# US 9,038,678 B2 · Reductant fill system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,038,678 B2 - Document ID: US9038678B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/356,780 - Filed: 2012-01-24 - Published: 2013-07-25 - Granted: 2015-05-26 - Earliest claimed: 2012-01-24 - Assignees: Caterpillar Inc. - Applicants: Cameron J. Wright; Christopher M. Gruel - Inventors: Cameron J. Wright; Christopher M. Gruel - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9038678B2 ## CPC - F01N 3/2066: {Selective catalytic reduction [SCR]} - F01N 2610/1413: Inlet and filling arrangements therefore - F01N 2610/142: Controlling the filling of the tank - F01N 2610/148: Arrangement of sensors - Y02T 10/12: Improving ICE efficiencies - 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) - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A reductant fill system is provided. A reductant tank is configured to store a reductant. A receiver is configured to receive a supply of the reductant from an off-board reservoir. A first valve is in communication with the reductant tank and is configured to control a reductant flow into the reductant tank. A reductant supply line is in fluid communication with the receiver. The reductant supply line is configured to provide the reductant flow to the first valve. The reductant level sensor is configured to generate a signal based on a level of reductant in the reductant tank. A controller is communicably coupled to the reductant level sensor. The controller is configured to purge a stranded reductant in the reductant supply line, based on the signal generated by the reductant level sensor. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A reductant fill 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 reductant level sensor configured to generate a signal based on a level of the reductant in the reductant tank; and a controller communicably coupled to the reductant level sensor, the controller configured to purge a stranded reductant in the reductant supply line, based on the signal generated by the reductant level sensor. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The reductant fill system of claim 1, wherein the reductant includes a diesel emission fuel. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The reductant fill system of claim 1, further including a vent in the reductant tank. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The reductant fill system of claim 3, wherein the controller is communicably coupled to the vent, the controller being configured to control an opening of the vent. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The reductant fill system of claim 1 further including a pump configured to supply one of a flow of the reductant or pressurized air to the receiver. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The reductant fill system of claim 5 further including a second valve configured to provide a supply of one of the reductant or the pressurized air to the pump, based on a command from the controller. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The reductant fill system of claim 5, wherein the pump is a reversible variable displacement pump. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The reductant fill system of claim 7, wherein the pump is configured to reverse a direction of flow based on a command from the controller. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The reductant fill system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to introduce air in the reductant supply line. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The reductant fill system of claim 1, wherein the signal is generated by the reductant level sensor if the level of the reductant in the reductant tank is above a pre-determined threshold. ### Claim 11 A method for filling a reductant tank, the method comprising: supplying a reductant to a receiver via a pump fluidly connected to an off-board reservoir, wherein the receiver is connected to a first valve in the reductant tank through a reductant supply line; generating a signal, by a reductant level sensor, indicative of a level of the reductant in the reductant tank; and issuing a command, by a controller, to purge a stranded reductant in the reductant supply line, based on the signal generated by the reductant level sensor. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein issuing a command includes: issuing a command to open a vent associated with the reductant tank; issuing a command to a second valve, coupled with the pump, to switch the supply of the reductant with a supply of pressurized air in the reductant supply line; and issuing a command to a first valve to purge the stranded reductant in the reductant supply line into the reductant tank. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 further including closing the vent after a pre-determined time duration. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein issuing a command includes: issuing a command to introduce an air supply in the reductant supply line; and issuing a command to reverse a direction of the pump to pull the stranded reductant in the reductant supply line to the off-board reservoir. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the signal is generated by the reductant level sensor if the level of the reductant in the reductant tank is above a pre-determined threshold. ### Claim 16 A computer based system for filling a reductant tank 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: supplying a reductant from a receiver through a pump fluidly connected to an off-board reservoir, wherein the receiver is connected to a first valve in the reductant tank through a reductant supply line; generating a signal, by a reductant level sensor, indicative of a level of the reductant in the reductant tank; and issuing a command to purge a stranded reductant in the reductant supply line, based on the signal generated by the reductant level sensor. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The computer based system of claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured to perform the operations including: issuing a command to open a vent associated with the reductant tank; issuing a command to a second valve, coupled with the pump, to switch the supply of the reductant with a supply of pressurized air in the reductant supply line; and issuing a command to a first valve to purge the stranded reductant in the reductant supply line into the reductant tank. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The computer based system of claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured to perform the operations including closing the vent after a pre-determined time duration. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The computer based system of claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured to perform the operations including: issuing a command to introduce an air supply in the reductant supply line; and issuing a command to reverse a direction of the pump to pull the stranded reductant in the reductant supply line to the off-board reservoir. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The computer based system of claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured to perform the operations including generating the signal by the reductant level sensor if the level of the reductant in the reductant tank is above a pre-determined threshold.