Urea Tank Valve Buoyancy Float Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing valve apparatuses for urea tanks in vehicles risk damage due to immersion in urea solution, particularly during freezing temperatures, as the ICV valve is submerged and susceptible to volume expansion damage.
Innovation Solution
A valve apparatus featuring a flexibly bent urea solution injection pipe with a float mechanism that prevents the urea solution injection valve from being immersed in the urea solution by buoyancy, allowing the pipe to be lifted and bent, thus maintaining the valve above the solution's surface to avoid damage and ensuring efficient injection when needed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the ICV valve is immersed in the urea solution during injection, then the injection function is maintained, but the valve is susceptible to damage from freezing and volume expansion
Solution Approach 1:
The pipe is designed to be dynamically changeable between a bent state (when empty) and a straight state (when injecting). The flexibility of the pipe allows it to adapt its shape based on operational requirements, enabling the valve to be positioned above the liquid surface during storage and immersed during injection.
Solution Approach 2:
The position of the valve relative to the urea solution surface is changed based on operational parameters. During storage, the valve remains above the surface to avoid freezing damage. During injection, the pipe straightens and the valve immerses into the solution to enable proper functioning.
2Reliability
If the pipe is made flexible to allow movement, then the valve can be positioned to prevent freezing, but the pipe structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The pipe is constructed as a flexible tube that can bend and change shape. This flexible structure allows the pipe to adapt its configuration without requiring complex mechanical joints or articulation mechanisms, achieving protection functionality through material flexibility rather than structural complexity.
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
Prevents damage to the urea solution injection valve from freezing by keeping it above the urea solution's surface and ensures efficient injection by immersing the float and valve in the solution only during injection, thereby maintaining operational integrity and functionality.
Implementation Method 1
a float mounted to the urea solution injection pipe, and preventing the urea solution injection valve from being immersed in the urea solution by allowing the urea solution injection pipe to be lifted and bent by buoyancy acting thereon by the urea solution in the casing
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a valve apparatus of a urea tank for a vehicle, the valve apparatus configured such that a urea solution injection pipe is flexibly bent and has a float so that a urea injection valve provided at the urea solution injection pipe is prevented from being immersed in the urea solution in the urea tank. Thus, the urea solution can be prevented from being damaged upon freezing in a winter season. Further, when a urea solution is injected, the urea solution injection pipe is straightened by flow pressure of the urea solution such that the float is forced to be immersed in the urea solution in the urea tank, and accordingly the urea solution injection valve is immersed therein. Thus, the urea solution can be efficiently injected into the urea tank.