Fuel delivery system

A non-spilling filter assembly for filtration of fluids comprising:

• a filter head including;
• an inlet for receiving the fluids to be filtered,
• an outlet for the fluids to exit the filter head after the fluids have been filtered,
• a threaded connector for use in coupling the filter head with a filter cartridge when a filter cartridge is attached to the filter head, and a plug of a predetermined volume sufficient to accommodate drainage of the fluids from the filter assembly.

A non-spilling spin-on filter cartridge comprising:

• an external wall circumscribing a filter to provide a plenum between the external wall and the filter;
• a perforated wall crossing the external wall to define a reservoir having a predetermined volume sufficient to accommodate fluid drainage from a corresponding filtration system during renewal of the spin-on filter in the intended environment of use;
• and
• a threaded coupling mounted in the perforated wall to provide a flow pathway from the filter,
• the perforated wall providing a structural support for retaining the filter in place.

A method of air-fuel separation through use of a filter assembly that includes;

• a filter head including
• an inlet for receiving the fluids to be filtered,
• an outlet for the fluids to exit the filter head after the fluids have been filtered,
• a threaded connector for use in coupling the filter head with a filter cartridge when a filter cartridge is attached to the filter head, and
• a plug of a predetermined volume sufficient to accommodate drainage of the fluids from the filter assembly;
• and
• a filter cartridge including
• an external wall circumscribing a filter to provide a plenum between the external wall and the filter,
• a perforated wall crossing the external wall to define a reservoir having a sufficient volume to accommodate the plug, and
• a threaded coupling mounted in the perforated wall to threadably engage the threaded connector for selective attachment of the filter cartridge to the threaded coupling,
• the method comprising the steps of:
• flowing fluid for filtration on a flow pathway between the inlet and the outlet;
• selectively detaching the filter cartridge from the threaded connector to withdraw the plug from the reservoir;
• and
• draining fluids from the inlet and the outlet into the reservoir.

In a fuel delivery system including a fuel transfer pump having a pump housing including a fuel transfer chamber with a fuel inlet and a fuel outlet,

• a rotatable drive shaft, motive means operable for rotating the shaft,
• the shaft coupled with a rotatable impeller located in the fuel transfer chamber for use in causing fuel to move from the inlet through the outlet, and
• a seal isolating the fuel transfer chamber from the motive means,
• the improvement to the fuel transfer pump comprising:
• the fuel transfer chamber having a divider wall forming an opening penetrated by the shaft, and
• the fuel transfer chamber having a radially outboard wall defining a plenum located between the impeller and the radially outboard wall, the radially outboard wall joining the divider wall, and
• the divider wall having a grooved therein, the recess extending from the opening towards the radially outboard wall.

In a fuel delivery system including an air-fuel separation assembly including a filter head and

• a filter assembly having a filter housing and a filter element, the improvement comprising,
• the filter housing comprising a plate comprising plurality of ports in fluidic communication with space interior to the filter housing and external to the filter element, and
• a central threaded opening communicating with space interior to the filter element;
• and
• the filter head having a solid wall drop-tube protruding through the central threaded opening interior to the filter element,
• the solid wall drop tube having a distal opening remote from the filter head, and
• a screen sock surrounding the distal opening.

A fuel delivery system comprising:

• a mount having internal flow passages for establishing fluidic communication between
• an air-fuel separator;
• a water-fuel separator;
• a fuel transfer pump;
• and
• an electronic heating element for use in heating fuel formed as an integral component of the mount;
• at least one of the flow passages having a check valve comprising
• a coil spring and
• a valve member,
• the valve member having a shaft received within the coil spring and a semispherical head connected to the shaft;
• the air-fuel separator comprising a filter and an external wall defining a plenum between the filter and the external wall, the plenum having a predetermined design according to the-relationship
• (V/CR)<F*D/RR
• where V is the volume of the plenum, CR is the peak consumption or throughput rate of fuel, F is a residence factor of at least one, D is the bubble rise distance equal to the height of filter cartridge, and RR is the bubble rise rate.
• the mount comprising a filter head including;
• an inlet for receiving fuel to be filtered,
• an outlet for the fluids to exit the filter head after the fuel has been filtered,
• a threaded connector for use in coupling the filter head with the air-fuel separator, and a plug of a predetermined volume sufficient to accommodate drainage of the fluids from the mount;
• the fuel transfer pump having
• a pump housing including a fuel transfer chamber with a fuel inlet and a fuel outlet,
• a rotatable drive shaft, motive means operable for rotating the shaft,
• the shaft coupled with a rotatable impeller located in the fuel transfer chamber for use in causing fuel to move from the inlet through the outlet, and
• a seal isolating the fuel transfer chamber from the motive means,
• the fuel transfer chamber having a divider wall forming an opening penetrated by the shaft,
• the fuel transfer chamber having a radially outboard wall defining a plenum located between the impeller and the radially outboard wall, the radially outboard wall joining the divider wall, and
• the divider wall having a grooved therein, the recess extending from the opening towards the radially outboard wall.