# US 9,518,499 B2 · DEF injector cooling system and method > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,518,499 B2 - Document ID: US9518499B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/601,831 - Filed: 2015-01-21 - Published: 2016-07-21 - Granted: 2016-12-13 - Earliest claimed: 2015-01-21 - Assignees: Deere & Company - Applicants: Deere & Company - Inventors: Jonathan A. Dylhoff; Brent M. Hunold; Paul A. Wantschik; Mark D. Anderson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9518499B2 ## CPC - F01N 11/002: {the diagnostic devices measuring or estimating temperature or pressure in, or downstream of the exhaust apparatus} - F01N 3/04: using liquids - F01N 3/206: {Adding periodically or continuously substances to exhaust gases for promoting purification, e.g. catalytic material in liquid form, NOx reducing agents} - F01N 3/2066: {Selective catalytic reduction [SCR]} - F01P 3/20: Cooling circuits not specific to a single part of engine or machine (F01P3/22 takes precedence) - F01P 5/10: Pumping liquid coolant; Arrangements of coolant pumps - F01N 2260/024: using a liquid - F01N 2610/02: the substance being ammonia or urea - F01N 2610/11: the substance or part of the dosing system being cooled - F01P 2005/105: {Using two or more pumps} - 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) - F01P: COOLING OF MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; COOLING OF INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES (arrangements in connection with cooling of propulsion units in vehicles B60K11/00; heat-transfer, heat-exchange or heat-storage materials C09K5/00; {cooling of gas-turbine engines F02C7/12}; heat exchange in general, radiators F28) - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A DEF injector cooling system may include a mechanical pump, an electric pump, and a controller. The mechanical pump may be rotatably coupled to an engine so as to be driven by the engine. The mechanical pump may be fluidly connected to the engine, a DEF injector, and a heat exchanger, and configured to pump coolant through these components. The electric pump may be fluidly connected to the DEF injector and configured to pump coolant through it. The controller may be configured to receive an ambient temperature signal indicative of an ambient temperature and power the electric pump after a shutdown of the engine for a period of time, the duration of the period of time based on the ambient temperature signal. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A DEF injector cooling system comprising: a mechanical pump rotatably coupled to an engine so as to be driven by the engine, the mechanical pump fluidly connected to the engine, a DEF injector, and a heat exchanger, the mechanical pump configured to pump coolant through the engine, the DEF injector, and the heat exchanger; an electric pump fluidly connected to the DEF injector and configured to pump coolant through the DEF injector; and an electronic controller configured to: receive an ambient temperature signal indicative of an ambient temperature; determine a pump run time based on the ambient temperature signal; and power the electric pump after a shutdown of the engine for the pump run time. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The cooling system of claim 1, wherein the electrical pump is fluidly connected in series with the mechanical pump and the DEF injector, and the electrical pump is fluidly connected between the mechanical pump and the DEF injector downstream of the mechanical pump. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The cooling system of claim 2, wherein the DEF injector is fluidly connected in series with the electric pump and the mechanical pump, and the DEF injector is fluidly connected between the electric pump and the mechanical pump downstream of the electric pump. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The cooling system of claim 2, wherein the mechanical pump, electric pump, and DEF injector are fluidly connected in series in a loop, the mechanical pump is fluidly connected to the electric pump upstream of the electric pump, the electric pump is fluidly connected to the DEF injector upstream of the DEF injector, and the DEF injector is fluidly connected to the mechanical pump upstream of the mechanical pump. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The cooling system of claim 4, wherein the loop is a first loop, the mechanical pump is fluidly connected to the heat exchanger in a second loop configured to allow coolant to flow from the mechanical pump to the heat exchanger and from the heat exchanger to the mechanical pump, and the second loop is separate from the first loop. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The cooling system of claim 2, wherein the controller is further configured to power the electric pump for less than 50% of the time the engine is running. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The cooling system of claim 6, wherein the controller is further configured to power the electric pump less than 5% of the time the engine is running. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The cooling system of claim 2, wherein the controller is further configured to: power the electric pump during engine operation; and determine whether the electric pump is operational. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The cooling system of claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to derate the engine if the electric pump is not operational. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The cooling system of claim 8, wherein the controller is further configured to prevent regeneration by the engine and an exhaust aftertreatment system if the electric pump is not operational. ### Claim 11 A method of cooling a DEF injector comprising: providing coolant flow from a mechanical pump to the DEF injector during operation of an engine, the mechanical pump rotationally coupled to the engine; detecting a shutdown of the engine; sensing an ambient temperature; determining a pump run time based on the sensed ambient temperature; and powering an electric pump to pump coolant through the DEF injector for the determined pump run time after the detected shutdown of the engine. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein coolant flow from the mechanical pump passes through the electric pump before reaching the DEF injector. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising determining the pump run time to prevent a temperature of the DEF injector from rising above a threshold. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising sensing a temperature of exhaust from the engine and determining the pump run time based on the sensed ambient temperature and the sensed exhaust temperature. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the pump run time is positively correlated with the sensed ambient temperature and positively correlated with the sensed exhaust temperature. ### Claim 16 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further comprising powering the electric pump for less than half the time the engine is operating. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising: powering the electric pump to pump coolant through the DEF injector while the engine is operating; and determining whether the electric pump is operational. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising derating the engine during operation of the engine if the electric pump is not operational. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further comprising preventing regeneration by the engine and an exhaust aftertreatment system during operation of the engine if the electric pump is not operational. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further providing an alert if the electric pump is not operational.