Fuel system with leak location diagnostic features and component for same
AssigneeCaterpillar Inc.
InventorDavid Shamine
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A leak diagnostic strategy for an engine equipped with a high pressure common rail fuel system includes a plurality of separate leak lines. Each of the leak lines is constructed and positioned to capture fuel leaking from one of several different high pressure spaces associated with the fuel system. Once a leak is detected, the location of the leak can be diagnosed by opening different leak diagnostic ports until fuel is evacuated from the system. Each of the leak diagnostic ports is associated with one of the leak lines. The system allows for quick determination of a leak location without cumbersome testing or partial dismantlement of engine related subsystems and components.
Claims20
A leak diagnosis component comprising:
- a junction block with a plurality of inlets and at least one outlet disposed in said junction block and opening through an external surface of said junction block;
- said inlets being fluidly connected to said at least one outlet via a plurality of leak paths disposed in said junction block;
- a leak collection cavity disposed in said junction block and being fluidly connected to each of said leak paths;
- and
- a leak diagnostic port disposed in said junction block and extending between each of said leak collection cavities and said external surface of said junction block.
A fuel system comprising:
- a plurality of high pressure fuel spaces;
- a plurality of leak lines operably connected to capture fuel leaking from different ones of said high pressure fuel spaces;
- a leak diagnostic port fluidly connected to each of said leak lines and being operably positioned to evacuate fuel from different ones of said leak lines.
A method of diagnosing a leak location in a fuel system for an engine, comprising the steps of:
- capturing fuel from a leak originating from one of a plurality of different high pressure spaces into one of a plurality of separate leak lines;
- opening different leak diagnostic ports until fuel is evacuated from one of the leak lines;
- and
- identifying which one of the high pressure spaces is associated with the one of the leak lines.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.