Vortex generators and virtual mixers for aftertreatment systems

An aftertreatment system for treating constituents of an exhaust gas produced by an engine, comprising:

• a housing;
• a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system disposed within the housing;
• a reductant injector disposed on a sidewall of the housing upstream of the SCR system and configured to insert a reductant into the exhaust gas through a reductant port defined in a surface of the housing;
• and
• a vortex generator disposed in the housing, the vortex generator comprising a first deflector disposed on said surface of the housing through which the reductant port is defined, wherein:
• the first deflector is disposed proximate to and upstream of the reductant port, and
• the first deflector has an upstream lateral surface that extends perpendicularly from said surface of the housing, a downstream lateral surface that extends from said surface of the housing, and an end surface that connects the plurality of lateral surfaces, the end surface being angled so as to extend away from said surface of the housing in a direction of exhaust gas flow, such that the first deflector is configured to generate vortices in a portion of the exhaust gas flowing over the first deflector and said portion of the exhaust gas remains attached to the surface of the housing at a downstream location of the surface.