Emission control device

Claim 2

A combined acoustical muffler and afterburner device for effecting substantially complete combustion of unburned hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide which may be present in the exhaust gas of an internal-combustion engine, comprising, in combination: an elongate outer housing forming an enclosure; an elongate inner housing disposed within said outer housing, said inner and outer housings having respective tubular walls disposed in substantially uniformly spaced relation defining a circumferential passageway therebetween extending along the length of said outer housing: an exhaust gas inlet conduit extending through said outer housing at one end thereof and discharging into the corresponding one end of said inner housing; means for introducing incoming air into said passageway at the other end of said outer housing and said circumferential passageway communicating with said one end of the inner housing adjacent the region at which exhaust gas is discharged thereinto whereby the incoming air and exhaust gas are intermixed thereat; said inner housing including a transverse header plate spaced axially from said one end thereof, a plurality of tubes projecting from said header plate toward the other end of said inner housing to convey said intermixed exhaust gas and incoming air therethrough; a flow reverseR comprising a transverse wall spaced between the ends of said tubes and the other end of said inner housing and a tubular skirt extending from said transverse wall toward but terminating short of said header plate in surrounding relation to said tubes and inwardly spaced substantially uniformly with respect to said tubular wall of the inner housing; means for igniting the intermixed exhaust gas and incoming air emanating from said tubes whereby afterburning exhaust gas passes first within said skirt toward said header plate and then in reverse direction outside said skirt between it and the tubular wall of said inner housing to the other end of the latter, respectively to superheat the intermixed exhaust gas and incoming air passing through said tubes and to preheat the incoming air in said passageway; and an outlet conduit extending from said other end of the inner housing through said other end of the outer housing.

Claim 3

The combined muffler and afterburner according to claim 2 including a mixing device within said one end of said inner housing, said mixing device comprising an imperforate wall spaced inwardly from said inlet conduit and against which incoming exhaust gas impinges, and perforate skirt extending from said imperforate wall to said one end of inner housing.

Claim 4

The combined muffler and afterburner according to claim 4 wherein said inner and outer housings are provided with end walls at said one end thereof which are spaced apart to define an air chamber into which said passageway discharges; said inlet conduit passing through said air chamber and the corresponding end wall of the inner housing having an opening larger than said inlet conduit to admit air from said air chamber peripherally around the inlet conduit.

Claim 5

A combined acoustical muffler and afterburner device for effecting substantially complete combustion of unburned hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide which may be present in the exhaust gas of an internal-combustion engine, comprising, in combination: an elongate outer housing forming an enclosure; an elongate inner housing disposed within said outer housing, said inner and outer housings having respective tubular walls disposed in substantially uniformly spaced relation defining a circumferential passageway therebetween extending along the length of said outer housing; an exhaust gas inlet conduit extending through said outer housing at one end thereof and discharging into the corresponding one end of said inner housing; means for introducing incoming air into said passageway at the other end of said outer housing and said circumferential passageway communicating with said one end of the inner housing adjacent the region at which exhaust gas is discharged thereinto whereby the incoming air and exhaust gas are intermixed thereat; said inner housing including a transverse header plate spaced axially from said one end thereof, a plurality of tubes projecting from said header plate toward the other end of said inner housing to convey said intermixed exhaust gas and incoming air therethrough; a flow reverser comprising a transverse wall spaced between the ends of said tubes and the other end of said inner housing and a tubular skirt extending from said transverse wall toward but terminating short of said header plate in surrounding relation to said tubes and inwardly spaced substantially uniformly with respect to said tubular will of the inner housing; means for igniting the intermixed exhaust gas and incoming air emanating from said tubes whereby afterburning exhaust gas passes first within said skirt toward said header plate and then in reverse direction outside said skirt between it and the tubular wall of said inner housing to the other end of the latter, respectively to superheat the intermixed exhaust gas and incoming air passing through said tubes and to preheat the incoming air in said passageway; said inner and outer housings are provided with end walls at said other ends thereof whIch are spaced apart to define a chamber; said means for introducing incoming air comprising a tube discharging tangentially into said chamber; wire extending spirally around said inner housing, said wire being of a thickness substantially to bridge between said inner and outer housings; and an outlet conduit extending from said other end of the inner housing through said other end of the outer housing.

