Leakage and assembly of gasket in truck exhaust aftertreatment systems

Abstract

Leakage of hot exhaust gases in the truck exhaust aftertreatment system potentially leads to secondary damages. The result could be melting of neighboring components or failure of electronic equipment in the vicinity of the leakage. Moreover, major leakage of untreated exhaust gases violates the strict emission standards. Thus investigation of the reliability of the gasket connections in the truck exhaust aftertreatment system is necessary. Preferably, the performance of the gasket is possible to predict during the design process with simulations, so that expensive redesign is avoided. The purpose of this paper is thus to study the safety margin in the gasket connection of a truck exhaust aftertreatment system with experiments and simulations.The gasket installation of a replaceable filter in the truck exhaust aftertreatment system is considered in detail. The filter is replaced regularly, which also puts demands on easy assembly. Finite element simulations, with material data based on tests, are compared to component testing. The outcomes of the work are verified models for simulations and knowledge of the safety factor needed in the gasket connection. Such models are necessary in simulation based engineering, where simulations are utilized to minimize time consuming physical testing in the design process.