Exhaust Aftertreatment System, And Engine Service Package Having Fuel Filtering Mechanism

A fuel filtering mechanism for an exhaust aftertreatment system comprising:

• a body component having an outer body surface, and an inner body surface defining a fuel passage having a longitudinal axis and extending between first and second body ends, the first body end including a housing connector having a first external thread, and the second body end including a conduit connector having a second external thread;
• a filtering component having a filter material configured to filter a fuel passed through the fuel passage between a housing and a fuel supply conduit respectively connected with the first and second body ends, the filtering component including a three-dimensional wetted filter surface, a mounting surface adjoining the wetted filter surface, and defining an elongate cup shape extending between an open cup end attached to the body component, and a closed cup end;
• and
• an annular support element extending radially between the body component and the filtering component and being bonded with each of the inner body surface and the mounting surface.

A method of preparing a diesel engine service package including a fuel filtering mechanism having an elongate cup shaped filtering component and a body component having a fuel passage with a longitudinal passage axis extending between first and second body ends, the method comprising the steps of:

• assembling the fuel filtering mechanism at least in part by bonding an annular support element to a mounting surface of the cup shaped filter component and to an inner surface of the body component which defines the fuel passage;
• supporting the cup shaped filtering component with the bonded annular support element at a service orientation relative to the fuel passage, such that a majority of an axial length of the filter component is free from contact with the body component;
• placing the cup shaped filtering component at the service orientation responsive to a housing and conduit connector pattern defined by the first and second body ends, during assembling the fuel filtering mechanism;
• and
• packaging the assembled fuel filtering mechanism for shipping.

An exhaust aftertreatment system for an internal combustion engine comprising:

• a combustion head housing defining a plenum, and an outlet from the plenum, for supplying atomized fuel and air to a combustion chamber in fluid communication with an exhaust conduit of an internal combustion engine;
• an air supply system including an air conduit coupled with the combustion head housing and fluidly connected with the plenum;
• and
• a fuel system including a fuel supply housing defining a fuel passage extending between a fuel inlet and a fuel outlet, a control valve positioned at least partially within the fuel passage, and a fuel filtering mechanism having a body component mounted to the fuel supply housing, and a filter component attached to the body component and positioned within the fuel passage fluidly between the fuel inlet and the control valve;
• the fuel system further including a nozzle mounted within the combustion head housing and defining a nozzle outlet, and a fuel conduit extending between the fuel supply housing and the combustion head housing and fluidly connecting the fuel inlet with the nozzle outlet, and wherein the control valve includes an open state in which the fuel system defines an unobstructed fuel flow path from the fuel inlet to the nozzle outlet, and a closed state.