Rear Reducing Agent Tank for Commercial Vehicle SCR Systems

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Solution Overview

Problem

Commercial vehicle exhaust gas aftertreatment systems face space constraints and limited capacity for urea-water tanks due to their typical location between side members and in front of the end cross member, restricting the amount of reducing agent that can be stored.

Innovation Solution

The reducing agent tank is relocated to the rear of the vehicle, allowing for increased capacity and space utilization, with the tank designed to protrude beyond the end cross member and adapt to trailer geometries, incorporating features like recesses for rear lights and license plates, and connected to an SCR catalytic converter for efficient selective catalytic reduction of nitrogen oxides.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If the reducing agent tank is placed between the side members and in front of the end cross member, then the installation space is utilized according to conventional design, but the capacity of the reducing agent tank is limited

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecapacity of reducing agent tankVSAvoidinstallation space between side members
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The reducing agent tank is extracted from its conventional location between the side members and in front of the end cross member, and relocated to the rear of the motor vehicle behind the end cross member. This extraction from the constrained space allows the tank to achieve significantly increased capacity without limiting the installation space between side members for other components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Quantity of substance

If the reducing agent tank capacity is increased, then more reducing agent can be stored, but the installation space between side members is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveamount of reducing agent storedVSAvoidinstallation space between side members
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSArea of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The reducing agent tank is extracted from the space between side members and relocated to the rear of the vehicle. This allows the tank capacity to be increased to store more reducing agent while the installation space between side members remains fully available for other commercial vehicle components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of increasing tank capacity within the constrained horizontal space between side members, the tank is relocated to the rear of the vehicle where it can extend in multiple dimensions (length, width, height) without interfering with the installation space between side members. The tank may protrude beyond the end cross member in width and extend vertically, utilizing three-dimensional space at the rear of the vehicle.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Quantity of substance

If the reducing agent tank is arranged at the rear of the motor vehicle, then the capacity of the reducing agent tank can be increased, but the tank must protrude beyond the end cross member

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecapacity of reducing agent tankVSAvoidposition of end cross member
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The reducing agent tank is extracted from the conventional installation location and positioned at the rear of the motor vehicle, allowing it to protrude beyond the end cross member in the longitudinal direction. This extraction enables increased tank capacity while the end cross member maintains its structural function as part of the frame support structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The end cross member and/or rear end section of the longitudinal member construction are accommodated within a recess in the reducing agent tank. This nesting arrangement allows the tank to protrude beyond the end cross member while integrating the structural components within the tank's recess, creating a compact rear-end configuration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

4Quantity of substance

If the reducing agent tank is shaped to adapt to trailer geometry, then the capacity is maximized, but the design complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecapacity of reducing agent tankVSAvoidtank shape design
Core Design Contradiction:
Quantity of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The reducing agent tank is given different local qualities in terms of its geometry to adapt to specific functional requirements. The tank features a recess at the rear for accommodating the end cross member and rear light arrangement, and may have reduced sections at the bottom to adapt to embankment geometry. These localized geometric variations maximize capacity while maintaining a relatively simple overall tank design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This configuration maximizes the capacity of the reducing agent tank, optimizing space usage and enabling larger storage volumes while maintaining the functionality of the exhaust gas aftertreatment system, enhancing the vehicle's ability to perform selective catalytic reduction effectively.

Implementation Method 1

exhaust gas aftertreatment system that is based on a so-called selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of nitrogen oxides

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectSelective catalytic reduction: Catalysis

Data Source

PatentEP2987671B1Motor vehicle with rear reducing agent tank
Publication Date: 2017.10.11 MAN TRUCK & BUS SE
  • EP2987671B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2987671B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP2987671B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The invention relates to a motor vehicle (1), preferably a truck or a semi-trailer tractor. The motor vehicle (1) comprises an exhaust aftertreatment system and a reducing agent tank (2) for receiving a reducing agent and is characterized in particular by the fact that the reducing agent tank (2) is arranged at the rear of the motor vehicle (1). The invention also relates to a reducing agent tank (2) with at least one device (5, 6) for a rear light assembly and/or a vehicle registration plate.