Fluid connectors for reductant systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9341295-B2
Application number	US-201313851445-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 27, 2013
Priority date	Mar 27, 2013
Publication date	May 17, 2016
Grant date	May 17, 2016

Abstract

A reductant system for an aftertreatment system of an internal combustion engine is disclosed. The reductant system includes at least one reductant feed line and a reductant system component such as a dosing module. The feed line is connected to the dosing module with a fluid connector. The fluid connector includes a body made from a first material that has a low heat conductivity and an insert made from a second material that has a greater heat conductivity than that of the first material. The insert extends from the body of the fluid connector into a storage chamber of the dosing module, and conducts heat from heated reductant in the feed line to the reductant stored in the storage chamber.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
an internal combustion engine operable to produce an exhaust stream;
an exhaust aftertreatment system connected to said engine, the exhaust gas passing through the exhaust aftertreatment system;
a reductant system connected to said exhaust aftertreatment system, the reductant system including a reductant dosing module with an inlet, said reductant dosing module including a chamber downstream of the inlet;
a fluid connector connected to said reductant dosing module; and
a reductant feed line connected to said fluid connector,
said fluid connector includes a body made from a first material, said body defining a body cross-section, said body extending between and connecting said reductant feed line to said inlet of said reductant dosing module, the fluid connector including a first end and a second end opposite the first end, the first end coupled to the feed line, a first flange defined on the first end, the first flange abutting an end of the feed line, the second end coupled to the inlet of the reductant dosing module, a central hub positioned downstream of the first flange and defining a central hub cross-section larger than the body cross-section, a second flange continuous with the central hub and abutting a facing end of the inlet of the reductant dosing module, the second flange defining a second flange cross-section larger than each of a first flange cross-section of the first flange, the body cross-section and the central hub-cross-section,
said fluid connector further including an insert made from a second material, the insert providing greater heat conductivity than said first material, said insert extending outwardly from said body and into said chamber to provide heat to reductant in said chamber from heat of reductant in said feed line.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein said reductant dosing module further includes:
a pump downstream of said chamber.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the exhaust aftertreatment system further includes:
a selective catalytic reduction system;
said reductant dosing module connected to said exhaust stream upstream of the selective catalytic reduction catalyst of said exhaust aftertreatment system.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein said first material is plastic, and the second end is threadingly engaged to said inlet of said dosing module.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein said insert is a metal tube that projects outwardly from said second end into said chamber, said metal tube further extending through said body from said second end to said first end.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein said metal tube is a stainless steel tube.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein said insert defines a flow passage extending through said body of said fluid connector.

8. An apparatus comprising:
a reductant dosing module, the reductant dosing module including a chamber in fluid communication with a reductant storage tank;
a feed line extending from said reductant storage tank, the feed line providing reductant from said storage tank to said chamber;
a fluid connector connecting said feed line to an inlet of said dosing module, wherein said inlet is upstream of said chamber, the fluid connector including a first end, a body defining a body cross-section and a second end opposite the first end, the first end coupled to the feed line, a first flange defined on the first end, the first flange abutting an end of the feed line, the second end coupled to the inlet of the reductant dosing module a central hub positioned downstream of the first flange and defining a central hub cross-section larger than the body cross-section, a second flange continuous with the central hub and abutting a facing end of the inlet of the reductant dosing module, the second flange defining a second flange cross-section larger than each of a first flange cross-section of the first flange, the body cross-section and the central hub-cross-section; and
a metal insert extending through said fluid connector and into said chamber,
wherein said insert is in contact with reductant in said fluid connector and in said chamber.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , wherein said insert is tubular and defines a flow passage for said reductant through said fluid connector into said chamber.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein said fluid connector includes a plastic body.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein said second end includes external threads that are threadingly engaged to internal threads along said inlet.

12. An apparatus comprising:
a reductant dosing module comprising a chamber for receiving a reductant from a feed line;
a fluid connector configured to connect the feed line to the reductant dosing module, the fluid connector extending between a first end and an opposite second end, the fluid connector further including a body defining a body cross-section, the first end configured to be coupled to the feed line, a first flange defined on the first end, the first flange configured to abut an end of the feed line, said second end being mounted to said reductant dosing module, a central hub positioned downstream of the first flange and defining a central hub cross-section larger than the body cross-section, a second flange continuous with the central hub and abutting a facing end of the inlet of the reductant dosing module, the second flange defining a second flange cross-section larger than each of a first flange cross-section of the first flange, the body cross-section and the central hub-cross-section, said fluid connector being comprised of a first material; and
an insert extending along a passage of said fluid connector with said insert in contact with said reductant, said insert projecting outwardly from said second end of said fluid connector into said chamber, said insert being comprised of a second material that conducts heat more efficiently than said first material.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein said insert is a metal tube.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein said metal tube defines said passage through said fluid connector, said metal tube extending outwardly from said second end of said fluid connector to a terminal end of said metal tube, the metal tube located in said chamber so that said metal tube extends along substantially an entire length of said chamber and reductant is stored in said chamber around said metal tube.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein said reductant dosing module includes a blending chamber downstream of said chamber and said terminal end of said metal tube.

Assignees

• Cummins Emission Solutions Inc

Inventors

• Heichelbech John
• Burke Jim F
• Anthis John
• Myer Andrew

Classifications

• F01N2610/14

  Arrangements for the supply of substances, e.g. conduits · CPC title

• F01N2610/10

  the substance being heated, e.g. by heating tank or supply line of the added substance · CPC title

• F01N3/2066

  Selective catalytic reduction [SCR] · CPC title

• F16L53/001 Primary

  Mechanical Engineering · mapped topic

• F16L53/30 Primary

  Heating of pipes or pipe systems · CPC title