Fuel tank temperature and pressure management via selective extraction of liquid fuel and fuel vapor
First Claim
1. A method for fuel tank temperature and pressure management for a fuel system utilizing a gaseous-phase fuel adapted fuel consumer, wherein the fuel is stored in the fuel tank as both liquid fuel and fuel vapor at substantially near a vapor pressure of the fuel, and wherein said fuel system is free of a return path from said fuel consumer to said fuel tank, said method comprising the steps of:
- obtaining fuel feed pressure of the fuel system;
selectively extracting fuel from the fuel tank as substantially liquid fuel; and
selectively extracting fuel from the fuel tank as substantially fuel vapor;
wherein said steps of selectively extracting fuel provide the fuel system downstream of the fuel tank with fuel that is a variable ratio of the liquid fuel to the fuel vapor, said fuel comprising a mixture of said liquid fuel and said fuel vapor responsive to said step of obtaining to thereby provide at least one of;
a) temperature and pressure regulation of the fuel within the fuel tank; and
b) said fuel vapor to a vaporizer of the fuel system which is incompletely vaporizing said liquid fuel.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for managing temperature and pressure of fuel in a fuel tank stored at or near its vapor pressure. In response to fuel feed pressure, a variable ratio of liquid fuel to fuel vapor is extracted from the fuel tank in order to regulate temperature and pressure of the fuel for the purpose of keeping the pressure lower in anticipation of refilling or to assist a vaporizer of the fuel system which is incompletely vaporizing the fuel.
29 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for fuel tank temperature and pressure management for a fuel system utilizing a gaseous-phase fuel adapted fuel consumer, wherein the fuel is stored in the fuel tank as both liquid fuel and fuel vapor at substantially near a vapor pressure of the fuel, and wherein said fuel system is free of a return path from said fuel consumer to said fuel tank, said method comprising the steps of:
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obtaining fuel feed pressure of the fuel system; selectively extracting fuel from the fuel tank as substantially liquid fuel; and selectively extracting fuel from the fuel tank as substantially fuel vapor; wherein said steps of selectively extracting fuel provide the fuel system downstream of the fuel tank with fuel that is a variable ratio of the liquid fuel to the fuel vapor, said fuel comprising a mixture of said liquid fuel and said fuel vapor responsive to said step of obtaining to thereby provide at least one of;
a) temperature and pressure regulation of the fuel within the fuel tank; and
b) said fuel vapor to a vaporizer of the fuel system which is incompletely vaporizing said liquid fuel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. In an apparatus for managing fuel tank temperature and pressure of a fuel system utilizing a gaseous-phase fuel adapted fuel consumer, wherein the fuel is stored as both liquid fuel and fuel vapor at substantially near a vapor pressure of the fuel, said fuel system being free of a return path from said fuel consumer to said fuel tank, said apparatus comprising:
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a fuel tank; a vaporizer; a fuel line connecting said vaporizer to said fuel tank; a first fuel feed line having an inlet in fluidic communication with liquid fuel within said fuel tank; a second fuel feed line having an inlet in fluidic communication with fuel vapor within said fuel tank; a junction fluidically connecting said first fuel feed line to said second fuel feed line and to said fuel line downstream of said first and second fuel feed lines; and a flow control connected to at least one of said first and second fuel feed lines; the improvement thereto comprising; said flow control adjusting fuel flow relatively with respect to the liquid flow of said first fuel feed line to said junction and fuel vapor flow of said second fuel feed line to said junction as a variable ratio of liquid fuel to fuel vapor comprising a mixture of said liquid fuel and said fuel vapor responsive to a predetermined relationship with respect to fuel feed pressure in the fuel system to thereby provide at least one of;
a) temperature and pressure regulation of the fuel within the fuel tank; and
b) said fuel vapor to said vaporizer if said vaporizer is incompletely vaporizing said liquid fuel. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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17. An apparatus for managing fuel tank temperature and pressure of a fuel system utilizing a gaseous-phase fuel adapted fuel consumer, wherein the fuel is stored as both liquid fuel and fuel vapor at substantially near a vapor pressure of the fuel, said apparatus comprising:
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a fuel tank; a vaporizer; a fuel line connecting said vaporizer to said fuel tank; a first fuel feed line having an inlet in fluidic communication with liquid fuel within said fuel tank; a second fuel feed line having an inlet in fluidic communication with fuel vapor within said fuel tank; a junction fluidically connecting said first fuel feed line to said second fuel feed line and to said fuel line downstream of said first and second fuel feed lines; and a flow control connected to at least one of said first and second fuel feed lines, said flow control adjusting fuel flow relatively with respect to the liquid flow of said first fuel feed line to said junction and fuel vapor flow of said second fuel feed line to said junction; wherein said flow control adjusts the fuel flow as a variable ratio of liquid fuel to fuel vapor, said fuel comprising any of;
a) all said liquid fuel, b) all said fuel vapor and c) a mixture of said liquid fuel and said fuel vapor, responsive to a predetermined relationship with respect to fuel feed pressure in the fuel system to thereby provide at least one of;
a) temperature and pressure regulation of the fuel within the fuel tank; and
b) said fuel vapor to said vaporizer if said vaporizer is incompletely vaporizing said liquid fuel; andwherein said flow control comprises; a fuel pump connected with said first fuel feed line; and a check valve connected to said second fuel feed line in operatively responsive relation to liquid fuel pumped by said fuel pump; wherein flow of fuel vapor from said second fuel feed line to said junction is regulated by pumping of fuel by said fuel pump. - View Dependent Claims (18)
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19. An apparatus for managing fuel tank temperature and pressure of a fuel system utilizing a gaseous-phase fuel adapted fuel consumer, wherein the fuel is stored as both liquid fuel and fuel vapor at substantially near a vapor pressure of the fuel, said apparatus comprising:
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a fuel tank; a vaporizer; a fuel line connecting said vaporizer to said fuel tank; an in-tank evaporator assembly disposed within said fuel tank; an inlet in fluidic communication with liquid fuel within said fuel tank; an evaporator flow control connected to said inlet and said in-tank evaporator assembly, said evaporator flow control adjusting fuel flow from said inlet into said in-tank evaporator assembly; and at least one junction fluidically connecting said inlet to said in-tank evaporator assembly and to said fuel line downstream of said evaporator flow control; wherein said evaporator flow control adjusts the fuel flow into said in-tank evaporator assembly in order to provide vaporization of fuel passing therethrough such that a variable ratio of liquid fuel to fuel vapor is provided responsive to a predetermined relationship with respect to fuel feed pressure in the fuel system to thereby provide at least one of;
a) temperature and pressure regulation of the fuel within the fuel tank; and
b)) said fuel vapor to said vaporizer if said vaporizer is incompletely vaporizing said liquid fuel. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification