# US 10,865,685 B2 · Exhaust gas flow control system for a metal hydride air conditioning unit > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,865,685 B2 - Document ID: US10865685B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/312,733 - Filed: 2017-06-27 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Granted: 2020-12-15 - Earliest claimed: 2016-06-27 - Assignees: Thermax Limited - Applicants: Thermax Limited - Inventors: Devadatta Pundlik Navale; Amol Jambukumar Bharamgonda - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10865685B2 ## CPC - F01N 3/2892: {Exhaust flow directors or the like, e.g. upstream of catalytic device} - B60H 1/00371: {for vehicles carrying large numbers of passengers, e.g. buses} - B60H 1/3201: {using absorption or adsorption} - B60H 1/32014: {using adsorption, e.g. using Zeolite and water} - F01N 1/00: Silencing apparatus characterised by method of silencing - F01N 3/208: {Control of selective catalytic reduction [SCR], e.g. by adjusting the dosing of reducing agent} - F01N 5/02: the devices using heat - F01N 9/00: Electrical control of exhaust gas treating apparatus (monitoring or diagnostic devices for exhaust-gas treatment apparatus F01N11/00; conjoint electrical control of two or more combustion engine functions F02D43/00) - F01N 11/00: Monitoring or diagnostic devices for exhaust-gas treatment apparatus - F25B 27/02: using waste heat, e.g. from internal-combustion engines - F01N 2900/14: said parameters being related to the exhaust gas - F01N 2900/1404: Exhaust gas temperature - F01N 2900/1406: Exhaust gas pressure - F01N 2900/1411: Exhaust gas flow rate, e.g. mass flow rate or volumetric flow rate - F01N 2900/1602: Temperature of exhaust gas apparatus - F01N 2900/1622: Catalyst reducing agent absorption capacity or consumption amount - F25B 17/12: using desorption of hydrogen from a hydride - Y02A 50/20: Air quality improvement or preservation, e.g. vehicle emission control or emission reduction by using catalytic converters - Y02B 30/52: Heat recovery pumps, i.e. heat pump based systems or units able to transfer the thermal energy from one area of the premises or part of the facilities to a different one, improving the overall efficiency - Y02T 10/12: Improving ICE efficiencies - Y02T 10/40: Engine management systems - F01N: GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES (arrangements in connection with gas exhaust of propulsion units in vehicles B60K13/00; combustion-air intake silencers specially adapted for, or arranged on, internal-combustion engines F02M35/00; protecting against, or damping, noise in general G10K11/16) - B60H: ARRANGEMENTS OF HEATING, COOLING, VENTILATING OR OTHER AIR-TREATING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PASSENGER OR GOODS SPACES OF VEHICLES - F25B: REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS; COMBINED HEATING AND REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS; HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS - Y02A: TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE - Y02B: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO BUILDINGS, e.g. HOUSING, HOUSE APPLIANCES OR RELATED END-USER APPLICATIONS - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract An exhaust gas flow control system disclosed relates to the field of mechanical engineering. The system reduces exhaust gas back pressure exerted on an internal combustion engine and prevents excessive heat loss in a radiator. The system comprises a flow regulator connected to an outlet of a silencer and configured to selectively direct the flow of exhaust gases to a metal hydride heat pump and/or a tailpipe. The flow of exhaust gases is directed towards the metal hydride heat pump in case of increased cooling requirement in the vehicle, and to the tailpipe in case of no cooling requirement or maintenance of the metal hydride heat pump. In case of reduced cooling requirement, partial flow of exhaust gases is directed to the metal hydride heat pump and the remaining to the tailpipe. A diverter is configured within the flow regulator to selectively direct the flow of exhaust gases. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An exhaust gas flow control system for a metal hydride air conditioning unit for a vehicle, said vehicle driven by an internal combustion engine connected to a, said system comprising: a flow regulator in fluid communication with said silencer and also with a metal hydride heat pump and a tailpipe; said flow regulator configured to receive and selectively divert flow of exhaust gases to at least one of said metal hydride heat pump and said tailpipe to release said exhaust gases to the atmosphere; a control mechanism configured to control an action of said flow regulator for selectively diverting flow of exhaust gases to at least one of said metal hydride heat pump and said tailpipe; and a user input device configured to receive a user input from a user to operate said control mechanism to perform said action of said flow regulator. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said flow regulator comprises: an inlet port connected to an outlet port of said silencer; a first outlet port connected to an inlet port of said metal hydride heat pump; a second outlet port connected to an inlet port of said tailpipe; and a diverter configured to mechanically move to a required position for selectively diverting the flow of exhaust gases to said first outlet port and said second outlet port, for achieving said action of said flow regulator. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said flow regulator comprises: an outlet port connected to an inlet of said tailpipe; an inlet port in fluid communication with said silencer and said metal hydride heat pump; and a diverter configured to mechanically move to a required position for selectively diverting or completely stop ping the flow of exhaust gases to said outlet port for achieving said action of said flow regulator. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said user input device is a lever or an electrical switch. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said user input device is an electrical switch. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said control mechanism comprises a mechanical linkage having a gear system. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said control mechanism comprises an actuator. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The system as claimed in claim 7, wherein said actuator is an electrical actuator, a pneumatic actuator or a hydraulic actuator. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said control mechanism (314) comprises an actuator for performing a corresponding mechanical movement of said diverter in accordance to the user input received by said lever. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system as claimed in claim 9, wherein said actuator is an electrical actuator or a pneumatic actuator or a hydraulic actuator. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said control mechanism (214, 314) comprises a sensing unit (220, 320) comprising at least one memory module and a processing unit, said sensing unit (220, 320) configured to: sense at least one of the reaction kinetics and operational parameters of the metal hydride heat pump (210, 310) and store said at least one reaction kinetics and operational parameter in said at least one memory module; sense and store in said at least one memory module, the temperature of the space within said vehicle; calculate using said processing unit, the amount of exhaust gases to be supplied to said metal hydride heat pump according to said temperature sensed within the space of said vehicle and said reaction kinetics and operational parameters, based on a set of instructions loaded in said at least one memory module of said sensing unit; and based on said amount of exhaust gases calculated, generate a movement signal for causing action on said flow regulator (208, 308) to divert flow of exhaust gases corresponding to said amount of exhaust gases calculated to said metal hydride heat pump. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The system as claimed in claim 11, wherein said movement signal causes mechanical movement of said diverter to said required position. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The system as claimed in claim 11, wherein said at least one reaction kinetic and operational parameter is a parameter associated with exhaust gas mass flow and pressure, exhaust gas temperature, ambient temperature, hydrogen absorption/desorption rates of said metal hydride heat pump or a desired temperature defined by a user. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said vehicle is driven by an internal combustion engine connected to a silencer via a catalytic converter.