Abstract

A diesel exhaust conditioning system removes harmful gaseous and particulate pollutants from the exhaust of a diesel engine, and also lowers the temperature of the emitted exhaust and of the shroud surrounding the pollution control components of the device. The system includes at least one combination catalytic converter and particulate filter, structured to operate at a sufficiently high temperature as to convert potentially harmful gaseous pollutants to innocuous substances, and which also collects and oxidizes carbon and hydrocarbon particles in the diesel exhaust to convert them to innocuous substances as well. The catalytic converter(s) is contained in an insulated canister for containing the heat generated by the catalytic reactions, with the insulation also serving to lower the outside temperature of the canister. A shroud is placed around the canister and other components, with an axial fan blowing ambient air between the canister and shroud to reduce the exterior temperature of the shroud to an acceptable level. The ambient air is mixed with the exhaust at the downstream end of the system, to lower the temperature of the exhaust gases to an acceptable level. The system is particularly well suited for use with diesel engines used in enclosed environments, such as the underground mining industry, but may be structured for use with diesel engines operating in other environments as well. A seamless, explosion proof shroud may also be used in environments where potential explosion hazards may exist, such as potentially explosive gases and dust in an underground mining environment.