Reductant Heater

Abstract

A reductant heating system may include a reductant tank, a reductant tank flange and a hollow tube residing within the reductant tank and passing through the reductant tank flange in two locations to carry coolant into and out of the reductant tank. The reductant heating system may further include a resistive wire wrapped around the hollow tube within the reductant tank and an electrical supply cord located outside of the reductant tank that supplies electrical power to the resistive wire. A temperature detector may be disposed within the reductant tank to detect a temperature within the reductant tank and govern electricity flow to the resistive wire. That is, the temperature detector may be wired in-line in the resistive wire and may be a thermal switch attached to the hollow tube. In another embodiment, the temperature detector may be a thermocouple that senses a temperature within the reductant tank.

1 . A reductant heating system comprising:
 a reductant tank;   a hollow tube passing into and from the reductant tank, the hollow tube containing a coolant;   a resistive wire wrapped around the hollow tube; and   a temperature detector disposed within the reductant tank to detect a temperature within the reductant tank and govern electricity flow to the resistive wire.   
     
     
         2 . The reductant heating system according to  claim 1 , wherein the temperature detector is a thermal switch. 
     
     
         3 . The reductant heating system according to  claim 2 , wherein the thermal switch is disposed in-line in the resistive wire to control electricity flow in accordance with a sensed temperature. 
     
     
         4 . The reductant heating system according to  claim 3 , wherein the resistive wire is electrically connected to a 120 volt electrical source. 
     
     
         5 . The reductant heating system according to  claim 1 , wherein the temperature detector is a thermocouple and the reductant heating system further comprises:
 a 120 volt electrical source; and   a controller wired in-line with the 120 volt electrical source that communicates with the thermocouple.   
     
     
         6 . The reductant heating system according to  claim 5 , further comprising:
 an engine block heater electrically wired to the 120 volt electrical source, wherein the 120 volt electrical source supplies electrical power to the engine block heater and the resistive wire at the same time.   
     
     
         7 . The reductant heating system according to  claim 5 , further comprising:
 an auxiliary power unit, wherein the auxiliary power unit is the 120 volt electrical source.   
     
     
         8 . The reductant heating system according to  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a vehicle, wherein the auxiliary power unit is completely contained upon the vehicle.   
     
     
         9 . A reductant heating system comprising:
 a reductant tank;   a reductant tank flange;   a hollow tube residing within the reductant tank and passing through the reductant tank flange in a first location to carry coolant into the reductant tank and through the reductant tank flange at a second location to carry coolant from the reductant tank;   a resistive wire wrapped around the hollow tube within the reductant tank;   an electrical supply cord located outside of the reductant tank that supplies electrical power to the resistive wire; and   a temperature detector disposed within the reductant tank to detect a temperature within the reductant tank and govern electricity flow to the resistive wire.   
     
     
         10 . The reductant heating system according to  claim 9 , wherein the temperature detector is wired in-line in the resistive wire. 
     
     
         11 . The reductant heating system according to  claim 10 , wherein the temperature detector is a thermal switch attached to the hollow tube. 
     
     
         12 . The reductant heating system according to  claim 10 , wherein the temperature detector is a thermocouple that senses a temperature within the reductant tank. 
     
     
         13 . The reductant heating system according to  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a 120 volt electrical source, the electrical supply cord electrically connected to the 120 volt electrical source; and   a controller wired in-line with the electrical supply cord, the controller in communication with the thermocouple.   
     
     
         14 . The reductant heating system according to  claim 13 , further comprising:
 an engine block heater, wherein the engine block heater is electrically wired to the 120 volt electrical source.   
     
     
         15 . The reductant heating system according to  claim 14 , wherein the controller is disposed outside of the reductant tank. 
     
     
         16 . The reductant heating system according to  claim 15 , further comprising:
 a reductant level sensor connected to the hollow tube residing within the reductant tank.   
     
     
         17 . The reductant heating system according to  claim 13 , further comprising:
 an auxiliary power unit, wherein the auxiliary power unit is the 120 volt electrical source.   
     
     
         18 . The reductant heating system according to  claim 17 , further comprising:
 a vehicle, wherein the auxiliary power unit is completely contained upon the vehicle.   
     
     
         19 . A method of controlling a reductant heating system, the method comprising:
 providing a hollow tube wrapped with a resistive wire into a reductant tank;   providing an electrical supply cord located outside the reductant tank that supplies electricity to the resistive wire located inside the reductant tank;   providing a temperature detector in-line in the resistive wire;   connecting the electrical supply cord to a 120 volt electrical source;   detecting a temperature with the temperature detector; and   selectively supplying electricity from the source to the resistive wire based on the detected temperature.   
     
     
         20 . The method of controlling a reductant heating system according to  claim 19 , the method further comprising:
 closing electrical contacts within the temperature detector permitting electricity to flow through the resistive wire.   
     
     
         21 . The method of controlling a reductant heating system according to  claim 19 , the method further comprising:
 opening electrical contacts within the temperature detector causing electricity to stop flowing through the resistive wire.   
     
     
         22 . The method of controlling a reductant heating system according to  claim 19 , wherein the temperature detector is a thermocouple, the method further comprising:
 providing a controller in-line with the electrical supply cord; and   providing a communication wire between the thermocouple and the controller.   
     
     
         23 . The method of controlling a reductant heating system according to  claim 22 , the method further comprising:
 detecting a temperature with the thermocouple; and   providing a signal from the thermocouple to the controller and permitting electricity to flow through the resistive wire.   
     
     
         24 . The method of controlling a reductant heating system according to  claim 22 , the method further comprising:
 detecting a temperature with the thermocouple; and   providing a signal from the thermocouple to the controller and preventing electricity from flowing through the resistive wire.   
     
     
         25 . The method of controlling a reductant heating system according to  claim 19 , further comprising:
 providing an auxiliary power unit, wherein the auxiliary power unit is the 120 volt electrical source.   
     
     
         26 . The reductant heating system according to  claim 25 , further comprising:
 providing a vehicle, wherein the auxiliary power unit is completely contained upon the vehicle.