U.S. patent application number 10/528782 was filed with the patent office on 2006-06-22 for gas conduit, particularly for an internal combustion engine.
Invention is credited to Eberhard Holder, Christoph Koehlen, Martin Matt.
Application Number | 20060130471 10/528782 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 31969597 |
Filed Date | 2006-06-22 |
United States Patent
Application |
20060130471 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Holder; Eberhard ; et
al. |
June 22, 2006 |
Gas conduit, particularly for an internal combustion engine
Abstract
1. A gas conduit, in particular for an internal combustion
engine. 2.1 The invention proposes a gas conduit section (1), in
particular an exhaust manifold, for an internal combustion engine,
and also an internal combustion engine with an exhaust-gas
catalytic converter arranged in the exhaust system. 2.2 According
to the invention, the conduit section (1) has a porous inlay (2),
preferably in the form of a sintered shaped body, which at least
partially bears against its inner wall and forms a hollow body
through which gas can flow freely; the internal combustion engine
according to the invention has in its exhaust system, upstream of
the exhaust-gas catalytic converter arranged therein, a conduit
section which in particular includes a porous sintered shaped body
through which gas can flow freely. 2.3 Use in particular in motor
vehicles with an internal combustion engine.
Inventors: |
Holder; Eberhard;
(Esslingen, DE) ; Koehlen; Christoph; (Wernau,
DE) ; Matt; Martin; (Bruchsal-Untergrombach,
DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CROWELL & MORING LLP;INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY GROUP
P.O. BOX 14300
WASHINGTON
DC
20044-4300
US
|
Family ID: |
31969597 |
Appl. No.: |
10/528782 |
Filed: |
September 3, 2003 |
PCT Filed: |
September 3, 2003 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP03/09764 |
371 Date: |
October 4, 2005 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
60/323 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F01N 3/2832 20130101;
Y02A 50/2322 20180101; F01N 3/2835 20130101; Y02A 50/20 20180101;
F01N 3/2803 20130101; F01N 13/10 20130101; F01N 2530/24 20130101;
F01N 13/102 20130101; F01N 2510/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
060/323 |
International
Class: |
F01N 7/10 20060101
F01N007/10 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 26, 2002 |
DE |
10244798.5 |
Claims
1-11. (canceled)
12. A gas conduit section of an exhaust manifold for an internal
combustion engine, comprising an inner wall and a porous inlay
which at least partially bears against the inner wall and forms a
hollow body through which gas can flow freely.
13. The conduit section as claimed in claim 12, wherein the inlay
is formed from a sintered, shaped body that is able to withstand
high temperatures.
14. The conduit section as claimed in claim 13, wherein the
sintered, shaped body is of a sintered material which is
predominantly metallic.
15. The conduit section as claimed in claim 14, wherein the
sintered, shaped body is formed predominantly from sintered
material particles in fiber form.
16. The conduit section as claimed in claim 14, wherein the
sintered, shaped body is formed predominantly from sintered
material particles which are approximately spherical in form.
17. The conduit section as claimed in claim 16, wherein the
sintered, shaped body is formed predominantly from sintered
material particles in the form of hollow spheres.
18. The conduit section as claimed in claim 16, wherein the
sintered material particles have an external diameter in the range
from 0.1 mm to 10 mm.
19. The conduit section as claimed in claim 17, wherein the
sintered material particles have an external diameter in the range
from 0.1 mm to 10 mm.
20. The conduit section as claimed in claim 19, wherein the
sintered material particles have a wall thickness which is in the
range from 1% to 20% of the external diameter.
21. The conduit section as claimed in claim 15, wherein the
sintered material has a porosity in the range from 1% to 30%.
22. The conduit section as claimed in claim 16, wherein the
sintered material has a porosity in the range from 1% to 30%.
23. The conduit section as claimed in claim 17, wherein the
sintered material has a porosity in the range from 1% to 30%.
