Crankcase ventilation system
AssigneeCaterpillar Inc.
InventorCornelius Opris
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A crankcase ventilation system may include a first exhaust flow path configured to permit flow of main exhaust gases from a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine and a particulate trap disposed in the first exhaust flow path. The system may also include a second exhaust flow path configured to enable flow of crankcase gases from a crankcase of the internal combustion engine and to merge the crankcase gases with the main exhaust gases at a point in the first exhaust flow path located downstream of the particulate trap.
Claims28
A crankcase ventilation system comprising:
- a first exhaust flow path configured to permit flow of main exhaust gases from a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine;
- a particulate trap disposed in the first exhaust flow path;
- and
- a second exhaust flow path configured to enable flow of crankcase gases from a crankcase of the internal combustion engine and to merge the crankcase gases with the main exhaust gases at a point in the first exhaust flow path located downstream of the particulate trap.
A crankcase ventilation system comprising:
- a first exhaust flow path configured to permit flow of main exhaust gases from a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine;
- a particulate trap disposed in the first exhaust flow path;
- a second exhaust flow path configured to enable flow of crankcase gases from a crankcase of the internal combustion engine and to merge the crankcase gases with the main exhaust gases at a point in the first exhaust flow path located downstream of the particulate trap;
- a first catalyst configured to catalyze the crankcase gases the first catalyst being heated;
- and
- a second catalyst configured to catalyze the main exhaust gases.
A method for crankcase ventilation comprising:
- venting crankcase gases from a crankcase of an internal combustion engine;
- routing the crankcase gases away from the crankcase in a first conduit;
- venting exhaust gases from one or more combustion chambers of the internal combustion engine;
- routing the exhaust gases away from the one or more combustion chambers in a second conduit;
- filtering particulates from the exhaust gases with a particulate trap;
- and
- merging the crankcase gases with the filtered exhaust gases at a point downstream from the particulate trap.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.