EVAPORATIVE EMISSION CONTROL USING SELECTIVE HEATING IN AN ADSORBENT CANISTER
First Claim
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1. A method for increasing working capacity and maintaining working capacity over a service life of automotive evaporative emissions control systems comprising steps of:
- (i) contacting a purge flow through adsorbents unheated along a portion of a purge inlet of a vapor flow path length of the adsorbents; and
(ii) contacting the purge flow through heated element along a purge outlet of the vapor flow path length of the adsorbents, wherein the heated element comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of heater located in the plenum, heated plenum, heated adsorbent, and combinations thereof.
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Abstract
An invention is disclosed for efficiently improving the working capacity and useful service life of an evaporative emission control canister by selectively heating the adsorbent towards the purge outlet of the vapor path.
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Citations
51 Claims
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1. A method for increasing working capacity and maintaining working capacity over a service life of automotive evaporative emissions control systems comprising steps of:
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(i) contacting a purge flow through adsorbents unheated along a portion of a purge inlet of a vapor flow path length of the adsorbents; and
(ii) contacting the purge flow through heated element along a purge outlet of the vapor flow path length of the adsorbents, wherein the heated element comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of heater located in the plenum, heated plenum, heated adsorbent, and combinations thereof. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An evaporative emissions control system for a vehicle comprising, in combination, a fuel tank for storing a volatile fuel, an engine having an air induction system and adapted to consume the fuel, a canister containing an initial volume of fuel vapor adsorbent material for temporarily adsorbing and storing fuel vapor from the tank, a conduit for conducting fuel vapor from the tank to a canister vapor inlet, a fuel vapor purge conduit from a canister purge outlet to an induction system of the engine, and a vent/air opening for venting the canister and for admission of air to the canister during operation of the engine induction system, wherein the canister is defined by a fuel vapor flow path via the canister vapor inlet through an initial volume of vapor adsorbent within a first region of the canister toward the vent/air opening, and an air flow path through a subsequent volume of adsorbent within a second region of the canister at the vent/air opening and the first region at the purge outlet, such that fuel vapor formed in the tank flows through the vapor inlet into the initial volume of adsorbent where it is adsorbed and, during operation of the engine induction system, ambient air flows in a path to and through the vent/air opening and along the air flow path in the canister through the initial volume and the purge outlet to the induction system of the engine, the flow of air removing a portion of the adsorbed fuel vapor but leaving a residue of fuel in the initial volume, and wherein:
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(i) the purge flow is subjected through unheated adsorbents along a portion of the purge inlet of the vapor flow path length of the adsorbents; and
(ii) the purge flow is subjected through heated element along the purge outlet of the vapor flow path length of the adsorbents, wherein the heated element comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of heater located in the plenum, heated plenum, heated adsorbent, and combinations thereof. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A canister operative for use in automotive systems for emission control defined by a canister vapor inlet to permit a fuel vapor flow path through an initial volume of vapor adsorbent within a first region of the canister toward a canister vent/air opening to permit a continued air flow path through a subsequent volume of adsorbent within a second region of the canister at the vent/air opening and the first region at a canister purge outlet, such that fuel vapor formed in a tank for storing volatile fuel flows through the canister vapor inlet into the initial volume of adsorbent where it is adsorbed and, during operation of an engine induction system, ambient air is caused to flow in a path to and through the vent/air opening and along the air flow path in the canister through the initial volume and the purge outlet to the induction system of the engine, wherein the flow of air removing a portion of the adsorbed fuel vapor but leaving a residue of fuel in the initial volume, and wherein:
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(i) the purge flow is subjected through unheated adsorbents along a portion of the purge inlet of the vapor flow path length of the adsorbents; and
(ii) the purge flow is subjected through heated element along the purge outlet of the vapor flow path length of the adsorbents, wherein the heated element comprises at least one member selected from the group consisting of heater located in the plenum, heated plenum, heated adsorbent, and combinations thereof. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51)
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Specification