Patent Publication Number: US-2021190636-A1

Title: Control cabinet

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO PRIOR APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a U.S. National Phase application under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of International Application No. PCT/EP2018/074313, filed on Sep. 10, 2018 and which claims benefit to German Patent Application No. 10 2017 124 152.3, filed on Oct. 17, 2017. The International Application was published in German on Apr. 25, 2019 as WO 2019/076538 A1 under PCT Article 21(2). 
    
    
     FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a control cabinet for an exhaust gas measuring system comprising a cabinet body in which a component of the exhaust gas measuring system having an inlet and an outlet is arranged, whereby the outlet is connected via a first connection element to an outlet tube and the inlet is connected via a second connection element to an inlet tube, whereby the first or the second connection element is adapted to be mounted selectively in a first connection position or in a second connection position so that the outlet tube or the inlet tube connecting to the first or the second connection element is aligned horizontally in the first connection position and vertically in the second connection position. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Such exhaust gas measuring systems are used to determine the emission behavior of vehicles, for example, whereby a predefined driving cycle is simulated on a chassis dynamometer and the exhaust gases thereby emitted are analyzed for pollutants contained in the exhaust gas. The amount of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, hydrocarbon, and nitrogen oxide are thereby in particular determined. The exhaust gas measuring system generally comprises an exhaust gas dilution system. 
     The individual components of the exhaust gas measuring system are generally arranged in a plurality of control cabinets. Specific components of the exhaust gas measuring system arranged in the control cabinets are flowed through by the exhaust gas, so that said components comprise an inlet and an outlet. An outlet tube is connected at the outlet and an inlet tube is connected at the inlet to the control cabinet, whereby the position and alignment of the inlet tube and in particular of the outlet tube are specified in advance by the customer even before the control cabinet is set up, so that the control cabinet must be adapted to these specifications. 
     EP 2 317 833 A1 describes a control cabinet, whereby a component of an exhaust gas measuring system is arranged in the control cabinet. This component comprises an inlet and two outlets, whereby the inlet is arranged in the upper area of the control cabinet and is connected to an inlet tube via a first connection element passing through a ceiling element of the control cabinet. The two outlets are arranged in the lower area of the control cabinet and can be connected via two connection elements to an outlet tube. Various connection elements are required for the first connection position and the second connection position depending on the position and the alignment of the outlet tube, whereby the second connection element is mounted to the first outlet in the first connection position and to the second outlet in the second connection position. 
     In the first connection position, the second connection element penetrates a side wall of the control cabinet so that a horizontal outlet tube is connected via the second connection element to the first outlet. In the second connection position, the second connection element penetrates a bottom element of the control cabinet so that a vertical outlet tube arranged below the control cabinet is connected via the alternative second connection element to the second outlet. 
     A disadvantage of the control cabinet described in EP 2 317 833 A1 is that in order to connect the outlet to the outlet tube, whose position and alignment are specified even before the control cabinet is set up, a plurality of outlets with different connection elements are provided and the production and installation effort are therefore increased. 
     SUMMARY 
     An aspect of the present invention is to provide a control cabinet for an exhaust gas measuring system which can be set up independent of the position and the alignment of the outlet tube or the inlet tube, wherein the connection between the outlet and the outlet tube or the connection between the inlet and the inlet tube, respectively, can therefore be established and mounted in a simple and cost-effective manner without additional components being needed. 
     In an embodiment, the present invention provides a control cabinet for an exhaust gas measuring system which includes a cabinet body, a first connection element, an outlet tube, a second connection element, an inlet tube, and a component of the exhaust gas measuring system arranged in the cabinet body. The component comprises an inlet and an outlet. The outlet is connected via the first connection element to the outlet tube, and the inlet is connected via the second connection element to the inlet tube. The first connection element or the second connection element is configured to be mounted selectively in a first connection position or in a second connection position so that the outlet tube connecting to the first connection element or the inlet tube connecting to the second connection element is aligned horizontally in the first connection position and vertically in the second connection position. The outlet is arranged in an outlet connection plane or the inlet is arranged in an inlet connection plane, each of the outlet connection plane and the inlet connection plane comprising an angle of 45° with respect to a horizontal plane. The first connection element is formed to be angled-tube-like, the angled-tube-like first connection element being adapted to be mounted in the first connection position and in the second connection position via a 180° rotation in the outlet connection plane, or the second connection element is formed to be angled-tube-like, the angled-tube-like second connection element being adapted to be mounted in the first connection position and in the second connection position via a 180° rotation in the inlet connection plane. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
       The present invention is described in greater detail below on the basis of embodiments and of the drawing in which: 
       The FIGURE schematically shows a control cabined for an exhaust gas measuring system according to the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Since the outlet or the inlet is provided in a connection plane, which includes an angle of 45° with respect to a horizontal plane, and the first or the second connection element is formed to be angled-tube-like, wherein the angled-tube-like first or second connection element is adapted to be mounted in the first connection position and in the second connection position via a 180° rotation in the connection plane, the control cabinet can be positioned independent of the position and the alignment of the outlet tube or the inlet tube, whereby a single outlet or inlet is provided which can be connected depending on the position or the alignment of the outlet tube or the inlet tube via the angled-tube-like connection element and by the corresponding installation of the connection element in the first connection position or in the second connection position. 
