# US 11,441,467 B2 · Integrated helical heater and temperature sensor > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,441,467 B2 - Document ID: US11441467B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/124,586 - Filed: 2020-12-17 - Published: 2022-06-23 - Granted: 2022-09-13 - Earliest claimed: 2020-12-17 - Assignees: Faurecia Emissions Control Technologies, USA, LLC - Applicants: Faurecia Emissions Control Technologies, USA, LLC - Inventors: Edward Kinnaird; John Rohde; Alfred Tucker - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11441467B2 ## CPC - F01N 3/208: {Control of selective catalytic reduction [SCR], e.g. by adjusting the dosing of reducing agent} - F01N 3/2013: {using electric or magnetic heating means} - F01N 3/2006: {Periodically heating or cooling catalytic reactors, e.g. at cold starting or overheating (by electrically controlling the supply of combustible mixture or its constituents only F02D41/0235)} - F01N 2240/16: an electric heater, i.e. a resistance heater - F01N 2560/06: the means being a temperature sensor - F01N 2610/02: the substance being ammonia or urea - F01N 2610/10: the substance being heated, e.g. by heating tank or supply line of the added substance - F01N: GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES (arrangements in connection with gas exhaust of propulsion units in vehicles B60K13/00; combustion-air intake silencers specially adapted for, or arranged on, internal-combustion engines F02M35/00; protecting against, or damping, noise in general G10K11/16) ## Abstract A heater for a vehicle exhaust system includes a housing defining a fluid chamber, and the housing has a fluid inlet configured to receive fluid from a fluid supply and a fluid outlet. A helical body is positioned within the fluid chamber and a heater is integrated into the helical body to heat fluid supplied from the fluid supply such that heated fluid can be injected into a vehicle exhaust component via the fluid outlet. At least one sensor is integrated into the helical body to measure a fluid characteristic. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A heater for a vehicle exhaust system comprising: a housing defining a fluid chamber, the housing having a fluid inlet configured to receive fluid from a fluid supply and a fluid outlet; a helical body positioned within the fluid chamber; a heater integrated into the helical body to heat fluid supplied from the fluid supply such that heated fluid can be injected into a vehicle exhaust component via the fluid outlet; and at least one sensor integrated into the helical body by being at least partially embedded within the helical body, the at least one sensor configured to measure a fluid characteristic, and wherein the at least one sensor comprises a temperature sensor integrated into the helical body, and, wherein the temperature sensor includes a first portion that is embedded within the helical body and a second portion that extends outwardly of the helical body and is exposed to the fluid. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The heater according to claim 1, wherein the temperature sensor comprises a thermistor, resistive temperature detector, thermocouple, or other temperature sensing device. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The heater according to claim 1, including a controller that controls the heater to heat the fluid to a predetermined temperature. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The heater according to claim 3, wherein the temperature sensor comprises a feedback loop to the controller. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The heater according to claim 1, wherein the helical body comprises a cylindrical center body defining a center axis and a spiraling body portion that spirals about the cylindrical center body along a length of the cylindrical center body from a first end of the cylindrical center body to a second end of the cylindrical center body. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The heater according to claim 5, wherein the fluid chamber is defined by an inner peripheral wall surface of the housing, and wherein an outermost surface of the spiraling body portion is in direct contact with the inner peripheral wall surface. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The heater according to claim 6, wherein the spiraling body portion provides for open areas between adjacent spirals such that the open areas are axially spaced apart from each other from the first end of the cylindrical center body to the second end. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The heater according to claim 7, wherein the fluid chamber includes a first end wall with at least one first orifice that comprises the fluid inlet and a second end wall with a second orifice that comprises the fluid outlet, and wherein the inner peripheral wall surface extends between the first and second end walls, and including at least one valve associated with the fluid inlet or fluid outlet. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The heater according to claim 1, wherein the fluid comprises DEF and wherein the vehicle exhaust component defines an exhaust gas flow path that receives exhaust gases from an engine, and wherein the DEF is heated within the fluid chamber to a desired temperature and is injected into the exhaust gas flow path. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The heater according to claim 1, wherein the heater comprises a wire that is embedded and completely enclosed within the helical body. ### Claim 11 A heater for a vehicle exhaust system comprising: a housing defining a fluid chamber, the housing having a fluid inlet configured to receive fluid from a fluid supply and a fluid outlet, and wherein the fluid chamber is defined by an inner peripheral wall surface of the housing, and wherein the fluid chamber includes a first end wall with at least one first orifice that comprises the fluid inlet and a second end wall with a second orifice that comprises the fluid outlet, and wherein the inner peripheral wall surface extends between the first and second end walls; a helical body positioned within the fluid chamber, wherein the helical body comprises a cylindrical center body defining a center axis and a spiraling body portion that spirals about the cylindrical center body along a length of the cylindrical center body from a first end of the cylindrical center body to a second end of the cylindrical center body, and wherein an outermost surface of the spiraling body portion is in direct contact with the inner peripheral wall surface, and wherein the spiraling body portion provides for open areas between adjacent spirals such that the open areas are axially spaced apart from each other from the first end of the cylindrical center body to the second end; a heater integrated into the helical body to heat fluid supplied from the fluid supply such that heated fluid can be injected into a vehicle exhaust component via the fluid outlet; at least one sensor integrated into the helical body by being at least partially embedded within the helical body, the at least one sensor configured to measure a fluid characteristic; a first valve associated with the fluid inlet; and a second valve associated with the fluid outlet. ### Claim 12 A vehicle exhaust system comprising: an exhaust component defining an exhaust gas flow path that receives exhaust gases from an engine; a doser configured to receive DEF from a fluid supply and to inject DEF into the exhaust gas flow path; a heater configured to heat the DEF prior to injection of the DEF into the exhaust gas flow path, the heater comprising a housing defining a fluid chamber, the housing having a fluid inlet configured to receive DEF from the fluid supply and a fluid outlet, a helical body positioned within the fluid chamber, a heating element integrated into the helical body to heat DEF supplied from the fluid supply such that heated DEF can be injected into the exhaust component via the fluid outlet, and at least one temperature sensor integrated into the helical body by being at least partially embedded within the helical body, the at least one temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of the DEF, an inlet chamber configured to receive the DEF through a supply line, at least one first valve that is used to control fluid flow between the inlet chamber and the fluid chamber of the heater, and at least one second valve that is used to control flow of the heated DEF from the fluid chamber to the exhaust component, and a controller to control the heater based on feedback from the temperature sensor to heat the DEF to a predetermined temperature. