Reductant supply system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9387437-B2
Application number	US-201414283860-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 21, 2014
Priority date	May 21, 2014
Publication date	Jul 12, 2016
Grant date	Jul 12, 2016

Abstract

A reductant supply system includes a reductant tank, an injector supply conduit fluidly connecting the reductant tank with an injector, a driving fluid source in fluid communication with the reductant tank via a dose driving conduit, a purge conduit in fluid communication with the driving fluid source and the reductant tank, and a valve in fluid communication with the reductant tank via the dose driving conduit and the purge conduit.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A reductant supply system comprising:
a reductant tank;
an injector supply conduit fluidly connecting the reductant tank with an injector;
a driving fluid source in fluid communication with the reductant tank via a dose driving conduit;
a purge conduit in fluid communication with the driving fluid source and the reductant tank;
a venturi disposed in the purge conduit; and
a valve in fluid communication with the reductant tank via the dose driving conduit and the purge conduit, wherein:
a first configuration of the valve affects fluid communication between the driving fluid source and the injector supply conduit through the dose driving conduit and blocks fluid communication between the driving fluid source and the injector supply conduit through the purge conduit, and
a second configuration of the valve affects fluid communication between the driving fluid source and the injector supply conduit through the purge conduit and blocks fluid communication between the driving fluid source and the injector supply conduit through the dose driving conduit.

2. The reductant supply system of claim 1 further comprising:
a valve element disposed in the purge conduit, the valve element affecting selective fluid communication between the venturi and the reductant tank.

3. The reductant supply system of claim 1 further comprising:
a pressure sensor associated with the reductant tank.

4. The reductant supply system of claim 1 further comprising:
a pressure manifold in fluid communication with the injector and the injector supply conduit.

5. The reductant supply system of claim 4 further comprising:
an injector pressure sensor coupled to the pressure manifold.

6. The reductant supply system of claim 1 , wherein the dose driving conduit and the purge conduit mare attached to a top portion of the reductant tank.

7. The reductant supply system of claim 1 further comprising:
a pressure regulator provided in the dose driving conduit, the pressure regulator positioned upstream of the reductant tank.

8. A reductant supply system comprising:
a reductant tank;
an injector supply conduit fluidly connecting the reductant tank with an injector;
a driving fluid source in fluid communication with the reductant tank via a dose driving conduit;
a purge conduit in fluid communication with the driving fluid source and the injector supply conduit;
a venturi disposed in the purge conduit; and
a valve in fluid communication with the reductant tank via the dose driving conduit and the injector supply conduit via the purge conduit, wherein:
a first configuration of the valve affects fluid communication between the driving fluid source and the injector supply conduit through the dose driving conduit and blocks fluid communication between the driving fluid source and the injector supply conduit through the purge conduit; and
a second configuration of the valve affects fluid communication between the driving fluid source and the injector supply conduit through the purge conduit and blocks fluid communication between the driving fluid source and the injector supply conduit through the dose driving conduit.

9. The reductant supply system of claim 8 further comprising:
a pressure sensor associated with the reductant tank.

10. The reductant supply system of claim 8 further comprising:
a valve element connected to a top portion of the reductant tank.

11. The reductant supply system of claim 8 further comprising:
a pressure regulator provided in the dose driving conduit, the pressure regulator positioned upstream of the reductant tank.

12. A reductant supply system comprising:
a reductant tank;
an injector supply conduit fluidly connecting the reductant tank with an injector;
a driving fluid source; and
a valve arrangement in fluid communication with the driving fluid source and the reductant tank, the valve arrangement including a first valve, a second valve, and a third valve, wherein the valve arrangement is configured to selectively and alternatively:
deliver a driving fluid from the driving fluid source to the reductant tank via the first valve; and
purge the injector supply conduit with the driving fluid via the second valve,
wherein the third valve is in fluid communication with the first valve and the second valve, the third valve positioned downstream of the first valve and the second valve, such that the third valve is configured to control a flow of the driving fluid from the first valve toward the second valve during the delivery.

13. The reductant supply system of claim 12 further comprising:
a pressure sensor associated with the reductant tank, the pressure sensor positioned between the valve arrangement and the reductant tank.

14. The reductant supply system of claim 12 further comprising:
a venturi in fluid communication with the second valve and third valve.

15. The reductant supply system of claim 12 further comprising:
a tank in fluid communication with the driving fluid source.

16. The reductant supply system of claim 15 further comprising:
a tank pressure sensor associated with the tank.

17. The reductant supply system of claim 12 further comprising:
an in-tank filter present within the reductant tank.

18. The reductant supply system of claim 12 further comprising:
a pressure manifold in fluid communication with the injector and the injector supply conduit.

19. The reductant supply system of claim 18 further comprising:
an injector pressure sensor coupled to the pressure manifold.

Assignees

• Hogan Keith D
• Fenelon Thomas R
• Cole Brian M
• Dea Kevin L
• Caterpillar Inc

Inventors

• Hogan Keith D
• Fenelon Thomas R
• Cole Brian M
• Dea Kevin L

Classifications

• B01D53/94 Primary

  by catalytic processes · CPC title

• F01N3/2066 Primary

  Selective catalytic reduction [SCR] · CPC title

• Y10T137/3112

  Main line flow displaces additive from shunt reservoir · CPC title

• B01D53/9431

  Processes characterised by a specific device · CPC title

• F01N3/021

  by means of filters · CPC title