LPG fuel supply system with vapor lock prevention
AssigneeICOM North America LLC
InventorBrandon Geoffrey Thorn
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A liquid petroleum gas (LPG) fuel supply system for a vehicle having an internal combustion engine includes an LPG tank, a fuel pump housing, a fuel pump inside the fuel pump housing, a fuel supply line connected between the LPG tank and the fuel pump housing, and a vapor release port located on the fuel pump housing. The vapor release port is connected to the LPG tank by a vapor return line. The fuel pump housing fills with LPG from the LPG tank under the action of gravity. Vapor forms in the fuel pump housing, separates from the liquid, gathers toward the top of the fuel pump housing, and under the action of gravity, displaces through the vapor port, rises through the vapor return conduit, and is released into the LPG tank 19, balancing pressure and preventing vapor lock.
Claims19
A liquid petroleum gas (LPG) fuel supply system, comprising:
- an LPG tank;
- a fuel pump housing;
- a fuel pumping device inside the fuel pump housing;
- a fuel supply line connected between the LPG tank and the fuel pump housing;
- a vapor release port disposed on the fuel pump housing;
- and a vapor return line connecting between the vapor release port and the LPG tank.
A method of retrofitting a vehicle with a gasoline or diesel engine to run off liquid petroleum gas (LPG), the method comprising:
- attaching an LPG tank and an LPG fuel pump to the vehicle, wherein the LPG fuel pump is contained in a housing external to the LPG tank;
- connecting the LPG tank and the housing with an LPG fuel supply line;
- and connecting a vapor port in the housing to the LPG tank with a vapor return line.
A method of operating an LPG fuel supply system, the method comprising:
- providing a supply conduit through which gravity fills a pump housing with liquid from an LPG tank;
- proving a return conduit that allows gravity to return vapor separating from the liquid within the pump housing to the LPG;
- and operating a pump within the pump housing to supply an engine with the liquid;
- wherein the pump housing contains a vapor space that does not communicate with the return conduit when the pump housing is flooded with the liquid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.