Compact diesel fuel preheater element

• US 4,349,001 A
• Filed: 05/05/1980
• Issued: 09/14/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/1980
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rockwell International Corporation
• Original Assignee: Rockwell International Corporation
• Inventors: Wagner, William R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Myhre, Charles J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cross, E. Rollins
• Application Number:
  US06/144,820
• Time in Patent Office: 862 Days
• Field of Search: 123/557, 165/51, 165/52, 261/145
• US Class Current: 123/557
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 3/06 with compression ignition compression ignition engines using air or gas for blowing fuel into compressed air in cylinder F02B13/02
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 31/102 Particular constructional characteristics of the shape of the heat exchange surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 31/16 Other apparatus for heating fuel
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 9/0081 the conduits for one heat-exchange medium being formed by a single plate-like element F28D9/0012 takes precedence; the conduits for one heat-exchange medium being integrated in one single plate-like element F28D9/0012 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies

Abstract

In combination with a diesel engine, a preheater 10 for diesel fuel generally comprises a hot fluid chamber 12 having a first open end 14, a second open end 16, and perimeter walls 17. As the engine cooling water exits from the engine block, it passes through hot fluid inlet 18 into hot fluid inlet manifold 20, through chamber 12, and out through fluid outlet manifold 22 and hot fluid outlet port 24. Located along the top and bottom perimeter walls 17 of chamber 12 are heat exchanger plates 26 for carrying diesel fuel. Interconnected with plates 26 are fuel inlets 28, fuel inlet manifolds 30, fuel outlet manifolds 32, and fuel outlets 34.

Claims

1. A diesel engine wherein the improvement comprises a single pass diesel fuel preheater interposed between the fuel pump and combustion chamber for heating diesel fuel prior to its being introduced into the combustion chamber, and wherein said diesel fuel preheater comprises:

a hot fluid chamber having first and second open ends and closed perimeter;

a hot fluid inlet manifold having an inlet port and means for connecting said inlet manifold to said first open end of said hot fluid chamber;

a hot fluid outlet manifold having an outlet port and means for connecting said hot fluid outlet port to said second open end of said hot fluid chamber;

a heat exchanger plate having;

one panel for each cylinder of said diesel engine and wherein each panel comprises at least x number of channels and x-1 number of lands where x is an integer ≧

1, and a fuel panel inlet and outlet port located at opposite ends of and passing transversely through said panel;

a fuel inlet manifold having at least one fuel inlet and means for connecting said fuel inlet manifold to each fuel panel inlet port; and

a fuel outlet manifold having at least one fuel outlet and means for connecting said fuel outlet manifold to each fuel panel outlet port.

2. The diesel fuel preheater of claim 1 wherein the heat source is exhaust gases.

3. The diesel fuel preheater of claim 1 wherein the heat source is hot water from the engine cooling system.

4. The diesel fuel preheater of claim 1 wherein said hot fluid chamber is cylindrical.

5. The diesel fuel preheater of claim 1 wherein said hot fluid chamber is rectangular.

6. The diesel fuel preheater of claim 1 wherein there are two opposed and parallel heat exchanger plates each having at least two lands in intimate contact with the perimeter of said hot fluid chamber.