Claim 6

A combined acoustical muffler and afterburner device for effecting substantially complete combustion of unburned hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide which may be present in the exhaust gas of an internal-combustion engine, comprising, in combination: an elongate outer housing forming an enclosure; an elongate inner housing disposed within said outer housing, said inner and outer housings having respective tubular walls disposed in substantially uniformly spaced relation defining a circumferential passageway therebetween extending along the length of said outer housing; an exhaust gas inlet conduit extending through said outer housing at one end thereof and discharging into the corresponding one end of said inner housing; means for introducing incoming air into said passageway at the other end of said outer housing and said circumferential passageway communicating with said one end of the inner housing adjacent the region at which exhaust gas is discharged thereinto whereby the incoming air and exhaust gas are intermixed thereat; said inner housing including a transverse header plate spaced axially from said one end thereof, a plurality of tubes projecting from said header plate toward the other end of said inner housing to convey said intermixed exhaust gas and incoming air therethrough; a flow reverser comprising a transverse wall spaced between the ends of said tubes and the other end of said inner housing and a tubular skirt extending from said transverse wall toward but terminating short of said header plate in surrounding relation to said tubes and inwardly spaced substantially uniformly with respect to said tubular will of the inner housing; means for igniting the intermixed exhaust gas and incoming air emanating from said tubes whereby afterburning exhaust gas passes first within said skirt toward said header plate and then in reverse direction outside said skirt between it and the tubular wall of said inner housing to the other end of the latter, respectively to superheat the intermixed exhaust gas and incoming air passing through said tubes and to preheat the incoming air in said passageway; said inner and outer housings are provided with end walls at said other ends thereof whIch are spaced apart to define a chamber; said means for introducing incoming air comprising a tube discharging tangentially into said chamber; wire extending spirally around said inner housing, said wire being of a thickness substantially to bridge between said inner and outer housings; and an outlet conduit extending from said other end of the inner housing through said other end of the outer housing.

Claim 7

A combined acoustical muffler and afterburner device for effecting substantially complete combustion of unburned hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide which may be present in the exhaust gas of an internal-combustion engine, comprising, in combination: an elongate outer housing forming an enclosure; an elongate inner housing disposed within said outer housing, said inner and outer housings having respective tubular walls disposed in substantially uniformly spaced relation defining a circumferential passageway therebetween extending along the length of said outer housing; an exhaust gas inlet conduit extending through said outer housing at one end thereof and discharging into the corresponding one end of said inner housing; means for introducing incoming air into said passageway at the other end of said outer housing and said circumferential passageway communicating with said one end of the inner housing adjacent the region at which exhaust gas is discharged thereinto whereby the incoming air and exhaust gas are intermixed thereat; said inner housing including a transverse header plate spaced axially from said one end thereof, a plurality of tubes projecting from said header plate toward the other end of said inner housing to convey said intermixed exhaust gas and incoming air therethrough; a flow reverser comprising a transverse wall spaced between the ends of said tubes and the other end of said inner housing and a tubular skirt extending from said transverse wall toward but terminating short of said header plate in surrounding relation to said tubes and inwardly spaced substantially uniformly with respect to said tubular wall of the inner housing; means for igniting the intermixed exhaust gas and incoming air emanating from said tubes whereby afterburning exhaust gas passes first within said skirt toward said header plate and then in reverse direction outside said skirt between it and the tubular wall of said inner housing to the other end of the latter, respectively to superheat the intermixed exhaust gas and incoming air passing through said tubes and to preheat the incoming air in said passageway; means within said passageway to cause a spiraling movement of the air which is passing along the length of said passageway; and an outlet conduit extending from said other end of the inner housing through said other end of the outer housing.

Claim 8

A combined acoustical muffler and afterburner device for effecting substantially complete combustion of unburned hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide which may be present in the exhaust gas of an internal-combustion engine, comprising, in combination: an elongate outer housing forming an enclosure; an elongate inner housing disposed within said outer housing, said inner and outer housings having respective tubular walls disposed in substantially uniformly spaced relation defining a circumferential passageway therebetween extending along the length of said outer housing; an exhaust gas inlet conduit extending through said outer housing at one end thereof and discharging into the corresponding one end of said inner housing; means for introducing incoming air into said passageway at the other end of said outer housing and said circumferential passageway communicating with said one end of the inner housing adjacent the region at which exhaust gas is discharged thereinto whereby the incoming air and exhaust gas are intermixed thereat; said inner housing including a transverse header plate spaced axially from said one end thereof, a plurality of tubes projecting from said header plate toward the other end of said inner housing to convey said intermixed exhaust gas and incoming air therethrough; a flow reverser comprising a transverse wall spaced between the ends of said tubes and the other end of said inner housing and a tubular skirt extending from said transverse wall toward but terminating short of said header plate in surrounding relation to said tubes and inwardly spaced substantially uniformly with respect to said tubular wall of the inner housing; means for igniting the intermixed exhaust gas and incoming air emanating from said tubes whereby afterburning exhaust gas passes first within said skirt toward said header plate and then in reverse direction outside said skirt between it and the tubular wall of said inner housing to the other end of the latter, respectively to superheat the intermixed exhaust gas and incoming air passing through said tubes and to preheat the incoming air in said passageway; means within said passageway to cause a spiraling movement of the air which is passing along the length of said passageway; and an outlet conduit extending from said other end of the inner housing through said other end of the outer housing.