EXHAUST MEMBER
An exhaust member having two or more exhaust ports separated by a partition wall extending between an inner wall of a tubular portion, wherein said partition wall has the minimum thickness A in a range within ½ of the length of said partition wall from its longitudinal middle point as a center, when viewed in an arbitrary transverse cross section of said tubular portion (including an opening end surface) having said partition wall; wherein said partition wall becomes gradually wider outside said range; and wherein each cuter surface of said partition wall exists in a region sandwiched by (a) an inner line comprising a parallel line H1, H2 separate from the longitudinal centerline of said partition wall by a distance of A/2, and an arc R1, R2 tangentially connected to said parallel line H1, H2 and said inner wall and having a radius r1, r2, wherein both r1 and r2 are ⅓×A or more, meeting r1+r2=1.9A, and (b) outer line comprising a parallel line H3, H4 separate from the longitudinal centerline of said partition wall by a distance of 3/2×A, and an arc R3, R4 tangentially connected to said parallel line H3, H4 and said inner wall and having a radius r3, r4, wherein both r3 and r4 are ⅓×A or more, meeting r3+r4=4A.
The present Invention relates to an exhaust member for engines, such as an exhaust manifold, a turbine housing, etc., which is free from the likelihood of cracking to its outer surface.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONSome exhaust members for multi-cylinder (series-four-cylinder, series-six-cylinder, etc.) engines, such as exhaust manifolds, turbine housings, etc., have divided exhaust ports to prevent the interference of an exhaust gas discharged from each engine cylinder, and backpressure increase. The division of the exhaust port stabilizes the performance and operation of the engine.
As one example of exhaust members,
The exhaust manifold M comprises branch tubes BR1-BR4 connected to four exhaust outlets EX1-EX4 of the engine E, and a downstream-side tubular portion 30m to which the branch tubes BR1-BR4 converge. The tubular portion 30m comprises a flange 31m formed at a downstream-side end periphery, and two exhaust ports Pa, Pb separated by a partition wall 32m. The branch tubes BR1, BR4 converge to the exhaust port Pb, and the branch tubes BR2, BR3 converge to the exhaust port Pa.
An upstream-side tubular portion 30t of the turbine housing T comprises a flange 31t formed at an upstream-side end periphery, and two intake ports Qa, Qb separated by a partition wall 32t. The flange 31t has substantially the same shape as that of the flange 31m of the exhaust manifold M. The partition wall 32t and the intake ports Qa, Qb are shaped and arranged such that when the flange 31t is connected to the flange 31m of the exhaust manifold M via a gasket S with bolts BT, the partition wall 32m of the exhaust manifold M is smoothly connected to the partition wall 32t of the turbine housing T, and the exhaust ports Pa, Pb are smoothly connected to the intake ports Qa, Qb.
Because the downstream-side tubular portion 30m of the exhaust manifold M and the upstream-side tubular portion 30t of the turbine housing T have essentially the same shape and function as is clear from
As shown in
The mechanism of generating cracks CRK will be explained in detail referring to
When the exhaust ports Pa and Pb become communicable by cracks CRK generated in the partition wall 32, exhaust interference and backpressure increase occur. Also, the cracks CRK reaching to the outer surface of the tubular portion 30 allow an exhaust gas to eject from the exhaust ports Pa, Pb, and turn the operation of a turbine housing, if any, unstable, resulting in engine performance decrease.
To prevent cracks from generating in the partition wall and the tubular portion of the exhaust manifold, JP 60-95118 U proposes, as shown in
JP 2-39529 U proposes, as shown in
JP 7-217438 A proposes, as shown in
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an exhaust member free from the likelihood of cracking to its outer surface, without extreme restriction of the cross section shape of an exhaust port,
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTIONAs a result of intense research in view of the above object it has been found that it is difficult to completely prevent cracking due to thermal strain by expansion and compression, in a connecting portion between a partition wall and a tubular portion without extremely increasing the weight of an exhaust member, and that the above problem can be overcome by inducing cracks, if any, to a center portion of the partition wall while preventing them from propagating to the outer surface of the exhaust member. The present invention has been completed based on such findings.
