Patent ID: 7100459

Claim:
A method of mixing a first stream of gas with a second stream of gas, comprising: introducing a first stream of gas into a mixing chamber via a plurality of first stream passages flow coupled to the mixing chamber, wherein the first stream of gas is one of a stream of dilution air and a stream of exhaust gas from an engine; directing a second stream of gas into the mixing chamber via at least one second stream passage flow coupled to a first end of the mixing chamber, the second stream of gas is the other of the stream of dilution air and the stream of exhaust gas from an engine; forming a combined stream from the first and second streams; and discharging the combined stream from the mixing chamber through a mixing chamber exit port, the method further including at least one of the following characteristic factors: 1) directing the first and second streams of gas through the plurality of first stream passages and the second stream passages into the mixing chamber in a manner that the streams of gas are unobstructed by structure as they enter the mixing chamber; 2) providing walls of the mixing chamber with an absence of structure extending into the mixing chamber; 3) introducing the first and second streams of gas from the plurality of first stream passages and the second stream passage into the mixing chamber with a substantially well-developed flow; and 4) introducing at least one of the first and second streams of gas, as the exhaust gas, into the mixing chamber from more than one entrance port.