Fuel additive dispensing system

• US 5,331,994 A
• Filed: 09/29/1993
• Issued: 07/26/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Brian W. Petersen, Harley B. Martin, John F. Bryan III
• Original Assignee: Brian W. Petersen, Harley B. Martin, John F. Bryan III
• Inventors: Petersen, Brian W., Martin, Harley B., Bryan, John F. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Nilson, Robert G.
• Application Number:
  US08/128,323
• Time in Patent Office: 300 Days
• Field of Search: 137/1, 137/101.25, 137/558, 222/56, 123/1 A, 123/198 A
• US Class Current: 137/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/03348 for supplying additives to fuel
• 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: F02B 47/00 Methods of operating engines involving adding non-fuel substances or anti-knock agents to combustion air, fuel, or fuel-air mixtures of engines
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 51/00 Other methods of operating engines involving pretreating of, or adding substances to, combustion air, fuel, or fuel-air mixture of the engines
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 77/04 Cleaning of, preventing corrosion or erosion in, or preventing unwanted deposits in, combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/12 peculiar to engines working with non-fuel substances or with anti-knock agents, e.g. with anti-knock fuel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/0318 Processes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/2534 Liquid level response
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/8342 Liquid level responsive indicator, recorder or alarm

Abstract

An additive dispensing system for diesel fueled applications includes a diesel fuel system having either single or multiple tanks, a fuel level sensor, an additive tank, a fixed rate additive dispensing pump and a microprocessor operating on a logic basis whereby a minimum of three fuel level readings, taken at fixed periods and compared to one another and/or to predetermined standards, provide the input necessary to control the operation of the additive dispensing pump so as to maintain a predetermined concentration of additive in the diesel fuel system regardless of random refueling sequences.

Claims

1. A system for automatically dispensing additive to a motor vehicle fuel supply, independent of vehicle operation, so as to maintain a predetermined additive concentration in said fuel supply through a series of random fuel depletion and refueling cycles comprising:

refillable tank means for containing a fuel supply in a quantity measured by the level thereof;

a supply of additive for treatment of said fuel;

pumping means for transferring additive from said additive tank to said fuel supply at a fixed rate;

means for gradual fuel depletion of said fuel supply;

means for periodically sensing the level of said fuel supply;

means for comparing a current level and the two consecutive prior levels to establish a lowest level of said fuel supply and for recognizing a refueling and the amount of fuel added; and

means for activating and controlling said pumping means when said fuel supply level is increased so as to transfer a quantity of additive proportional to said amount of fuel added.

2. An additive dispensing system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said means for identifying the lowest fuel level of said fuel supply further comprises means for recalling said lowest level.

3. An additive dispensing system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said means for recognizing a refueling further comprises means for identifying the completion thereof.

4. An additive dispensing system in accordance with claim 1 wherein each said periodically sensed level comprises an average of multiple levels sensed over a short period of time.

5. An additive dispensing system according to claim 1 wherein said means for comparing further comprises:

means for comparing the rate-of-change of fuel level over time to a predetermined characteristic rate-of-change.

6. An additive dispensing system system according to claim 1 wherein the means for comparing further comprises:

means for continuously storing the past two consecutive levels as the first, earlier level and the second level;

means for comparing the first level to the current level to detect any significant increase in level;

means for comparing the first level to said second level to establish the presence of a significant increase in level during that period; and

means for comparing the first level to the current level to determine the total amount of fuel added.

7. A system for automatically dispensing additive to a motor vehicle fuel supply, independent of vehicle operation, so as to maintain a predetermined additive concentration in said fuel supply through a random series of fuel depletion and refueling cycles comprising:

refillable tanks wherein the fuel supply contained is measured by the level thereof;

an additive tank containing a supply of additive for treatment of said fuel;

pumping means for transferring additive from said additive tank to said fuel supply at a fixed rate;

means for gradual depletion of said fuel supply;

means for periodically sensing the level of said fuel supply;

means for comparing a current level and the two consecutive prior levels to establish a lowest level of said fuel supply and for recognizing a refueling and the amount of fuel added; and

means for activating and controlling said pumping means when said fuel supply level is increased so as to transfer a quantity of additive proportional to said amount of fuel added.

8. An additive dispensing system in accordance with claim 7 wherein said means for identifying the lowest fuel level of said fuel supply further comprises means for recalling said lowest level.

9. An additive dispensing system in accordance with claim 7 and further comprising means for retaining substantially the lowest level of said fuel supply during the depletion thereof;

10. An additive dispensing system in accordance with claim 7 wherein said means for recognizing a refueling further comprises means for identifying the completion thereof.

11. An additive dispensing system in accordance with claim 7 wherein each said periodically sensed level comprises an average of multiple levels sensed over a short period of time.

12. An additive dispensing system according to claim 7 wherein said means for recognising a refueling further comprises means for comparing the rate-of-change of fuel level over time to a predetermined characteristic rate-of-change.

13. An additive dispensing system system according to claim 7 wherein the means for comparing further comprises:

means for continuously storing the past two consecutive levels as the first, earlier level and the second level;

means for comparing the first level to the current level to detect any significant increase in level;

means for comparing the first level to said second level to establish the presence of a significant increase in level during that period; and

means for comparing the first level to the current level to determine the total amount of fuel added.

14. A method for evaluating a complete refueling event in an additive dispensing system for a vehicle, independent of the operation of the vehicle, comprising the steps of:

periodically measuring the fuel level at intervals known to at least approximate the time required for refueling and balancing fuel levels;

continuously storing the past two consecutive levels as the first, earlier level and the second level;

comparing the first level to the current level to detect any significant increase in level;

comparing the first level to said second level to establish the presence of a significant increase in level during that period; and

comparing the first level to the current level to determine the total amount of fuel added in the refueling event.