US2011107744A1PendingUtilityA1

Apparatus for Maintaining a Urea Solution in a Liquid State for Treatment of Diesel Exhaust

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Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Nov 11, 2009Filed: Nov 11, 2009Published: May 12, 2011
Est. expiryNov 11, 2029(~3.3 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Michael J. SeinoBob LiDaniel B. Hamilton
Y02T10/12F01N 2610/1406F01N 3/2066F01N 2610/10F01N 2610/02
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Claims

Abstract

A system for keeping a reservoir solution of urea in a liquid state at normally sub-freezing temperatures comprising a reservoir tank module having a heater and disposed in a solution storage tank. Solution in the storage tank is heated by passage of heat through the walls of the reservoir tank module which are formed of a hybrid of plastic polymer and metal, preferably a urea-resistant stainless steel, such that the thermal conductivity of the walls is sufficient to liquefy frozen solution in the storage tank in a practical time frame at an acceptable net manufacturing cost for the tank module. The hybrid combination may be formed in any of various arrangements such as, but not limited to, a lower portion formed of metal and an upper portion formed of plastic, or alternating bands and/or strips of metal and plastic. The optimum thicknesses of metal and plastic may be determined conventionally.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A reservoir tank module for a system for keeping a reservoir solution of urea in a liquid state at normally sub-freezing temperatures, comprising hybrid walls formed of metal and plastic polymer. 
     
     
         2 . A reservoir tank module in accordance with  claim 1  wherein said metal is formed as a pot-shaped portion and said plastic polymer is formed as a portion joined to said pot-shaped portion. 
     
     
         3 . A reservoir tank module in accordance with  claim 2  wherein said joining of said pot-shaped portion to said cylindrical portion includes respective mating barbed portions. 
     
     
         4 . A reservoir tank module in accordance with  claim 1  wherein said metal is formed as a plurality of strips and said plastic polymer is formed as a matrix encompassing said plurality of metal strips. 
     
     
         5 . A reservoir tank module in accordance with  claim 4  wherein at least two of said plurality of strips are interconnected. 
     
     
         6 . A reservoir tank module in accordance with  claim 1  wherein said metal is formed as a plurality of bands and said plastic polymer is formed as a matrix encompassing said plurality of metal bands. 
     
     
         7 . A reservoir tank module in accordance with  claim 6  wherein at least two of said plurality of bands are interconnected. 
     
     
         8 . A reservoir tank module in accordance with  claim 1  further comprising a heater. 
     
     
         9 . A reservoir tank module in accordance with  claim 8  wherein said heater in contact with said hybrid walls formed of metal. 
     
     
         10 . A system for keeping a reservoir solution of urea in a liquid state at normally sub-freezing temperatures, comprising:
 a) a storage tank for said urea solution;   b) a reservoir tank module in hydraulic communication with said storage tank for dispensing said urea solution, wherein said reservoir tank module includes hybrid walls formed of metal and plastic polymer.   
     
     
         11 . A system in accordance with  claim 10  wherein said reservoir tank module is disposed within said storage tank. 
     
     
         12 . A system in accordance with  claim 10  wherein said hybrid walls comprise metal formed as a pot-shaped portion and plastic polymer formed as a portion joined to said pot-shaped portion. 
     
     
         13 . A system in accordance with  claim 10  wherein said hybrid walls comprise metal formed as a plurality of strips and plastic polymer formed as a matrix encompassing said plurality of metal strips. 
     
     
         14 . A system in accordance with  claim 10  wherein said hybrid walls comprise metal formed as a plurality of bands and plastic polymer formed as a matrix encompassing said plurality of metal bands. 
     
     
         15 . An internal combustion engine comprising a system for keeping a reservoir solution of urea in a liquid state at normally sub-freezing temperatures, wherein said system includes a reservoir tank module having hybrid walls formed of metal and plastic polymer. 
     
     
         16 . An engine in accordance with  claim 15  wherein said engine is compression-ignited. 
     
     
         17 . An engine in accordance with  claim 15  wherein said engine is lean burn spark ignited.

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