# US 8,739,519 B2 · Multi-tiered telescope shaped atomizer

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- Number: US 8,739,519 B2
- Document ID: US8739519B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/449,160
- Filed: 2012-04-17
- Published: 2013-10-17
- Granted: 2014-06-03
- Earliest claimed: 2012-04-17
- Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
- Applicants: Robert Glenwood Hadden; Terry Jadan
- Inventors: Robert Glenwood Hadden; Terry Jadan
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8739519B2

## CPC

- B01F 25/45211: {the elements being cylinders or cones which obstruct the whole diameter of the tube, the flow changing from axial in radial and again in axial}
- B01F 23/2132: {using nozzles}
- F01N 3/2066: {Selective catalytic reduction [SCR]}
- F01N 3/2892: {Exhaust flow directors or the like, e.g. upstream of catalytic device}
- F01N 2610/1453: Sprayers or atomisers; Arrangement thereof in the exhaust apparatus
- Y02T 10/12: Improving ICE efficiencies
- B01F: MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING (mixing paints B44D3/06)
- 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)
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

In one example, a system is provided, comprising an exhaust reductant injector upstream of a mixer. The mixer includes a plurality of concentrically smaller rings interconnected via fins having a width varying in a flow direction, the fins arranged annularly, and with a first set of fins between a first pair of adjacent rings angularly offset from a second set of fins between a second pair of adjacent rings, the first and second pairs of rings sharing one common ring. In this way, it is possible to atomize, redirect, and mix the exhaust flow over a short distance to effectively react with NOx in a downstream SCR catalyst.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system, comprising:
an exhaust reductant injector upstream of a multi-tiered mixer including:
a plurality of concentric rings having decreasing diameters in a flow direction and interconnected at ring sidewalls via annularly arranged fins and with a first set of fins between a first pair of adjacent rings angularly offset from a second set of fins between a second pair of adjacent rings, the first and second pairs of rings sharing one common ring.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein the plurality of concentric rings includes three or more pairs of adjacent rings and wherein the first set and second set of fins have a width varying in the flow direction.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein alternating fins from the first and second sets are connected around a periphery of the common ring and wherein annularly arranged apertures are formed by the rings and fins of the first and second set of fins, the apertures including hollow regions through which exhaust gas flows, each aperture formed between two adjacent rings and two adjacent fins.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein the fins angle inward toward a central axis of an exhaust pipe in which the multi-tiered mixer is positioned, where a central axis of concentric rings share a central axis of the exhaust pipe.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein connection arc lengths on an upstream ring of the first pair of rings differ from connection arc lengths on an upstream ring of the second pair of rings.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein connection arc lengths from the first and second sets of fins do not overlap on the common ring, the second set downstream from the first set.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein each fin has a first connecting region defined by an arc of an upstream ring, a second connecting region defined by an arc of a downstream ring, each fin also having a common thickness.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein a number of fins in the first set is equal to a number of fins in the second set.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 further comprising a convex disk facing exhaust flow positioned in a most upstream ring.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1 wherein an SCR catalyst is positioned downstream of the multi-tiered mixer.

### Claim 11

A system, comprising:
an exhaust reductant injector upstream of a multi-tiered mixer including:
a plurality of concentric rings having decreasing diameters in a flow direction and interconnected at ring sidewalls via fins arranged annularly, the fins and rings forming apertures arranged annularly, and with a first set of fins and first set of apertures between a first pair of adjacent rings angularly offset from a second set of fins and a second set of apertures between a second pair of adjacent rings, the first and second pairs of rings sharing one common ring, with alternating fins from the first and second sets connected around a periphery of the common ring.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11 wherein the plurality of concentric rings includes three or more pairs of adjacent rings.

### Claim 13 (depends on 11)

The system of claim 11 wherein all of the fins angle inward toward a central axis of an exhaust pipe in which the multi-tiered mixer is positioned, where a central axis of concentric rings share a central axis of the exhaust pipe.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13 wherein connection arc lengths on an upstream ring of the first pair of rings differ from connection arc lengths on an upstream ring of the second pair of rings.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The system of claim 14 wherein connection arc lengths from the first and second sets of fins do not overlap on the common ring, the second set downstream from the first set.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The system of claim 13 wherein a number of fins in the first set of fins is equal to a number of fins in the second set of fins, and wherein a number of apertures in the first set of apertures is equal to a number of apertures in the second set of apertures, and an SCR catalyst is positioned downstream of the multi-tiered mixer.

### Claim 17

A system, comprising:
an exhaust pipe;
an angled exhaust injector positioned in a wall of the exhaust pipe;
an SCR catalyst coupled in the exhaust pipe; and
a mixer positioned internally to the exhaust pipe downstream of the injector and upstream of the SCR catalyst, an outer edge of the mixer contiguous and in face-sharing contact with the wall of the exhaust pipe, the mixer including a multi-tiered telescope-shaped set of three or more rings, with progressively smaller diameter rings positioned downstream of one another, adjacent rings connected via peripherally positioned flat angled fins, the fins attached to sidewalls of the adjacent rings, the mixer including apertures formed between adjacent fins in an annular region defined by adjacent rings.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The system of claim 17 wherein the exhaust pipe is coupled to an exhaust of a diesel engine, wherein ring sets are coupled to one another via the fins, and wherein the apertures include hollow regions through which exhaust gas flows.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The system of claim 18 wherein each set of rings is coupled with a same number of fins and wherein adjacent fins between each set of rings are separated by one aperture of the apertures.

### Claim 20 (depends on 18)

The system of claim 18 wherein a central axis of each ring aligns with a central axis of the exhaust pipe.