Apparatus and system for trapping debris and arresting sparks

Abstract

Described herein are various embodiments of an apparatus and system for trapping debris and arresting sparks that overcomes at least some shortcomings of the prior art approaches. According to one embodiment, an apparatus is disclosed for mitigating failure of an exhaust after-treatment component in an internal combustion engine system capable of generating an exhaust gas stream. The apparatus includes a housing that includes an exhaust inlet, exhaust outlet, and exhaust flow channel positioned between the exhaust inlet and outlet. Also, the apparatus includes a tubular-shaped mesh screen positioned substantially entirely within the exhaust flow channel. The mesh screen includes a closed end positioned proximate the exhaust inlet of the housing and an opposing open end positioned proximate the exhaust outlet of the housing. The mesh screen is configured to capture failed exhaust after-treatment component particles within the exhaust gas stream.

1 . An apparatus for mitigating failure of an exhaust gas after-treatment component in an internal combustion engine system capable of generating an exhaust gas stream, comprising:
 a housing comprising an exhaust inlet, an exhaust outlet, and an exhaust flow channel positioned between the exhaust inlet and outlet; and   a tubular-shaped mesh screen positioned substantially entirely within the exhaust flow channel, the mesh screen comprising a closed end positioned proximate the exhaust inlet of the housing and an opposing open end positioned proximate the exhaust outlet of the housing, wherein the mesh screen is configured to capture failed exhaust gas after-treatment component particles within the exhaust gas stream.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the mesh screen defines an interior space having an increasing cross-sectional area in a closed-to-open end direction. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the cross-sectional area of the interior space proximate the open end is approximately equal to a cross-sectional area of the exhaust outlet of the housing. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the cross-sectional area of the exhaust outlet of the housing is approximately equal to a maximum cross-sectional area of the exhaust flow channel. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the open end of the mesh screen is secured directly to an interior surface of the housing. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the exhaust inlet of the housing is removably coupleable to an exhaust outlet of an upstream exhaust after-treatment device. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the exhaust outlet of the housing is configured to engage an exhaust inlet of a downstream exhaust after-treatment device. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the housing has a length between approximately 8 inches and approximately 10 inches. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the mesh screen comprises sidewalls that diverge from the closed end to the open end at an angle of at least about 5°. 
     
     
         10 . An exhaust gas after-treatment system for a diesel-powered internal combustion engine, comprising:
 a diesel particulate filter in exhaust receiving communication with the diesel-powered internal combustion engine, the diesel particulate filter comprising a filter substrate for capturing particulate matter in the exhaust; and   an arrestor positioned downstream of the diesel particulate filter in exhaust receiving communication with the diesel particulate filter, the arrestor comprising a mesh screen through which flows all exhaust received by the arrestor, wherein the mesh screen comprises a plurality of openings sized to capture sparks above a threshold size, the sparks being generated by the diesel-powered internal combustion engine, and capture failed component debris above the threshold size, the failed component debris comprising pieces of a failed after-treatment component upstream of the arrestor.   
     
     
         11 . The exhaust gas after-treatment system of  claim 10 , further comprising a diesel oxidation catalyst upstream of the diesel particulate filter and a selective catalytic reduction catalyst positioned downstream of the diesel particulate filter and upstream of the arrestor, wherein the failed after-treatment component comprises at least one of the diesel particulate filter, diesel oxidation catalyst, and selective catalytic reduction catalyst. 
     
     
         12 . The exhaust gas after-treatment system of  claim 10 , wherein the arrestor is configured to induce less than about a 0.5 in-Hg increase in exhaust gas backpressure within the exhaust gas after-treatment system. 
     
     
         13 . The exhaust gas after-treatment system of  claim 10 , wherein the arrestor comprises an exhaust inlet and an exhaust outlet, and wherein the mesh screen comprises a closed end and an open end opposite the closed end, the closed end being closer to the exhaust inlet of the arrestor than the open end. 
     
     
         14 . The exhaust gas after-treatment system of  claim 10 , wherein the arrestor comprises an exhaust inlet and an exhaust outlet, and wherein the mesh screen comprises a closed end and an open end opposite the closed end, the open end being closer to the exhaust inlet of the arrestor than the closed end. 
     
     
         15 . The exhaust gas after-treatment system of  claim 10 , further comprising a component housing and an exhaust gas after-treatment component positioned within the housing, wherein the arrestor is positioned within the component housing downstream of the exhaust gas after-treatment component. 
     
     
         16 . The exhaust gas after-treatment system of  claim 10 , further comprising a component housing and an exhaust gas after-treatment component positioned within the housing, wherein the arrestor is external and removably securable to the component housing. 
     
     
         17 . An internal combustion engine system, comprising:
 a diesel-powered internal combustion engine capable of generating an exhaust gas stream;   an exhaust gas after-treatment system in exhaust gas receiving communication with the diesel-powered internal combustion engine, the exhaust gas after-treatment system comprising a diesel particulate filter comprising a filter substrate for capturing particulate matter in the exhaust gas stream; and   an arrestor positioned downstream of the diesel particulate filter in exhaust receiving communication with the diesel particulate filter, the arrestor comprising a generally tubular-shaped mesh screen through which all exhaust received by the arrestor flows, wherein the mesh screen comprises a plurality of openings sized to capture sparks above a threshold size, the sparks being generated by the diesel-powered internal combustion engine, and capture failed component debris above the threshold size, the failed component debris comprising pieces of a failed after-treatment component upstream of the arrestor.   
     
     
         18 . The exhaust gas after-treatment system of  claim 17 , wherein the diesel-powered internal combustion engine generates at least 50 horsepower. 
     
     
         19 . The exhaust gas after-treatment system of  claim 18 , wherein the diesel-powered internal combustion engine generates at least 500 horsepower. 
     
     
         20 . The exhaust gas after-treatment system of  claim 17 , wherein the diesel-powered internal combustion engine and exhaust gas after-treatment system satisfy at least one of U.S. Tier 4 and Europe Stage IIb exhaust emissions standards.