Thus, the exhaust member of the present invention has two or more exhaust ports separated by a partition wall extending between an inner wall of a tubular portion, said partition wall having the minimum thickness A in a range within ½ of the length of said partition wall from its longitudinal middle point as a center, and becoming gradually wider outside that range, when viewed in an arbitrary transverse cross section of said tubular portion (including an opening end surface) having said partition wall; and each outer surface of said partition wall existing in a region sandwiched by (a) each inner line comprising a parallel line H1, H2 separate from a longitudinal centerline of said partition wall by a distance of A/2, and an arc R1, R2 tangentialy connected to said parallel line H1, H2 and said inner wall and having a radius r1, r2, wherein both r1 and r2 are ⅓×A or more, meeting r1+r2=1.9A, and (b) each outer line comprising a parallel line H3, H4 separate from the longitudinal centerline of said partition wall by a distance of 3/2×A, and an arc R3, R4 tangentially connected to said parallel line H3, H4 and said inner wall and having a radius r3, r4, wherein both r3 and r4 are ⅓×A or more, meeting r3+r4=4A.
The radii r1, r2 of said arcs R1, R2 preferably meet the condition of r1+r2=2.5A.
It is preferable that the minimum thickness A of said partition wall is 2-10 mm, and that said partition wall is tangentially connected to said inner wall with an arc having a radius of 2-13 mm in a transverse cross section of said tubular portion having said partition wall.
The exhaust member of the present invention will be explained in detail below referring to the attached drawings, though the present invention is not restricted to those shown in the figures. It should be noted that the same reference numerals are assigned to the same parts or portions, with their explanation omitted.
First EmbodimentPortions divided by a tangent line L1 common to exhaust ports Pa and Pb shown in
Each outer surface 2a of the partition wall 2 should exist on or outside each inner line (shown by the chain line) comprising a parallel line H1, E2 separate from the longitudinal centerline C of the partition wall 2 by a distance of A/2, and an arc R1, R2 having a radius r1, r2 which is tangentially connected to the parallel line H1, H2 and the inner wall 5 of the tubular portion 10. The term “tangentially connected” used herein means that the tangent line of each arc K1, R2 is in alignment with that of each parallel line H1, H2 at a contact point of the arc R1, R2 and the parallel line H1, H2. The same is true of the contact point of the arc R1, E2 and the inner wall 5. Accordingly, each arc R1, R2 corresponds to an arc having a radius r1, r2 inscribed to the parallel line H1, H2 and the inner wall 5.
The radii r1 and r2 should meet the condition of r1+r2=1.9A, When each outer surface 2a of the partition wall 2 is closer than that to the centerline C, the partition wall 2 is too thin to avoid cracking. When any one of r1 and r2 is extremely small, the connecting portion 4 of the partition wall 2 and the inner wall 5 has too large a curvature to avoid stress concentration, resulting in high likelihood of cracking. Therefore, both of r1 and r2 should be ⅓×A or more, preferably ½×A or more. Although r1=r2 in this embodiment, r1 may not be equal to r2 as in a subsequent embodiment. Particularly in such a case, r1 and r2 should not be too small.
Because a high-temperature, high-pressure exhaust gas flows alternately through exhaust ports Pa, Pb separated by the partition wall 2, the partition wall 2 should have such thickness as to hold sufficient high-temperature strength. Because stress is concentrated particularly in the connecting portion 4, the connecting portion 4 should be thicker than the center portion. However, too thick a partition wall 2 makes the exhaust member too heavy. Accordingly, each outer surface 2a of the partition wall 2 should exist on or inside each outer line (shown by the chain line) comprising a parallel line H3, H4 separate from the longitudinal centerline C by a distance of 3/2×A, and an arc R3, R4 having a radius r3, r4 and tangentially connected to the parallel line H3, H4 and the inner wall 5 of the tubular portion 10. Like the are R1, R2, the arc R3, R4 corresponds to an arc having a radius r3, r4 and inscribed to the parallel line H3, H4 and the inner wall 5.
