Marine engine exhaust system having a plurality of catalyst devices disposed in parallel with each other

Abstract

A catalyst system for a marine engine includes a plurality of catalyst devices arranged in parallel with each other to accommodate a smaller overall size in a preferred dimension to allow more efficient packaging of the catalyst system.

1 . A marine engine exhaust system, comprising:
 a plurality of exhaust ports configured to conduct exhaust gas from a plurality of cylinders of said marine engine;   a first exhaust conduit disposed in fluid communication with said plurality of exhaust ports;   a plurality of catalyst devices disposed in fluid communication with said first exhaust conduit; and   a second exhaust conduit disposed in fluid communication with said plurality of catalyst devices, said plurality of catalyst devices being disposed in serial fluid communication between said first and second exhaust conduits, each of said plurality of catalyst devices being disposed in parallel with each other.   
     
     
         2 . The marine exhaust system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 said first exhaust conduit is disposed in serial fluid communication between said plurality of exhaust ports and said plurality of catalyst devices.   
     
     
         3 . The marine exhaust system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 said second exhaust conduit is disposed in serial fluid communication with said plurality of catalyst devices.   
     
     
         4 . The marine exhaust system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 said plurality of catalyst devices are aligned along a common plane.   
     
     
         5 . The marine exhaust system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 each of said plurality of catalyst devices comprises a cylindrical housing.   
     
     
         6 . The marine exhaust system of  claim 4 , wherein:
 said common plane is disposed in generally coplanar relation with a diametric plane of each of said catalyst devices.   
     
     
         7 . The marine exhaust system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 each of said plurality of catalyst devices is generally tubular.   
     
     
         8 . The marine exhaust system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 each of said plurality of catalyst devices comprises a catalyst material disposed within a generally tubular housing structure.   
     
     
         9 . The marine exhaust system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a central housing configured to retain said plurality of catalyst devices therein.   
     
     
         10 . The marine exhaust system of  claim 9 , wherein:
 said central housing is disposed in serial fluid communication with said first exhaust conduit.   
     
     
         11 . A marine engine exhaust system, comprising:
 a plurality of exhaust ports configured to conduct exhaust gas from a plurality of cylinders of said marine engine;   a first exhaust conduit disposed in fluid communication with said plurality of exhaust ports;   a plurality of catalyst devices disposed in fluid communication with said first exhaust conduit; and   a second exhaust conduit disposed in fluid communication with said plurality of catalyst devices, said plurality of catalyst devices being disposed in serial fluid communication between said first and second exhaust conduits, each of said plurality of catalyst devices being disposed in parallel with each other, said first exhaust conduit being disposed in serial fluid communication between said plurality of exhaust ports and said plurality of catalyst devices.   
     
     
         12 . The marine exhaust system of  claim 11 , wherein:
 said plurality of catalyst devices are aligned along a common plane.   
     
     
         13 . The marine exhaust system of  claim 12 , wherein:
 each of said plurality of catalyst devices is generally tubular.   
     
     
         14 . The marine exhaust system of  claim 13 , wherein:
 said second exhaust conduit is disposed in serial fluid communication with said plurality of catalyst devices.   
     
     
         15 . The marine exhaust system of  claim 14 , wherein:
 each of said plurality of catalyst devices comprises a catalyst material disposed within a cylindrical housing, said common plane being disposed in generally coplanar relation with a diametric plane of each of said catalyst devices.   
     
     
         16 . The marine exhaust system of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 a central housing configured to retain said plurality of catalyst devices therein, said central housing being disposed in serial fluid communication with said first exhaust conduit.   
     
     
         17 . A marine engine exhaust system, comprising:
 a plurality of exhaust ports configured to conduct exhaust gas from a plurality of cylinders of said marine engine;   a first exhaust conduit disposed in fluid communication with said plurality of exhaust ports;   a plurality of catalyst devices disposed in fluid communication with said first exhaust conduit;   a second exhaust conduit disposed in fluid communication with said plurality of catalyst devices, said plurality of catalyst devices being disposed in serial fluid communication between said first and second exhaust conduits, each of said plurality of catalyst devices being disposed in parallel with each other; and   a central housing configured to retain said plurality of catalyst devices therein.   
     
     
         18 . The marine exhaust system of  claim 17 , wherein:
 said first exhaust conduit is disposed in serial fluid communication between said plurality of exhaust ports and said plurality of catalyst devices, said second exhaust conduit being disposed in serial fluid communication with said plurality of catalyst devices, said plurality of catalyst devices being aligned along a common plane.   
     
     
         19 . The marine exhaust system of  claim 18 , wherein:
 each of said plurality of catalyst devices comprises a cylindrical housing, said common plane being disposed in generally coplanar relation with a diametric plane of each of said catalyst devices.   
     
     
         20 . The marine exhaust system of  claim 17 , wherein:
 each of said plurality of catalyst devices comprises a catalyst material disposed within a generally tubular housing structure, said central housing being disposed in serial fluid communication with said first exhaust conduit.   
     
     
         21 . The marine exhaust system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 exhaust flows axially through said plurality of catalyst devices along respective parallel axial flow paths;   said flow paths are aligned and coplanar along a common plane in an X-Y orthogonal coordinate system where the axial direction is the X-axis, and the alignment of said flow paths is along the Y-axis;   said common plane, along which said aligned flow paths are coplanar, is the X-Y plane.   
     
     
         22 . The marine exhaust system of  claim 11 , wherein:
 exhaust flows axially through said plurality of catalyst devices along respective parallel axial flow paths;   said flow paths are aligned and coplanar along a common plane in an X-Y orthogonal coordinate system where the axial direction is the X-axis, and the alignment of said flow paths is along the Y-axis;   said common plane, along which said aligned flow paths are coplanar, is the X-Y plane.   
     
     
         23 . The marine exhaust system of  claim 17 , wherein:
 exhaust flows axially through said plurality of catalyst devices along respective parallel axial flow paths;   said flow paths are aligned and coplanar along a common plane in an X-Y orthogonal coordinate system where the axial direction is the X-axis, and the alignment of said flow paths is along the Y-axis;   said common plane, along which said aligned flow paths are coplanar, is the X-Y plane.