Back to results
US 2013/0340715 A1Published application
Approach for controlling fuel flow with alternative fuels
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorRoss Dykstra Pursifull
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fuel pump temperature is regulated by selectively directing liquid fuel to an expansion section to evaporate the liquid fuel and create a drop in temperature to thermally cool the fuel pump.
Claims16
A method for controlling vehicle fuel flow, comprising:
- directing a liquid propane fuel from a fuel tank to a fuel pump, and then to a fuel rail with direct injectors;
- and
- responsive to a fuel pump temperature being greater than a threshold, directing some liquid propane fuel to an expansion section, thermally connected to the fuel pump, the liquid fuel evaporating to gaseous fuel to thereby cool the fuel pump.
A system for controlling fuel flow in a vehicle, comprising:
- a fuel tank;
- a first fuel pump operable to pump liquid propane fuel from the fuel tank to a fuel rail having direct fuel injectors;
- a fuel return line positioned upstream of the fuel pump and downstream of the fuel tank;
- an expansion section located in the return line and thermally connected to the fuel pump;
- a first valve positioned between the expansion section and the fuel pump, the first valve opening in response to a temperature of the fuel pump being greater than a threshold, to direct at least some of the liquid propane fuel to the expansion section where the liquid propane fuel evaporates to a gaseous fuel to thereby cool the fuel pump.
2 more elements
A system for controlling fuel flow in a vehicle, comprising:
- a first fuel tank;
- a first fuel pump operable to pump liquid propane fuel from the first fuel tank to a fuel rail having direct fuel injectors;
- a first fuel return line positioned upstream of the first fuel pump and downstream of the first fuel tank;
- an expansion section located in the return line and thermally connected to the first fuel pump;
- a first valve positioned between the expansion section and the first fuel pump, the first valve opening in response to a temperature of the first fuel pump being greater than a threshold, to direct at least some of the liquid propane fuel to the expansion section where the liquid propane fuel evaporates to a gaseous fuel to thereby cool the first fuel pump;
- and
- a second fuel tank for storing a second fuel type.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.