Work Vehicle Injector Thermal Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing exhaust treatment systems for work vehicles, such as hydraulic excavators, fail to accurately assess the thermal load on reducing agent injectors, leading to potential damage and inefficiency due to high temperatures during engine stops.
Innovation Solution
A system that includes a determination portion to assess the injector's temperature, a counter to track engine stop events when the injector is high-temperature, and a warning mechanism to alert when a prescribed count is exceeded, along with a cooling apparatus and idle reduction functionality to prevent engine stoppages when the injector is in a high-temperature state.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the engine stops while the reducing agent injector is in a high-temperature state, then productivity is improved (engine can stop freely), but reliability deteriorates (thermal load damages the injector)
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary cooling action by continuing coolant circulation through the injector even after the engine stops. The control unit maintains the cooling pump operation for a predetermined period after engine shutdown to reduce the injector temperature below the solidification point before the engine actually stops, preventing thermal damage.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses temperature sensors to continuously monitor the injector temperature and provides feedback to the control unit. Based on this feedback, the control unit adjusts the cooling pump operation and pump valve control to maintain appropriate temperature levels, preventing both overheating damage and unnecessary cooling operation.
2Reliability
If coolant circulation continues after engine stop to cool the injector, then reliability is improved (injector is protected from thermal damage), but use of energy deteriorates (cooling pump consumes engine output)
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling action is performed in advance during the predetermined period after engine stop, before the injector temperature becomes critically high. This timing allows the system to protect the injector using residual engine momentum and previously accumulated coolant flow, minimizing the need for sustained high-energy cooling operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling pump operates periodically rather than continuously - it runs during the predetermined period after engine stop and then stops. The pump valve opens and closes at controlled intervals to maintain cooling effectiveness while reducing overall energy consumption compared to continuous operation.
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 accurately gauges the thermal load on reducing agent injectors, prevents damage, and maintains cooling to protect the injector, thereby enhancing the reliability and efficiency of the exhaust treatment system.
Implementation Method 1
a cooling apparatus for cooling the injector during operation of the engine
Implementation Method 2
a determination portion determining whether or not a temperature of the injector is high... based on at least any one of a temperature of the exhaust gas which has passed through the collection apparatus and a temperature of the injector
Data Source
AI summary
A work vehicle includes an engine, an injector injecting a reducing agent to an exhaust gas exhausted from the engine, a determination portion determining whether or not a temperature of the injector is high, a stop determination portion determining whether or not the engine has stopped while the injector is in a high-temperature state as a result of determination by the determination portion, a counter counting the number of times of stop of the engine while the injector is in the high-temperature state based on a result of determination by the stop determination portion, and a warning portion giving a warning in connection with stop of the engine when a count value of the counter exceeds a first prescribed value.