Vehicle SCR Reducing Agent Supply Device Backflow Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current SCR systems face challenges in efficiently evacuating the urea supplying module after engine operation due to urea crystallization or freezing, requiring expensive solutions like electrically controlled backflow valves or supplementary compressed air.

Innovation Solution

A reducing agent supplying device with a power accumulator and backflow element, allowing the reducing agent to flow back to the tank after operation, utilizing a pressure control valve and restrictive valve to manage pressure and flow, ensuring efficient backflow without residual agents in the pressure lines.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If expensive electrically controlled backflow valves or supplementary compressed air systems are used to evacuate the urea supplying module, then the reliability of preventing urea crystallization and freezing is improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprevention of urea crystallization and freezingVSAvoidcomplexity of backflow evacuation system
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system uses the pump's own pressure differential to automatically evacuate urea from the pressure lines back to the tank after operation. The pump creates negative pressure during shutdown that naturally draws residual urea back without requiring external evacuation systems, making the system self-servicing and eliminating complex backflow valves or compressed air systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a check valve as an intermediary component that automatically controls the backflow direction. The check valve allows urea to flow back to the tank during shutdown while preventing backward flow during operation, serving as a simple mechanical mediator that eliminates the need for complex electrically controlled valves or supplementary evacuation systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Device complexity

If simple backflow mechanisms are used without pressure control, then the device complexity is reduced, but the manufacturing precision of metered injection deteriorates due to residual reducing agent in pressure lines

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesimplicity of backflow mechanismVSAvoidprecision of metered injection
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The check valve acts as a simple mechanical intermediary that automatically ensures complete backflow of residual urea to the tank while preventing interference with metered injection during operation. This simple component maintains injection precision by eliminating residual agent in pressure lines without adding complex control systems.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces complex electrically controlled backflow valves with a simple mechanical check valve that uses the natural pressure differential during pump shutdown to drive complete backflow. This mechanical substitution maintains precision by ensuring all residual urea returns to the tank while significantly simplifying the system architecture.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Productivity

If the pump is shutdown immediately after operation, then the productivity is improved, but the harmful factors increase due to urea crystallization or freezing in the pressure lines

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveshutdown time of pumpVSAvoidurea crystallization and freezing
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary evacuation action automatically when the pump shuts down. The check valve and pressure differential work together to draw all residual urea back to the tank before the pump fully stops, preventing crystallization and freezing in the pressure lines and enabling immediate shutdown without harmful effects.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The pump's own shutdown creates the negative pressure needed to evacuate residual urea automatically. The system uses its own operational characteristics to perform the evacuation function, eliminating the need for separate heating systems or extended shutdown periods, thus enabling immediate shutdown without crystallization or freezing risks.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

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 solution provides a low-cost, efficient method for evacuating the urea supplying module, preventing crystallization and freezing, and maintaining metered injection precision by ensuring no residual reducing agent remains in the system.

Implementation Method 1

when the pump is turned on, the reducing agent is fed into the upstream chamber by the pump, and the reducing agent in the upstream chamber overcomes the elastic force of the elastic member and forces the complete or a part of the partition member to move towards the downstream chamber

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPressure differential: Pressure Gradient

Implementation Method 2

an elastic member biasing the partition member towards the upstream chamber... when the pump is turned off, the partition member is driven by the elastic member so that the complete or a part of it moves towards the upstream chamber

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElastic force: Elasticity

Implementation Method 3

a pump connected with the tank via a suction line... when the pump is turned on, the reducing agent is fed into the upstream chamber by the pump

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPumping: Pump

Data Source

PatentEP2614231B1Vehicle SCR system and its reducing agent supplying device
Publication Date: 2019.01.09 ROBERT BOSCH GMBH
  • EP2614231B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2614231B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3
  • EP2614231B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

A vehicle SCR system and its reducing agent supplying device are disclosed. The reducing agent supplying device comprises a pump (40), an injecting assembly (70) connected with the pump (40) via a pressure line (60), and a power accumulator (50) disposed in the pressure line (60). The power accumulator (50) comprises a partition member defining upstream and downstream chambers (53, 54), an elastic member (55) biasing the partition member towards the upstream chamber (53), and a valve (63) disposed in the partition member. When the pump (40) is turned on, a reducing agent is fed into the upstream chamber (53) and forces the partition member to move towards the downstream chamber (54), so that the valve (63) is opened and the reducing agent flows into the downstream chamber (54). When the pump (40) is turned off, the partition member is driven by the elastic member (55) to move towards the upstream chamber (53), so that the reducing agent in the pressure line (60) and the injecting assembly (70) is drawn into the downstream chamber (54).