Waste oil management system

• US 5,336,396 A
• Filed: 03/29/1993
• Issued: 08/09/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Air Pure Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Michael C. Shetley
• Inventors: Shetley, Michael C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Savage, Matthew O.
• Application Number:
  US08/038,710
• Time in Patent Office: 498 Days
• Field of Search: 210/90, 210/171, 210/172, 210/195.1, 210/253, 210/257.1, 210/258, 210/502.1, 210/912, 210/416.4, 210/500.1, 123/196 S, 123/575
• US Class Current: 210/90
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 29/21 with corrugated, folded or wound sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 29/52 in parallel connection
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 29/92 for discharging filtrate
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 35/12 Devices for taking out of action one or more units of multi- unit filters, e.g. for regeneration
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 35/147 Bypass or safety valves
• CPC Class Codes: F01M 2011/0475 with combustion of used lubricant in the engine
• 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: F02D 19/0628 Determining the fuel pressure, temperature or flow, the fuel tank fill level or a valve position
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/0657 Heavy or light fuel oils; Fuels characterised by their impurities such as sulfur content or differences in grade, e.g. for ships
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/0668 Treating or cleaning means; Fuel filters
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/0684 High pressure fuel injection systems; Details on pumps, rails or the arrangement of valves in the fuel supply and return systems
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 19/081 Adjusting the fuel composition or mixing ratio; Transitioning from one fuel to the other
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 37/24 characterised by water separating means
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 37/34 by the filter structure, e.g. honeycomb, mesh or fibrous
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 37/36 with bypass means
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 37/46 Filters structurally associated with pressure regulators
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 37/48 Filters structurally associated with fuel valves
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/30 Use of alternative fuels, e.g. biofuels
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 210/912 Heavy metal

Abstract

A fuel management system for blending of an alternative fuel such as waste oil with a conventional fuel and the continuous filtration thereof before delivery to fuel injection system of a conventional diesel engine. The system attaches to the storage tanks of a heavy duty truck using a proportioning device for withdrawing of the fuels from their respective tanks before blending by use of an air operated diaphragm transfer pump. The blended fuel is continuously recirculated through at least one fiberglass filter with a device for metering the final flow to the injection system and the remainder to the storage tanks. The system can remove up to 99.5 percent of the heavy contaminants found in the diesel fuel and alternative fuels.

Claims

1. A fuel management system for blending of alternative fuels with a conventional fuel and the continuous filtration thereof before delivery to the fuel injection system of a diesel engine, said system comprising

first storage means for storing therein a supply of liquid fuel;

second storage means for storing therein a supply of liquid fuel;

a pump including an inlet coupled to said first tank by a first conduit and second storage tank by a second conduit, each said conduit having a restriction placed therein allowing a predetermined amount of fuel to flow from each said storage means, said pump having a means for mixing the liquid fuels from each said storage tank into a blended fuel and pressurizing said blended fuel;

fiberglass filtration means for selective non-fluid contaminant reduction from said blended fuel, said fiberglass filtration means including an inlet and an outlet;

means for fluidly connecting the inlet of the fiberglass filtration means to an outlet of said pump;

means for determining filter replacement;

metering means for directing a first portion of said blended fuel to the injection system of the engine and a second portion of said blended fuel directed to said first and second storage means; and

means for fluidly connecting an inlet of said metering means to an outlet of said fiberglass filtration means.

2. The fuel management system according to claim 1 wherein said first storage tank houses a supply of conventional diesel fuel and said second storage tank houses a supply of alternative fuel.

3. The fuel management system according to claim 2 wherein said alternative fuel is further defined as waste oil.

4. The fuel management system according to claim 1 wherein said pump for pressurizing said blended fuel is defined as a self-priming air operated diaphragm pump.

5. The fuel management system according to claim 4 wherein said air operated diaphragm pump provides a variable delivery rate by means of a manual air line regulator.

6. The fuel management system according to claim 1 wherein said fiberglass filtration means is further defined as a spin-on canister cartridge having a fiberglass element with a micron rating of less than 25 and greater than zero.

7. The fuel management system according to claim 6 wherein said spin-on canister cartridge is placed in parallel with a second spin-on canister cartridge by means of a single die cast header, each said canister cartridge sealingly secured to said header.

8. The fuel management system according to claim 6 wherein said fiberglass element is pleated.

9. The fuel management system according to claim 6 wherein said spin-on canister cartridge is disposable.

10. The fuel management system according to claim 6 wherein said fiberglass filtration means is comprised of two filtration units connected in series, each said unit comprising two spin-on canister cartridges coupled to a single die cast header filtering fuel in a parallel configuration.

11. The fuel management system for blending waste oil with diesel fuel and the continuous filtration thereof before delivery to the fuel injection system of a conventional diesel engine, said system comprising

first storage means for storing therein a supply of conventional diesel fuel, said first storage means having a means for restricting the amount of diesel fuel deliverable therefrom;

second storage means for storing therein a supply of waste oil, said second storage means having a means for restricting the amount of waste oil deliverable therefrom;

a self-priming variable delivery air operated diaphragm pump having a first and second inlet and an outlet, said first inlet coupled to said means for restricting of fuel flow from said first storage tank by a first conduit, said second inlet coupled to said means for restricting oil flow from said second storage tank by a second conduit, said pump including means for blending said diesel fuel with said waste oil to form blended fuel oil;

at least two fiberglass filters for contaminant reduction of said blended fuel oil said filters disposed in a parallel arrangement using a single die cast head having at least one bypass valve, said die cast head including an inlet and an outlet;

means for fluidly connecting the inlet of said head to an outlet of said pump;

means for determining filter replacement;

metering means for directing a first portion of said blended fuel oil to the injection system of the engine and a second portion of said blended fuel oil directed to said first and second storage means;

means for fluidly connecting an inlet of said metering means to an outlet of said head;

polishing fiberglass filtration means interposed between said metering means and said fuel injection system for filtering said first portion of said blended fuel; and

a mounting means for mounting said diaphragm pump and said filtration means in alignment with said fuel injection system.

12. The fuel management system according to claim 11 wherein said bypass valve includes a spring means to maintain said valve in a closed position at pressures less than 15 psi.

13. The fuel management system according to claim 11 wherein said means for determining filter replacement is comprised of a first pressure gauge mounted on the inlet to said head and a second pressure gauge mounted on the outlet of said head for viewing differential pressure thereon.

14. The fuel management system according to claim 11 wherein said mounting means is defined as an enclosure secured to a side rail of a truck tractor wherein said means for determining filter replacement is displayed thereon.

15. The fuel management system according to claim 11 wherein said die cast head includes a 11/2 inch inlet and a 11/2 inch outlet.