System and method for fuel balancing

• US 20060243346A1
• Filed: 05/02/2005
• Published: 11/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Norgren Incorporated (IMI PLC)
• Original Assignee: IMI Norgren Inc. (IMI PLC)
• Inventors: Nylen, Pete, Sweeney, Eric, Boult, William Benjamen, Maher, Patrick
• Application Number:
  US11/119,593
• Publication Number:
  US 20060243346A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 141/95
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/00 Arrangement in connection with fuel supply of combustion engines or other fuel consuming energy converters, e.g. fuel cells; Mounting or construction of fuel tanks tanks in general B65D, F17C; supplying combustion engines with combustible mixtures or constituents F02M
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/03118 Multiple tanks, i.e. two or more separate tanks supplementary tanks inside the fuel tank B60K2015/03105
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/03131 Systems for filling dual tanks
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/0319 with electronic systems, e.g. for controlling fuelling or venting for LPG tanks B60K2015/03013
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/03217 Fuel level sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/03223 comprising at least two level fuel sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60Y 2200/14 Trucks; Load vehicles, Busses
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 37/0023 Valves in the fuel supply and return system
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 37/007 characterised by its use in vehicles, in stationary plants or in small engines, e.g. hand held tools
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 37/0088 Multiple separate fuel tanks or tanks being at least partially partitioned
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/20 by measurement of weight, e.g. to determine the level of stored liquefied gas
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/802 Particular electronic circuits for digital processing equipment

Abstract

A system and method for fuel balancing is disclosed. The system and method measures the difference in fuel levels between two fuel tanks. In one case, when the difference in the two fuel levels exceeds a predetermined amount, an indicator is activated. In another case, when the difference in the two fuel levels exceeds a predetermined amount, the fuel is only drawn from the fuel tank containing the most fuel.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

monitoring a difference between at least a first amount of fuel in a first fuel tank and a second amount of fuel in a second fuel tank;

indicating when the difference exceeds a predetermined amount.

2. The method of claim 1 where the difference is monitored by comparing a first fuel level in the first fuel tank with a second fuel level in the second fuel tank.

3. The method of claim 1 where the difference is monitored by comparing a first weight of the first fuel tank with a second weight of the second fuel tank.

4. The method of claim 1 where a visual signal is used to indicate when the difference exceeds the predetermined amount.

5. The method of claim 1 where an audio signal is used to indicate when the difference exceeds the predetermined amount.

6. The method of claim 1 where the first fuel tank is on a first side of a truck and the second fuel tank is on a second side of the truck.

7. A method, comprising:

monitoring a difference between at least a first fuel level in a first fuel tank and a second fuel level in a second fuel tank;

switching from a first connection to a second connection when the difference exceeds a predetermined amount, where the first connection is between the first fuel tank and a fuel pump and the second connection is between the second fuel tank and the fuel pump.

8. The method of claim 7 where the switching occurs automatically.

9. A method, comprising:

balancing a fuel use between at least a first fuel tank and a second fuel tank by drawing fuel from at least one of the fuel tanks;

monitoring a difference in an amount of fuel in the first fuel tank and an amount of fuel in the second fuel tank;

automatically stopping the fuel from being drawn from the fuel tank that has the least amount of fuel, when the difference between the amount of fuel in the first fuel tank and the amount of fuel in the second fuel tank reaches a predetermined amount.

10. The method of claim 9 where the fuel is initially drawn from both fuel tanks.

11. The method of claim 9 where the fuel is stopped by switching the fuel use from the first fuel tank to the second fuel tank.

12. A fuel system, comprising:

a first fuel tank and a second fuel tank;

a first fuel monitor configured to measure an amount of fuel in the first fuel tank;

a second fuel monitor configured to measure an amount of fuel in the second fuel tank;

a comparator configured to compare the measured amount of fuel from the first fuel monitor with the measured amount of fuel from the second fuel monitor;

the comparator configured to activate an indicator when the difference between the amount of fuel in the first fuel tank and the amount of fuel in the second fuel tank exceeds a predetermined amount.

13. The fuel system of claim 12 where the fuel system is for a diesel truck.

14. A fuel system, comprising:

a first fuel tank and a second fuel tank;

a switching device connecting the first fuel tank to a fuel pump;

the switching device connecting the second fuel tank to the fuel pump;

a first fuel monitor configured to measure an amount of fuel in the first fuel tank;

a second fuel monitor configured to measure an amount of fuel in the second fuel tank;

a comparator configured to compare the measured amount of fuel from the first fuel monitor with the measured amount of fuel from the second fuel monitor;

the comparator configured to signal the switching device when the difference between the amount of fuel in the first fuel tank and the amount of fuel in the second fuel tank exceeds a predetermined amount;

the switching device configured to disconnect the fuel tank that has the least amount of fuel from the fuel pump when signaled by the comparator.

15. The fuel system of claim 14 where the switching device comprises a first solenoid and a second solenoid where the first and second solenoids feed into a common manifold.

16. The fuel system of claim 14 where the switching device is a three position valve.

17. The fuel system of claim 14 where the fuel system is for a diesel vehicle.

18. The fuel system of claim 14 where the fuel system is for a gasoline vehicle.

19. The fuel system of claim 14 where the fuel system is for a natural gas vehicle.

20. The fuel system of claim 14 where the comparator is implemented in hardware.

21. The fuel system of claim 14 where the comparator is implemented using a processor running firmware.

22. A fuel system comprising:

a first fuel tank and a second fuel tank;

a means for monitoring a difference between a first fuel level in the first tank and a second fuel level in the second tank;

a means for switching a connection to a fuel pump from the first fuel tank to the second fuel tank when the difference exceeds a predetermined amount.