Exhaust system with post-operation cooling for a vehicle, and a method thereof

Abstract

An exhaust system with post-operation cooling for a vehicle is provided. The vehicle generally has a heat generating device that generates exhaust gas. The exhaust system includes an exhaust gas conduit through which at least a portion of the exhaust gas is flowable and dischargeable, and at least one exhaust gas component in fluid communication with the exhaust gas conduit. The exhaust system also includes an air intake conduit through which outside air is flowable, and an air pump in fluid communication with the air intake conduit. The air intake conduit is in fluid communication with the exhaust gas conduit upstream of the at least one exhaust gas component. The air pump is configured to draw the outside air into the air intake conduit such that the outside air is supplied to the exhaust gas conduit to cool the at least one exhaust gas component.

1 . An exhaust system with post-operation cooling for a vehicle having a heat generating device that generates exhaust gas, the exhaust system comprising:
 an exhaust gas conduit in fluid communication with the heat generating device to receive the exhaust gas, at least a portion of which is flowable through and dischargeable from the exhaust gas conduit;   at least one exhaust gas component in fluid communication with the exhaust gas conduit, the exhaust gas being flowable through the at least one exhaust gas component;   an air intake conduit through which outside air is flowable, the air intake conduit being in fluid communication with the exhaust gas conduit upstream of the at least one exhaust gas component; and   an air pump in fluid communication with the air intake conduit, the air pump being configured to draw the outside air into the air intake conduit such that the outside air is supplied to the exhaust gas conduit to cool the at least one exhaust gas component; and   a controller in communication with the air pump such that the controller is capable of turning off the air pump, wherein the controller is programmed to turn off the air pump when a temperature of the at least one exhaust as component is less than a predetermined temperature.   
     
     
         2 . The exhaust system of  claim 1  further comprising at least one air intake control valve in fluid communication with the air intake conduit, the at least one air intake control valve being configured to control the outside air supplied to the exhaust gas conduit and to prevent a backflow of the exhaust gas from the exhaust gas conduit to the air pump. 
     
     
         3 . The exhaust system of  claim 1  further comprising a temperature sensor configured to measure the temperature of the at least one exhaust gas component. 
     
     
         4 . The exhaust system of  claim 1  wherein the at least one exhaust gas component is a turbocharger. 
     
     
         5 . The exhaust system of  claim 1  wherein the at least one exhaust gas component is an exhaust gas treatment device. 
     
     
         6 . The exhaust system of  claim 5  wherein the exhaust gas treatment device is at least one of a diesel oxidation canister and a catalytic converter. 
     
     
         7 . The exhaust system of  claim 1  wherein the controller is programmed to turn off the air pump after the air pump has been running for a predetermined amount of time. 
     
     
         8 . A vehicle comprising:
 a heat generating device configured to generate exhaust gas; and   an exhaust system with post-operation cooling, the exhaust system being in fluid communication with the heat generating device and having:
 an exhaust gas conduit configured to receive the exhaust gas from the heat generating device and to discharge at least a portion of the exhaust gas; 
 at least one exhaust gas component in fluid communication with the exhaust gas conduit, the exhaust gas being flowable through the at least one exhaust gas component; 
 an air intake conduit through which outside air is flowable, the air intake conduit being in fluid communication with the exhaust gas conduit upstream of the at least one exhaust gas component; and 
   an air pump in fluid communication with the air intake conduit, the air pump being configured to draw the outside air into the air intake conduit such that the outside air may be supplied to the exhaust gas conduit to cool the at least one exhaust gas component; and   a controller in communication with the air pump such that the controller is capable of turning off the air pump, wherein the controller is programmed to turn off the air pump when a temperature of the at least one exhaust gas component is less than a predetermined temperature.   
     
     
         9 . The vehicle of  claim 8  wherein the exhaust system further comprises at least one air intake control valve in fluid communication with the air intake conduit, the at least one air intake control valve being configured to control the outside air supplied to the exhaust gas conduit and to prevent a backflow of the exhaust gas from the exhaust gas conduit to the air pump. 
     
     
         10 . The vehicle of  claim 8  wherein the exhaust system further comprises a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of the at least one exhaust gas component. 
     
     
         11 . The vehicle of  claim 8  wherein the at least one exhaust gas component of the exhaust gas system is a turbocharger. 
     
     
         12 . The vehicle of  claim 8  wherein the at least one exhaust gas component of the exhaust system is an exhaust gas treatment device. 
     
     
         13 . The vehicle of  claim 12  wherein the exhaust gas treatment device is at least one of a diesel oxidation canister and a catalytic converter. 
     
     
         14 . The vehicle of  claim 8  wherein the controller is programmed to turn off the air pump after the air pump has been running for a predetermined amount of time. 
     
     
         15 . The vehicle of  claim 8  wherein the heat generating device is an internal combustion engine. 
     
     
         16 . The vehicle of  claim 14  further comprising an air intake control valve in fluid communication with the air intake conduit, wherein the air intake control valve is configured to control the outside air supplied to the exhaust gas conduit and to prevent a backflow of the exhaust gas from the exhaust gas conduit to the air pump, the air intake control valve is movable between an open position and a closed position, and the controller is programmed to move the air intake control valve to the closed position after the air pump has been running for the predetermined amount of time. 
     
     
         17 . A method of cooling an exhaust gas component in an exhaust system of a vehicle, the method comprising; introducing outside air into the exhaust system and through the exhaust gas component using an air pump to internally cool the exhaust gas component post-operation of the vehicle; and determining a temperature of the exhaust gas component; and turning off the air pump at least when the temperature of the exhaust gas component is less than a predetermined temperature. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein introducing of outside air into the exhaust system includes supplying the outside air upstream of the exhaust gas component. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  further comprising turning off the air pump after the air pump has been operating for a predetermined length of time. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18  the exhaust system comprises an air intake conduit, an exhaust gas conduit in fluid communication with the air intake conduit and the exhaust gas component, an air intake control valve in fluid communication with the air intake conduit, the air intake control valve being configured to control the outside air supplied to the exhaust gas conduit and to prevent a backflow of the exhaust gas from the exhaust gas conduit to the air pump, and the method further comprises closing the air intake control valve after the air pump has been operating for the predetermined length of time.