# US 9,518,496 B2 · Exhaust gas flow distribution system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,518,496 B2 - Document ID: US9518496B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/028,645 - Filed: 2013-09-17 - Published: 2014-03-20 - Granted: 2016-12-13 - Earliest claimed: 2012-09-18 - Assignees: Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc. - Applicants: Tenneco Automotive Operating Company Inc. - Inventors: Edward C. Hill; Hyde Kani; John Hardin; Manoj K. Sampath - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9518496B2 ## CPC - F01N 3/2892: {Exhaust flow directors or the like, e.g. upstream of catalytic device} - B01F 23/2132: {using nozzles} - B01F 25/3131: {with additional mixing means other than injector mixers, e.g. screens, baffles or rotating elements} - B01F 25/4315: {the baffles being deformed flat pieces of material (B01F25/4314 takes precedence)} - 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} - F01N 3/035: with catalytic reactors - F01N 3/2066: {Selective catalytic reduction [SCR]} - F01N 13/009: {having two or more separate purifying devices arranged in series} - B01F 25/431974: {Support members, e.g. tubular collars, with projecting baffles fitted inside the mixing tube or adjacent to the inner wall} - Y02T 10/12: Improving ICE efficiencies - 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) - B01F: MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING (mixing paints B44D3/06) - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract An exhaust after-treatment system for treating an exhaust produced by an engine, including an exhaust passage in communication with the engine; an injector for dosing an exhaust treatment fluid into the exhaust passage, a mixing device positioned downstream from the injector, the mixing device operable to intermingle the exhaust treatment fluid and the exhaust; an irregularly-shaped exhaust treatment substrate positioned downstream from the mixing device; and a dispersion device positioned between the mixing device and the irregularly-shaped exhaust treatment substrate. The dispersion device includes a plurality of dispersion members each being operable to direct an exhaust stream flowing through the dispersion device into a plurality of different directions to disperse the exhaust flow over substantially an entire surface of the irregularly-shaped exhaust treatment substrate. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An exhaust after-treatment system, comprising: an exhaust passage having a circular cross-section and a longitudinal axis; an exhaust treatment component having an inlet surface with a noncircular cross-sectional shape and being in communication with the exhaust passage, wherein the inlet surface of the exhaust treatment component includes a portion positioned further from the longitudinal axis of the exhaust passage than all other portions of the inlet surface; and a dispersion device disposed in the exhaust passage at a position upstream of the exhaust treatment component, the dispersion device including a cylindrical mounting ring and a plurality of deflection members, each deflection member being operable to direct part of an exhaust stream flowing through the exhaust passage in a direction to evenly distribute the exhaust flow over the inlet surface of the exhaust treatment component. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The exhaust after-treatment system of claim 1, wherein the cylindrical mounting ring includes an upstream end and a downstream end and each of the deflection members extend axially downstream from the downstream end of the cylindrical mounting ring. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The exhaust after-treatment system of claim 1, wherein the deflection members extend radially outward relative to the cylindrical mounting ring are circumferentially spaced apart and each include a convex surface facing a longitudinal axis of the cylindrical mounting ring. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The exhaust after-treatment system of claim 1, wherein the deflection members extend radially inward relative to the cylindrical mounting ring. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The exhaust after-treatment system of claim 1, wherein the cylindrical mounting ring includes a plurality of first cut-outs positioned around a circumference thereof that allow a portion of the exhaust to escape the dispersion device before being directed by the deflection members. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The exhaust after-treatment system of claim 1, wherein the cylindrical mounting ring includes a radially-inwardly-extending flange positioned to direct the exhaust flow. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The exhaust after-treatment system of claim 1, further comprising an exhaust gas mixing assembly positioned within the exhaust passage at a location upstream of the dispersion device. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The exhaust after-treatment system of claim 7, wherein the exhaust passage includes an injector housing for mounting an exhaust treatment fluid injector, the injector housing being positioned upstream of the mixing assembly. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The exhaust after-treatment system of claim 1, wherein the exhaust treatment component is a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) substrate. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The exhaust after-treatment system of claim 1, wherein the exhaust treatment component is triangular, including a first lobe, a second lobe, and a third lobe; and the deflection members include a first deflection member for directing a portion of the exhaust flow toward the first lobe, a second deflection member for directing a portion of the exhaust flow toward the second lobe, and a third deflection member for directing a portion of the exhaust flow toward the third lobe. