FILTRATION SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING CLEAN FUEL

• US 20150041415A1
• Filed: 02/26/2013
• Published: 02/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Motoren GmbH & Company KG (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Motoren GmbH & Company KG (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Inventors: Cope, Troy D., Graumuller, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 10,471,374 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 210/805
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 29/60 integrally combined with devices for controlling the filtration
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 29/885 with internal recirculation through the filtering element B01D37/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 37/0064 for engines being fed with multiple fuels or fuels having special properties, e.g. bio-fuels; varying the fuel composition controlling engines working with pluralities of fuels F02D19/06
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 37/0088 Multiple separate fuel tanks or tanks being at least partially partitioned
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 37/32 characterised by filters or filter arrangements

Abstract

A filtration system is configured to provide clean fuel to a running combustion engine. The filtration system may be configured to be connected to a main fuel tank for storing contaminated fuel, and to be connected to a fuel supply of a combustion engine. A filtration circuit may include at least one filter, a first auxiliary fuel tank for containing fuel, and a first fuel pump configured to pump the fuel from the first auxiliary fuel tank through the filtration circuit back to the first auxiliary fuel tank. A second auxiliary fuel tank may be connectable to said first auxiliary fuel tank for receiving fuel from the first auxiliary fuel tank via a transfer valve. A control unit may be configured to control the transfer valve such that the first auxiliary tank is fluidly connected to the second auxiliary fuel tank only if fuel of a desired contamination level is contained in the first auxiliary tank.

Claims

1. A filtration system configured to be connected to a main fuel tank for storing contaminated fuel and to be connected to a fuel supply of a combustion engine, the filtration system comprising:

a filtration circuit including at least one filter, a first auxiliary fuel tank for containing fuel, and a first fuel pump configured to pump the fuel from the first auxiliary fuel tank through the filtration circuit back to the first auxiliary fuel tank;

a second auxiliary fuel tank connectable to said first auxiliary fuel tank for receiving fuel from said first auxiliary fuel tank via a transfer valve, and connectable to the fuel supply; and

a control unit configured to control the transfer valve such that the first auxiliary tank is fluidly connected to the second auxiliary fuel tank only if fuel of a desired contamination level is contained in the first auxiliary tank.

2. The filtration system of claim 1, further comprising at least one of a first level sensor configured to measure the level of fuel within the first auxiliary fuel tank and a second level sensor configured to measure the level of fuel within the second auxiliary tank.

3. The filtration system of claim 1, the control unit further being configured to control the first fuel pump such that the fuel repeatedly circulates within the filtration circuit for improving the cleanliness of the fuel and to open the transfer valve only if the fuel has the defined contamination level.

4. The filtration system of claim 1, the filtration circuit further including at least one of a pressure gauge and a flow meter.

5. The filtration system of claim 1, further comprising a further fuel pump arranged downstream of the second auxiliary fuel tank, the further fuel pump being configured to pump fuel from the second auxiliary fuel tank to the fuel supply of the combustion engine.

6. The filtration system of claim 1, further comprising at least one further filter arranged within a fuel supply line connected to the fuel supply.

7. A filtration system configured for connection to a main fuel tank for storing contaminated fuel and to a fuel supply of a combustion engine, the filtration system comprising:

a filtration section including a first fuel pump and at least one filter;

a first auxiliary fuel tank connectable to the main fuel tank for receiving fuel, the first auxiliary tank being connectable to the filtration section such that fuel from the first auxiliary fuel tank repeatedly circulates through the filtration section and back to the first auxiliary fuel tank to achieve a desired contamination level, and the first auxiliary tank being connectable to the fuel supply only if fuel contained in the first auxiliary fuel tank has achieved the desired contamination level;

a second auxiliary fuel tank connectable to the main fuel tank for receiving fuel, the second auxiliary tank being connectable to the filtration section such that fuel from the second auxiliary fuel tank repeatedly circulates through the filtration section and back to the second auxiliary fuel tank to achieve a desired contamination level, and the second auxiliary tank being connectable to the fuel supply only if fuel contained in the second auxiliary fuel tank has achieved the desired contamination level; and

a control unit configured to control at least one valve such that one of the first and second auxiliary fuel tanks connects to the fuel supply only if the fuel contained in said one of the first and second auxiliary fuel tanks has achieved the desired contamination level, and, simultaneously, to control at least one valve such that the other of the first and second auxiliary tanks connects to the filtration section.

8. The filtration system of claim 7, further comprising at least one of a first level sensor configured to measure the level of fuel within the first auxiliary tank and a second level sensor configured to measure the level of fuel within the second auxiliary tank.

