Method and system of purging evaporative emission control canister using heated purge air

• US 7,114,492 B2
• Filed: 04/14/2005
• Issued: 10/03/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Reddy, Sam R.
• Primary Examiner(s): MOULIS, THOMAS N
• Application Number:
  US11/106,115
• Publication Number:
  US 20060065253A1
• Time in Patent Office: 537 Days
• Field of Search: 123/516, 123/518, 123/519, 123/520
• US Class Current: 123/518
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 2230/04 Catalytic converters
• CPC Class Codes: F01N 5/02 the devices using heat
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 2025/0881 with means to heat or cool the canister
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 25/0872 Details of the fuel vapour pipes or conduits
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 25/089 Layout of the fuel vapour installation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies

Abstract

Method and system of purging evaporative emission control canister using heated purge air comprises a scrubber containing an activated carbon fiber material or carbon monolith selected to adsorb butane and/or pentane isomer vapors in low concentrations in air passing through the scrubber and to desorb the adsorbed butane and/or pentane isomers when purged with exhaust heated purge air. A method for reducing bleed emission to almost zero mg per day uses exhaust heated air purging of the scrubber.

Claims

1. An evaporative emission control system comprising a hydrocarbon scrubber comprising a body, and a carbon material contained in the body constructed and arranged to adsorb low molecular weight hydrocarbons in a vapor stream from a vehicle fuel tank;

a combustion engine exhaust system, and wherein a portion of the exhaust system is constructed and arranged to transfer heat through the scrubber body and to heat purge air flowing through the scrubber and so that low molecular weight hydrocarbons are desorbed from the carbon material.

2. The evaporative emission control system of claim 1, further comprising a canister comprising activated carbon granules for adsorbing high molecular weight hydrocarbons in the vapor stream.

3. The evaporative control system of claim 1, wherein said carbon material is an activated carbon fiber material or carbon monolith.

4. The evaporative emission control system of claim 1, wherein said evaporative emission system has bleed emissions below 3 mg/day.

5. An evaporative emission control system for a vehicle, comprising:

a fuel tank for storing a volatile fuel;

a first canister comprising one or more chambers comprising activated carbon granules, said canister comprising a vapor inlet coupled with the fuel tank, a purge inlet coupled to an air induction inlet for en engine, and an air inlet, wherein said one or more chambers are located between the vapor inlet and the air inlet; and

a scrubber comprising activated carbon fiber material or carbon monolith, said scrubber being either a further chamber of the canister located between a last chamber comprising activated carbon granules and the air inlet or a separate second canister coupled to said air inlet,

wherein said scrubber is positioned to supply heated purge air to said chamber comprising activated carbon granules;

a combustion engine exhaust system, and wherein a portion of the exhaust system is constructed and arranged to heat purge air, the purge air flowing through the scrubber so that low molecular weight hydrocarbons are desorbed from the activated carbon fiber material or carbon monolith of the scrubber.

6. The evaporative emission system of claim 5, wherein said scrubber body comprises aluminum.

7. The evaporative emission system of claim 6, wherein said scrubber is positioned adjacent an exhaust line of said vehicle in an area between a catalytic converter and a muffler of said exhaust system.

8. The evaporative emission system of claim 5, further comprising a heat exchanger for heating purge air.

9. The evaporative emission system of claim 8, wherein said heat exchanger comprises a portion of a purge air vent line wrapped around an exhaust conduit of said vehicle.

10. The evaporative emission control system of claim 9, wherein said vent line is wrapped around said exhaust conduit in an area between a catalytic converter of said vehicle'"'"'s exhaust system and a muffler of said vehicle'"'"'s exhaust system.

11. The evaporative emissions system of claim 5, wherein said evaporative emissions system has bleed emissions below 5 mg/day.

12. An evaporative emission control system for a vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the vehicle is a hybrid vehicle further comprising an electric motor.

13. A method for reducing bleed emissions from an evaporative emission control system for a vehicle, comprising venting the evaporative emission control system to a hydrocarbon scrubber capable of adsorbing low molecular weight hydrocarbon vapors in low concentrations in air and capable of desorbing the adsorbed low molecular weight hydrocarbons, heating purge air with heat from an exhaust system of the vehicle and flowing the heated purge air through the scrubber to desorb the low molecular weight hydrocarbons from the scrubber.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising venting the evaporative emission control system to a canister having one or more chambers of adsorbent material prior to venting said system to said scrubber;

opening a vent line for passing purge air through said scrubber; and

venting said purge air and desorbed hydrocarbons to said vehicle'"'"'s internal combustion engine.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising venting the evaporative emission control system to a canister having one or more chambers of adsorbent material prior to venting said system to said scrubber;

opening a vent line for passing purge air through said scrubber;

and wherein the heating purge air comprises heating ambient air using heat generated by said vehicle'"'"'s exhaust system during operation;

and thereafter purging said canister with the heated purge air to desorb the adsorbed hydrocarbons; and

venting said purge air and desorbed hydrocarbons to said vehicle'"'"'s internal combustion engine.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein said vehicle is a hybrid vehicle.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein said evaporative emissions system has bleed emissions below 5 mg/day.

18. A method for reducing emissions from a vehicle having a fuel tank, comprising:

passing fuel/air vapor comprising low and high molecular weight hydrocarbons from the fuel tank first through a quantity of activated carbon granules to adsorb high molecular weight hydrocarbons and then through a quantity of an activated carbon fiber material or carbon monolith to adsorb low molecular weight hydrocarbons;

wherein said quantity of activated carbon granules is capable of adsorbing a desired amount of fuel vapor;

and further wherein said quantity of activated carbon fiber material or carbon monolith is capable of adsorbing low molecular weight hydrocarbons vapor contained in concentrations of less than 10,000 parts per million by volume in air so that emissions from the fuel tank are reduced to less than about 5 mg per day,

and heating purge air with heat from a vehicle exhaust system to desorb low molecular weight hydrocarbons from the activated carbon fiber material or carbon monolith.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the activated carbon fiber material or carbon monolith is enclosed in a housing comprising aluminum.

20. The method according to claim 18, wherein the low molecular weight hydrocarbons comprise at least one of butane or pentane.