The radii r3 and r4 should meet the condition of r3+r4=4A. When each outer surface 2a of the partition wall 2 is more distant than that from the centerline C, the partition wall 2 is so thick that an exhaust member is heavy. When any one of r3 and r4 is extremely small, the connecting portion 4 of the partition wall 2 and the inner wall 5 has too large a curvature to avoid stress concentration, resulting in high likelihood of cracking. Therefore, both of r3 and r4 should be ⅓×A or more, preferably ½×A or more. Although r3=r4 in this embodiment, r3 may not be equal to r4 as in a subsequent embodiment. Particularly in that case, attention should be paid to avoid that r3 and r4 are too small.
In the center region 21 and the tapered region 4a, the outer surface 2a of the partition wall 2 may have a straight contour, but it preferably has a slightly curved contour. The slightly curved contour may not be arcuate. At a position at which the distance of the partition wall 2 from the middle point O is ⅜ of the length of the partition wall 2, the thickness A2 of the partition wall 2 is preferably 1.3 times or more, more preferably 1.5 times or more, of the minimum thickness A of the partition wall 2. The center region 21 is smoothly connected to the tapered region 4a.
The connecting portion 4b is preferably a curved line smoothly connecting the outer surface 2a of the partition wall 2 to the inner wall 5, more preferably an arc tangentially connected to the outer surface 2a and the inner wall 5. The arc may have such a radius that the outer surface 2a of the partition wall 2 exists between said inner line and said outer line, and the radius of the arc is preferably ⅓×A or more, more preferably ½×A or more.
Because each outer surface 2a of the partition wall 2 exists in a region B1, B2 sandwiched by said inner line and said outer line, cracking occurs predominantly in said center region 21 when a large thermal stress is applied to the partition wall 2, with other regions suffering little cracking. Even if there are cracks near the connecting portion 4 of the partition wall 2 and the flange 1, they propagate not toward the flange 1 but toward the partition wall 2 away from the flange 1, so that cracks penetrating from the exhaust ports Pa or Pb to the outer surface of the exhaust member are hardly generated. Accordingly, the above shape of the partition wall 2 can provide an exhaust member free fi-om cracks in the tubular portion 10 without increasing the weight of the exhaust member.
In the exhaust member of the present invention, it is more preferable that the radii r1, r2 of the arcs R1, R2 meet the condition of r1+r2 =2.5A, that the minimum thickness A of the partition wall is 2-10 mm, and that each outer surface of the partition wall is tangentially connected to the inner wall of the exhaust port with an arc having a radius of 2-13 mm in an arbitrary transverse cross section of the pipe. With this structure, there is less likelihood of generating cracks extending from the exhaust port to the outer surface of the exhaust member.
Second EmbodimentIn the above second to eighth embodiments, too, the partition wall 2 has the minimum thickness A in a range (center region 4a) within ½ of the length of the partition wall from the longitudinal middle point O of the partition wall as a center, and its outside region (end region 40) has a gradually increasing width. Also, each outer surface of the partition wall exists in a region sandwiched by (a) each inner line comprising a parallel line H1, H2 separate from the longitudinal centerline C of the partition wall by a distance of A/2, and an arc R1, R2 having a radius r1, r2 and tangentially connected to the parallel line H1, H2 and the inner wall, wherein both r1 and r2 are ⅓×A or more, meeting r1+r2=1.9A, and (b) each outer line comprising a parallel line H3, H4 separate from the longitudinal centerline C of the partition wall by a distance of 3/2×A, and an arc R3, R4 having a radius of r3, r4 and tangentially connected to the parallel line H3, H4 and the inner wall, wherein both r3 and r4 are ⅓×A or tore, meeting r3+r4=4A. This reduces the generation of cracks extending from the exhaust ports to the outer surface of the exhaust member without extremely increasing the weight of the exhaust member, thereby providing an exhaust member without extremely restricting the cross section shape of the exhaust port.
