# US 2014/0150433 A1 · Exhaust gas collector for an exhaust aftertreatment system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0150433 A1 - Document ID: US20140150433A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/706,057 - Filed: 2012-12-05 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-12-05 - Assignees: Cummins Cal Pacific, LLC; Cummins PowerGen IP, Inc. - Inventors: Herman Van Niekerk; Claude M. Johnson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140150433A1 ## CPC - F02C 7/00: Features, components parts, details or accessories, not provided for in, or of interest apart form groups F02C1/00 - F02C6/00; Air intakes for jet-propulsion plants (controlling F02C9/00) - F01D 25/30: Exhaust heads, chambers, or the like - F01N 13/008: {Mounting or arrangement of exhaust sensors in or on exhaust apparatus (sensor arrangements for engine control F02D41/1439)} - F01N 2560/00: Exhaust systems with means for detecting or measuring exhaust gas components or characteristics - F01N 2560/025: for measuring or detecting O2, e.g. lambda sensors - F01N 2560/026: for measuring or detecting NOx - F05D 2270/083: by monitoring combustion conditions - F02C: GAS-TURBINE PLANTS; AIR INTAKES FOR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS; CONTROLLING FUEL SUPPLY IN AIR-BREATHING JET-PROPULSION PLANTS (construction of turbines F01D; jet-propulsion plants F02K; construction of compressors or fans F04; generating combustion products of high pressure or high velocity F23R; using gas turbines in compression refrigeration plants F25B11/00) - F01D: NON-POSITIVE DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, e.g. STEAM TURBINES (machines or engines for liquids F03; non-positive displacement pumps F04D) - 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) - F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS ## Abstract An exhaust gas collector for use in a duct of an exhaust gas aftertreatment system includes generally T-shaped tubular sample members having closed upstream ends, downstream ends and spaced apart exhaust collection holes. The downstream ends of the tubular members are fluidly coupled at a common collection location in the center of the duct. The tubular members are positioned in the duct with the exhaust collection holes at locations distributed across a cross sectional area of a duct to collect exhaust samples from across the cross sectional area of the duct. All exhaust gas samples collected by the exhaust gas collector are collected by one of the sample members having a downstream end coupled to the common collection location. A non-sample collecting accumulator tube is fluidly coupled to the common collection location of the tubular sample members. A sensor senses the mixed exhaust gas in the accumulator tube. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An exhaust aftertreatment system, comprising: a duct having an inlet region, an outlet region, and a cross sectional area; an exhaust gas collector in the duct, including: a plurality of tubular sample members having upstream ends, downstream ends and one or more spaced apart exhaust collection holes, wherein the downstream ends of the tubular members are fluidly coupled at a common collection location, the tubular members are positioned in the duct with the exhaust collection holes at locations distributed across the cross sectional area and are adapted to collect exhaust gas samples from the one or more exhaust collection holes from across the cross sectional area of the duct; an non-sample collecting accumulator tube having a first end fluidly coupled to the common collection location, wherein the non-sample collecting accumulator tube and common collection location are adapted to mix and convey the exhaust gas samples collected from all of the plurality of sample members to a second end of the non-sample collecting accumulator tube that is placed at a downstream location in the duct, and wherein all exhaust gas samples conveyed in the non-sample collecting accumulator are collected by the plurality of sample members having the downstream ends coupled to the common collection location; and a sensor to sense the mixed exhaust gas in the accumulator tube. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The exhaust aftertreatment system of claim 1 wherein at least some or all of the plurality of tubular sample members are substantially identical. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The exhaust aftertreatment system of claim 2 wherein at least some or all of the tubular sample members are generally symmetrically positioned in the duct. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The exhaust aftertreatment system of claim 3 wherein at least some or all of the tubular sample members are coupled at a common collection location that is generally centered in the cross sectional area of the duct. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The exhaust aftertreatment system of claim 4 wherein at least some or all of the tubular sample members have a portion extending radially from the common collection location. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The exhaust aftertreatment system of claim 5 wherein at least some or all of the tubular sample members have a portion extending generally circumferentially from the radially extending portions. