Honeycomb body, particularly a catalyst carrier, provided with opposedly folded metal sheet layers, and its manufacturing process

Claim 2

Honeycomb body, more particularly catalyst carrier body, consisting of metal sheets (1, 2) which are arranged in layers, are at least in part structured and form a plurality of channels, through which gases can flow, the metal sheets being surrounded by a jacket tube (7) which may consist of several segments, and being connected with the latter by joining techniques, characterised by the following features: a) The honeycomb consists of a stack (3) of at least in part structured metal sheets (1, 2). b) The ends of the stack are twisted in mutually opposite directions about at least two fixation points (5, 6; 35, 36; 45, 46; 85, 86). c) The ens of the metal sheets (1, 2) are connected by joining techniques and/or in a formclosing manner with the jacket tube (7).

Claim 3

Honeycomb body according to claim 1 for round cross-sectional forms, characterised in that the spacing of the fixation points (5, 6) and with that the height (h) of the stack (3) and the length (L) of the stack (3) in relation to the radius (R) of the honeycomb body obey the following conditions: with n 2, preferably 9 >_ n 3, where n does not need to be a whole number.

Claim 4

Honeycomb body according to claim 1, characterised in that for longitudinally extended cross sections the fixation points (35, 36; 85, 86; 135, 136) lie staggered in respect of the stack (3).

Claim 5

Honeycomb body according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterised in that the at least in part structured metal sheets (1, 2) are brazed one with the other on the end surfaces at least in partial regions, preferably in a narrow marginal zone region (38; 48).

Claim 6

Honeycomb body according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, characterised in that the at least in part structured metal sheets (1, 2) are alternately arranged smooth (1) and corrugated (2) metal sheets.

Claim 7

Honeycomb body according to claim 5, characterised in that the smooth metal sheets (1) are slightly longer than the corrugated metal sheets (2) and on both sides project out over the corrugated metal sheets (2) by a short length (d).

Claim 8

Honeycomb body according to claim 5, characterised in that the corrugated metal sheets (2) have at their end straight sections (52) which run substantially in the centre between the adjacent smooth metal sheets (1).

Claim 9

Honeycomb body according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, characterised in that the at least in part structured metal sheets are alternately arranged corrugated metal sheets (71, 72), the corrugation of which forms one with the other a small angle (a) so that in each case a few of the channels formed by the corrugations intersect each other under the angle (a), preferably a = 5° to 30°.

Claim 10

Honeycomb body according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the metal sheets (1, 2; 71, 72) are connected with the jacket tube at their ends by welded seams running substantially in a peripheral direction, in which case it is possible to intensify the stability further by welded seams projecting somewhat inwards on account of their form-closure.

Claim 11

Honeycomb body according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that for oval or irregular cross-sectional forms, which cannot be completely filled in with a stack of metal sheets twisted in opposite directions, filling pieces (81) are integrated in the honeycomb body, which pieces, for their part, are in turn wound or layered out of at least in part structured metal sheets (1, 2).

Claim 12

Honeycomb body according to one of the claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the metal sheets (1, 2; 71, 72) are pressed out in the central region of the honeycomb body to form a face so that a quasi- round-conical face form is present.

Claim 13

Method for producing a honeycomb body, more particularly catalyst carrier body to claim 1 or 2, characterised by the following features. a) A suitable number of at least in part structured metal sheets (1, 2) is layered to form a stack (3). b) The stack (3) is twisted in opposite directions by means of one or two fork-like device(s) which acts (or act) on fixation points (5, 6) lying on the upper side and lower side of the stack (3). c) The twisted stack is inserted into a jacket tube (7) or is wrapped with such a tube. d) The ends of the at least in part structured metal sheets (1, 2) are connected, preferably brazed, by joining techniques and/or in a form- closing manner with the jacket tube (7).

Claim 14

Method for producing a honeycomb body, more particularly catalyst carrier body, according to claim 3, characterised by the following features: a) At least in part structured metal sheets (1, 2) are stacked up to form a stack (3), this stack having a substantially rectangular or parallelogram-shaped cross section. b) The metal sheet layers are twisted in opposite directions by means of a fork or the like acting on staggered fixation points (35, 36; 45, 46; 135, 136) lying on the upper side and lower side of the stack (3) and are subsequently provided and connected with a jacket tube (37; 47).

Claim 15

Method for producing a honeycomb body, more particularly a catalyst carrier body, according to claim 10, characterised by the following features: a) A suitable number of at least in part structured metal sheets (1, 2) is layered to form a stack (3), one or several filling pieces (81) being inserted into the stack, preferably substantially in the central region. b) The metal sheet layers are twisted in opposite directions by means of a fork or the like acting on staggered fixation points (85, 86) lying on the upper side and the lower side of the stack (3) and are subsequently provided and connected with a jacket tube (87).

Claim 16

1 5. Method for producing a honeycomb body, more particularly a catalyst carrier body, according to claim 11, characterised by the following features: a) A suitable number of at least in part structured metal sheets (1, 2) is layered to form a stack (3). b ) The stack (3) is twisted in opposite directions by means of a fork or the like which acts on the fixation points (5, 6) lying on the upper side and the lower side of the stack (3). c) The twisted stack is inserted into a jacket tube (7) or wrapped with such a tube. d) The ends of the at least in part structured metal sheets (1, 2) are, if necessary for the following steps, secured by joining techniques or in a form- closing manner substantially in the centre of the jacket tube in the peripheral direction, preferably by means of a welded seam running in the peripheral direction about the jacket tube (7). e) The central region of the honeycomb body is pressed out with a stamp or the like to form a face. f) Further connections achieved by joining techniques and/or in a form-closing manner of the metal sheets in respect of the jacket tube are established.

Claim 17

Method according to claim 12, 13, 14 or 15, characterised in that the ends of the structured metal sheets (1, 2; 71, 72) are brazed with the jacket tube (7; 37; 47; 87) in that the jacket tube is provided on the inside with brazing material and after the insertion of the structured metal sheets (1, 2; 71, 72) is heated from outside, for example by means of induction coils, infrared radiation or the like.