Exhaust gas cooler

A method of cooling exhaust gasses produced by a vehicle engine before the exhaust gasses are discharged from a vehicle exhaust system, the method comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing an exhaust gas cooler around a rearward edge of a tailpipe such that the exhaust gas cooler includes a cooler housing having a rearward edge and a forward edge, with the rearward edge of the tailpipe being located between the rearward and forward edges of the cooler housing;
• (b) operating the engine, causing the exhaust gasses to flow from an outlet on the rearward edge of the tailpipe;
• (c) drawing ambient air into the exhaust gas cooler;
• (d) mixing the exhaust gasses and the ambient air by imparting a swirling motion to the exhaust gasses and the ambient air;
• and
• (e) expelling an exhaust gas/ambient air mixture out of the rearward edge of the cooler housing.

An exhaust system for a vehicle having an engine comprising:

• a tailpipe having an outlet at a rearward edge and having an external diameter adjacent to the rearward edge;
• and
• an exhaust gas cooler including a cooler housing having a substantially cylindrical shape with an open forward edge, an open rearward edge, and an internal diameter that is larger than the external diameter of the tailpipe;
• a cooler support attached to and supporting the cooler housing such that the rearward edge of the tailpipe is located within the cooler housing between the forward and rearward edges of the cooler housing;
• and a cross vane assembly mounted in the cooler housing between the rearward edge of the tailpipe and the rearward edge of the cooler housing, the vane assembly configured to impart a swirling motion in at least one of exhaust gasses exiting the tailpipe and ambient air flowing from the open forward edge of the cooler housing past the rearward edge of the tailpipe.