     With such an arrangment of the outlet or the inlet and the connection element, a simple and cost-effective connection between the outlet and the outlet tube or between the inlet and the inlet tube is established, whereby the connection element only needs to be rotated by 180° for shifting between the first and the second connection position. 
     In an embodiment of the present invention, the first and the second connection element can, for example, be adapted to be mounted selectively in a first connection position or in a second connection position, so that the inlet tube connecting to the first connection element and the outlet tube connecting to the second connection element are aligned horizontally in the first connection position and vertically in the second connection position, whereby the outlet and the inlet are each provided in a connection plane, whereby the connection plane includes an angle of 45° with respect to a horizontal plane and the first and the second connection element are angled-tube-like, whereby the angled-tube-like first and second connection elements are adapted to be mounted in the first connection position and in the second connection position via a 180° rotation in the respective connection plane. In case of a specified position and alignment of the inlet tube, the inlet can thus be connected to the inlet tube, and in case of a specified position and alignment of the outlet tube, the outlet can thus be connected to the outlet tube in a simple and cost-effective manner. 
     In an embodiment of the present invention, the component of the exhaust gas measuring system, in particular of the exhaust gas dilution system, can, for example, comprise a plurality of flow-through tubes entering into a collection inlet and into a collection outlet, whereby the outlet is provided at the collection outlet and the inlet is provided at the collection inlet. Each of the flow-through tubes generally comprises a control valve so that, by operating the control valve, individual flow-through tubes can be shut off or opened for measurement purposes. By providing the collection inlet and the collection outlet, the supply and the discharge of the gas flowing in the flow-through tubes are performed in a cost-effective and installation space-efficient manner via only one single component. 
     In an embodiment of the present invention, the collection outlet and/or the collection inlet can, for example, be provided with two opposite connection planes, whereby a first connection plane and a second connection plane each include an angle of 45° together with the horizontal plane, and whereby the connection planes are arranged perpendicular to each other. The connection element can thus be mounted in the first and in the second connection position and in the first and in the second connection plane. The connection element can thus be arranged in four different connection positions, thereby increasing the flexibility of the positioning of the control cabinet. 
     In an embodiment of the present invention, the first connection element and/or the second connection element can, for example, comprise at least one first portion connected to the collection inlet or the collection outlet and at least one second portion connecting to the first portion, whereby a wall of the first portion, a wall of the second portion, and a wall of the collection outlet and/or the collection inlet each include an angle with a longitudinal axis of the connection element, whereby, in the first connection position of the connection element, the angle of the wall of the collection outlet or the collection inlet to the horizontal longitudinal axis is larger than the angle of the wall of the first portion, and the angle of the wall of the first portion to the horizontal longitudinal axis is larger than the angle of the wall of the second portion, so that a curve-like flow deflection occurs. The flowing gas can thus be deflected in the collection inlet and in the first connection element or in the collection outlet and in the second connection element, so that a dead volume is prevented and the flow losses are reduced. 
     In an embodiment of the present invention, the component of the exhaust gas measuring system can, for example, be rotatable by 180° about a horizontal axis, whereby the outlet faces the ceiling element in a first position and the bottom element in a second position. The position of the inlet and the outlet can thus be adapted to the position of the inlet tube and the outlet tube in a simple and cost-effective manner. 
     In an embodiment of the present invention, the component of the exhaust gas measuring system can, for example, be a flow control device of a CVS system, whereby a dilution tunnel is connected via the inlet tube to the flow control system. In the CVS system, the exhaust gases emitted by a vehicle and during a predetermined driving cycle are first diluted with air, the diluted exhaust gases are collected in an exhaust gas bag, and the diluted exhaust gases collected in the exhaust gas bag are analyzed by an analysis device for pollutants contained in the exhaust gas. The exhaust gases are diluted with air for measurement purposes in the dilution tunnel, whereby the dilution tunnel is formed by the inlet tube or is connected via the inlet tube to the flow control device. 
     In an embodiment of the present invention, the component of the exhaust gas measuring system can, for example, be a flow control device of a CVS system, whereby a fan is connected via the outlet tube to the flow rate device. The volume flow flowing through the flow control device is generated by the fan. 
     A control cabinet for an exhaust gas measuring system is thus provided which can be set up independent of the position and the alignment of the outlet tube, whereby the connection between the outlet and the outlet tube therefor is provided in a simple and cost-effective manner. 
     The present invention is described in greater detail below under reference to the accompanying drawing. 
     Control cabinet  10  comprises a cabinet body  12  having a first side wall  14 , an opposite second side wall  16 , a bottom element  18 , a ceiling element  20 , and a back wall  22 . A door is arranged (the door not being shown in the FIGURE) at the side opposite to back wall  22  via which an engagement with an interior  13  of cabinet body  12  is enabled in an opened position. A component  24  of an exhaust gas measuring system is arranged in interior  13  of cabinet body  12 . 
