Exhaust enclosure and thermal management system

Abstract

Thermal management is provided. An exhaust enclosure is configured to receive a combustion gas from a combustion engine. The exhaust enclosure is enclosed from an environment by a plurality of enclosure walls extending from an exhaust portion of an exhaust vent. The exhaust enclosure includes skirting walls extending from a compartment portion of the exhaust vent, and open to the environment along a surface opposite from the exhaust vent. The environment is fluidly coupled with the compartment portion of the exhaust vent.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A thermal management system, comprising:
 an exhaust enclosure configured to receive a combustion gas from a combustion engine, the exhaust enclosure enclosed from an environment by a plurality of enclosure walls extending from an exhaust portion of an exhaust vent; and   a plurality of skirting walls extending from a compartment portion of the exhaust vent, and open to the environment along a surface opposite from the exhaust vent, the environment fluidly coupled with the compartment portion of the exhaust vent.   
     
     
         2 . The thermal management system of  claim 1 , wherein the exhaust enclosure comprises:
 an inlet diffuser, comprising an inlet conical diffuser, extending parallel to and towards the exhaust vent; and   an outlet diffuser, comprising an outlet conical diffuser, extending perpendicular to and towards the exhaust vent.   
     
     
         3 . The thermal management system of  claim 2 , wherein a cross-sectional area of the inlet diffuser increases monotonically from the inlet along a surface of an enclosure wall. 
     
     
         4 . The thermal management system of  claim 1 , wherein the exhaust portion of the exhaust vent and the compartment portion of the exhaust vent share a peripheral portion. 
     
     
         5 . The thermal management system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a radiator to receive engine coolant from the combustion engine and sink heat from the engine coolant to air in the environment along a heat exchange surface of the radiator; and   a fan to circulate the air between the heat exchange surface and the plurality of enclosure walls.   
     
     
         6 . The thermal management system of  claim 1 , wherein the exhaust enclosure comprises:
 an inlet diffuser, comprising:
 an inlet configured to receive the combustion gas from the combustion engine; 
 a first surface of a first enclosure wall, the first surface facing the inlet; and 
 a second surface of a second enclosure wall, the second surface extending between the first surface and an edge defining an opening, the first surface and the second surface forming at least a portion of an inlet flow path to direct the combustion gas from the inlet to the opening; and 
   an outlet diffuser, comprising:
 a third surface on an opposite side of the second enclosure wall from the first surface; and 
 a fourth surface of a third enclosure wall facing the third surface, 
   wherein the exhaust vent is coupled with the third surface and the fourth surface, the third surface and the fourth surface forming at least a portion of an outlet flow path to direct the combustion gas from the opening to the exhaust vent.   
     
     
         7 . The thermal management system of  claim 6 , wherein:
 a fifth surface of a fourth enclosure wall and the first surface of the first enclosure wall are shaped to expand the inlet flow path from the inlet to the opening to cause a first reduction in temperature of the combustion gas in the inlet diffuser; and   a sixth surface of a fifth enclosure wall is shaped to expand the outlet flow path from the opening to the exhaust vent to cause a second reduction in temperature of the combustion gas in the outlet diffuser.   
     
     
         8 . The thermal management system of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a seventh surface of a first skirting wall facing an eighth surface on an opposite side of the third enclosure wall from the fourth surface, the exhaust vent coupled with the seventh surface and the eighth surface, the seventh surface and the eighth surface forming at least a portion of a skirting flow path to direct air from a second environment exterior to the inlet diffuser and the outlet diffuser to the exhaust vent.   
     
     
         9 . The thermal management system of  claim 7 , wherein the outlet diffuser comprises a plurality of outlet baffles disposed off-nominal from the outlet flow path. 
     
     
         10 . An exhaust enclosure for combustion gas, the exhaust enclosure comprising:
 an enclosed portion comprising:
 an inlet diffuser defining an inlet flow path for the combustion gas, the inlet flow path extending from an exhaust inlet of the inlet diffuser to an outlet diffuser; 
 the outlet diffuser defining an outlet flow path extending from the inlet flow path to an exhaust vent; and 
 an unenclosed skirting defining a skirting flow path separated from the inlet flow path and the outlet flow path by the enclosed portion of the exhaust enclosure. 
   
     
     
         11 . The exhaust enclosure of  claim 10 , configure to exchange heat between:
 the combustion gas in the enclosed portion; and   air exterior to the enclosed portion and interior to the unenclosed skirting.   
     
     
         12 . The exhaust enclosure of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the outlet diffuser comprises a plurality of perforated baffles; and   the exhaust vent comprises:
 an exhaust portion fluidly coupled with an interior of the outlet diffuser; and 
 a compartment portion fluidly coupled with the air exterior to the enclosed portion and interior to the unenclosed skirting. 
   
     
     
         13 . The exhaust enclosure of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the inlet diffuser comprises an inlet conical diffuser that extends along the inlet flow path between the exhaust inlet and the outlet diffuser; and   the outlet diffuser comprises an outlet conical diffuser that extends along the outlet flow path between the inlet conical diffuser and the exhaust vent.   
     
     
         14 . The exhaust enclosure of  claim 10 , wherein:
 the unenclosed skirting laterally surrounds a perimeter of the exhaust enclosure; and   the outlet diffuser comprises:
 a third enclosure wall defining a perimeter of the exhaust portion of the exhaust vent and a compartment portion of the exhaust vent; and 
 a second enclosure wall, parallel to and laterally spaced from the third enclosure wall, the second enclosure wall defining a perimeter of the compartment portion of the exhaust vent. 
   
     
     
         15 . The exhaust enclosure of  claim 10 , wherein the outlet diffuser comprises:
 a drain port at a first side of the exhaust enclosure, opposite from a second side of the exhaust enclosure, wherein the exhaust vent is disposed at the second side.   
     
     
         16 . The exhaust enclosure of  claim 10 , wherein one or more skirting walls of the unenclosed skirting flared outward from the exhaust enclosure. 
     
     
         17 . A method of exhaust enclosure installation, comprising:
 coupling an inlet of an exhaust enclosure with an exhaust system, the coupling configured to cause the exhaust enclosure to receive combustion gases from a combustion engine; and   inserting the exhaust enclosure into a wall of a compartment configured to receive the exhaust enclosure,   wherein the exhaust enclosure comprises:
 a plurality of enclosure walls extending from an exhaust portion of an exhaust vent; and 
 a plurality of skirting walls extending from a compartment portion of the exhaust vent, and open to an environment along a surface opposite from the exhaust vent, the environment fluidly coupled with the compartment portion of the exhaust vent. 
   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , comprising:
 coupling the inlet as vertically aligned with a vertical stack portion of the exhaust system, wherein the exhaust portion of the exhaust enclosure is perpendicular to the vertically alignment.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , comprising:
 installing an upper surface of an inlet diffuser along a curvature of a locomotive engine compartment, wherein the exhaust portion of the exhaust enclosure protrudes above the locomotive engine compartment.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , comprising:
 coupling the inlet vertically above a radiator fan in a locomotive engine compartment.