The present invention will be described in further detail referring to Examples below without intention of restricting the present invention thereto.
EXAMPLE 1A test piece TP having the shape shown in
With the partition wall 2 formed as described above, each outer surface 2a of the partition wall 2 existed in a region (hatched portion B1, B2) sandwiched by (a) each inner line comprising a parallel line H1, H2 separate from the longitudinal centerline C of the partition wall 2 by a distance of A/2, namely 3 mm, and an arc R1, R2 tangentially connected to the parallel line H1, H2 and the inner wall 5 and having a radius of r1=r2=5.7 mm, wherein both r1 and r2 are ⅓×A or more, meeting r1+r2=1.9A, and (b) each outer line comprising a parallel line H3, H4 separate from the longitudinal centerline C of the partition wall 2 by a distance of 3/2×A, namely 9 mm, and an arc R3, R4 tangentially connected to the parallel line H3, H4 and the inner wall and having a radius of r3=r4=12 mm, wherein both r3 and r4 are ⅓×A or more, meeting r3+r4=4A.
The test piece TP was subjected to a thermal fatigue test by a thermal fatigue-test apparatus described in Japanese Patent 2533885. In the thermal fatigue test machine 50 shown in
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
With the partition wall thus formed, each outer surface 2a of the partition wall 2 existed in a region (hatched portion B1, B2) sandwiched by (a) each inner line comprising a parallel line H1, H2 separate from the longitudinal centerline C of the partition wall by a distance of A/2, namely 3 mm, and an arc R1, R2 tangentially connected to the parallel line H1, H2 and the inner wall and having a radius r1, r2, wherein r1 of 10 mm was on the obtuse angle side, and r2 of 5 mm was on the acute angle side, meeting r1+r2=2.5A, and (b) each outer line comprising a parallel line H3, H4 separate from the longitudinal centerline C of the partition wall by a distance of 3/2×A, namely 9 mm, and an arc R3, R4 tangentially connected to the parallel line H3, H4 and the inner wall and having a radius r3, r4, wherein r3 of 16 mm was on the obtuse angle side, and r4 of 8 mm on the acute angle side, meeting r3+r4=4A. The same thermal fatigue test as in Example 1 revealed that cracking occurred near the longitudinal center of the partition wall, but there were no cracks extending from the exhaust port to the outer surface of the test piece TP.
COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 3As shown in
With the partition wall thus formed, the outer surface 2a of the partition wall 2 existed beyond the region (hatched portion B1, B2) sandwiched by (a) each inner line comprising the parallel line H1, H2 and the arc R1, R2 tangentially connected to the parallel line H1, H2 and the inner wall, and (b) each outer line comprising the parallel line H3, H4 and the arc R3, R4 tangentially connected to the parallel line H3, H4 and the inner wall, even when any radii r1-r4 were ⅓×A or more, meeting r1+r2=1.9A, and r3+r4=4A. The same thermal fatigue test as in Example 1 revealed that there were cracks extending from the exhaust port to the outer surface of the test piece TP in the connecting portions of the partition wall and the flange.
A turbine housing Ta shown in
As shown in
With the partition wall thus formed, each outer surface 2a of the partition wall 2 existed in a region (hatched portion B1, B2) sandwiched by (a) each inner line comprising a parallel line H1, H2 separate from the longitudinal centerline C of the partition wall by a distance of A/2, namely 1.5 mm, and an arc R1, R2 tangentially connected to the parallel line H1, H2 and the inner wall and having a radius r1, r2, wherein both r1, r2 were 2.85 mm, meeting r1+r2=1.9A, and (b) each outer line comprising a parallel line H3, H4 separate from the longitudinal centerline C of the partition wall by a distance of 3/2×A, namely 4.5 mm, and an arc r3, r4 tangentially connected to the parallel line H3, H4 and the inner wall and having a radius r3, r4, wherein both r3, r4 were 6 mm, meeting r3+r4=4A. Portions of the turbine housing Ta other than the flange and the partition wall, which were mainly as thick as 2.5-5.5 mm, were formed from heat-resistant austenitic cast steel, through a predetermined heat treatment and machining.
