Reductant delivery unit for automotive selective catalytic reduction with reducing agent heating

A reductant delivery unit for selective catalytic reduction (SCR) after-treatment for vehicles, the reductant delivery unit comprising:

• a solenoid operated fluid injector having an electromagnetic coil and constructed and arranged to be associated with an exhaust gas flow path upstream of a SCR catalytic converter, the fluid injector having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet, the fluid inlet being constructed and arranged to receive a source of reducing agent and the fluid outlet being constructed and arranged to communicate with the exhaust gas flow path so that actuation of the electromagnetic coil of the fluid injector controls injection of the reducing agent into the exhaust gas flow path, the fluid injector having an inlet tube for directing the reducing agent between the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet,
• a shield fixed with respect to the fluid injector and surrounding at least portions of the fluid injector including the electromagnetic coil;
• and
• a coil heater integral with the fluid injector and separate from the electromagnetic coil, the coil heater being constructed and arranged, when energized, to inductively heat the inlet tube to thereby heat the reducing agent within the inlet tube.