Tank system with a main tank and a melting device having a melt tank
First Claim
1. A tank system for providing a selected cold start volume of an operating liquid required by a liquid consumer after a cold start, the tank system comprising a main tank containing an operating liquid comprising a urea solution, the main tank including a filling opening through which an interior of the main tank can be filled with operating liquid, a melting device comprising a melt tank and a discharge opening, the melt tank enclosing a melting space and comprising an inlet opening through which the melting space can be filled from the interior of the main tank with the operating liquid, and the melting device comprising a cold start heater for melting operating liquid frozen in the melting space, wherein the melting space is at least as large as the cold start volume and is smaller than the interior of the main tank.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A tank system can provide a predetermined cold start volume (VKS) of an operating liquid required by a liquid consumer after a cold start. The tank system can provide a urea solution to an SCR catalytic converter. The tank system includes a main tank with a filling opening through which the interior of the main tank can be filled with operating liquid. To melt a predetermined volume of the frozen liquid in a fast, efficient and complete manner, a melting device is provided. The melting device includes a melt tank which encloses a melting space and which comprises an inlet opening through which the melting space can be filled with the operating liquid from the interior of the main tank. The melting device includes a cold start heater for melting frozen liquid in the melting space. The melting space is at least as large as the cold start volume (VKS) and is smaller than the interior of the main tank.
41 Citations
35 Claims
- 1. A tank system for providing a selected cold start volume of an operating liquid required by a liquid consumer after a cold start, the tank system comprising a main tank containing an operating liquid comprising a urea solution, the main tank including a filling opening through which an interior of the main tank can be filled with operating liquid, a melting device comprising a melt tank and a discharge opening, the melt tank enclosing a melting space and comprising an inlet opening through which the melting space can be filled from the interior of the main tank with the operating liquid, and the melting device comprising a cold start heater for melting operating liquid frozen in the melting space, wherein the melting space is at least as large as the cold start volume and is smaller than the interior of the main tank.
- 17. A kit for a tank system for providing a predetermined cold start volume of an operating liquid to a liquid consuming device after a cold start, the kit comprising a main tank module with a filling opening through which an interior of the main tank module is filled with operating liquid comprising a urea solution, a melting module that is connectable to the main tank module, the melting module comprising a melt tank module enclosing a melting space and an inlet opening through which operating liquid from the interior flows to fill the melting space can be filled with operating liquid from at least one of the interior of the main tank module and a discharge opening, and a cold start heating module for melting operating liquid frozen in the melting space, the cold start module configured to be coupled to the melt tank module, the melting space is at least as large as a cold start volume and is smaller than the interior of the main tank module.
- 24. A kit for a cold start system for melting liquid in a tank of a motor vehicle, the liquid comprising a urea solution suitable for an SCR catalytic converter, the kit comprising a tank module having a receiving opening and a cold start heating module, at least a portion of the cold start heating module configured to be inserted into the tank module through the receiving opening and configured to be repeatedly coupled to and detached from the tank, wherein the cold start heating module is a cold start heater, the cold start heater comprises at least one heating element and at least one heat distribution element, the at least one heating element having a predetermined limited, maximum heating power and configured to generate heat, the at least one heat distribution element conductively coupled to the heating element, the heating distribution element comprises defrosting surfaces projecting into the tank and extending away from the heating element such that heat is transferred from the defrosting surfaces into liquid frozen in the tank, the defrosting surfaces span a melting liquid volume equal to or greater than a cold start volume, wherein the cold start volume of the melted liquid comprising the urea solution is sufficient for a liquid consuming device to operate within a defined cold start period.
Specification