Soot-less exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system

A soot-less exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system configured for use with a diesel engine, the system comprising:

• a cyclone separator comprising a cyclone body having an inlet configured to receive exhaust gas containing soot from a diesel engine or an exhaust manifold of the diesel engine, and an outlet configured to discharge processed air, wherein the cyclone body is configured to direct the exhaust gas in a spiral flow such that soot is separated downward by centrifugal force and the processed air is directed upward along a central axis of the cyclone body through the outlet;
• a discharge cone disposed at a lower portion of the cyclone separator and configured to receive soot separated from the exhaust gas by the spiral flow;
• a siphon tube in fluid communication with the discharge cone and configured to return the separated soot to the exhaust manifold upstream of a diesel particulate filter;
• the diesel particulate filter being in fluid
• communication with the exhaust manifold and configured to receive and process the soot returned from the siphon tube;
• an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve disposed upstream of the cyclone separator inlet and configured to meter exhaust gas flowing from the diesel engine or exhaust manifold into the cyclone separator inlet;
• an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) cooler having an intake in direct fluid communication with the cyclone separator outlet and an outlet configured to discharge cooled processed air, wherein the EGR cooler is closely coupled to the cyclone separator outlet to provide immediate cooling of the processed air exiting the cyclone separator;
• an inlet cooling line and an outlet cooling line each in fluid communication with the EGR cooler and configured to circulate coolant through the EGR cooler to provide thermal transfer for cooling the processed air passing therethrough;
• and,
• a crossover line configured to deliver the cooled processed air from the EGR cooler outlet to an intake manifold of the diesel engine;
• and,
• wherein the cyclone separator, the EGR valve, the EGR cooler, the siphon tube, the diesel particulate filter, and the crossover line cooperate to define a closed-loop soot remediation and recirculation pathway in which:
• exhaust gas is metered by the EGR valve upstream of and into the cyclone separator;
• soot is centrifugally separated within the cyclone separator and returned via the siphon tube to the exhaust manifold for disposal through the diesel particulate filter;
• and soot-reduced processed air exits upward through the cyclone separator outlet for immediate cooling in the EGR cooler before delivery to the intake manifold, thereby substantially preventing soot from entering the EGR cooler, the intake manifold, cylinder head valves, and piston rings of the diesel engine.