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The exhaust after-treatment system of claim 1, wherein each of the deflection members are individually tunable to assist in influencing directions of the exhaust flow. ### Claim 12 An exhaust after-treatment system, comprising: an exhaust passage; an exhaust treatment component in communication with the exhaust passage; and a dispersion device disposed in the exhaust passage at a position upstream of the exhaust treatment device, the dispersion device including a cylindrical mounting ring and a plurality of dispersion members each being operable to direct an exhaust stream flowing through the dispersion device into a plurality of different directions to disperse the exhaust flow over substantially an entire surface of the exhaust treatment component, wherein the cylindrical mounting ring includes a radially-inwardly-extending flange including a plurality of second cut-outs formed therein. ### Claim 13 An exhaust after-treatment system, comprising: An exhaust passage; An exhaust treatment component in communication with the exhaust passage; and A dispersion device disposed in the exhaust passage at a position upstream of the exhaust treatment device, the dispersion device including a cylindrical mounting ring and a plurality of dispersion members each being operable to direct an exhaust stream flowing through the dispersion device into a plurality of different directions to disperse the exhaust flow over substantially an entire surface of the exhaust treatment component, wherein the exhaust passage includes a depression that radially narrows the exhaust passage, and the cylindrical mounting ring includes an aperture that overlaps the depression. ### Claim 14 An exhaust after-treatment system for treating an exhaust produced by an engine, comprising: an exhaust passage in communication with the engine; an injector for dosing an exhaust treatment fluid into the exhaust passage; a mixing device positioned downstream from the injector, the mixing device operable to intermingle the exhaust treatment fluid and the exhaust; an exhaust treatment substrate positioned downstream from the mixing device; and a dispersion device positioned between the mixing device and the exhaust treatment substrate, the dispersion device including a plurality of dispersion members each being operable to direct an exhaust stream flowing through the dispersion device into a plurality of different directions to disperse the exhaust flow over substantially an entire surface of the exhaust treatment substrate, wherein the dispersion device includes a cylindrical mounting ring, and each of the dispersion members extend from the cylindrical mounting ring, wherein the cylindrical mounting ring includes a radially-inwardly-extending flange, and further wherein the radially-inwardly-extending flange includes a plurality of second cut-outs formed therein. ### Claim 15 An exhaust after-treatment system for treating an exhaust produced by an engine, comprising: an exhaust passage in communication with the engine; an injector for dosing an exhaust treatment fluid into the exhaust passage; a mixing device positioned downstream from the injector, the mixing device operable to intermingle the exhaust treatment fluid and the exhaust; an exhaust treatment substrate positioned downstream from the mixing device; and a dispersion device positioned between the mixing device and the exhaust treatment substrate, the dispersion device including a plurality of dispersion members each being operable to direct an exhaust stream flowing through the dispersion device into a plurality of different directions to disperse the exhaust flow over substantially an entire surface of the exhaust treatment substrate, wherein the dispersion device includes a cylindrical mounting ring, and each of the dispersion members extend from the cylindrical mounting ring, and further wherein the exhaust passage includes a depression that radially narrows the exhaust passage, and the cylindrical mounting ring includes an aperture that overlaps the depression. ### Claim 16 An exhaust after-treatment system, comprising: an exhaust passage including a longitudinal axis; an exhaust treatment component having an inlet surface with a noncircular cross-sectional shape and being in communication with the exhaust passage, the inlet surface having a centroid offset from the longitudinal axis; and a dispersion device disposed in the exhaust passage and positioned upstream of the exhaust treatment device, the dispersion device including at least one deflection member operable to direct a portion of an exhaust stream flowing through the exhaust passage toward a portion of the inlet surface furthest from the longitudinal axis to evenly distribute the exhaust flow over the entire inlet surface. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The exhaust after-treatment system of claim 16, wherein the dispersion device includes a cylindrical mounting ring, and each of the deflection members extend from the cylindrical mounting ring. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The exhaust after-treatment system of claim 17, wherein the cylindrical mounting ring includes an upstream end and a downstream end and each of the deflection members extend axially downstream from the downstream end of the cylindrical mounting ring. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The exhaust after-treatment system of claim 17, wherein the deflection members extend radially outward relative to the cylindrical mounting ring are circumferentially spaced apart and each include a convex surface facing a longitudinal axis of the cylindrical mounting ring. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The exhaust after-treatment system of claim 17, wherein the deflection members extend radially inward relative to the cylindrical mounting ring. ### Claim 21 (depends on 17) The exhaust after-treatment system of claim 17, wherein the cylindrical mounting ring includes a plurality of first cut-outs positioned around a circumference thereof that allow a portion of the exhaust to escape the dispersion device before being directed by the deflection members. ### Claim 22 (depends on 17) The exhaust after-treatment system of claim 17, wherein the cylindrical mounting ring includes a radially-inwardly-extending flange positioned to direct the exhaust flow toward the portion of the inlet surface furthest from the longitudinal axis.