| CPC F01N 3/2803 (2013.01) | 20 Claims |

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1. A process for increasing mass flow of an exhaust gas through a catalytic converter system for a vehicle, said catalytic converter system comprising at least a first exhaust pipe (100), a first catalytic converter (200), and a first extension pipe (300); said first exhaust pipe and/or said first extension pipe comprising at least one first bend having a bend radius; said process comprising the steps of:
characterizing a first inlet point (20), a first outlet point (30), and an end plane of each individual bend of a first catalytic converter system (10A);
determining a first centerline (50A) of the first catalytic converter system measured from the first inlet point to the first outlet point through a centerpoint of each individual end plane, said first centerline comprising at least one centerline bend (55) corresponding to a bend of the at least one first bend of the first exhaust pipe and/or the first extension pipe, each centerline bend having a centerline bend angle;
measuring a first baseline cumulative centerline bend angle of the first centerline; and
producing a subsequent catalytic converter system (10B) having a first increased cumulative centerline bend angle by increasing an individual bend radius of at least one second bend within the first exhaust pipe and/or within the first extension pipe by at least −1×D, wherein D is a diameter of the first exhaust pipe and/or the first extension pipe; and
wherein the catalytic converter is maintained in substantially a same spatial position within the vehicle in both the first catalytic converter system and the subsequent catalytic converter system.
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