Post-combustion reactor for exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine

Claim 2

A treating reactor having a longitudinal axis for the exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine, comprising a plurality of means defining concentric tubular walls defining a plurality of intercommunicating chambers, inlet means opening into one of said chambers, and outlet means extending from another of said chambers, means for rendering said concentric walls integral with each other in pairs in a plane transverse to said axis comprising fixing points disposed in staggered relation from one pair of walls to another pair of said walls, and slidable guide means between adjacent end portions of said walls.

Claim 3

A reactor as claimed in claim 1, wherein two adjacent walls respectively have projecting portions which project toward each other, said fixing points being located at contacting parts of said projecting portions.

Claim 4

A reactor as claimed in claim 1, comprising attached elements on one of said walls,the fixing points being located on said attached elements.

Claim 5

A reactor as claimed in claim 3, wherein the attached elements are U-shaped.

Claim 6

A reactor as claimed in claim 3, wherein the attached elements are S-shaped.

Claim 7

A reactor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fixing points are disposed at corners of two squares having the same center and angularly offset 45* about said center from each other.

Claim 8

A reactor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fixing points are located at corners of two equilateral triangles having the same center and angularly offset 60* from each other about said center.

Claim 9

A treating reactor having a longitudinal axis for treating exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine, comprising means defining an outer tubular wall, an intermediate tubular wall and an inner tubular wall, said tubular walls being concentric and defining a plurality of concentric chambers including an innermost chamber, means for putting said chambers in communication with each other, inlet pipes connected to said outer wall for connection to exhaust pipes, said inlet pipes extending through said inner and intermediate tubular walls with clearance and opening into said innermost chamber, outlet means connected to said outer wall for putting said chambers in communication with the exterior, first means for connecting said outer tubular wall to said intermediate tubular wall and second means for connecting said intermediate tubular wall to said inner tubular wall in a plane transverse to said axis, said first means having first fixing points and said second means having second fixing points, said first and second fixing points being in staggered relation to each other in said plane, and slidable guide means between adjacent end portions of said tubular walls.

Claim 10

A treating reactor having a longitudinal axis for treating exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine, comprising means defining an outer tubular wall, an intermediate tubular wall and an inner tubular wall, said tubular walls being concentric and defining a plurality of concentric chambers including an innermost chamber, means for putting said chambers in communication with each other, inlet pipes connected to said outer wall for connection to exhaust pipes, said inlet pipes extending through said inner and intermediate tubular walls with clearance and opening into said innermost chamber, outlet means connected to said outer wall for putting said chambers in communication with the exterior, first means for connecting said outer tubular wall to said intermediate tubular wall and second means for connecting said intermediate tubular wall to said inner tubular wall in a plane transverse to said axis, said first means having first fixing points and said second means having second fixing points, said first and second fixing points being in staggered relation to each other in said plane, and slidable guide means between adjacent end portions of said tubular walls.

Claim 11

A reactor as claimed in claim 8, wherein the outer tubular wall comprises around each of said inlet pipes a corrugated portion allowing a deformation of said outer tubular wall.

Claim 12

A reactor as claimed in claim 9, wherein the outer tubular wall comprises an annular corrugation between the inlet pipes.

Claim 13

A reactor as claimed in claim 1, wherein said slidable guide means comprise two cylindrical faces defined by two covers which respectively close end portions of an outermost tubular wall and an innermost tubular wall of said walls.

Claim 14

A reactor as claimed in claim 11, wherein said covers define a buffer chamber therebetween.

Claim 15

A reactor as claimed in claim 11, wherein said tubular walls include an intermediate tubular wall whose length is less than the lengths of the outermost tubular wall and the innermost tubular wall, slidable guide means being provided at each end of the intermediate wall whereby it is slidably guided with respect to an adjacent one of said tubular walls.

Claim 16

A reactor as claimed in claim 1, comprising means in said inlet means for supplying additional air.