Exhaust system having thermophoretic particulate agglomerator
AssigneeCaterpillar Inc.
InventorsJames J. Driscoll, Wade J. Robel, Praveen S. Chavannavar
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An exhaust system for use with a combustion engine is disclosed. The exhaust system may have a passage connected to receive exhaust from the combustion engine, and a cooling device located external to the passage to create a thermal gradient across a flow area of the passage that causes particulates within the exhaust to agglomerate on a wall of the passage. The exhaust system may also have a filtration device located to separate agglomerated particulates from the exhaust.
Claims20
An exhaust system for a combustion engine, comprising:
- a passage connected to receive exhaust from the combustion engine;
- a cooling device located external to the passage to create a thermal gradient across a flow area of the passage which causes particulates within the exhaust to agglomerate on a wall of the passage which is surrounded by the cooling device;
- and
- a filtration device located downstream of the cooling device and downstream of a necked-down portion of the passage, to separate agglomerated particulates from the exhaust by swirling the exhaust such that the agglomerated particulates are forced radially outward and against a wall of the filtration device, the filtration device having a diameter greater than a diameter of the necked down portion.
A power system, comprising:
- a combustion engine;
- a passage connected to receive exhaust from the combustion engine;
- a cooling device located external to and directly on the passage to create a thermal gradient across a flow area of the passage which causes particulates within the exhaust to agglomerate on a wall of the passage which is surrounded by the cooling device;
- a centrifugal filter located downstream of the cooling device and downstream of a necked-down portion of the passage, to separate agglomerated particulates from the exhaust by swirling the exhaust such that the agglomerated particulates are forced radially outward and against a wall of the centrifugal filter;
- a collection container configured to collect the agglomerated particulates separated by the centrifugal filter, the collection container including a recess formed in the wall of the centrifugal filter;
- and
- a combustion device associated with the collection container to reduce the collected and agglomerated particulates.
A method of treating exhaust from a combustion engine, comprising:
- directing exhaust through a passage;
- cooling a portion of the passage with a cooling device that surrounds the portion of the passage, the cooling being sufficient to agglomerate particulates on the portion of the passage;
- collecting the agglomerated particulates in a layer on the cooled portion of the passage;
- breaking off a portion of the layer of agglomerated particulates so that the agglomerated particulates are re-entrained within the exhaust;
- and
- separating the agglomerated particulates from the exhaust after the agglomerated particulates are re-entrained within the exhaust by swirling the exhaust such that the agglomerated particulates are forced radially outward and against a wall of a filtration device, to thereby collect the agglomerated particulates in an annular recess located within the wall of the filtration device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.