# US 8,464,524 B2 · Trap for exhaust system

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- Number: US 8,464,524 B2
- Document ID: US8464524B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 12/187,217
- Filed: 2008-08-06
- Published: 2010-02-11
- Granted: 2013-06-18
- Earliest claimed: 2008-08-06
- Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
- Applicants: David Karl Bidner; John M. Roth; Ken O. Jahr; Gopichandra Surnilla; James Michael Kerns; Timothy Joseph Clark
- Inventors: David Karl Bidner; John M. Roth; Ken O. Jahr; Gopichandra Surnilla; James Michael Kerns; Timothy Joseph Clark
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8464524B2

## CPC

- F01N 3/005: {for draining or otherwise eliminating condensates or moisture accumulating in the apparatus (F01N3/02 takes precedence)}
- F01N 1/02: by using resonance
- F01N 1/023: {Helmholtz resonators}
- F01N 3/0807: {by using absorbents or adsorbents}
- F01N 3/0842: {Nitrogen oxides}
- F01N 2240/20: a flow director or deflector
- F01N 2240/22: a condensation chamber
- F02D 13/0207: {changing valve lift or valve lift and timing}
- F02D 13/0219: {by shifting the phase, i.e. the opening periods of the valves are constant}
- F02M 26/15: in relation to engine exhaust purifying apparatus
- F01N: GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES (arrangements in connection with gas exhaust of propulsion units in vehicles B60K13/00; combustion-air intake silencers specially adapted for, or arranged on, internal-combustion engines F02M35/00; protecting against, or damping, noise in general G10K11/16)
- F02D: CONTROLLING COMBUSTION ENGINES (vehicle fittings, acting on a single sub-unit only, for automatically controlling vehicle speed B60K31/00; conjoint control of vehicle sub-units of different type or different function, road vehicle drive control systems for purposes other than the control of a single sub-unit B60W)
- F02M: SUPPLYING COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL WITH COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURES OR CONSTITUENTS THEREOF

## Abstract

A system for trapping liquid exhaust during a cold start of an internal combustion engine is provided. As one example, a system includes, an exhaust inlet, an exchange area fluidly coupled downstream of said exhaust inlet, a trap coupled to said exchange area having a liquid exhaust chamber for collection of liquid exhaust, and a catalytic converter fluidly coupled downstream to said exchange area. In another example, a method includes condensing, at least partly, exhaust from the engine in an exchange area in an exhaust system into liquid exhaust, collecting liquid exhaust into a trap disposed in the exchange area, and evaporating the liquid exhaust into the exchange area after an evaporation temperature is reached in the trap.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system for trapping liquid exhaust during an internal combustion engine cold start, comprising:
an exhaust manifold coupled to a reducer cone;
an exchange area coupled downstream of said exhaust manifold at a juncture of the reducer cone and an emissions reduction device housing;
a trap comprising a drain opening into the exchange area and a liquid exhaust chamber fluidly coupled to the drain, the chamber receiving gravity dripped liquid exhaust from the exchange area and the exchange area receiving evaporated liquid exhaust from the chamber; and
a catalytic converter fluidly coupled downstream of said exchange area in the housing.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising a baffle disposed between the drain and the catalytic converter.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising a heater coupled to the trap.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the trap further includes a heat shield.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein a portion of the exchange area is at least partially sloped to enable flow of the liquid exhaust into the trap.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the trap is a Helmholtz resonator.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising an engine controller coupled to at least one of said engine, said catalytic converter, and an exhaust inlet, where the exhaust inlet includes said exhaust manifold coupled to said reducer cone.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, wherein the catalytic converter includes a NOx trap.

### Claim 9

A device comprising:
a drain opening into an exchange area, the exchange area fluidly coupled downstream of an exhaust manifold at a juncture of a reducer cone and an emissions reduction device housing and upstream of a baffle with a circular pin-wheel structure; and
a chamber fluidly coupled to the drain, the chamber receiving gravity dripped liquid exhaust from the exchange area and the exchange area receiving evaporated liquid exhaust from the chamber.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The device of claim 9, further comprising a passageway fluidly linking the drain and the chamber.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The device of claim 9, further comprising a heat shield at least partially insulating the chamber.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The device of claim 9, wherein the chamber is a Helmhotz resonator.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The device of claim 9, wherein the chamber is bulbous.

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The device of claim 9, wherein the baffle is disposed downstream of the drain and inside of the housing upstream of a catalytic converter.

### Claim 15

A method of operating an internal combustion engine during cold start, comprising:
condensing, at least partly, exhaust from the engine in an exchange area in an exhaust system into liquid exhaust;
collecting liquid exhaust into a trap, the trap comprising an opening into the exchange area and a passageway coupling the opening to a liquid exhaust chamber; and
evaporating the liquid exhaust from the chamber into the exchange area via the passageway after an evaporation temperature is reached in the trap.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein evaporating the liquid exhaust is delayed until after a catalytic converter is at a light off condition.

### Claim 17 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, further comprising increasing the centrifugal action of the exhaust in the exchange area via a baffle disposed upstream of a catalytic converter and downstream of the opening of the trap.

### Claim 18 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, wherein the exhaust is E85 exhaust.

### Claim 19 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15, further comprising reducing and oxidizing the evaporated liquid exhaust in a catalytic converter.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, wherein the catalytic converter includes a NOx trap.

### Claim 21 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, further comprising redirecting a portion of exhaust flow back upstream to the exchange area via the baffle.