Integrated vapor control valve with full range hydrocarbon sensor
AssigneeContinental Automotive Canada, Inc.
InventorsGary Everingham, Craig Weldon, Andre Veinotte
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An evaporative fuel vapor control system, purge valve and methods are described. The system includes a fuel supply, internal combustion engine, vapor canister, and a purge valve. The purge valve includes a sensor disposed in the body housing of the purge valve and in communication with the flow passage to provide a signal indicative of the magnitude of chemicals in the fuel vapor being provided to the engine. Various methodologies relating the system, purge valve and sensors are described.
Claims23
A fuel vapor control valve comprising:
- a body housing defining a flow passage between an inlet and an outlet, the body housing defining a main volume in selective fluid communication with at least one of the inlet and outlet;
- and
- a sensor disposed in the body housing and exposed to the main volume so that the sensor provides a signal indicative of a magnitude of chemicals present in the fuel vapor in the main volume.
A fuel vapor control valve comprising:
- a body housing defining a flow passage between an inlet and an outlet, the body housing defining a main volume in selective fluid communication with at least one of the inlet and outlet, the inlet defining an inlet volume and the outlet defining an outlet volume;
- a sensor disposed in the body and exposed to one of the inlet and outlet volumes so that the sensor provides a signal indicative of a magnitude of chemicals up to 100% by weight present in the fuel vapor in the main volume.
An evaporative fuel vapor control system comprising:
- a fuel supply having fuel that generates fuel vapor in the supply;
- an internal combustion engine being supplied with fuel from the fuel supply, the internal combustion engine having respective intake and exhaust manifolds;
- a vapor canister having a vapor passage disposed in fluid communication with the fuel supply to retain fuel vapor from the fuel supply and having a purge passage disposed in selective fluid communication with one of the intake and exhaust manifolds to release fuel vapor to the engine;
- a vapor control valve disposed in the purge passage between the engine and the vapor canister, the vapor control valve having a body housing that defines a main volume of the vapor control valve, the vapor control valve including a sensor exposed to the main volume to provide a signal indicative of the magnitude of chemicals in the fuel vapor present in the main volume.
A method of determining chemical content of fuel vapor in a vapor control valve having a body housing that surrounds a flow passage through the vapor control valve between an inlet and an outlet, the housing including a main volume in selective fluid communication with an inlet volume and an outlet volume, the method comprising:
- supplying a first electrical current to provide a heat source for a sensor and a second electrical current to determine changes in resistance of a sensing element of the sensor located in at least one of the main, inlet, or outlet volumes;
- and
- sampling the fuel vapor present in the at least one of the main, inlet, or outlet volumes to indicate a magnitude of chemicals present in the fuel vapor.
A method of controlling an evaporative fuel emission system having a fuel supply coupled to an internal combustion engine via fuel injectors, the internal combustion engine having respective intake and exhaust manifolds, a vapor canister having a vapor passage disposed in fluid communication with the fuel supply to retain fuel vapor from the fuel supply and having a purge passage disposed in selective fluid communication with one of the intake and exhaust manifolds to release fuel vapor to the engine, and a vapor control valve disposed in the purge passage between the engine and the vapor canister, the vapor control valve having a housing including a main volume in selective fluid communication with an inlet volume and an outlet volume, the method comprising:
- supplying a first electrical current to provide a heat source for a sensor and a second electrical current to determine changes in resistance of a sensing element of the sensor located in at least one of the main, inlet, or outlet volumes;
- determining a chemical content of the fuel vapor in at least one of the main, inlet or outlet volumes based on at least one of the first and second electrical currents;
- and
- controlling one of the vapor control valve and fuel injectors based on the determined chemical content.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.