9. The filtration system of claim 7, the filtration section further including at least one of a pressure gauge and a flow meter.

10. The filtration system of claim 7, further comprising a second fuel pump arranged downstream of the first fuel pump, the second fuel pump being configured to pump fuel from the first or second auxiliary fuel tanks to the fuel supply of the combustion engine.

11. The filtration system of claim 7, the control unit further being configured to control valves for connecting or disconnecting at least one of the following pairs of filtration system components:

the first auxiliary fuel tank and the second auxiliary fuel tank;

the first auxiliary fuel tank and the fuel supply;

the second auxiliary fuel tank and the fuel supply;

the first auxiliary fuel tank and the filtration section; and

the second auxiliary fuel tank and the filtration section.

18. The filtration system of claim 8, further including at least one of a pressure gauge and a flow meter.

19. The filtration system of claim 18, further comprising a second fuel pump arranged downstream of the first fuel pump, the second fuel pump being configured to pump fuel from the first or second auxiliary fuel tanks to the fuel supply of the combustion engine.

20. The filtration system of claim 8, wherein the control unit is further configured to control valves for connecting or disconnecting at least one of the following pairs of filtration system components:

the first auxiliary fuel tank and the second auxiliary fuel tank;

the first auxiliary fuel tank and the fuel supply;

the second auxiliary fuel tank and the fuel supply;

the first auxiliary fuel tank and the filtration section; and

the second auxiliary fuel tank and the filtration section.

12. A filter module, comprising:

a support frame; and

a filtration system

configured for connection to a main fuel tank for storing contaminated fuel and to a fuel supply of a combustion engine, the filtration system comprising;

a filtration section including a first fuel pump and at least one filter;

a first auxiliary fuel tank connectable to the main fuel tank for receiving fuel, the first auxiliary tank being connectable to the filtration section such that fuel from the first auxiliary fuel tank repeatedly circulates through the filtration section and back to the first auxiliary fuel tank to achieve a desired contamination level, and the first auxiliary tank being connectable to the fuel supply only if fuel contained in the first auxiliary fuel tank has achieved the desired contamination level;

a second auxiliary fuel tank connectable to the main fuel tank for receiving fuel, the second auxiliary fuel tank being connectable to the filtration section such that fuel from the second auxiliary fuel tank repeatedly circulates through the filtration section and back to the second auxiliary fuel tank to achieve a desired contamination level, and the second auxiliary fuel tank being connectable to the fuel supply only if fuel contained in the second auxiliary fuel tank has achieved the desired contamination level; and

a control unit configured to control at least one valve such that one of the first and second auxiliary fuel tanks connects to the fuel supply only if the fuel contained in said one of the first and second auxiliary fuel tanks has achieved the desired contamination level, and, simultaneously, to control at least one valve such that the other of the first and second auxiliary tanks connects to the filtration section.

15. The filter module of claim 12, wherein the filtration section further includes at least one of a pressure gauge and a flow meter.

16. The filter module of claim 12, wherein the filtration system further includes a second fuel pump arranged downstream of the first fuel pump, and the second fuel pump being configured to pump fuel from the first or second auxiliary fuel tanks to the fuel supply of the combustion engine.

17. The filter module of claim 12, wherein the control unit is further configured to control valves for connecting or disconnecting at least one of the following pairs of filtration system components:

the first auxiliary fuel tank and the second auxiliary fuel tank;

the first auxiliary fuel tank and the fuel supply;

the second auxiliary fuel tank and the fuel supply;

the first auxiliary fuel tank and the filtration section; and

the second auxiliary fuel tank and the filtration section.

13. A method for cleaning fuel, comprising:

filling a first auxiliary fuel tank with fuel;

circulating the fuel through at least one fuel filter and back to the first auxiliary fuel tank to achieve a desired contamination level;

guiding fuel from the first auxiliary fuel tank to a separate second auxiliary fuel tank; and

supplying fuel from the second auxiliary fuel tank to a fuel supply of a combustion engine simultaneously with the step of circulating fuel through the at least one fuel filter.

14. A method for cleaning fuel, comprising:

filling one of a first and second auxiliary fuel tanks with fuel;

circulating the fuel through at least one fuel filter and back to the one of the first and second auxiliary fuel tanks to achieve a desired contamination level; and

simultaneously guiding cleaned fuel from the other of the first and second auxiliary fuel tanks containing fuel of desired contamination level to a fuel supply of a combustion engine.