     Component  24  of the exhaust gas measuring system is a flow control device  25  of a CVS system, whereby in a CVS system, the exhaust gas emitted by a vehicle is introduced into a dilution tunnel during a test cycle and is therein diluted with air. The diluted exhaust gas is then introduced into flow control device  25 . In flow control device  25 , a volume flow of the diluted exhaust gas being constant and required for the measurement is adjusted before the diluted exhaust gas is extracted by a sampling probe and supplied to one or a plurality of exhaust gas bags. After completion of the driving cycle, the diluted exhaust gas collected in the exhaust gas bag is analyzed for pollutants by a plurality of analysis devices, wherein the amount of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, hydrocarbon, and nitrogen oxide is in particular determined. 
     Flow control device  25  comprises four flow-through tubes  50 ,  52 ,  54 ,  56  which enter into a connection inlet  58  with a first axial end and into a collection outlet  60  with the opposed second axial end. For adjusting the constant volume flow and for adjusting the degree of dilution, each respective flow-through tube  50 ,  52 ,  54 ,  56  comprises one Venturi nozzle operated in a supercritical range and one control valve, respectively. 
     Collection outlet  60  comprises four openings through which the four flow-through tubes  50 ,  52 ,  54 ,  56  are inserted into collection outlet  60 . An outlet  28  of flow control device  25  is also provided at collection outlet  60 , whereby outlet  28  is in fluid communication with an outlet tube  32  via a first connection element  30  being connected to outlet  28  in a connection plane  33 . A fan (which is not shown in the FIGURE) is connected to outlet tube  32  for generating a flow through the flow control device  25 . 
     According to the present invention, connection plane  33  includes an angle of 45° with respect to the horizontal plane and the first connection element  30  is formed to be angled-tube-like, whereby the first connection element  30  can be mounted in a first and a second connection position. 
     For shifting the first connection element  30  from the first connection position to the second connection position, the first connection element  30  is rotated in connection plane  33  by 180°. 
     In the first connection position  30 , as shown in the FIGURE, the first connection element  30  is aligned so that the first connection element  30  can be connected with a horizontally aligned connection tube  32 . The first connection element  30  thereby penetrates the second side wall  16  so that the first connection element  30  is connected to outlet tube  32  outside cabinet body  12 . Outlet tube  32  connecting to the first connection element  30  can otherwise pass vertically. The first connection element  30  is here mounted in the second connection position (which is not shown in the FIGURE), whereby the first connection element  30  penetrates bottom element  18  and is connected to outlet tube  32  below cabinet body  12 . 
     For a flow through collection outlet  60  and the first connection element  30  with little losses and disruptions, the first connection element  30  comprises a first portion  42  connected to outlet  28  and a second portion  44  connecting to the first portion  42 , whereby a wall  43  of the first portion  42 , a wall  45  of the second portion  44 , and a wall  61  of collection outlet  60  each include an angle with a longitudinal axis  40  of the first connection element  30 . The angle decreases downstream from wall  61  of collection outlet  60  to wall  43  of the second portion  44  so that a curve-like flow deflection of the gas flowing out of flow control device  25  occurs. In the second connection position of the first connection element  30 , the gas flowing out of flow control device  25  flows out of the first connection element  30  parallel to the through-flow of flow control device  25  so that no 90° flow deflection occurs. 
     Collection inlet  58  is adapted in the same way as collection outlet  60 , whereby collection inlet  58  comprises inlet  26 . Inlet  26  is in fluid communication with an inlet tube  36  via a second connection element  34  being coupled to inlet  26  in a connection plane  35 , whereby the second connection element  34  can be mounted in a first connection position and in a second connection position and can thus be coupled to the vertically or horizontally aligned inlet tube  36 . Inlet tube  36  forms a dilution tunnel of the CVS system. Inlet tube  36  alternatively serves as a connection tube between the dilution tunnel and the second connection element  34 . 
     In the embodiment shown in the FIGURE, outlet tube  32  is arranged in the upper area of cabinet body  12 , and inlet tube  36  is arranged in the lower area of cabinet body  12 , so that flow control device  25  is aligned in the cabinet body  12  with inlet  26  facing ceiling element  20  and outlet  28  is facing bottom element  18 . Inlet  26  could alternatively face bottom element  18  and outlet  28  could face ceiling element  20 , whereby flow control device  25  is rotated by 180° about a horizontal axis therefor. 
     A control cabinet for an exhaust gas measuring system is thus provided which can be set up independent of the position and the alignment of the outlet tube, whereby the connection of the outlet to the outlet tube can be established and mounted in a simple and cost-effective manner therefor. A connection to the opposed side wall is also possible by rotating the collection inlet or the collection outlet. 
     It should be clear that the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited to the described exemplary embodiment of the control cabinet. The connection element or the collection outlet can, for example, be configured in a different manner. Another component of the exhaust gas measuring system, for example, a heat exchanger, could also, for example, be arranged in the control cabinet. 
     The present invention is not limited to embodiments described herein; reference should be had to the appended claims.