Exhaust Gas Aftertreatment Module
AssigneeCaterpillar Inc.
InventorsJacob K. Ludeman, Brian J. DeCaires
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An aftertreatment module for the treatment of exhaust gasses from a power system includes a first aftertreatment brick and a second aftertreatment brick. The first and second aftertreatment bricks can be flow-through type catalysts for catalyzing byproducts in the exhaust gasses. The aftertreatment module can include a first channel directing the incoming exhaust gasses in a first direction through the first aftertreatment brick and a second channel directing the exhaust gasses through the second aftertreatment brick. The first and second channel can be in a side-by-side arrangement. To communicate the exhaust gasses between the first and second channels, a traverse channel can redirect the gas flow within the aftertreatment module.
Claims21
An aftertreatment module for treating exhaust gasses, the module comprising:
- a housing having a front wall and an opposing rear wall;
- a first channel extending from the front wall toward the rear wall;
- a first aftertreatment brick disposed in the first channel;
- a second channel extending from the rear wall toward the front wall, the first channel and the second channel in a parallel arrangement;
- a second aftertreatment brick disposed in the second channel;
- a traverse channel disposed along the rear wall, the traverse channel traversing the first channel and the second channel to communicate exhaust gasses between the first channel and the second channel.
The aftertreatment module of claim 2, further comprising a first port disposed in the front wall communicating with the first channel and a second port disposed in the front wall communicating with the second channel.
A method of treating exhaust gasses comprising:
- channeling the exhaust gasses in a first direction;
- passing the exhaust gasses through a first aftertreatment brick;
- redirecting and channeling the exhaust gasses in a second direction;
- passing the exhaust gasses through a second aftertreatment brick.
A method of assembling an aftertreatment module for treating exhaust gasses comprising:
- providing a cradle including a first sleeve and a second sleeve disposed in a side-by-side relationship;
- inserting a first aftertreatment brick in the first sleeve and a second aftertreatment brick in the second sleeve;
- providing a module housing including an interior region accessible by a front opening and a rear opening;
- inserting the cradle through one of the front opening and the rear opening;
- enclosing the front opening with a front plate having disposed therein a first port and a second port;
- and
- enclosing the rear opening with a rear plate, the rear plate lacking any ports.
A power system comprising:
- an internal combustion engine combusting fuel into exhaust gasses thereby generating a mechanical force;
- an exhaust system communicating with the internal combustion engine and an aftertreatment module to direct exhaust gasses therebetween;
- the aftertreatment module including a first channel, a second channel parallel and adjacent to the first channel, and a traverse channel communicating between the first channel and the second channel;
- whereby exhaust gasses from the internal combustion engine pass first through a first aftertreatment brick disposed in the first channel and pass second through a second aftertreatment brick disposed in the second channel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.