24. The conduit section as claimed in claim 15, wherein the
sintered, shaped body has a catalytically active coating.
25. The conduit section as claimed in claim 16, wherein the
sintered, shaped body has a catalytically active coating.
26. The conduit section as claimed in claim 17, wherein the
sintered, shaped body has a catalytically active coating.
27. The conduit section as claimed in claim 18, wherein the
external diameter is in a range of from 0.5 mm to 2 mm.
28. The conduit section as claimed in claim 19, wherein the
external diameter is in a range of from 0.5 mm to 2 mm.
29. The conduit section as claimed in claim 20, wherein the wall
thickness is in the range from 2% to 5% of the external
diameter.
30. The conduit section as claimed in claim 21, wherein the
porosity is in the range from 2% to 5%.
31. The conduit section as claimed in claim 22, wherein the
porosity is in the range from 2% to 5%.
32. The conduit section as claimed in claim 23, wherein the
porosity is in the range from 2% to 5%.
33. An internal combustion engine having an exhaust system in which
an exhaust-gas catalytic converter is arranged, the exhaust system
comprising a conduit section upstream of the exhaust-gas catalytic
converter having an inner wall, and a porous, sintered, shaped body
which at least partially bears against the inner wall of the
conduit section and through which gas can flow freely, the
sintered, shaped body being formed from sintered material particles
which are predominantly metallic in form.
34. The internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 33, wherein
the sintered, shaped body is formed predominantly from sintered
material particles which are approximately spherical in form.
35. The conduit section as set forth in claim 34, wherein the
sintered, shaped body has a catalytically active coating.
Description
[0001] This invention relates to a gas conduit and to an internal
combustion engine having a gas conduit.
[0002] German patent DE 100 48 286 describes a gas conduit section
which is designed in particular as an exhaust manifold for an
internal combustion engine. The exhaust manifold is coated on its
inner wall with a material with an adsorbing action, for example
based on zeolite. This material can adsorb hydrocarbons (HC), with
the result that at least some of the hydrocarbons contained in the
exhaust gas can be removed from the exhaust gas during a cold start
of the internal combustion engine. The coating does not perform any
other functions. The coated conduit section is formed by the
exhaust manifold and a conduit piece located upstream of a
catalytic converter. However, exhaust manifolds are often exposed
to high and rapidly changing temperatures. This imposes very high
demands on a coating which is applied direct to the inner wall, in
particular if the coating is to be prevented from flaking.
[0003] It is an object of the invention to provide a gas conduit
with improved adsorption and mechanical properties. Furthermore, it
is an object of the invention to provide an internal combustion
engine with low pollutant emissions.
[0004] According to the invention, this object is achieved by a
conduit as claimed and via an internal combustion engine as
claimed.
[0005] The conduit section according to the invention is
distinguished by the fact that it has a porous inlay which at least
partially bears against its inner wall and forms a hollow body
through which gas can flow freely. The inlay may be of single-part
or multi-part design and preferably covers the inner wall of the
conduit section completely or at least predominantly. The inlay is
preferably designed as a dimensionally stable, porous inlay body.
By way of example, a porous metal foam body or ceramic foam body is
advantageous. The base material may additionally be of closed-cell
design. Since foam bodies of this type have a low density, the
inlay makes scarcely any contribution to the mass of a conduit
section produced from metal. However, the inlay may also be
designed as a mat which is pressed onto the inner wall of the
conduit section with the aid of a supporting grid. This mat may in
this case be formed from a woven or knitted fabric. The hollow body
formed by the inlay preferably leaves the majority of the cross
section of the conduit section clear, so that the passage of gas is
not impeded. An inlay designed in this way provides the conduit
section with an action whereby it absorbs and/or adsorbs readily
condensable gas constituents.
[0006] If the conduit according to the invention is used in the
exhaust system of an internal combustion engine, it is possible to
adsorb HC constituents in the exhaust gas until a downstream
catalytic converter has reached its active operating point.
