Fuel Tank With Integrated Urea Trough
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional fuel tanks for commercial vehicles are inefficient in accommodating and separating chemically aggressive media like urea, as they require complex and space-consuming installation methods, and existing solutions are costly when the secondary medium requires a small filling space.
Innovation Solution
A fuel tank design featuring a peripheral wall with a trough to house an additional tank, which is inserted in a space-saving manner, using minimal installation space and allowing for separate accommodation of two media, with the additional tank being protected by the trough and connected via bolts or a plastic module for enhanced stability and chemical resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an additional tank is attached to an existing fuel tank by welding or other complex methods, then two media can be transported separately, but installation space is lost and manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The fuel tank system is segmented into a main fuel tank and a separate additional tank (urea tank). The additional tank is designed as an independent component that can be manufactured separately and then integrated into the fuel tank assembly, reducing overall installation complexity while maintaining separate transportation capability for two media
Solution Approach 2:
The additional tank is nested within or integrated into the fuel tank structure. The design allows the smaller additional tank to be positioned within the spatial envelope of the fuel tank assembly, utilizing available space efficiently without requiring separate mounting locations, thereby reducing installation space requirements
2Reliability
If an additional tank is attached using complex welding methods, then two media can be transported separately, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into separately manufacturable components (main fuel tank and additional tank), allowing each to be produced using optimized processes for their specific materials and functions, then assembled through simpler, lower-cost joining methods
Solution Approach 2:
The additional tank is designed as a simpler, more economical component that can be manufactured using cost-effective materials and processes. The design prioritizes functional adequacy over durability, allowing for lower manufacturing costs while maintaining sufficient service life for the application
3Reliability
If a partition wall is used to divide the fuel tank interior, then two media can be transported separately, but installation space is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a partition wall that divides the existing fuel tank volume, the system uses a separate additional tank that is integrated into the fuel tank assembly. This segmentation approach allows the main fuel tank to retain its full original volume while the additional tank provides separate containment for the second medium
4Reliability
If the additional tank is made entirely independent, then chemical resistance is improved, but installation space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The additional tank is designed to be nested within or integrated into the fuel tank assembly structure. This nesting arrangement allows the independently manufactured additional tank (with its superior chemical resistance) to occupy space that would otherwise be unused or inefficiently utilized, thereby maintaining chemical resistance while minimizing installation space requirements
Data Source
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AI summary
The fuel tank (1) has an external wall (2) which forms an internal space (3) for receiving a liquid or gaseous medium. An additional tank (11) is formed for receiving another liquid or gaseous medium. The external wall has a cavity (10), in which the additional tank is formed or inserted. The cavity is formed on an upper side (12a) of the external wall. The external wall is formed from metal, particularly aluminum, steel, high-grade steel or an alloy made from these metals, and plastic. Independent claims are included for the following: (1) a module, which has an external wall of a cavity; and (2) a method for manufacturing an additional tank.