Reductant Filling Assembly

Abstract

A reductant filling assembly includes a first end and a second end, the first end adapted to connect from an interior side of a machine to a supply port attached to a receiver extending to an exterior side of the machine; a housing extending between the first end and the second end of the reductant filling assembly, the housing extending from a first housing end to a second housing end; a reductant supply conduit, a first circulating conduit, and a second circulating conduit extending through the housing from the first end to the second end. At least the first circulating conduit is in thermal communication with a wall of the reductant supply conduit, such that a heating fluid flowing through the first circulating conduit in a first direction transfers heat to a reductant fluid in the reductant supply conduit.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A reductant filling assembly comprising:
 a first end and a second end, the first end adapted to connect from an interior side of a machine to a supply port attached to a receiver extending to an exterior side of the machine;   a housing extending between the first end and the second end of the reductant filling assembly, the housing extending from a first housing end to a second housing end;   a reductant supply conduit extending through the housing from the first end to the second end;   a first circulating conduit extending through the housing from the first end to the second end; and   a second circulating conduit extending through the housing from the first end to the second end,   wherein at least the first circulating conduit is in thermal communication with a wall of the reductant supply conduit, such that a heating fluid flowing through the first circulating conduit in a first direction transfers heat to a reductant fluid in the reductant supply conduit.   
     
     
         2 . The reductant filling assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the heating fluid flows within the second circulating conduit in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction. 
     
     
         3 . The reductant filling assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the first circulating conduit is coaxial with the reductant supply conduit, and
 wherein a wall of the first circulating conduit surrounds at least a portion of a circumference of the reductant supply conduit.   
     
     
         4 . The reductant filling assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the portion of the circumference is an entire circumference of the reductant supply conduit, and
 wherein the second circulating conduit is positioned outside of the first circulating conduit and extends from the first end to the second end parallel to the first circulating conduit.   
     
     
         5 . The reductant filling assembly of  claim 4 , further comprising a control valve fluidly coupled to the second circulating conduit downstream of a portion of the second circulating conduit disposed within the housing,
 wherein the reductant supply conduit includes a flexible conduit,   wherein the first circulating conduit is in fluid communication with the second circulating conduit, and   wherein the heating fluid is supplied to the first circulating conduit, the control valve is closed and the heating fluid remains upstream of the control valve in the first circulating conduit and the second circulating conduit, and the reductant supply conduit is compressed according to an increased pressure applied by the heating fluid in the first circulating conduit.   
     
     
         6 . The reductant filling assembly of  claim 3 , further comprising a partition extending from the first housing end to the second housing end and positioned adjacently between the first circulating conduit and the second circulating conduit,
 wherein the second circulating conduit is coaxial with the reductant supply conduit and surrounds a remaining portion of the circumference of the reductant supply conduit that is not surrounded by the first circulating conduit, and   wherein the second circulating conduit is in thermal communication with the reductant supply conduit.   
     
     
         7 . The reductant filling assembly of  claim 2 , wherein a wall of the first circulating conduit is positioned adjacent to the wall of the reductant supply conduit from the first housing end to the second housing end,
 wherein a wall of the second circulating conduit is positioned adjacent to the wall of the reductant supply conduit from the first housing end to the second housing end, and   wherein the second circulating conduit is positioned within the housing in thermal communication with the wall of the reductant supply conduit, such that the heating fluid flowing through the second circulating conduit in the second direction transfers heat to the reductant fluid in the reductant supply conduit.   
     
     
         8 . The reductant filling assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the first circulating conduit and the second circulating conduit extend parallel to the reductant supply conduit from the first housing end to the second housing end. 
     
     
         9 . The reductant filling assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the first circulating conduit and the second circulating conduit are wrapped around the reductant supply conduit from the first housing end to the second housing end. 
     
     
         10 . The reductant filling assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the first end of the reductant filling assembly is attached to a first manifold,
 wherein the first manifold includes:
 the supply port, 
 a reductant supply connection connecting the supply port and the reductant supply conduit, 
 a first channel formed within the first manifold and extending from a first port that is formed in a surface of the first manifold and fluidly connected to the first circulating conduit, 
 a second channel formed within the first manifold and extending from a second port that is formed in the surface of the first manifold and fluidly connected to the second circulating conduit, and 
 a connection channel in fluid communication with the first channel and the second channel, and 
   wherein at least one of the first channel, the second channel, and the connection channel is in thermal communication with the reductant supply conduit.   
     
