Device and method for recycling hydrocarbon vapors of I.C.E. vehicles

• US 4,070,828 A
• Filed: 01/14/1976
• Issued: 01/31/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 01/15/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Regie Nationale Des Usines Renault, Automobiles Peugeot (Stellantis NV)
• Original Assignee: Regie Nationale Des Usines Renault, Automobiles Peugeot (Stellantis NV)
• Inventors: Barres, Roland
• Primary Examiner(s): Hart, Douglas
• Application Number:
  US05/649,081
• Time in Patent Office: 748 Days
• Field of Search: 60/307, 60/283, 60/274, 123/136
• US Class Current: 60/274
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 25/0854 Details of the absorption canister

Abstract

The invention is directed to a novel method and means for recycling to the carburetor the hydrocarbon vapors emitted by a motor vehicle of the type comprising between the fuel tank and the pipe connecting the air filter to the carburetor a container or canister for adsorbing the hydrocarbons. In the method of this invention, the hydrocarbons thus adsorbed by a suitable material contained in the canister are desorbed by using a stream of air under pressure from a pump, for example the anti-pollution pump provided for injecting fresh atmospheric air into the exhaust system of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A method for use with an engine having a carburetor, an air filter, a pipe connecting the carburetor and air filter, an exhaust system, a fuel tank and employing an anti-pollution pump for injecting fresh air into the exhaust system of the engine, the method for supplying to the carburetor the hydrocarbon vapours emitted by the engine comprising the steps of, providing a hydrocarbon adsorption canister between the fuel tank and the pipe connecting the air filter and the carburetor, wherein the hydrocarbons are adsorbed by the material contained in said canister, supplying an air stream under pressure produced by said pump to said canister, whereby the hydrocarbon vapours are desorbed by means of the air stream, and supplying the desorbed hydrocarbon vapours in the air stream to the carburetor.

2. Apparatus for use with an engine having a carburetor, an air filter, a pipe connecting the carburetor and air filter, an exhaust system, a fuel tank and equipped with an anti-pollution pump for injecting fresh atmospheric air into the exhaust system of the engine for supplying to the carburetor the hydrocarbon vapours emitted by the engine comprising, an adsorption canister having a hydrocarbon inlet port connected to the fuel tank and a hydrocarbon outlet port connected to the pipe connecting the air filter to the carburetor and a compressed-air inlet port connected to the delivery port of said pump, and having a partition of preselected length arranged substantially along the longitudinal axis of said canister and extending within said canister from an end wall thereof said end wall having disposed therethrough said compressed air inlet port and said hydrocarbon outlet port with said partition disposed substantially therebetween, whereby said hydrocarbons adsorbed by the material in said canister are desorbed by the compressed-air stream and fed to the carburetor.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said preselected length of said partition is sufficient to avoid any interference with said hydrocarbon inlet port while permitting substantial elongation of the path from said compressed-air inlet port to said hydrocarbon outlet port.