Patent ID: 7131263

Claim:
A method for removing contaminants from an internal combustion engine exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) cooler having a plurality of cooler tubes, comprising: feeding a portion of recirculated exhaust gasses to input ends of the plurality of cooler tubes with such gases flowing through the cooler to exit output ends of the plurality of cooler tubes, the output ends being at a lower elevation than the input ends with gravitational forces being imparted to the contaminants; collecting at least a portion of contaminants exiting the cooler tubes in a trap; and receiving air from a charge air cooler; mixing the recirculated exhaust gases from the output ends of the EGR cooler tubes with the air received from the charge air cooler; and returning the recirculated exhaust gasses exiting the trap along with the received air therewith to an intake manifold of the engine.