Thermally resistant composite exhaust coupler
A thermally resistant exhaust coupler having a thickness, an inner cylindrical surface and an outer cylindrical surface constructed of an elastomeric polymer and extend the length of the coupler as elastomeric polymer layers. The thickness includes at least one thermally resistant fiber layer located between the inner cylindrical surface and outer cylindrical surface and substantially extending the length of the thermally resistant exhaust coupler. The thermally resistant fiber layer may be constructed from a ceramic selected from one or more of the following materials: basalt, alumina, borica, silica, mullite, S glass or E glass, 3M® Nextel®, or a combination thereof.
1 . In combination, an engine having an exhaust manifold, an exhaust conduit located downstream of the exhaust manifold, and a thermally resistant exhaust coupler connecting the exhaust manifold to the exhaust conduit; wherein a spaced gap is located between the exhaust manifold to the exhaust conduit and exhaust gas moves through the gap from the exhaust manifold to the exhaust conduit through the gap and the thermally resistant exhaust coupler when the engine is running; wherein the thermally resistant exhaust coupler comprises an inner cylindrical surface and an outer cylindrical surface having a first distance therebetween, the first distance defining thickness, the thermally resistant exhaust coupler further comprising a top surface and a bottom surface having a second distance therebetween, the second distance defining a length of the thermally resistant exhaust coupler, wherein the inner cylindrical surface and outer cylindrical surface are constructed of an elastomeric polymer that extends 90% to 100% of the length of the thermally resistant exhaust coupler as at least one elastomeric polymer layer, and the thickness includes at least one thermally resistant fiber layer located between the inner cylindrical surface and outer cylindrical surface and extending the length of the thermally resistant exhaust coupler, wherein the thermally resistant exhaust coupler couples the exhaust manifold to the exhaust conduit; wherein the inner cylindrical surface is directly exposed to the exhaust gas and wherein the elastic polymer of the inner cylindrical surface decomposes into an insulating char retained within an adjacent thermally resistant fabric layer of the at least one thermally resistant fiber layers.
2 . The combination of claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric polymer comprises one or more of the following materials: silicone rubber, nitrile butadiene rubber, high nitrile butadiene rubber, styrene butadiene rubber, ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber, epichlorohydrin and fluorinated hydrocarbon, or a combination thereof.
3 . The combination of claim 1 , wherein the thermally resistant fiber layer is constructed from a ceramic fiber.
4 . The combination of claim 3 , wherein the ceramic fiber comprises one or more of the following materials: basalt, alumina, borica, silica, mullite, S glass or E glass, or a combination thereof.
5 . The combination of claim 1 , wherein the thermally resistant fiber layer is an open weave fiber layer.
6 . The combination of claim 1 , wherein the thermally resistant fiber layer is a closed weave fiber layer.
7 . The combination of claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric polymer is silicone rubber and the thermally resistant fiber layer is a closed weave ceramic fiber.
8 . The combination of claim 7 , wherein the closed weave ceramic fiber comprises one or more of the following materials: basalt, alumina, borica, silica, mullite, S glass or E glass, or a combination thereof.
9 . The combination of claim 7 , wherein the closed weave ceramic fiber is a basalt ceramic fiber.
10 . The combination of claim 7 , wherein a temperature of the outer cylindrical surface is at least 200° C. less than a temperature of the inner cylindrical surface when the temperature of the exhaust running through the internal surface is at least 480° C.
11 . The combination of claim 1 , wherein the elastomeric polymer of the inner cylindrical surface decomposes from the exhaust moving through the thermally resistant exhaust coupler.
12 . The combination of claim 11 , wherein the exhaust is at least 480° C.
13 . The combination of claim 1 , wherein the thermally resistant fiber layer has lower thermal conductivity than the elastomeric polymer when measured perpendicular to an exhaust flow direction such that a temperature of the outer cylindrical surface is at least 140° C. less than a temperature of the inner cylindrical surface when the temperature of the exhaust running through the internal surface is at least 480° C.
14 . The combination of claim 1 , wherein the thickness includes at least two thermally resistant fiber layers located between the inner cylindrical surface and outer cylindrical surface and extending 90% to 100% of the length of the thermally resistant exhaust coupler, and the thickness further includes an elastomeric polymer layer extending between the at least two thermally resistant fiber layers extending along 90% to 100% of the length of the thermally resistant exhaust coupler.
