Filtration system for providing clean fuel

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, a cleanliness measuring device that is fluidly coupled to a fuel flow passage of the filtration section, and at least one filter;
• a first auxiliary fuel tank in selective fluid communication with the main fuel tank for receiving fuel from the main fuel tank, the filtration section, and the fuel supply of the combustion engine;
• a second auxiliary fuel tank in selective fluid communication with the main fuel tank for receiving fuel from the main fuel tank, the filtration section, and the fuel supply of the combustion engine;
• and
• a control unit operatively coupled to at least one valve and the cleanliness measuring device, the control unit being configured to
• receive a cleanliness signal from the cleanliness measuring device that is indicative of a level of cleanliness of the fuel within the filtration section,
• compare the cleanliness signal to a desired contamination level,
• control the at least one valve to simultaneously
• effect fluid communication between the first auxiliary fuel tank and the filtration section,
• block fluid communication between the first auxiliary fuel tank and the fuel supply of the combustion engine,
• effect fluid communication between the second auxiliary fuel tank and the fuel supply of the combustion engine, and
• block fluid communication between the second auxiliary fuel tank and the filtration section, and
• associate the cleanliness signal with a cleanliness of fuel within the first auxiliary fuel tank and repeatedly circulate the fuel from the first auxiliary fuel tank through the filtration section in response to the cleanliness of fuel within the first auxiliary fuel tank not meeting the desired contamination level, based on the cleanliness signal.

A filter module, comprising:

• a support frame;
• and
• a filtration system coupled to the support frame, the filtration system being 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, a cleanliness measuring device that is fluidly coupled to a fuel flow passage of the filtration section, and at least one filter;
• a first auxiliary fuel tank in selective fluid communication with the main fuel tank for receiving fuel from the main fuel tank, the filtration section, and the fuel supply of the combustion engine;
• a second auxiliary fuel tank in selective fluid communication with the main fuel tank for receiving fuel from the main fuel tank, the filtration section, and the fuel supply of the combustion engine;
• and
• a control unit operatively coupled to at least one valve and the cleanliness measuring device, the control unit being configured to
• receive a cleanliness signal from the cleanliness measuring device that is indicative of a level of cleanliness of the fuel within the filtration section,
• compare the cleanliness signal to a desired contamination level,
• control the at least one valve to simultaneously
• effect fluid communication between the first auxiliary fuel tank and the filtration section,
• block fluid communication between the first auxiliary fuel tank and the fuel supply of the combustion engine,
• effect fluid communication between the second auxiliary fuel tank and the fuel supply of the combustion engine, and
• block fluid communication between the second auxiliary fuel tank and the filtration section, and
• associate the cleanliness signal with a cleanliness of fuel within the first auxiliary fuel tank and repeatedly circulate the fuel from the first auxiliary fuel tank through the filtration section in response to the cleanliness of fuel within the first auxiliary fuel tank not meeting the desired contamination level, based on the cleanliness signal.

A method for cleaning fuel, the method comprising:

• filling a first auxiliary fuel tank with fuel;
• generating a cleanliness signal with a cleanliness measuring device that is fluidly coupled to a flow passage from the first auxiliary fuel tank, the cleanliness signal being indicative of a cleanliness of the fuel from the first auxiliary fuel tank;
• comparing, via a controller, the cleanliness signal to a desired contamination level;
• circulating the fuel from the first auxiliary fuel tank through at least one fuel filter and back to the first auxiliary fuel tank in response to the cleanliness signal not meeting the desired contamination level;
• opening a transfer valve by the controller to transfer fuel from the first auxiliary fuel tank to a second auxiliary fuel tank in response to the cleanliness signal meeting the desired contamination level, the second auxiliary fuel tank being separate from the first 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 the fuel from the first auxiliary fuel tank through the at least one fuel filter and back to the first auxiliary fuel tank.

A method for cleaning fuel, the method comprising:

• filling a first auxiliary fuel tank with fuel;
• generating a first cleanliness signal with a cleanliness measuring device that is fluidly coupled to a flow passage from the first auxiliary fuel tank, the first cleanliness signal being indicative of a cleanliness of the fuel from the first auxiliary fuel tank;
• comparing, via a controller, the first cleanliness signal to a desired contamination level;
• in response to the first cleanliness signal not meeting the desired contamination level:
• effecting fluid communication, by the controller, between the first auxiliary fuel tank and at least one filter,
• blocking fluid communication, by the controller, between the first auxiliary fuel tank and a fuel supply of a combustion engine,
• effecting fluid communication, by the controller, between a second auxiliary fuel tank and the fuel supply of the combustion engine, and
• blocking fluid communication, by the controller, between the second auxiliary fuel tank and the at least one filter;
• circulating fuel from the first auxiliary fuel tank through the at least one filter and back to the first auxiliary fuel tank;
• and
• in response to the first cleanliness signal meeting the desired contamination level:
• effecting fluid communication, by the controller, between the second auxiliary fuel tank and the at least one filter,
• blocking fluid communication, by the controller, between the second auxiliary fuel tank and the fuel supply of the combustion engine,
• effecting fluid communication, by the controller, between the first auxiliary fuel tank and the fuel supply of the combustion engine, and
• blocking fluid communication, by the controller, between the first auxiliary fuel tank and the at least one filter.