The same thermal fatigue test as in Example 1 was conducted on the turbine housing Ta using the thermal fatigue test machine 40. The thermal fatigue test comprised 1000 cycles each comprising two steps of (i) heating the turbine housing Ta until the temperature of a center portion of the partition wall 2 reached 1000° C., and keeping it for 10 minutes, and (ii) stopping the supply of a combustion gas to cool it, and keeping it for 10 minutes,
The turbine housing Tb shown in
In the turbine housing Tb, the outer surface 2a of the partition wall 2 existed beyond the region (hatched portion B1, B2) sandwiched by (a) each inner line comprising a parallel line H1, H2 separate from the longitudinal centerline C of the partition wall by a distance of A/2, and an arc R1, R2 tangentially connected to the parallel line H1, H2 and the inner wall, and (b) each outer line comprising a parallel line H3, H4 separate from the longitudinal centerline C of the partition wall by a distance of 3/2×A, and an arc R3, R4 tangentially connected to the parallel line H3, H4 and the inner wall, even when any radii 41-r4 were ⅓×A or more, meeting r1+r2=1.9A and r3+r4=4A.
A thermal fatigue test conducted on the turbine housing Tb under the same conditions as in Example 3 revealed that cracks CRK penetrating to the outer surface of the turbine housing Tb were generated in 318 cycles.
The above Examples verify that the exhaust member of the present invention is free from cracks extending from the exhaust poll to the outer surface of the exhaust member, without suffering from extreme weight increase.
EFFECT OF THE INVENTIONBecause the exhaust member of the present invention having the above structure is free from cracks penetrating to the outer surface without weight increase and substantial restriction in the cross section shape of the exhaust port, the engine operation is stabilized without performance decrease.
Claims
1. An exhaust member having two or more exhaust ports separated by a partition wall extending between an inner wall of a tubular portion, wherein said partition wall has the minimum thickness A in a range within ½ of the length of said partition wall from its longitudinal middle point as a center, when viewed in an arbitrary transverse cross section of said tubular portion (including an opening end surface) having said partition wall, and wherein each outer surface of said partition wall exists in a region sandwiched by (a) an inner line comprising a parallel line H1, H2 separate from a longitudinal centerline of said partition wall by a distance of A/2, and an arc R1, R2 tangentially connected to said parallel line H1, H2 and said inner wall and having a radius r1, r2, wherein both r1 and r2 are ⅓×A or more, meeting r1+r2=1.9A, and (b) an outer line comprising a parallel line H3, H4 separate from the longitudinal centerline of said partition wall by a distance of 3/2×A, and an arc R3, R4 tangentially connected to said parallel line H3, H4 and said inner wall and having a radius r3, r4, wherein both r3 and r4 are ⅓×A or more, meeting r3+r4=4A.
2. The exhaust member according to claim 1, wherein radii r1, r2 of said arcs R1, R2 meet the condition of r1+r2=2.5A.
3. The exhaust member according to claim 1, wherein the minimum thickness A of said partition wall is 2-10 mm, and wherein each outer surface of said partition wall is tangentially connected to said inner wall with an arc having a radius of 2-13 mm in an arbitrary transverse cross section of said tubular portion.
4. The exhaust member according to claim 2, wherein the minimum thickness A of said partition wall is 2-10 mm, and wherein each outer surface of said partition wall is tangentially connected to said inner wall with an arc having a radius of 2-13 mm in an arbitrary transverse cross section of said tubular portion.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 22, 2006
Publication Date: Jan 29, 2009
Inventor: Kenji Itoh (Saitama-ken)
Application Number: 11/909,320
International Classification: F01N 7/08 (20060101);