15 . The combination of claim 1 , wherein the thickness includes three thermally resistant fiber layers located between the inner cylindrical surface and outer cylindrical surface and extending 90% to 100% of the length of the thermally resistant exhaust coupler and defining a first thermally resistant fiber layer, a second thermally resistant fiber layer, and a third thermally resistant fiber layer; and wherein the thickness further includes a first intermediate elastomeric polymer layer extending between the first thermally resistant fiber layer and the second thermally resistant fiber layer along at least a portion of the length of the thermally resistant exhaust coupler, and a second intermediate elastomeric polymer layer extending between the second thermally resistant fiber layer and the third thermally resistant fiber layer extending along at least a portion of the length of the thermally resistant exhaust coupler.
16 . The combination of claim 15 , wherein at least one of the three thermally resistant fiber layers extend 90-99% of the length of the thermally resistant exhaust coupler, and wherein at least one of the first or second intermediate elastomeric polymer layers extend 90-99% of the length of the thermally resistant exhaust coupler.
17 . The combination of claim 16 , wherein at least one of the first or second intermediate elastomeric polymer layers extend up to 90% of the length of the thermally resistant exhaust coupler.
18 . The combination of claim 1 , wherein the thickness includes four thermally resistant fiber layers located between the inner cylindrical surface and outer cylindrical surface and extending 90% to 100% of the length of the thermally resistant exhaust coupler and defining a first thermally resistant fiber layer, a second thermally resistant fiber layer, a third thermally resistant fiber layer, and a fourth thermally resistant fiber layer; and wherein the thickness further includes a first intermediate elastomeric polymer layer extending between the first thermally resistant fiber layer and the second thermally resistant fiber layer extending along at least a portion of the length of the thermally resistant exhaust coupler, and a second intermediate elastomeric polymer layer extending between the second thermally resistant fiber layer and the third thermally resistant fiber layer along at least a portion of the length of the thermally resistant exhaust coupler, and a third intermediate elastomeric polymer layer extending between the third thermally resistant fiber layer and the fourth thermally resistant fiber layer along at least a portion of the length of the thermally resistant exhaust coupler.
19 . The combination of claim 18 , wherein the inner cylindrical surface, the outer cylindrical surface, the first intermediate elastomeric polymer layer, the second intermediate elastomeric polymer layer, and the third intermediate elastomeric polymer layer comprise one or more of the following elastomeric polymers: silicone rubber, nitrile butadiene rubber, styrene butadiene rubber, ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber, epichlorohydrin and fluorinated hydrocarbon, or a combination thereof.
20 . The combination of claim 18 , wherein the first thermally resistant fiber layer, the second thermally resistant fiber layer, the third thermally resistant fiber layer, and the fourth thermally resistant fiber layer are constructed from a fiber comprising one or more of the following materials: basalt, alumina, borica, silica, mullite, S glass or E glass, Poly-paraphenylene terephthalamide, or a combination thereof.
21 . The combination of claim 20 , wherein the first thermally resistant fiber layer, the second thermally resistant fiber layer, the third thermally resistant fiber layer, and the fourth thermally resistant fiber layer are closed weave ceramic fiber layers.
22 . The combination of claim 18 , wherein the inner cylindrical surface, the outer cylindrical surface, the first intermediate elastomeric polymer layer, the second intermediate elastomeric polymer layer, and the third intermediate elastomeric polymer layer comprise silicone rubber and the first thermally resistant fiber layer, the second thermally resistant fiber layer, the third thermally resistant fiber layer, and the fourth thermally resistant fiber layer are constructed from a closed weave basalt ceramic fiber.
23 . The combination of claim 18 , wherein at least one of the four thermally resistant fiber layers extend 90-99% of the length of the thermally resistant exhaust coupler, and wherein the at least one of the first, second and third intermediate elastomeric polymer layers extend 90-99% of the length of the thermally resistant exhaust coupler.
24 . The combination of claim 23 , wherein at least one of the first, second and third intermediate elastomeric polymer layers extend up to 90% of the length of the thermally resistant exhaust coupler.
25 . The combination of claim 1 , wherein the at least one thermally resistant fiber layer located between the inner cylindrical surface and outer cylindrical surface extends 90-99% of the length of the thermally resistant exhaust coupler.