Furthermore, water vapor, which may already have condensed to mist,
can be retained for a period of time. This has the advantage that
in the event of a cold start of the internal combustion engine, a
sensor arranged downstream of the conduit section according to the
invention can be heated immediately without being at risk from the
phenomenon known as water shock.
[0007] A further advantage of an inlay of this type is a silencing
action, so that acoustic vibrations of the gas flowing through the
conduit section do not penetrate to the outside.
[0008] In one configuration of the invention, the inlay is formed
from a sintered shaped body that is able to withstand high
temperatures. In this context, the term able to withstand high
temperatures is to be understood as meaning thermal stability up to
approximately 800.degree. C. or above. This embodiment is
particularly suitable for an exhaust manifold of an internal
combustion engine, since the manifold is exposed to high
temperatures. It is preferable for the sintered shaped body to be
designed as a two-part shell body. For assembly, therefore, the
parts of the sintered shaped body can be placed into the halves of
an exhaust manifold comprising two half-shells and if appropriate
bonded in place, for example by a ceramic adhesive. After the
half-shells have been joined together and the joining seam closed
up, the result is an exhaust manifold with a high silencing
action.
[0009] In a further configuration of the invention, the sintered
shaped body is formed predominantly from sintered material
particles in fiber form. The fibers may, for example, be
incorporated into a metal grid, with the result that the sintered
shaped body, although dimensionally stable under the action of low
forces, can be deformed and matched to the internal contour of the
conduit section in the event of stronger forces acting on it. The
fibrous nature of the base material gives the sintered shaped body
a porous structure with a high surface area. This results in a high
adsorption capacity and a high silencing action on the part of the
conduit section.
[0010] In a further configuration of the invention, the sintered
shaped body is formed predominantly from sintered material
particles which are approximately spherical in form. This
embodiment produces a sintered shaped body with a good dimensional
stability and a large number of open pores, since the spheres of
the sintered material, which are preferably only slightly deformed
during the sintering operation, in the sintered state form a large
number of interconnected cavities. It is preferable for the base
material itself, from which the sintered material particles are
formed, to be porous. The base material may be of metallic or
ceramic origin. The spherical shape of the base material produces a
sintered shaped body which is of both closed-cell and open-cell
configuration. The porosity is then preferably bimodal, i.e. there
are two maxima in the pore radius distribution. The result is a
good adsorption action for a wide range of hydrocarbons.
[0011] In a further configuration of the invention, the sintered
shaped body is formed predominantly from sintered material
particles in the form of hollow spheres. This embodiment produces a
sintered shaped body with a particularly low density and, in
addition, heat-insulating properties.
[0012] In a further configuration of the invention, the sintered
material particles have an external diameter in the range from 0.1
mm to 10 mm, in particular in the range from 0.5 mm to 2 mm. A
sintered shaped body produced from sintered material spheres of
this type has a high dimensional stability and also a high
silencing and adsorbing action.
[0013] In a further configuration of the invention, the sintered
material particles have a wall thickness which is in the range from
1% to 20%, in particular in the range from 2% to 5%, of the
external diameter. This produces a relatively low density of the
sintered shaped body while retaining the other advantages. A
density of approximately 0.5 g/cm.sup.3 is preferably achieved.
[0014] In a further configuration of the invention, the sintered
material is predominantly metallic. This results in relatively low
sintering temperatures. The metallic starting material, preferably
stainless steel, has a certain ductility, making the sintered
shaped body relatively simple to produce. The sintered shaped body
formed in this way is moreover easier to machine than sintered
shaped bodies made from ceramic material.
[0015] In a further configuration of the invention, the sintered
material has a porosity in the range from 1% to 30%, in particular
in the range from 2% to 5%. This results in advantageous properties
with regard to the adsorption of hydrocarbons and water vapor.
[0016] This in turn results in low pollutant emissions from the
internal combustion engine, in particular during a cold start or
when it is warming up.
