System and method for injecting an aqueous solution on-board a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11215145-B2
Application number	US-201816608942-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 4, 2018
Priority date	May 4, 2017
Publication date	Jan 4, 2022
Grant date	Jan 4, 2022

Abstract

A vehicle system includes a tank for storing an aqueous solution; and a UV light decontamination module configured for decontaminating aqueous solution stored in the tank. The UV light decontamination module is arranged in a wall of the tank. The UV light decontamination module includes a light source compartment which is accessible from an external area outside of the tank; and a light transmission member configured to transmit UV light from the light source compartment to a liquid space in fluid communication with aqueous solution stored in the tank. The light source compartment includes a light source to emit UV light through the light transmission member to the liquid space.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vehicle system comprising:
a tank for storing an aqueous solution;
a UV light decontamination module configured for decontaminating aqueous solution stored in the tank;
said UV light decontamination module being arranged in a wall of the tank, and
said UV light decontamination module comprising:
a light source compartment which is accessible from an external area outside of the tank; and
a light transmission member configured to transmit UV light from the light source compartment to a liquid space in a liquid compartment in fluid communication with the tank;
said light source compartment comprising a light source configured and arranged to emit UV light through the light transmission member to the liquid space;

wherein the liquid compartment is provided with at least one inlet and at least one outlet for receiving and discharging aqueous solution from and to the tank, respectively,
wherein the volume of the liquid compartment is between 6000 mm 3 and 20000 mm 3 , and
wherein the UV light decontamination module comprises a tube-like section extending through the wall of the tank, said tube-like section having a first end in the tank and a second open end outside of the tank, wherein the light transmission member is sealingly mounted between the first and the second end, so that the liquid compartment is located between the light transmission member and the first end, and the light source compartment is located between the light transmission member and the second open end.

2. The vehicle system according to claim 1 , comprising a vibration absorbing part adapted to absorb vibrations; said vibration absorbing part comprising an elastically deformable part located between the light source and a wall delimiting the light source compartment.

3. The vehicle system according to claim 2 , wherein the elastically deformable part is compressed, and the compression relative to the total length of the elastically deformable part is between 5% and 70%.

4. The vehicle system according to claim 1 , wherein the UV light decontamination module comprises the liquid compartment in fluid communication with the tank, wherein the light transmission member or a wall comprising the light transmission member separates the liquid compartment from the light source compartment.

5. The vehicle system according to claim 1 , wherein the volume of the tank is between 5 and 15 l; wherein the vehicle system is configured to generate a flow rate between 5 and 15 l/h in the liquid compartment.

6. The vehicle system according to claim 1 , wherein the liquid compartment is located inside the tank.

7. The vehicle system according to claim 1 , wherein the first end is an open end closed by an internal cap; and/or wherein the second open end is closed by an external cap.

8. The vehicle system according to claim 1 , further comprising a pump unit, wherein the UV light decontamination module is arranged such that the pump unit can cause a flow of aqueous solution through the liquid space adjacent the light transmission member.

9. The vehicle system according to claim 8 , wherein the pump unit is integrated in the UV light decontamination module.

10. The vehicle system according to claim 8 , further comprising an injector and a feed line connecting an outlet of the pump unit to the injector such that aqueous solution from the tank can be pumped to the injector; and a return line connected to the outlet of the pump unit; wherein the return line is directed towards the liquid space adjacent the light transmission member.

11. The vehicle system according to claim 10 , wherein the return line is connected to the at least one inlet of the liquid compartment.

12. The vehicle system according to claim 1 , wherein the tank has a bottom wall, a top wall and a sidewall connecting the bottom wall with the top wall, wherein the UV light decontamination module is arranged in the bottom wall, wherein, in the mounted position of the tank, the bottom wall corresponds with the lowest face of the tank.

13. The vehicle system according to claim 1 , wherein the light transmission member is a transparent member.

14. The vehicle system according to claim 1 , wherein the light transmission member is mounted moveably so that it allows a movement in the direction of the light source compartment.

15. A vehicle system comprising:
a tank for storing an aqueous solution;
a UV light decontamination module configured for decontaminating aqueous solution stored in the tank;
said UV light decontamination module being arranged in a wall of the tank, and
said UV light decontamination module comprising:
a light source compartment; and
a light transmission member configured to transmit UV light from the light source compartment to a liquid space in a liquid compartment in fluid communication with the tank;
said light source compartment comprising a light source configured and arranged to emit UV light through the light transmission member to the liquid space;
wherein the liquid compartment is provided with at least one inlet and at least one outlet for receiving and discharging aqueous solution from and to the tank, respectively,
wherein the volume of the liquid compartment is between 6000 mm 3 and 20000 mm 3 , and
wherein the UV light decontamination module comprises a tube-like section extending through the wall of the tank, said tube-like section having a first end in the tank and a second open end outside of the tank, wherein the light transmission member is sealingly mounted between the first and the second end, so that the liquid compartment is located between the light transmission member and the first end, and the light source compartment is located between the light transmission member and the second open end.

16. The vehicle system according to claim 15 , comprising a vibration absorbing part adapted to absorb vibrations; said vibration absorbing part comprising an elastically deformable part located between the light source and a wall delimiting the light source compartment.

17. The vehicle system according to claim 16 , wherein the elastically deformable part is compressed, and the compression is between 5% and 70%.

18. The vehicle system according to claim 15 , wherein the UV light decontamination module comprises the liquid compartment in fluid communication with the tank, wherein the light transmission member or a wall comprising the light transmission member separates the liquid compartment from the light source compartment.

19. The vehicle system according to claim 15 , wherein the volume of the tank is between 5 and 15 l, and wherein the vehicle system is configured to generate a flow rate between 5 and 15 l/h in the liquid compartment.

20. The vehicle system according to claim 15 , wherein the liquid compartment is located inside the tank.

21. The vehicle system according to claim 15 , wherein the light source comprises at least one LED source.

22. The vehicle system according to claim 15 , further comprising an injector, wherein the vehicle system is configured to pump aqueous solution through the liquid compartment whilst at the same time pumping aqueous solution to the injector.

23. The vehicle system according to claim 15 , further comprising an injector, wherein the vehicle system is configured to be controlled to be in an injection mode or in a bio-decontamination mode, wherein the vehicle system is configured for pumping aqueous solution through the liquid space

Assignees

• Plastic Omnium Advanced Innovation & Res

Inventors

• Duez Laurent
• Relave-Noiray Arthur

Classifications

• C02F2201/3227

  Units with two or more lamps · CPC title

• C02F2103/02

  Non-contaminated water, e.g. for industrial water supply · CPC title

• F02M25/0222

  Water recovery or storage · CPC title

• A61L2/10

  Ultraviolet [UV] radiation · CPC title

• C02F2201/3228

  Units having reflectors, e.g. coatings, baffles, plates, mirrors · CPC title