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US 11,738,636 B2Granted
Methods and systems for conformable fuel tank
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsMichael J. Veenstra, Bert Hobein, Florian Huth, Stella Papasavva, Matthew Riley, Michael Conrad
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Filling methods and systems are provided for a conformable fuel tank. In one example, a system comprises an active thermal management arrangement for the conformable fuel tank. The active thermal management arrangement comprises one or more recirculation passage for mixing hot fuel distal to an inlet port of the conformable fuel tank with cool incoming fuel flowing to the inlet port.
Claims18
A system, comprising:
- a conformable fuel tank comprising a multi-flow inlet configured to flow fuel to a first half of the conformable fuel tank and a second half of the conformable fuel tank, the conformable fuel tank further comprising a first recirculation passage having a first pump and a second recirculation passage having a second pump, wherein each of the first and second recirculation passages is fluidly coupled to a conduit upstream of the multi-flow inlet, wherein the multi-flow inlet comprises a first outlet fluidly coupled to a first outlet passage configured to direct fuel to a first inlet port arranged in the first half of the conformable fuel tank, and the multi-flow inlet further comprises a second outlet fluidly coupled to a second outlet passage configured to direct fuel to a second inlet port arranged in the second half of the conformable fuel tank.
A conformable fuel tank, comprising:
- a plurality of storage vessels fluidly coupled in series, wherein the conformable fuel tank comprises a plurality of inlet ports including a first inlet port and a second inlet port, a plurality of outlet ports including a first outlet port and a second outlet port, wherein the plurality of inlet ports is arranged between the plurality of outlet ports;
- a plurality of recirculation passages including a first recirculation passage configured to flow a product from the first outlet port to a feed passage via a first pump, and a second recirculation passage configured to flow product from the second outlet port to the feed passage via a second pump;
- a coolant passage in thermal contact with at least portions of the plurality of storage vessels adjacent to the plurality of outlet ports;
- and
- a controller comprising computer-readable instructions stored on non-transitory memory thereof that when executed enable the controller to:
- flow coolant to the coolant passage in response to a temperature sensed by a temperature sensor arranged proximally to the first outlet port or the second outlet port exceeding the threshold temperature.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.