[0017] In a further configuration of the invention, the sintered
shaped body has a catalytically active coating. Any standard
catalytic coating can be used. It is preferable for the coating to
have an oxidation-catalyzing action. If an exhaust manifold is
designed as a conduit section of this type, it is possible to
dispense with a separate oxidation catalytic converter or at least
to make such a converter smaller.
[0018] The internal combustion engine according to the invention is
distinguished by the fact that the associated exhaust system,
upstream of the exhaust-gas catalytic converter, comprises a
conduit section having a porous sintered shaped body which at least
partially bears against the inner wall of the conduit section and
through which gas can flow freely. The sintered shaped body is
preferably produced predominantly from an open-cell and/or
closed-cell material. On account of this structure, the conduit
section has adsorption properties, and readily condensable exhaust
constituents can be retained by the sintered shaped body for a
certain period of time during a cold start of the internal
combustion engine. It is preferable for the sintered shaped body to
be designed in such a way, for example with regard to its material
thickness, that condensable hydrocarbons or water vapor are
retained in the exhaust gas until the exhaust-gas catalytic
converter located further downstream has heated up and become
active. The harmful exhaust-gas constituents which are then
desorbed from the sintered shaped body can then be effectively
converted by the catalytic converter. This results in reduced
emission of pollutants, in particular during a cold start and when
the internal combustion engine is warming up.
[0019] In the text which follows, the invention is explained in
more detail on the basis of drawings and associated examples.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0020] FIG. 1 shows an exhaust manifold of an internal combustion
engine,
[0021] FIG. 2 shows a cross section through a connection of the
exhaust manifold, and
[0022] FIG. 3 shows an enlarged excerpt from the edge region of the
exhaust manifold illustrated in section.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0023] FIG. 1 illustrates an exhaust manifold 1 for a
three-cylinder bank of an internal combustion engine designed as a
V engine. The exhaust gas which emerges from the three cylinders of
the cylinder bank is combined, via three branches of the exhaust
manifold, in a common conduit connection in order to be passed
onward into the exhaust system. A section line through the conduit
connection is denoted by II-II, and the corresponding
cross-sectional view is illustrated in FIG. 2 (cf. below). The
exhaust manifold 1 is in this case produced from two half-shells,
although this is not illustrated in the figure. A prefabricated
sintered shaped body (not shown separately here) is placed into
each of the half-shells of the exhaust manifold 1. This sintered
shaped body has the approximate contours of the associated
half-shell and therefore at least predominantly bears against the
inner wall of the exhaust manifold. To improve fixing, the sintered
shaped body can be bonded into the half-shell, for example by a
thermally stable ceramic adhesive. The sintered shaped body has a
continuous material thickness of approximately 15 mm. After the
sintered shaped bodies have been put in place, the half-shells of
the exhaust manifold 1 are joined together and the seams welded.
The exhaust manifold is therefore provided with a lining which
forms a hollow body through which gas can flow freely and which
leaves clear the majority of the cross-sectional area.
[0024] FIG. 2 shows a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of that
part of the exhaust manifold which ends in a connection for an
exhaust pipe, corresponding to section line II-II indicated in FIG.
1. The inserted sintered shaped body 2 or the inserted parts of the
sintered shaped body 2 bear against the inner wall of the exhaust
manifold connection and cover the inner wall surface of the exhaust
manifold 1 completely or at least approximately completely. The
join between the half-shells of the exhaust manifold 1 and the
inserted sintered shaped bodies 2 are not illustrated in this
figure. III indicates an excerpt from the edge region of the
connection of the exhaust manifold 1.
[0025] FIG. 3 provides an enlarged and simplified illustration of
an excerpt, corresponding to the edge region denoted by III in FIG.
2, of the connection of the exhaust manifold 1 illustrated in
section in FIG. 2. As can be seen from the schematic illustration,
the sintered shaped body 2 is formed from hollow spheres which have
been sintered together. The hollow spheres have an external
diameter of approximately 1.5 mm and are made from stainless steel.
