Muffler with partition array

A muffler, comprising:

• a casing having an exhaust gas inlet opening and an exhaust gas outlet opening,
• a partition array including a divider partition that is mounted within the casing and positioned to receive incoming exhaust gases and direct the incoming exhaust gases at least partially laterally around outward ends of the divider partition, a first intermediate partition spaced downstream from the divider partition and in a position permitting exhaust gases to flow past outward ends of the first intermediate partition, a second intermediate partition spaced downstream from the first intermediate partition and in a position permitting exhaust gases to flow past the outward ends of the second intermediate partition, and
• a collector partition mounted within the casing downstream of the partition array to direct exhaust gases to the outlet opening,
• the spaces between the divider partition, the first intermediate partition, and the second intermediate partition being concave in shape and facing away from the inlet opening,
• the outward portions of the spaces defined between the divider partition and the first and second intermediate partitions are oriented at an angle with respect to the direction of exhaust gas flow past the outward ends of the partitions so as to create a low pressure region in these outward spaces as exhaust gases flow past the outward ends of the partitions, and wherein the second intermediate partition is sufficiently non-porous to maintain the low pressure region between the first and second intermediate partitions,
• whereby sound is attenuated in the spaces between the divider partition and the first and second intermediate partitions as exhaust gases are directed past the outward ends of the partitions.

A method of attenuating sound in a muffler including a casing having an exhaust gas inlet opening and an exhaust gas outlet opening, a partition array including a divider partition that is mounted within the casing and positioned to receive incoming exhaust gases and direct the incoming exhaust gases at least partially laterally around outward ends of the divider partition, a first intermediate partition spaced downstream from the divider partition and in a position permitting exhaust gases to flow past outward ends of the first intermediate partition, a second intermediate partition spaced downstream from the first intermediate partition and in a position permitting exhaust gases to flow past the outward ends of the second intermediate partition, and a collector partition mounted within the casing downstream of the partition array to direct exhaust gases to the outlet opening, the spaces between the divider partition, the first intermediate partition, and the second intermediate partition being concave in shape and facing away from the inlet opening, comprising the steps of:

• introducing exhaust gases through the inlet opening,
• passing the exhaust gases around the divider partition to direct the incoming exhaust gases at least partially laterally around outward ends of the divider partition,
• passing the exhaust gases past the outward ends of the first and second intermediate partitions in a manner whereby sound is attenuated in the spaces between the divider partition and the first and second intermediate partitions as exhaust gases are directed past the outward ends of the partitions, the divider partition, first intermediate partition and the second intermediate partition being sufficiently non-porous to create low pressure regions between the partitions, and
• passing the exhaust gases through an opening in the collector partition and out through the outlet opening.

In a muffler including a casing having an inlet opening and an outlet opening, a first divider partition secured in the casing and formed and positioned to divide substantially all incoming exhaust gases for flow along a main flow path in the casing past outward ends of the first partition, and a second collector partition secured in the casing downstream of the first divider partition, the second collector partition forming in part a collector opening and the second collector partition being formed to direct the divided exhaust gases toward each other for flow of substantially all of the exhaust gases through the collector opening, the improvement in the muffler comprising:

• a first imperforate intermediate partition secured in the casing between and spaced from the divider and collector partitions, the intermediate partition being formed to permit flow of the divided exhaust gases past outward ends of the intermediate partition, the outward end portions of the intermediate partition being spaced from the outward end portions of the divider partition, and, the divider partition being imperforate to prevent exhaust gas flow through the divider partition,
• the spaces defined between the outward end portions of the divider partition and outward end portions of the intermediate partition being oriented with respect to the main flow path so as to create a low pressure region in these spaces as exhaust gases flow along the main flow path past the outward ends of the divider and intermediate partitions,
• the imperforate design of first divider partition and the first intermediate partition creating a low pressure region therebetween.

A muffler, comprising:

• a casing having an exhaust gas inlet opening and an exhaust gas outlet opening,
• a partition array including an imperforate divider partition that is mounted within the casing and positioned to receive incoming exhaust gases and direct the incoming exhaust gases at least partially laterally around outward ends of the divider partition, an imperforate first intermediate partition spaced downstream from the divider partition and in a position permitting exhaust gases to flow past outward ends of the first intermediate partition, a second imperforate intermediate partition spaced downstream from the first intermediate partition and in a position permitting exhaust gases to flow past the outward ends of the second intermediate partition, and
• a collector partition mounted within the casing downstream of the partition array to direct exhaust gases to the outlet opening,
• the spaces between the divider partition, the first intermediate partition, and the second intermediate partition being concave in shape and facing away from the inlet opening,
• the outward portions of the spaces defined between the divider partition and the first and second intermediate partitions are oriented at an angle with respect to the direction of exhaust gas flow past the outward ends of the partitions so as to create a low pressure region in these outward spaces as exhaust gases flow past the outward ends of the partitions, the second intermediate partition creating a low pressure region between the first and second intermediate partitions,
• whereby sound is attenuated in the spaces between the divider partition and the first and second intermediate partitions as exhaust gases are directed past the outward ends of the partitions.

A method of attenuating sound in a muffler including a casing having an exhaust gas inlet opening and an exhaust gas outlet opening, a partition array including a divider partition that is mounted within the casing and positioned to receive incoming exhaust gases and direct the incoming exhaust gases at least partially laterally around outward ends of the divider partition, a first intermediate partition spaced downstream from the divider partition and in a position permitting exhaust gases to flow past outward ends of the first intermediate partition, a second intermediate partition spaced downstream from the first intermediate partition and in a position permitting exhaust gases to flow past the outward ends of the second intermediate partition, and a collector partition mounted within the casing downstream of the partition array to direct exhaust gases to the outlet opening, the spaces between the divider partition, the first intermediate partition, and the second intermediate partition being concave in shape and facing away from the inlet opening, comprising the steps of:

• introducing exhaust gases through the inlet opening,
• passing the exhaust gases around the divider partition to direct the incoming exhaust gases at least partially laterally around outward ends of the divider partition, the divider partition being imperforate to exhaust gas flow therethrough,
• passing the exhaust gases past the outward ends of the first and second intermediate partitions in a manner whereby sound is attenuated in the spaces between the divider partition and the first and second intermediate partitions as exhaust gases are directed past the outward ends of the partitions, the divider partition, first intermediate partition and the second intermediate partition creating low pressure regions between the partitions, and
• passing the exhaust gases through an opening in the collector partition and out through the outlet opening.