WO2009014516A1

WO2009014516A1 - Apparatus for heating a fluid in an automotive vehicle

Info

Publication number: WO2009014516A1
Application number: PCT/US2007/016684
Authority: WO
Inventors: Johnathan N. Hawks
Original assignee: Volvo Trucks North America
Priority date: 2007-07-24
Filing date: 2007-07-24
Publication date: 2009-01-29

Abstract

An apparatus for heating a fluid in an automotive vehicle includes a first hose for carrying a fluid to be heated, a second hose for carrying a heat bearing fluid, and a plurality of heat conducting coupling members, each in heat transfer contact with the first hose and the second hose to transmit heat therebetween. The heat conducting coupling members preferably are each formed as an H-shaped member having a first recess for containing the first hose and a second recess for containing the second hose, and a web portion in contact with both the first hose and second hose. An insulating jacket may surround the assembly of hoses and coupling members.

Description

APPARATUS FOR HEATING A FLUID IN AN AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLE

Field of the Invention

[001] The invention relates to apparatuses for delivering fluids in automotive vehicles, and more particularly to an apparatus for heating a fluid being delivered in a vehicle. The invention has particular use for heating urea to be delivered as part of an exhaust aftertreatment system in diesel engine powered vehicles.

Background and Summary of the Invention

[002] In vehicular and in stationary applications of powertrain installations (motor and gearbox) and industrial machinery, there is often a need to provide heating or cooling of certain fluid systems when operating, respectively, in extremely cold or hot environments. In some cases, the requirement is only one of maintaining the temperature above a certain minimum temperature to guarantee adequate viscosity and flow rate or below a certain maximum temperature to prevent boiling. In other cases, as in the case of urea-based diesel exhaust treatment fluids, it is necessary to first thaw a frozen media before the fluid system can operate.

[003] A known solution to the problem of heating and thawing a fluid in, for example, a fuel tank, urea solution tank, gearbox and engine sumps, is an electrical or coolant heat exchanger embedded in the fluid reservoir, as disclosed in US Patent No. 6,399,034 to Weisweiler. A tank heater does not address, however, the fluid transfer hoses that are sometimes necessary to move the fluid from the storage reservoir to the component where it is needed for operation.

[004] These fluid hoses represent a significant problem as they often have a high ratio of surface area to fluid volume and lose (or gain) heat rapidly from the surrounding environment. An example of a typical industrial application would be glue application machines, where it is necessary to maintain a high temperature to prevent setting of the adhesive inside the supply line during intermittent or very low flow operation. This is sometimes solved by wrapping the hose in resistance wire and applying a voltage to it. Coolant fluid carrying heat from another component is also used to heat the^'adhesive hose via a flexible coolant jacket that is coaxial with the adhesive hose. Circulating warm coolant through the jacket warms the inner hose.

[005] While these solutions are relatively simple to implement in a factory environment, where there is easy access to 240V line current or steam or hot water building heating systems, such solutions prove more difficult on isolated equipment or on vehicles where only a low voltage DC electrical system is available. Further, the potential for leakage associated with the extra sealed connections for both the heating fluid and the media provides an additional difficulty.

[006] According to the invention, an apparatus for heating a fluid in an automotive vehicle, includes a first hose for carrying a fluid to be heated, a second hose for carrying a heat bearing fluid, and at last one and alternatively a plurality of heat conducting coupling members, each in heat transfer contact with the first hose and the second hose to transmit heat therebetween.

[007] According to another aspect of the invention, the heat conducting coupling members preferably are formed as an H-shaped member having a first recess for containing the first hose and a second recess for containing the second hose, the recesses defined by leg portions and a web portion of the H-shaped member in contact with both the first hose and second hose.

[008] According to yet another aspect of the invention, the apparatus further includes an insulating jacket enclosing the first hose and second hose and coupling member.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[009] The invention will be better understood with reference to the following detailed description read in conjunction with the appended drawings, in which:

[oio] Figure 1 is a cross sectional view taken along line 1-1 of Figure 2 of an apparatus in accordance with the invention; and,

[oil] Figure 2 is a side sectional view of the apparatus of Figure 1. Detailed Description

[012] An apparatus 10 in accordance with the invention is shown in cross section in Figure 1 and a longitudinal section in Figure 2. The apparatus 10 includes a first hose 20 that carries a first fluid 22 to be heated, such as a urea based fluid used in vehicle exhaust aftertreatment systems. The first hose 20 is connectable between a supply tank for the urea based fluid and a delivery system for injecting the urea based fluid into an exhaust gas flow of the vehicle, as will be known to those skilled in the art. A second hose 30 is arranged adjacent and in parallel to the first hose 20. The second hose 30 carries a second fluid, a heat-bearing fluid 32. The heat-bearing fluid 32 may be engine coolant diverted from the coolant/radiator system, fuel being returned from the fuel injectors to the fuel tank, engine or transmission oil, or another source of heat-bearing fluid. The hoses 20, 30 may be made of flexible material to allow routing through the vehicle engine compartment and frame, as appropriate.

[013] Heat from the heat-bearing fluid 32 is transmitted to the first fluid 22 primarily through at least one and preferably a plurality of heat conductive coupling members 40. The heat conductive coupling members 40 are formed of a heat conductive material, such as a metal like aluminum, and may be machined, sintered, extruded, or formed by another process. The heat conductive coupling member 40 as illustrated is H-shaped in cross section (shown in Figure 1) having a first recess 42 for retaining the first hose 20 in heat conductive contact and a second recess 44 for retaining the second hose 30 in heat conductive contact. The depth of the recesses 42, 44 is sufficient to securely hold the hoses and to allow for insertion and removal. A web 46 forms the common wall of the first recess 42 and second recess 44. The web 46 and side walls 48, 50 of the coupling member 60 provide a heat conductive path between the first recess 42 and the second recess 44 for transferring heat between the hoses 20, 30.

[014] An insulating jacket 60 may be provided to wrap the assemblage of first hose 20, second hose 30, and coupling members 40. The insulating jacket 60 may be formed to closely conform with the assemblage, as shown in the figures, or may alternatively be a simple sleeve that surrounds the assembled components. [015] As illustrated in Figure 2, an embodiment of the invention includes a plurality of heat conductive coupling members 40. The coupling members 40 are mutually spaced a distance sufficient to allow flexing of the first hose 20 and second hose 30 so the hoses may be routed through the vehicle engine compartment and frame.

[016] The invention has been described in terms of preferred principles and embodiments; however, those skilled in the art will recognize that equivalents may be substituted for the components described here without departing from the scope of the appended claims. For example, although the invention has been described in terms of heating a fluid, it could be employed to cool, that is, remove heat, from a fluid as well.

Claims

I claim:

1. An apparatus for heating a fluid in an automotive vehicle, comprising: a first hose for carrying a fluid to be heated; a second hose for carrying a heat bearing fluid; and at least one heat conducting coupling member connected to the first hose and the second hose to transmit heat therebetween.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one heat conducting coupling member is formed as a member having a first recess for retaining the first hose in heat conductive contact and a second recess for retaining the second hose in heat conductive contact .

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one heat conducting coupling member is H-shaped in cross section having two legs and a web between and connecting the two legs.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the at least one heat conducting coupling member, comprises a plurality of coupling members mutually spaced.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising an insulating jacket enclosing the first hose and second hose.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first hose is connectable between a source of fluid to.be heated and device for consuming the fluid.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the second hose is connectable to a coolant system of the vehicle to circulate coolant through the second hose.