The wall thickness of the hollow spheres is approximately 0.02 mm,
resulting in a structure density of the sintered shaped body 2 of
approximately 0.5 g/cm.sup.3. Consequently, the sintered shaped
body 2 has a low mass. Cavities are produced between the
sintered-together hollow spheres, so as to form a porous structure.
In the event of strong sintering, there are scarcely any
connections between the cavities of the spheres, resulting in a
predominantly closed-cell structure. However, it is preferable for
the spheres to be sintered together to a lesser extent, so that an
open-cell structure is formed by the spheres. Since the stainless
steel used here itself has a certain porosity, the cavities in the
interior of the spheres nevertheless also form a closed-cell
structure. Therefore, the sintered shaped body 2 has a bimodal pore
structure with a porosity in the range from 1% to 30%.
[0026] On account of its structure, the sintered shaped body has a
silencing action and also, on account of its relatively low thermal
conductivity, a thermally insulating action.
[0027] In detail, the following advantages result from the physical
properties of the sintered shaped body 2 formed from the sintered
shaped body inlay in the exhaust manifold 1. In the event of a cold
start by the internal combustion engine, water and unburnt
hydrocarbons are adsorbed by or in the sintered shaped body 2.
Consequently, the emission of hydrocarbons in the cold-start and
warm-up phase of the internal combustion engine is low. As the
internal combustion engine warms up further, the catalytic
converter (not shown) arranged downstream of the exhaust manifold 1
in the exhaust pipe is also heated. This is accelerated by the fact
that water contained in the exhaust gas during the cold start is at
least partially adsorbed by the sintered shaped body 2 and is
therefore no longer taken up by the catalytic converter.
Consequently, the heating of the catalytic converter is not delayed
by the evaporation of water that is adsorbed there. Since,
moreover, no hydrocarbons or only very small quantities of
hydrocarbons reach the catalytic converter during the cold-start
phase, the catalytically active centers of the catalytic converter
are not deactivated by being occupied by hydrocarbons.
Consequently, during the warm-up phase of the internal combustion
engine, the catalytic converter reaches its light-off temperature
earlier and is therefore available for exhaust-gas purification at
an earlier stage. The efficiency of the catalytic exhaust-gas
purification can be increased still further if the sintered shaped
body 2 is itself coated with a catalytically active material.
[0028] As heating continues, hydrocarbons and water adsorbed by the
sintered shaped body 2 are released again. However, since the
downstream catalytic converter is now active, the hydrocarbons
released can be converted in the catalytic converter. The
relatively low thermal conductivity of the sintered shaped body 2
also prevents the thermal energy which is introduced into the
exhaust gas from being used up to an excessive extent to heat the
conduits which carry exhaust gas. Consequently, the heating of the
exhaust pipe system upstream of the catalytic converter and
therefore the heating of the catalytic converter are promoted by
the sintered shaped body 2.
[0029] The ability of the sintered shaped body to adsorb water
prevents the possibility of water condensing out downstream of the
exhaust manifold 1. If condensed water droplets come into contact
with a heated exhaust-gas sensor, this can damage the sensor as a
result of the phenomenon known as water shock. An exhaust-gas
sensor arranged on the entry side of the catalytic converter close
to the internal combustion engine can consequently be heated at a
very early stage without being damaged by water shock.
Consequently, the exhaust-gas sensor is available at an early time,
for example for controlling the mix in the internal combustion
engine. Therefore, the use of the exhaust manifold configured in
accordance with the invention in this way also improves the
emissions from the internal combustion engine during a cold start
or when the engine is warming up.
[0030] It will be understood that the porous inlay according to the
invention is not restricted to being arranged on an exhaust
manifold, but rather may also be arranged in another gas conduit
section of an internal combustion engine. However, it is preferable
for the porous inlay according to the invention to be used in the
exhaust system of an internal combustion engine.
* * * * *