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The vehicle exhaust system according to claim 12, wherein the helical body comprises a cylindrical center body defining a center axis and a spiraling body portion that spirals about the cylindrical center body along a length of the cylindrical center body from a first end of the cylindrical center body to a second end of the cylindrical center body, the fluid chamber is defined by an inner peripheral wall surface of the housing, and an outermost surface of the spiraling body portion in direct contact with the inner peripheral wall surface. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The vehicle exhaust system according to claim 13, wherein the spiraling body portion provides for open areas between adjacent spirals such that the open areas are axially spaced apart from each other along the cylindrical center body from the first end of the cylindrical center body to the second end. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The vehicle exhaust system according to claim 14, wherein the fluid chamber includes a first end wall with at least one first orifice that comprises the fluid inlet and a second end wall with a second orifice that comprises the fluid outlet, and wherein the inner peripheral wall surface extends between the first and second end walls, an including at least one valve associated with the fluid inlet or fluid outlet. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The vehicle exhaust system according to claim 14, wherein the heating element is embedded within the spiraling body portion and spirals about the cylindrical center body from the first end to the second end such that an electrical current that is passed through the heating element heats the helical body along an entirety of the length of the helical body. ### Claim 17 A vehicle exhaust system comprising: an exhaust component defining an exhaust gas flow path that receives exhaust gases from an engine; a doser configured to receive DEF from a fluid supply and to inject DEF into the exhaust gas flow path; a heater configured to heat the DEF prior to injection of the DEF into the exhaust gas flow path, the heater comprising a housing defining a fluid chamber, the housing having a fluid inlet configured to receive DEF from the fluid supply and a fluid outlet, wherein the fluid chamber is defined by an inner peripheral wall surface of the housing, a helical body positioned within the fluid chamber, the helical body comprising a cylindrical center body defining a center axis and a spiraling body portion that spirals about the cylindrical center body along a length of the cylindrical center body from a first end of the cylindrical center body to a second end of the cylindrical center body, and wherein an outermost surface of the spiraling body portion is in direct contact with the inner peripheral wall surface, and wherein the spiraling body portion provides for open areas between adjacent spirals such that the open areas are axially spaced apart from each other along the cylindrical center body from the first end of the cylindrical center body to the second end, a heating element integrated into the helical body to heat DEF supplied from the fluid supply such that heated DEF can be injected into the exhaust component via the fluid outlet, and wherein the heating element is embedded within the spiraling body portion and spirals about the cylindrical center body from the first end to the second end such that an electrical current that is passed through the heating element heats the helical body along an entirety of the length of the helical body, and at least one temperature sensor integrated into the helical body by being at least partially embedded within the helical body, the at least one temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of the DEF, and a controller to control the heater based on feedback from the temperature sensor to heat the DEF to a predetermined temperature, wherein the temperature sensor includes a first portion that is embedded within the helical body and a second portion that extends outwardly of the helical body and is exposed to the DEF. ### Claim 18 A vehicle exhaust system comprising: an exhaust component defining an exhaust gas flow path that receives exhaust gases from an engine; a doser configured to receive DEF from a fluid supply and to inject DEF into the exhaust gas flow path; a heater configured to heat the DEF prior to injection of the DEF into the exhaust gas flow path, the heater comprising a housing defining a fluid chamber, the housing having a fluid inlet configured to receive DEF from the fluid supply and a fluid outlet, a helical body positioned within the fluid chamber, a heating element integrated into the helical body to heat DEF supplied from the fluid supply such that heated DEF can be injected into the exhaust component via the fluid outlet, wherein the heating element comprises a wire that is embedded and completely enclosed within the helical body, at least one temperature sensor integrated into the helical body by being at least partially embedded within the helical body, the at least one temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of the DEF, and wherein the at least one temperature sensor includes a first portion that is embedded within the helical body and a second portion that extends outwardly of the helical body and is exposed to the DEF, and a controller to control the heater based on feedback from the temperature sensor to heat the DEF to a predetermined temperature. ### Claim 19 A heater for a vehicle exhaust system comprising: a housing defining a fluid chamber, the housing having a fluid inlet configured to receive fluid from a fluid supply and a fluid outlet; a helical body positioned within the fluid chamber; a heater integrated into the helical body to heat fluid supplied from the fluid supply such that heated fluid can be injected into a vehicle exhaust component via the fluid outlet; at least one sensor integrated into the helical body by being at least partially embedded within the helical body, the at least one sensor configured to measure a fluid characteristic; an inlet chamber configured to receive the fluid through a supply line; at least one first valve that is used to control fluid flow between the inlet chamber and the fluid chamber; and at least one second valve that is used to control flow of the heated fluid from the fluid chamber to the vehicle exhaust component.