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The exhaust aftertreatment system of claim 5 wherein the common collection location and downstream ends of the tubular sample members are located generally downstream in the duct from the upstream ends of the tubular sample members. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The exhaust aftertreatment system of claim 4 wherein the tubular sample members include generally T-shaped members having a base portion and a cross portion, and wherein the base portions extend radially from the common collection location and the cross portions extend generally circumferentially. ### Claim 9 (depends on 4) The exhaust aftertreatment system of claim 4 wherein: the accumulator tube includes a first portion having a length that extends radially from the common collection location and a second portion having a length that extends from the first portion generally parallel to a flow of exhaust gas; and the sensor senses the mixed exhaust gas in the second portion of the accumulator tube at a location spaced from the first portion. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The exhaust aftertreatment system of claim 9 wherein the second portion of the accumulator tube has a downstream end that opens into the duct. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The exhaust aftertreatment system of claim 1 wherein the common collection location is generally centered in the cross sectional area of the duct. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The exhaust aftertreatment system of claim 1 and further including a valve to selectively couple at least some of the tubular sample members to the common collection location. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The exhaust aftertreatment system of claim 1 wherein at least some of the tubular sample members have closed upstream ends. ### Claim 14 An exhaust aftertreatment system, comprising: a duct having an inlet region, an outlet region, and a cross sectional area; an exhaust gas collector in the duct, including: a common collection location generally centrally located in the duct; a plurality of tubular sample members to collect exhaust gas samples and direct the samples to the common collection location, each sample member including: a first portion fluidly coupled to and extending radially from the common collection location; at least one second portion fluidly coupled to the first portion, the second portion extending from the first portion in a generally circumferential direction in the duct; and spaced apart exhaust collection holes in the first and second portions, wherein the sample members are positioned in the duct with the exhaust collection holes at locations distributed across the cross sectional area to collect exhaust samples from across the cross sectional area of the duct, and all exhaust gas samples collected at the common collection location are collected by the plurality of sample members; an accumulator tube fluidly coupled to the common collection location including: a first portion having a length that extends radially from the common collection location; and a second portion having a length and an open downstream end, wherein the second portion extends axially from the first portion and the open downstream end is located in an exhaust flow; and a sensor to sense the mixed exhaust gas in the second portion of the accumulator tube. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The exhaust aftertreatment system of claim 14 wherein the tubular sample members include a plurality of generally T-shaped members symmetrically arranged around the common collection location. ### Claim 16 An exhaust aftertreatment system, comprising: a duct having an inlet region, an outlet region, and a cross sectional area; an exhaust gas collector in the duct, including: a common collection location generally centrally located in the duct; a plurality of tubular sample members extending from and fluidly coupled to the common collection location, to collect exhaust gas samples and direct the samples to the common collection location; and spaced apart exhaust collection holes in the sample members, wherein the sample members are positioned in the duct with the exhaust collection holes at locations distributed across the cross sectional area to collect exhaust samples from across the cross sectional area of the duct, and all exhaust gas samples collected at the common collection location are collected by the plurality of tubular sample members; an accumulator tube fluidly coupled to the common collection location, wherein the exhaust samples collected from all of the plurality of sample members are mixed in the accumulator tube and the common collection location; and a sensor to sense the mixed exhaust gas in the accumulator tube. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The exhaust aftertreatment system of claim 16 wherein: the accumulator tube includes a first portion having a length that extends radially from the common collection location and a second portion having a length that extends from the first portion generally parallel to a flow of exhaust gas (axially); and the sensor senses the mixed exhaust gas in the second portion of the accumulator tube at a location spaced from the first portion. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The exhaust aftertreatment system of claim 16 and further including a valve to selectively couple at least some of the tubular sample members to the common collection location.