     
         11 . The reductant filling assembly of  claim 10 , wherein the second end of the reductant filling assembly is attached to a second manifold,
 wherein the second manifold includes:
 a reductant outlet connection connecting a reductant outlet port and the reductant supply conduit, 
 a first sub-manifold channel formed within a first sub-manifold of the second manifold and connected to the first circulating conduit, and 
 a second sub-manifold channel formed within a second sub-manifold of the second manifold and connected to the second circulating conduit, and 
   wherein the first sub-manifold channel and the second sub-manifold channel are in thermal communication with at least one of the reductant supply conduit and the reductant outlet connection.   
     
     
         12 . The reductant filling assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the second end of the reductant filling assembly is attached to a manifold,
 wherein the manifold includes:
 a reductant connection connecting a reductant outlet port and the reductant supply conduit, 
 a first sub-manifold channel formed within a first sub-manifold of the manifold and connected to the first circulating conduit, and 
 a second sub-manifold channel formed within a second sub-manifold of the manifold and connected to the second circulating conduit, and 
   wherein the first sub-manifold channel and the second sub-manifold channel are in thermal communication with at least one of the reductant supply conduit and the reductant connection.   
     
     
         13 . A machine comprising:
 an engine including an internal fluid circuit;   an exhaust conduit connected to the engine that receives exhaust gas from the engine;   a heating fluid circuit including a fluid supply conduit connected to an outlet of the internal fluid circuit and a fluid return conduit connected to an inlet of the internal fluid circuit;   a receiver that extends to an exterior side of the machine;   a supply port on an interior side of the machine and fluidly connected to the receiver;   an exhaust aftertreatment system including:
 a tank that stores a reductant fluid to be delivered to the exhaust conduit, 
 a reductant output conduit in fluid communication with a portion of the exhaust conduit, and 
 a pump in fluid communication with the reductant fluid to be delivered in the tank and the reductant output conduit; and 
   a reductant filling assembly including:
 a first end and a second end, the first end adapted to connect from the interior side of the machine to the supply port, 
 a housing extending between the first end and the second end of the reductant filling assembly, the housing extending from a first housing end to a second housing end, 
 a reductant supply conduit extending through the housing from the first end to the second end, 
 a first circulating conduit extending through the housing from the first end to the second end, and 
 a second circulating conduit extending through the housing from the first end to the second end, 
   wherein the first circulating conduit and the second circulating conduit are fluidly connected to the heating fluid circuit downstream of the outlet of the internal fluid circuit and upstream of a section of the heating fluid circuit disposed in the tank,   wherein at least the first circulating conduit is positioned within the housing in thermal communication with a wall of the reductant supply conduit, such that a heating fluid flowing through the first circulating conduit in a first direction transfers heat to a reductant fluid in the reductant supply conduit.   
     
     
         14 . The machine of  claim 13 , wherein the heating fluid flows within the second circulating conduit in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction. 
     
     
         15 . The machine of  claim 14 , further comprising a first manifold attached to the first end of the reductant filling assembly,
 wherein the first manifold includes:
 the supply port, 
 a reductant supply connection connecting the supply port and the reductant supply conduit, 
 a first channel formed within the first manifold and extending from a first port that is formed in a surface of the first manifold and connected to the first circulating conduit, 
 a second channel formed within the first manifold and extending from a second port that is formed in the surface of the first manifold and connected to the second circulating conduit, and 
 a connection channel in fluid communication with the first channel and the second channel, and 
   wherein at least one of the first channel, the second channel, and the connection channel is in thermal communication with the reductant supply conduit.   
     
     
         16 . The machine of  claim 15 , further comprising a second manifold attached to the second end of the reductant filling assembly,
 wherein the second manifold includes:
 a reductant outlet connection connecting a reductant outlet port and the reductant supply conduit, 
 a first sub-manifold channel formed within a first sub-manifold of the second manifold and connected to the first circulating conduit, and 
 a second sub-manifold channel formed within a second sub-manifold of the second manifold and connected to the second circulating conduit, and 
   wherein the first sub-manifold channel and the second sub-manifold channel are in thermal communication with at least one of the reductant supply conduit and the reductant outlet connection.   
     
