Automotive diesel exhaust HC dosing valve for use with diesel particulate filter systems

• US 20080022668A1
• Filed: 06/07/2007
• Published: 01/31/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc. (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Bugos, Stephen, Hornby, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 8,347,605 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 60/295
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2610/03 the substance being hydrocarbons, e.g. engine fuel
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2610/1453 Sprayers or atomisers; Arrangement thereof in the exhaust apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/0821 combined with particulate filters catalysed diesel particulate filters F01N3/035
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/2066 Selective catalytic reduction [SCR]
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 3/36 Arrangements for supply of additional fuel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies

Abstract

A dosing valve assembly is disclosed for administering a reducing agent into an exhaust stream from an internal combustion engine upstream of a catalytic converter and diesel particulate filter. The dosing valve assembly includes a control valve coupled to a source of reducing agent, a delivery valve constructed and arranged for coupling to the exhaust stream to enable a quantity of reducing agent to be administered into the exhaust stream, and an elongated conduit connecting the control valve and delivery valve for fluidly communicating reducing agent from the control valve to the fuel delivery valve. The disclosed arrangement enables the control valve to be displaced from the delivery valve and thus away from the high temperature environment proximal to the exhaust stream.

Claims

1. A dosing valve assembly for administering a reducing agent into an exhaust stream from an internal combustion engine upstream of a catalytic converter and a diesel particulate filter, comprising:

a control valve coupled to a source of fuel; and

a delivery valve constructed and arranged for coupling to the exhaust stream at a location upstream of the catalytic converter and the diesel particulate filter to enable a reducing agent to be administered into the exhaust stream, the delivery valve including an inlet communicating with an elongated conduit connecting the control valve and delivery valve for fluidly communicating the reducing agent from the control valve to the delivery valve.

2. The dosing valve assembly recited in claim 1, wherein the delivery valve is a poppet valve.

3. The dosing valve assembly recited in claim 1, wherein the control valve is an electronic fuel injector.

4. The dosing valve assembly recited in claim 1, wherein the control valve is coupled to an electronic control unit that signals the control valve to move between an open and closed fluid flow condition in response to feedback of NO_x emissions in the exhaust stream.

5. The dosing valve assembly recited in claim 1, wherein the elongated conduit is a connecting tube of a length sufficient to mount the control valve away from a high-temperature environment proximal to the exhaust stream.

6. The dosing valve assembly recited in claim 2, wherein the poppet valve comprises a housing, a valve plate, an axially extending valve stem comprising a flared portion that mates with a valve seat in the housing, and a spring for normally biasing the valve plate such that the flared portion resides in the valve seat to prevent fluid flow from an outlet of the poppet valve.

7. The dosing valve assembly recited in claim 3, wherein the fuel injector comprises an inlet for coupling to the source of the fuel, electronic means for opening and closing a fluid flow path through the fuel injector, and an outlet for coupling the fuel injector to the elongated conduit.

8. A dosing valve assembly for administering fuel into an exhaust stream from an internal combustion engine upstream of a catalytic converter and a diesel particulate filter, comprising:

an electronic fuel injector coupled to a source of fuel; and

a poppet valve constructed and arranged for coupling to the exhaust stream at a location upstream of a catalytic converter and a diesel particulate filter to enable fuel to be administered into the exhaust stream, the poppet valve including an inlet communicating with an elongated conduit connecting the electronic fuel injector and poppet valve for fluidly communicating fuel from the electronic fuel injector to the poppet valve.

9. The dosing valve assembly recited in claim 8, wherein the fuel injector is coupled to an electronic control unit that signals the fuel injector to move between an open and closed fluid flow condition in response to feedback of NO_x emissions in the exhaust stream.

10. The dosing valve assembly recited in claim 8, wherein the elongated conduit is a connecting tube of a length sufficient to mount the fuel injector away from a high-temperature environment proximal to the exhaust stream.

11. The dosing valve assembly recited in claim 8, wherein the poppet valve comprises a housing, a valve plate, an axially extending valve stem comprising a flared portion that mates with a valve seat in the housing, and a spring for normally biasing the valve plate such that the flared portion resides in the valve seat to prevent fluid flow from an outlet of the poppet valve.

12. The dosing valve assembly recited in claim 8, wherein the fuel injector comprises an inlet for coupling to the source of fuel, electronic means for opening and closing a fluid flow path through the fuel injector, and an outlet for coupling the fuel injector to the elongated conduit.

13. A dosing valve assembly for administering diesel fuel into an exhaust stream from an internal combustion engine upstream of a catalytic converter and a diesel particulate filter, comprising:

a control valve coupled to a source of diesel fuel;

a delivery valve constructed and arranged for coupling to the exhaust stream to enable diesel fuel to be administered into the exhaust stream upstream of the catalytic converter and diesel particulate filter, the delivery valve including an inlet communicating with an elongated conduit connecting the control valve and delivery valve for fluidly communicating diesel fuel from the control valve to the delivery valve, the elongated conduit displacing the control valve from the fuel delivery valve.

14. The dosing valve assembly recited in claim 13, wherein the delivery valve is a poppet valve.

15. The dosing valve assembly recited in claim 13, wherein the control valve is an electronic fuel injector.

16. The dosing valve assembly recited in claim 13, wherein the control valve is coupled to an electronic control unit that signals the control valve to move between an open and closed fluid flow condition in response to feedback of NO_x emissions in the exhaust stream.

17. The dosing valve assembly recited in claim 13, wherein the elongated conduit is a connecting tube of a length sufficient to mount the control valve away from a high-temperature environment proximal to the exhaust stream.

18. The dosing valve assembly recited in claim 14, wherein the poppet valve comprises a housing, a valve plate, an axially extending valve stem comprising a flared portion that mates with a valve seat in the housing, and a spring for normally biasing the valve plate such that the flared portion resides in the valve seat to prevent fluid flow from an outlet of the poppet valve.

19. The dosing valve assembly recited in claim 15, wherein the fuel injector comprises an inlet for coupling to the source of diesel fuel, electronic means for opening and closing a fluid flow path through the fuel injector, and an outlet for coupling the fuel injector to the elongated conduit.