditions inside an engine chamber of the vehicle are relatively constricted.
Published German Patent Application DE 26 35 725 A1 discloses a catalyst carrier configuration having a housing in which at least one catalyst carrier is disposed. The catalyst carrier has a plurality of passages which are separated from one another by partitions and extend in an axial direction of the catalyst carrier. The housing has a flange which is directed essentially radially outwards. The flange can be provided between a cylinder head and a manifold of an internal combustion engine. The housing is formed integrally with the flange.
Published German Patent Application DE 43 17 092 A1 discloses a catalyst carrier configuration which is disposed in the exhaust manifold of an internal combustion engine. The catalyst carrier configuration has a housing which is configured in the form of a frame. The framelike housing has collar-like beads, in order to ensure that a catalyst carrier is fixed both radially and axially in the housing. The housing is connected to a flange. The flange is welded to one of the collar-like beads. It is also known from Published German Patent Application DE 43 17 092 A1 that it is possible to connect the flange to a plurality of housings.
Published German Patent Application DE 43 22 526 A1 discloses a further configuration of a catalyst carrier configuration for an internal combustion engine. The catalyst carrier configuration has a housing in which a catalyst carrier is provided. A flange which has a collar which is fixed to the housing is connected to the housing. The flange is fixed, together with an exhaust pipe, to the cylinder head of an internal combustion engine.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a catalyst carrier configuration which overcomes the abovementioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known configurations of this general type and which is of simple construction and allows installation close to an engine.
A further object of the invention is to provide a structural unit which simplifies the assembly of at least two catalyst carrier bodies in the vicinity of the internal combustion engine.
A still further object of the invention is to provide an exhaust system of an internal combustion engine which can be produced with little outlay.
With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a catalyst carrier configuration, including:
a housing having an outer wall;
at least one catalyst carrier body disposed in the housing, the at least one catalyst carrier body defining an axial direction and having partition walls defining a plurality of passages separated from one another by the partition walls and extending essentially in the axial direction; and
at least one flange surrounding at least the at least one catalyst carrier body and extending essentially radially outwards from the at least one catalyst carrier body, the at least one flange having at least one section extending at least partially into the outer wall and being configured to be disposed between a cylinder head and a manifold of an internal combustion engine.
In other words, the construction of the catalyst configuration according to the invention has a housing in which a catalyst carrier body is disposed which has a plurality of passages which are separated from one another by partition walls and extend in an axial direction of the catalyst carrier body. The housing extends at least partially in an axial direction of the catalyst carrier body. The configuration according to the invention has a housing which has at least one flange which is directed essentially radially outwards, at least partially surrounds the catalyst carrier body and can be disposed between a cylinder head and a manifold of an internal combustion engine. The flange has at least a section which projects at least partially into the housing. This construction of the catalyst configuration according to the invention forms a sharp transition between the housing and the flange, so that the catalyst carrier configuration according to the invention requires relatively little installation space. Particularly in the case of existing internal combustion engines, the problem exists that they cannot be retrofitted with catalyst carrier configurations of this type since a catalyst carrier configuration as is known, for example, from Published German Patent Application DE 43 22 526 A1 has a radius of curvature in the transition region between the exhaust manifold or the cylinder head and the housing. Such a catalyst carrier configuration can only be fitted by adapting the further components. With the catalyst carrier configuration according to the invention it is not absolutely necessary to adapt the exhaust manifold or the cylinder head in this way.
Due to the fact that the flange extends at least partially into the housing, the load on a joint between flange and housing is also relieved, since some of the forces acting on the catalyst carrier body and the housing are introduced directly into the flange via the housing. Relieving the load on the joint between the housing and the flange also has a beneficial effect on the service life and durability of the catalyst carrier configuration.
The construction of the catalyst carrier configuration according to the invention also allows retrofitting on existing internal combustion engines, with the result that emissions of certain harmful components of the exhaust gas can be reduced.
The catalyst carrier configuration preferably has dimensions which are such that the catalyst carrier body can be introduced at least partially into an outlet passage from an internal combustion engine. This configuration means that the catalyst carrier body, which is provided with a catalyst, can qui
Holpp Helmut
Kaiser Friedrich-Wilhelm
Siepmann Uwe
Wieres Ludwig
Emitec Gesellschaft fuer Emissions-technologie mbH
Greenberg Laurence A.
Locher Ralph E.
Stemer Werner H.
Tran Hien
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