METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR CONTROLLING A FILLING OPERATION OF A VEHICULAR LIQUID STORAGE SYSTEM

• US 20160060093A1
• Filed: 08/12/2015
• Published: 03/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Plastic Omnium Advanced Innovation and Research
• Original Assignee: Plastic Omnium Advanced Innovation and Research
• Inventors: CRIEL, Bjorn, HILL, David, CHAUSSINAND, Antoine, MCCLEARY, Scott, DEDEURWAERDER, Jurgen, BAJA, Mihai
• Granted Patent: US 9,834,430 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 15/035 characterised by venting means
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 2015/03576 Venting during filling the reservoir
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/04 for transferring fuels, lubricants or mixed fuels and lubricants
• CPC Class Codes: B67D 7/362 combined with over-fill preventing means indicating or measuring liquid level G01F23/00; level control G05D9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01F 23/00 Indicating or measuring liquid level or level of fluent solid material, e.g. indicating in terms of volume or indicating by means of an alarm

Abstract

A method for controlling a filling operation of a vehicular liquid storage system including a tank equipped with a filler pipe and a shut-off valve, the method including detecting the start of a refilling event; while the shut-off valve is open, observing whether a measured fill level of the tank has reached a predetermined fill level; if the predetermined fill level has been reached, performing the following steps: closing the shut-off valve to induce a shut-off of a filling nozzle; when a first pressure criterion is met, opening the shut-off valve; and when a second pressure criterion is met, closing the shut-off valve. The second pressure criterion includes a decrease of pressure inside the tank below a predetermined pressure level.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a filling operation of a vehicular liquid storage system comprising a tank equipped with a filler pipe and a shut-off valve, the method comprising:

detecting the start of a refilling event;

while the shut-off valve is open, observing whether a measured fill level of said tank has reached a predetermined fill level;

if said predetermined fill level has been reached, performing the following steps;

closing the shut-off valve to induce a shut-off of a filling nozzle;

when a first pressure criterion is met, opening the shut-off valve; and

when a second pressure criterion is met, closing the shut-off valve;

wherein the second pressure criterion comprises a decrease of pressure inside said tank below a predetermined pressure level.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said opening and closing of said shut-off valve are repeated for a plurality of nozzle shutoff instances.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said first pressure criterion comprises a stagnation or a decrease of pressure inside said tank.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein said predetermined pressure level is substantially equal to a hydrostatic pressure induced by a liquid reaching a predetermined level in said filler pipe.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising monitoring a pressure variation following said closing of the shut-off valve, and generating an estimate of a partial pressure characteristic of said liquid based on a slope of said pressure variation.

6. A computer program product comprising code means configured to cause a processor to carry out the method according to claim 1.

7. A vehicular liquid storage system comprising a tank equipped with a filler pipe, a shut-off valve, a level gauge, a pressure sensor, and a controller arranged to obtain fill levels from said level gauge and pressure levels from said pressure sensor and to control said shut-off valve, said controller being configured to carry out the method according to claim 1.

8. A motor vehicle comprising the vehicular liquid storage system according to claim 7.