Reductant supply line heating system

Abstract

A system including a reductant tank, a receiver, a first valve, a reductant supply line, a plurality of sensors, and a controller is provided. The reductant tank is configured to store a reductant. The receiver is configured to receive a supply of the reductant from an off-board reservoir. The first valve is in communication with the reductant tank and is configured to control a reductant flow into the reductant tank. The reductant supply line is in fluid communication with the receiver and is configured to provide the reductant flow to the first valve. The plurality of sensors is configured to generate a signal. The controller is in communication with the plurality of sensors. The controller is configured to issue a command to a heating element to modulate a temperature of the reductant supply line based, at least in part, on the signal generated by the plurality of sensors.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system comprising:
 a reductant tank configured to store a reductant;   a receiver configured to receive a supply of the reductant from an off-board reservoir;   a first valve in communication with the reductant tank configured to control a reductant flow into the reductant tank;   a reductant supply line in fluid communication with the receiver, the reductant supply line configured to provide the reductant flow to the first valve;   a plurality of sensors configured to generate a signal based on one or parameters; and   a controller in communication with the plurality of sensors, the controller configured to issue a command to a heating element to modulate a temperature of the reductant supply line based, at least in part on the signal generated by the plurality of sensors.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the reductant includes a diesel emission fuel. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of sensors includes at least one of a temperature sensor, a reductant level sensor, a fuel level sensor and an engine sensor. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more parameters include at least one of a temperature of ambient air, a reductant level, a fuel level and an engine state. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the heating element is in communication with the controller, the heating element configured to increase the temperature of the reductant supply line. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the heating element is integrated with the reductant supply line. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the temperature of the reductant supply line is increased for a pre-determined period of time. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is at a remote location. 
     
     
         9 . A method comprising:
 receiving one or more signals from a plurality of sensors;   determining a heating requirement of a reductant supply line based, at least in part, on the received signals from the plurality of sensors; and   issuing a command to a heating element in communication with the reductant supply line to modulate a temperature of the reductant supply line based, at least in part, on the determination of the heating requirement of the reductant supply line.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein determining a heating requirement of a reductant supply line further includes estimating a refill requirement of a reductant tank based on the signal received from a reductant level sensor, wherein the reductant supply line is heated prior to the reductant tank refill. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein determining a heating requirement of a reductant supply line further includes estimating a refill requirement of a fuel tank based on the signal received from a fuel level sensor, wherein the reductant supply line is heated prior to the fuel tank refill. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein determining a heating requirement of a reductant supply line further includes determining an engine state based on the signal received from an engine sensor, wherein the reductant supply line is heated based on the engine state. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein determining a heating requirement of a reductant supply line further includes comparing a temperature of ambient air provided by a temperature sensor with a predetermined threshold temperature of the reductant supply line. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9  further including providing a time based control for modulating the temperature of the reductant supply line. 
     
     
         15 . A computer based system for modulating a temperature associated with a reductant supply line comprising:
 a communication interface communicating with a memory;   the memory configured to communicate with a processor; and   the processor, in response to executing a computer program, performs operations comprising:
 receiving one or more signals from a plurality of sensors; 
 determining a heating requirement of the reductant supply line based, at least in part, on the received signals from the plurality of sensors; and 
 issuing a command to a heating element in communication with the reductant supply line based, at least in part, on the determination of the heating requirement of the reductant supply line. 
   
     
     
         16 . The computer based system of  claim 15 , wherein determining a heating requirement of a reductant supply line further includes estimating a refill requirement of a reductant tank based on the signal received from a reductant level sensor, wherein the reductant supply line is heated prior to the reductant tank refill. 
     
     
         17 . The computer based system of  claim 15 , wherein determining a heating requirement of a reductant supply line further includes estimating a refill requirement of a fuel tank based on the signal received from a fuel level sensor, wherein the reductant supply line is heated prior to the fuel tank refill. 
     
     
         18 . The computer based system of  claim 15 , wherein determining a heating requirement of a reductant supply line further includes determining an engine state based on the signal received from an engine sensor, wherein the reductant supply line is heated based on the engine state. 
     
     
         19 . The computer based system of  claim 15 , wherein determining a heating requirement of a reductant supply line further includes comparing a temperature of ambient air provided by a temperature sensor with a predetermined threshold temperature of the reductant supply line. 
     
     
         20 . The computer based system of  claim 15  further including providing a time based control for modulating the temperature of the reductant supply line.