     
         17 . The machine of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a tank fluid supply conduit fluidly coupled to the second circulating conduit at the second end of the reductant filling assembly;   a control valve fluidly coupled to the tank fluid supply conduit downstream of the second circulating conduit;   a sensor that detects a parameter associated with an amount of reductant fluid in the tank; and   a controller that operates the control valve in response to the sensor detecting the parameter is equal to or greater than a threshold,   wherein the reductant supply conduit includes a flexible conduit positioned within the first circulating conduit between the first end and the second end,   wherein the first circulating conduit is in fluid communication with the second circulating conduit,   wherein the controller determines the parameter is equal to or greater than the threshold and closes the control valve, the reductant supply conduit is compressed according to an increased pressure applied by the heating fluid in the first circulating conduit, and a remaining amount of reductant fluid in the reductant supply conduit is forced into the tank.   
     
     
         18 . The machine of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a reductant supply connection connecting the supply port and the reductant supply conduit at the first end of the reductant filling assembly; and   a reductant outlet connection connecting a reductant outlet port and the reductant supply conduit at the second end of the reductant filling assembly, the reductant outlet connection being mounted on the tank,   wherein the reductant supply connection is positioned at a first elevation relative to a portion of the machine configured to contact a ground level below the machine,   wherein the reductant outlet connection is positioned at a second elevation relative to the portion of the machine configured to contact the ground level below the machine, and   wherein the second elevation is greater than the first elevation.   
     
     
         19 . The machine of  claim 18 , wherein a vertical distance separating the first elevation and the second elevation is in the range of 4 to 6 meters. 
     
     
         20 . A method for heating a reductant fluid in a reductant filling assembly including a first end and a second end, the first end connected from an interior side of a machine to a supply port attached to a receiver extending to an exterior side of the machine, the second end connected to a tank, the method for heating the reductant fluid comprising:
 supplying the reductant fluid from the exterior side through the supply port into a reductant supply conduit positioned within the reductant filling assembly and into the tank;   supplying a flow of heating fluid to a heating fluid circuit fluidly coupled to the reductant filling assembly;   supplying the flow of heating fluid from the heating fluid circuit to the second end of the reductant filling assembly and directing the flow of heating fluid in a first direction from the second end to the first end in a first circulating conduit positioned within the reductant filling assembly;   transferring heat from a portion of the flow of heating fluid within the first circulating conduit to the reductant fluid in the reductant supply conduit;   directing the flow of heating fluid from the first circulating conduit into a manifold at the first end and from the manifold into a second circulating conduit positioned within the reductant filling assembly; and   directing the flow of heating fluid through the second circulating in a second direction from the first end to the second end and into the heating fluid circuit, the second direction being opposite to the first direction.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 detecting a value of a parameter associated with an amount of reductant fluid in the tank and comparing the value to a threshold;   determining the value is equal to or greater than the threshold; and   purging reductant fluid in the reductant supply conduit from the reductant supply conduit into the tank,   wherein the reductant supply conduit is a flexible conduit positioned within the first circulating conduit between the first end and the second end, such that the heating fluid contacts a wall of the reductant supply conduit, and   wherein the purging includes:
 closing a control valve connected to the second circulating conduit at the second end in response to the determining the value is equal to or greater than the threshold, 
 stopping the supplying of the reductant fluid, 
 increasing a pressure applied to the wall of the reductant supply conduit to compress the reductant supply conduit and force a remaining amount of reductant in the reductant supply conduit into the tank by continuing to supply the heating fluid to the first circulating conduit, and 
 releasing a fluid pressure in the second circulating conduit by opening the control valve, and expanding the reductant supply conduit in response to the releasing the fluid pressure. 
   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising:
 estimating a first time to complete an engine operation of an engine of the machine;   monitoring an elapsed time;   comparing the elapsed time to the first time;   determining the elapsed time is equal to the first time and operating the engine in an idle state or a predetermined operating condition for a second time following a time when the elapsed time is equal to the first time;   purging reductant fluid in the reductant supply conduit from the reductant supply conduit into the tank during the second time; and   determining the elapsed time is equal to the first time plus the second time and stopping the operating the engine in the idle state or the predetermined operating condition.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the reductant supply conduit is a flexible conduit positioned within the first circulating conduit between the first end and the second end, such that the heating fluid contacts a wall of the reductant supply conduit, and
 wherein the purging includes:
 closing a control valve connected to the second circulating conduit at the second end in response to the determining the elapsed time is equal to the first time plus a predetermined amount of time less than the second time, 
 increasing a pressure applied to the wall of the reductant supply conduit to compress the reductant supply conduit and force a remaining amount of reductant in the reductant supply conduit into the tank by continuing to supply the heating fluid to the first circulating conduit, and 
 releasing a fluid pressure in the second circulating conduit by opening the control valve, and expanding the reductant supply conduit in response to the releasing the fluid pressure.