Urea solution venting system for vehicle

• US 9,315,098 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2014
• Issued: 04/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2013
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Original Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company (Hyundai Motor Group)
• Inventors: Lee, Bosung, Ham, Chang Ho
• Primary Examiner(s): Maust, Timothy L
• Application Number:
  US14/335,703
• Publication Number:
  US 20150167529A1
• Time in Patent Office: 641 Days
• Field of Search: 141/59, 141/285, 141/325, 137/588, 137/624.27, 220/86.2
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 13/04 concerning exhaust collecting exhaust gases with central suction systems not forming part of vehicles, e.g. in workshops or tunnels B08B15/002, otherwise along carriageways E01C1/005; extensions for melting snow on roads E01H5/00, E01H6/00; exhaust or silencing apparatus for internal combustion engines per se F01N; pipes, joints or supports therefor F16L
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/01 Arrangement of fuel conduits chassis frame forming fluid conduit means B62D21/17
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/03519 Valve arrangements in the vent line
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2610/02 the substance being ammonia or urea
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2610/1466 Means for venting air out of conduits or tanks
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/208 Control of selective catalytic reduction [SCR], e.g. dosing of reducing agent
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 50/20 Air quality improvement or preservation, e.g. vehicle emission control or emission reduction by using catalytic converters
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies

Abstract

An urea solution venting system for a vehicle which passes an ammonia component produced from an urea solution supplied for post-processing on an exhaust gas of the vehicle may include an urea solution tank, an urea solution injection pipe that communicates with the urea solution tank to replenish the urea solution tank, a first venting pipe to send an ammonia component produced in the urea solution tank to the urea solution injection pipe, a valve module that has a first outlet for sending the ammonia component in the first venting pipe to the urea solution injection pipe, and has a second outlet through which the ammonia component in the urea solution injection pipe is discharged to the outside, an urea solution injection port to receive an injection gun for injecting an urea solution into the urea solution injection pipe, and a flap that closes the urea solution injection port.

Claims

1. A urea solution venting system for a vehicle which passes an ammonia component produced from a urea solution supplied for post-processing on an exhaust gas of the vehicle, the system comprising:

a urea solution tank that stores a urea solution;

a urea solution injection pipe that communicates with the urea solution tank to replenish the urea solution tank with the urea solution;

a first venting pipe of which a first end communicates with the urea solution injection pipe and a second end is connected to the urea solution tank in order to send an ammonia component produced in the urea solution tank to the urea solution injection pipe;

a valve module that is disposed between the first venting pipe and the urea solution injection pipe and includes;

a first outlet for sending an ammonia component in the first venting pipe to the urea solution injection pipe; and

a second outlet through which an ammonia component in the urea solution injection pipe is discharged to the outside;

a urea solution injection port that is formed at a first end of the urea solution injection pipe to receive an injection gun for injecting the urea solution into the urea solution injection pipe; and

a flap that is pivotally mounted to the urea solution injection port and selectively closes the urea solution injection port, wherein as the injection gun is inserted into the urea solution injection port, the flap opens the urea solution injection port and closes the first and the second outlets of the valve module by being pushed by the injection gun.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the valve module comprises:

an outer body that communicates with the first venting pipe and the urea solution injection pipe;

an inner body that is disposed inside the outer body and communicates with the urea solution injection pipe; and

an exhaust valve that is disposed at a first end of the inner body and selectively opens/closes the first end of the inner body, wherein the outer body communicates with the urea solution injection pipe through the first outlet and the inner body communicates with the urea solution injection pipe through the second outlet.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein when the flap returns to an initial closed position and the first outlet and the second outlet are opened, with separation of the injection gun, the ammonia component from the first venting pipe flowing in the urea solution injection pipe through the outer body and the ammonia component from the urea solution tank directly flowing to the urea solution injection pipe flow into the inner body.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein when the ammonia component flows into the inner body, the exhaust valve opens and the ammonia component in the inner body is discharged inside a vehicle body through the exhaust valve.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the valve module further comprises:

an air inflow valve that is disposed at the first end of the inner body and selectively opens/closes the first end of the inner body, wherein as the air inflow valve opens to take external air into the inner body, the ammonia component is smoothly discharged through the exhaust valve.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a venting valve that is disposed on the top of the urea solution tank and selectively discharges the ammonia component produced in the urea solution tank;

a liquid filter that communicates with the venting valve, receives a portion of the ammonia component produced in the urea solution tank passing through the venting valve, and collects a liquid-state urea solution in the portion of the ammonia component which passes through the venting valve; and

a second venting pipe that communicates with the liquid filter to discharge a gas-state urea solution in the portion of the ammonia component passing through the venting valve and then passing through the liquid filter down along the urea solution tank.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein:

the venting valve includes;

at least one or more circulation holes through which the ammonia component produced in the urea solution tank flows into the venting valve;

a venting hole through which the portion of the ammonia component passing through the venting valve flows out of the venting valve;

a connection pipe that communicates with the liquid filter so that a portion of the ammonia component passing through the venting hole is sent to the liquid filter; and

a float that is disposed in the venting valve to be lifted by buoyancy, as the urea solution supplied into the urea solution tank rises, wherein as the float is lifted, the circulation holes and the venting hole are closed.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein when the first outlet, the second outlet, and the venting hole are closed, the urea solution tank is closed.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the liquid filter includes:

a filter body of which an entire shape is a cylindrical case,

a liquid trap that is disposed in the filter body and filters the liquid-state urea solution in the portion of the ammonia component passing through the liquid filter, and

a return valve that selectively opens to return the liquid-state urea solution, which collects on a bottom of the filter body by the liquid trap, to the urea solution tank.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the filter body tapers downward.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the return valve is opened by a weight of the liquid-state urea solution collecting on the bottom of the filter body.