Aftertreatment system

Abstract

An aftertreatment system for treating a high-volume exhaust flow is provided. The aftertreatment system includes a first module having a first mixing element, and a second module having a second mixing element. The aftertreatment system also includes a main inlet conduit, a first inlet conduit, a second inlet conduit, a first outlet conduit, and a second outlet conduit. Each of the first inlet conduit and the second inlet conduit is adapted to split the exhaust flow downstream of the main inlet conduit into a first stream and a second stream flowing therethrough respectively. The splitting of the exhaust flow is adapted to limit a backpressure within the aftertreatment system. Each of the first mixing element and the second mixing element is adapted to improve a mixing of the first stream and the second stream within the first module and the second module respectively.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An aftertreatment system for treating a high-volume exhaust flow, the aftertreatment system comprising:
 a first module including a first mixing element;   a second module including a second mixing element, the second module having a configuration similar to a configuration of the first module;   a main inlet conduit adapted to receive the exhaust flow;   a first inlet conduit fluidly coupled to the main inlet conduit and the first module;   a second inlet conduit fluidly coupled to the main inlet conduit and the second module;   a first outlet conduit fluidly coupled to the first module; and   a second outlet conduit fluidly coupled to the second module,
 wherein each of the first inlet conduit and the second inlet conduit is adapted to split the exhaust flow downstream of the main inlet conduit into a first stream and a second stream flowing therethrough respectively, wherein splitting of the exhaust flow is adapted to limit a backpressure within the aftertreatment system, and wherein each of the first mixing element and the second mixing element is adapted to improve a mixing of the first stream and the second stream within the first module and the second module respectively. 
   
     
     
         2 . The aftertreatment system of  claim 1 , wherein a cross sectional area of the first inlet conduit is equal to a cross sectional area of the second inlet conduit. 
     
     
         3 . The aftertreatment system of  claim 1 , wherein a cross sectional area of the first inlet conduit is different with respect to a cross sectional area of the second inlet conduit. 
     
     
         4 . The aftertreatment system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the first module and the second module includes at least one of a diesel particulate filter (DPF), a diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) dosing unit, and a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) unit. 
     
     
         5 . The aftertreatment system of  claim 1  further includes a main outlet conduit fluidly coupled to each of the first outlet conduit and the second outlet conduit. 
     
     
         6 . The aftertreatment system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one the first inlet conduit, the first outlet conduit, the second inlet conduit, and the second outlet conduit is disposed along a lateral axis of the first module and the second module respectively. 
     
     
         7 . The aftertreatment system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one the first inlet conduit, the first outlet conduit, the second inlet conduit, and the second outlet conduit is disposed at an angle with respect to a lateral axis of the first module and the second module respectively. 
     
     
         8 . The aftertreatment system of  claim 1 , wherein the first module includes:
 a first sub-module fluidly coupled to the first inlet conduit;   a second sub-module fluidly coupled to the first outlet conduit; and   a first auxiliary conduit fluidly coupled between the first sub-module and the second sub-module.   
     
     
         9 . The aftertreatment system of  claim 8 , wherein the second module includes:
 a third sub-module fluidly coupled to the second inlet conduit;   a fourth sub-module fluidly coupled to the second outlet conduit; and   a second auxiliary conduit fluidly coupled between the third sub-module and the fourth sub-module.   
     
     
         10 . The aftertreatment system of  claim 9 , wherein at least one of the first sub-module and the second sub-module, and the third sub-module and the fourth sub-module is disposed in a stacked configuration. 
     
     
         11 . An engine comprising:
 an engine block;   a plurality of cylinders provided in the engine block;   a cylinder head provided on the engine block;   an exhaust manifold fluidly coupled to the plurality of cylinders, the exhaust manifold adapted to receive a high-volume exhaust flow from the plurality of cylinders; and   an aftertreatment system fluidly coupled to the exhaust manifold, the aftertreatment system adapted to receive and treat the high-volume exhaust flow from the exhaust manifold, the aftertreatment system comprising:
 a first module including a first mixing element; 
 a second module including a second mixing element, the second module having a configuration similar to a configuration of the first module; 
 a main inlet conduit fluidly coupled to the exhaust manifold, the main inlet conduit adapted to receive the exhaust flow from the exhaust manifold; 
 a first inlet conduit fluidly coupled to the main inlet conduit and the first module; 
 a second inlet conduit fluidly coupled to the main inlet conduit and the second module; 
 a first outlet conduit fluidly coupled to the first module; and 
 a second outlet conduit fluidly coupled to the second module,
 wherein each of the first inlet conduit and the second inlet conduit is adapted to split the exhaust flow downstream of the main inlet conduit into a first stream and a second stream flowing therethrough respectively, wherein splitting of the exhaust flow is adapted to limit a backpressure within the aftertreatment system, and wherein each of the first mixing element and the second mixing element is adapted to improve a mixing of the first stream and the second stream within the first module and the second module respectively. 
 
   
     
     
         12 . The engine of  claim 11 , wherein at least one the first inlet conduit, the first outlet conduit, the second inlet conduit, and the second outlet conduit is disposed along a lateral axis of the first module and the second module respectively. 
     
     
         13 . The aftertreatment system of  claim 11 , wherein at least one the first inlet conduit, the first outlet conduit, the second inlet conduit, and the second outlet conduit is disposed at an angle with respect to a lateral axis of the first module and the second module respectively. 
     
     
         14 . The aftertreatment system of  claim 11 , wherein the first module includes:
 a first sub-module fluidly coupled to the first inlet conduit;   a second sub-module fluidly coupled to the first outlet conduit; and   a first auxiliary conduit fluidly coupled between the first sub-module and the second sub-module.   
     
     
         15 . The aftertreatment system of  claim 14 , wherein the second module includes:
 a third sub-module fluidly coupled to the second inlet conduit;   a fourth sub-module fluidly coupled to the second outlet conduit; and   a second auxiliary conduit fluidly coupled between the third sub-module and the fourth sub-module.   
     
     
         16 . The aftertreatment system of  claim 15 , wherein at least one of the first sub-module and the second sub-module, and the third sub-module and the fourth sub-module is disposed in a stacked configuration. 
     
     
         17 . A method for limiting a backpressure within an aftertreatment system having a high-volume exhaust flow therethrough, the method comprising:
 receiving the exhaust flow through a main inlet conduit;   splitting the exhaust flow downstream of the main inlet conduit in a first stream using a first inlet conduit, and a second stream using a second inlet conduit;   receiving the first stream through a first module;   receiving the second stream through a second module;   flowing the first stream from the first module through a first outlet conduit; and   flowing the second stream from the second module through a second outlet conduit.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising:
 merging the first stream and the second stream downstream of the first module and the second module respectively. 
 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein receiving the first stream through the first module further includes:
 receiving the first stream through a first sub-module, a first auxiliary conduit, and a second sub-module.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein receiving the second stream through the second module further includes:
 receiving the second stream through a third sub-module, a second auxiliary conduit, and a fourth sub-module.