Fuel system with leak location diagnostic features and component for same

• US 7,337,652 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2003
• Issued: 03/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Shamine, David M.
• Primary Examiner(s): LARKIN, DANIEL SEAN
• Application Number:
  US10/691,318
• Publication Number:
  US 20060130560A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,595 Days
• Field of Search: 73/40, 73/492, 73/497, 731/19.A, 721/19.A
• US Class Current: 73/40
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 55/002 Arrangement of leakage or drain conduits in or from injectors
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 63/0225 Fuel-injection apparatus having a common rail feeding several injectors F02M63/0003 takes precedence; Means for varying pressure in common rails; Pumps feeding common rails
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 65/00 Testing fuel-injection apparatus, e.g. testing injection timing testing of ignition F02P17/00; measuring fuel consumption G01F9/00; Cleaning of fuel-injection apparatus

Abstract

A leak diagnostic strategy for an engine equipped with a high pressure common rail fuel system includes a plurality of separate leak lines. Each of the leak lines is constructed and positioned to capture fuel leaking from one of several different high pressure spaces associated with the fuel system. Once a leak is detected, the location of the leak can be diagnosed by opening different leak diagnostic ports until fuel is evacuated from the system. Each of the leak diagnostic ports is associated with one of the leak lines. The system allows for quick determination of a leak location without cumbersome testing or partial dismantlement of engine related subsystems and components.

Claims

1. A leak diagnosis component for a fuel system of an engine comprising:

a junction block with a plurality of inlets and at least one outlet disposed in said junction block and opening through an external surface of said junction block;

said inlets being fluidly connected to said at least one outlet via a plurality of leak paths disposed in said junction block, and each of said inlets being configured for connection to a different leak line of a fuel system for an engine;

a plurality of leak collection cavities disposed in said junction block, and each of said leak paths being fluidly connected to one of the plurality of leak collection cavities; and

a plurality of leak diagnostic ports disposed in said junction block, and each one of the plurality of leak diagnostic ports extending between a respective one of said leak collection cavities and said external surface of said junction block.

2. The component of claim 1 including a plurality of plugs removably attached to said junction block and closing different ones of said leak diagnostic ports.

3. The component of claim 2 including a wet sensor attached to said junction block and being operably positioned to sense a presence of liquid in said at least one outlet.

4. The component of claim 3 wherein said at least one outlet is a single outlet.

5. The component of claim 3 wherein said junction block has six leak inlets, six leak collection cavities, six leak diagnostic ports, and includes a separate return fuel manifold disposed therein.

6. The component of claim 4 wherein said external surface includes a top side;

and

said inlets opening through said external surface at a location closer to said top side than a location where said single outlet opens through said external surface.

7. The component of claim 6 wherein said external surface includes a bottom side;

and

said leak diagnostic ports opening through said external surface at a location closer to said bottom side than a location where said inlets open through said external surface.

8. The component of claim 4 wherein said junction block has three leak inlets, three leak collection cavities, and three leak diagnostic ports.

9. A fuel system comprising:

a plurality of high pressure fuel spaces;

a plurality of leak lines operably connected to capture fuel leaking from different ones of said high pressure fuel spaces;

each one of a plurality of leak diagnostic ports being fluidly connected to a different one of said leak lines, and the plurality of leak diagnostic ports being operably positioned to evacuate fuel from said leak lines;

a consolidated leak line with one end fluidly connected to said leak lines;

a wet sensor operably connected to said consolidated leak line; and

wherein said one end of said consolidated leak line, said leak diagnostic ports and one end of each of said leak lines being disposed in a leak diagnostic junction block.

10. The fuel system of claim 9 wherein said plurality of high pressure spaces include at least one common rail and a pump outlet.

11. The fuel system of claim 10 wherein said leak diagnostic junction block has three inlets, and one of said three inlets is fluidly connected to a pump outlet leak line, a second of said three inlets is fluidly connected to a first common rail leak line, and a third of said three inlets is fluidly connected to a second common rail leak line.

12. The fuel system of claim 10 wherein said leak diagnostic junction block has six leak inlets and includes a separate return fuel manifold.

13. A method of diagnosing a leak location in a fuel system for an engine, comprising the steps of:

capturing fuel from a leak originating from one of a plurality of different high pressure spaces into one of a plurality of separate leak lines;

opening different leak diagnostic ports until fuel is evacuated from one of the leak lines; and

identifying which one of the high pressure spaces is associated with the one of the leak lines.

14. The method of claim 13 including a step of detecting a leak in a consolidated leak line prior to the opening step.

15. The method of claim 14 including a step of fluidly positioning a leak collection cavity for each of the leak lines upstream from a respective leak diagnostic port for that leak line.

16. The method of claim 15 including a step of locating each of the leak diagnostic ports to open at a single surface adjacent the engine.