Mobile fuel tank vapor emission control system and method
First Claim
1. An evaporative control for an automotive fuel tank comprising a canister containing a fuel vapor adsorbent, vapor inlet means to the canister for fluid communication with the head space of a fuel tank, vapor return means from the canister for fluid communication to a fuel tank, a sparger locatable in a fuel tank and a vapor fan in fluid communication with the sparger, said vapor fan in fluid communication with the vapor return means, and capacitor means to sense the amount of adsorbed vapor in the canister over a continuous range of adsorption and in response to a preset limit less than saturation to actuate the vapor fan.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and on board apparatus to recycle gasoline vapor emissions from the head space of a motor vehicle gasoline tank during refueling and operation of the vehicle. The apparatus comprises a canister to collect and store gasoline vapor from the head space and a vapor fan and sparger combination to retrieve vapor driven from the canister during a heating cycle and to dissolve the vapor in the liquid gasoline in the tank. The canister includes an adsorbent to separate the vapor from air and a vent valve to release air from the canister. Inside the canister is a ceramic heater, a temperature sensor and an adsorbed vapor sensor. A water drain permits condensed moisture to be released from the canister. The sparger comprises a microscopically porous body having a plurality of relatively large blind passages therein, the sparger body being entirely immersed in the liquid gasoline. The method comprises collecting the head space vapor in the canister with an effective adsorber during refueling of the vehicle and subsequently, during operation of the vehicle, driving the adsorbed vapor from the canister with a sorce of heat and blowing the vapor under sufficient pressure to force the vapor into intimate contact with liquid gasoline inside and on the surface of the sparger. A splash back valve prevents head space vapor and liquid gasoline from traveling back up the fill pipe of the gasoline tank while maintaining hydrostatic communication between the bottom of the tank and the fill pipe.
64 Citations
25 Claims
- 1. An evaporative control for an automotive fuel tank comprising a canister containing a fuel vapor adsorbent, vapor inlet means to the canister for fluid communication with the head space of a fuel tank, vapor return means from the canister for fluid communication to a fuel tank, a sparger locatable in a fuel tank and a vapor fan in fluid communication with the sparger, said vapor fan in fluid communication with the vapor return means, and capacitor means to sense the amount of adsorbed vapor in the canister over a continuous range of adsorption and in response to a preset limit less than saturation to actuate the vapor fan.
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7. An evaporative control for an automotive fuel tank comprising a canister containing a fuel vapor absorbent, vapor inlet means to the canister for fluid communication with the head space of a fuel tank, vapor return means from the canister for fluid communication to a fuel tank, a sparger locatable in a fuel tank and a vapor fan in fluid communication with the sparger, said vapor fan in fluid communication with the vapor return means,
means to heat the canister adsorbent and logic control means to operate the heating means and vapor fan in response to a preselected combination of one or more conditions sensed by the logic control means, and means to release air desorbed of vapor from the canister and means to release water from the canister.
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9. An evaporative control for an automotive fuel tank comprising a canister containing a fuel vapor adsorbent, vapor inlet means to the canister for fluid communication with the head space of a fuel tank, vapor return means from the canister for fluid communication to a fuel tank, a sparger locatable in a fuel tank and a vapor fan in fluid communication with the sparger, said vapor fan in fluid communication with the vapor return means, and
wherein at least one of the vapor inlet means and vapor return means include means to cool vapor flowing therethrough.
- 18. An automotive evaporative control fuel tank comprising a hollow tank, a canister containing a fuel vapor adsorbent, a conduit communicating between the head space of the hollow tank and the canister, a second conduit communicating between the canister and the lower portion of the hollow tank, a sparger located in the lower portion of the hollow tank, a vapor fan in fluid communication with the sparger and said vapor fan and sparger in fluid communication with the canister, capacitor means to sense the amount of adsorbed vapor in the canister over a continuous range of adsorption and in response to a preset limit less than saturation to activate the vapor fan.
Specification