Exhaust gas diffuser

Abstract

An exhaust gas-cooling device for use on an exhaust gas conveyance system of a vehicle to emit exhaust gases from an engine to an outlet includes a pipe defining an exhaust gas passageway that is in fluid communication with the engine, and a diffuser in fluid communication with the exhaust gas passageway. The diffuser is configured for receiving the pipe, and has a body defining an outlet of the exhaust gas passageway to the ambient, and a diffusing structure disposed on the body generally opposite the outlet. The diffusing structure has a separating structure configured for receiving and diverting the flow of exhaust gas emitted from the pipe, and a guiding structure configured for guiding the diverted flow of exhaust gas along the body to the outlet.

1 . An exhaust gas-cooling device for use on an exhaust gas conveyance system of a vehicle to emit exhaust gases from an engine to an outlet, comprising:
 a pipe defining an exhaust gas passageway that is in fluid communication with the engine;   a diffuser in fluid communication with said exhaust gas passageway and configured for receiving said pipe, said diffuser comprising:   a body defining an outlet of said exhaust gas passageway to an ambient;   a diffusing structure disposed on said body generally opposite said outlet, said diffusing structure having a separating structure configured for receiving and diverting the flow of exhaust gas emitted from said pipe, and a guiding structure configured for guiding the diverted flow of exhaust gas along said body to said outlet.   
   
   
       2 . The exhaust gas-cooling device of  claim 1  wherein said body comprises an upstream surface that receives said pipe, and a downstream surface generally opposite said upstream surface. 
   
   
       3 . The exhaust gas-cooling device of  claim 2  wherein said body comprises first and second side surfaces. 
   
   
       4 . The exhaust gas-cooling device of  claim 1  wherein said body is formed of a conductive, corrosion resistant material. 
   
   
       5 . The exhaust gas-cooling device of  claim 4  wherein said body is formed of stainless steel. 
   
   
       6 . The exhaust gas-cooling device of  claim 1  wherein said separating structure is generally concavely contoured. 
   
   
       7 . The exhaust gas-cooling device of  claim 1  wherein said guiding structure is disposed adjacent said separating structure and comprises at least one generally convex contour. 
   
   
       8 . The exhaust gas-cooling device of  claim 1  wherein said guiding structure and said separating structure are generally parallel and form a “ridge-groove-ridge” shape in profile. 
   
   
       9 . The exhaust gas-cooling device of  claim 1  wherein said pipe has an interior portion disposed within said body, and an exterior portion disposed outside of said body, wherein said interior portion is angled with respect to said exterior portion. 
   
   
       10 . The exhaust gas-cooling device of  claim 9  wherein said interior portion of said pipe defines a pipe outlet for emitting exhaust gases into said diffuser. 
   
   
       11 . The exhaust gas-cooling device of  claim 1  wherein said diffusing structure is configured to receive the exhaust gases at an angle of incidence of less than 90-degrees. 
   
   
       12 . A diffuser for use on an exhaust gas conveyance system of a vehicle having a pipe defining an exhaust gas passageway to emit exhaust gases from an engine to an outlet, said diffuser comprising:
 a body in fluid communication with the pipe and defining an outlet of the exhaust gas passageway to an ambient, said body formed of a conductive, corrosion resistant material;   a diffusing structure disposed on said body generally opposite said outlet, said diffusing structure having a separating structure configured for receiving and diverting the flow of exhaust gas emitted from the pipe, and a guiding structure adjacent said diffusing structure configured for guiding the diverted flow of exhaust gas along said body to said outlet.   
   
   
       13 . The diffuser of  claim 12  wherein said body comprises an upstream surface that is configured to receive the pipe, and a downstream surface generally opposite said upstream surface. 
   
   
       14 . The diffuser of  claim 13  wherein said body comprises first and second side surfaces, and wherein said upstream surface, said downstream surface, said first surface and said second surface define said outlet of the exhaust gas passageway. 
   
   
       15 . The diffuser of  claim 12  wherein said separating structure is generally concavely contoured. 
   
   
       16 . The diffuser of  claim 12  wherein said guiding structure is disposed adjacent said separating structure and comprises at least one generally convex contour. 
   
   
       17 . The diffuser of  claim 12  wherein said separating structure extends at along at least a portion of the length of said body. 
   
   
       18 . The diffuser of  claim 12  wherein said body further comprises an interior pipe disposed in the interior of said body, said interior pipe configured to be in fluid communication with the pipe to define the exhaust gas passageway. 
   
   
       19 . The diffuser of  claim 18  wherein said interior pipe directs the exhaust gas at said diffusing structure at an angle of incidence of less than 90-degrees. 
   
   
       20 . An exhaust gas-cooling device for use on an exhaust gas conveyance system of a vehicle to emit exhaust gases from an engine to an outlet, comprising:
 a pipe defining an exhaust gas passageway that is in fluid communication with the engine;   a generally rectangular shaped diffuser in fluid communication with said exhaust gas passageway and configured for receiving said pipe, said diffuser comprising:   a body defining an outlet of said exhaust gas passageway to an ambient, said body having an upstream surface configured for receiving said pipe;   a diffusing structure disposed on said body generally opposite said outlet, said diffusing structure having a generally concavely shaped separating structure configured for receiving and diverting the flow of exhaust gas emitted from said pipe, and two generally convexly shaped guiding structures disposed on each side of said separating structure and configured for guiding the diverted flow of exhaust gas along said body to said outlet.