Exhaust manifold catalytic converter

Abstract

An exhaust manifold catalytic warm-up converter for an automotive vehicle engine includes tubular runners having inlet and outlet ends and connectable at their inlet ends with exhaust ports of an engine. The runners are joined at their outlet ends with a common exhaust outlet. A generally helical twisted tape extends longitudinally in each of the runners between their inlet and outlet ends and laterally divides the runners into at least two parallel generally helical flow passages. The tape is porous and formed of a material having a predetermined thickness and porosity to encourage a flow of exhaust gases through pores of the tape between adjacent helical passages due to pressure gradients across the tape resulting from gas flow in the helical passages. The porous tape has a low thermal inertia for fast warm-up and is coated with a catalytic material for stimulating reaction of emissions in the engine exhaust gases passing through the exhaust manifold. Additional features and alternatives are disclosed.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.