Method And System For Cleaning A Charcoal Canister Of An Emissions System Using A Fuel Cell
AssigneeContinental Automotive Systems, Inc.
InventorsBrian Gordon Woods, David William Balsdon
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An evaporative emission control system for a vehicle includes a fuel tank, a vapor collection canister in communication with the fuel tank so as to receive hydrocarbons, a fuel cell in communication with the canister, and a pump constructed and arranged to pump hydrocarbons from the canister to the fuel cell so that the fuel cell can purge the canister by converting the hydrocarbons to water, carbon dioxide and electricity.
Claims11
An evaporative emission control system for a vehicle comprising:
- a fuel tank,
- a vapor collection canister in communication with the fuel tank so as to receive hydrocarbons,
- a fuel cell in communication with the canister, and
- a pump constructed and arranged to pump hydrocarbons from the canister to the fuel cell so that the fuel cell can purge the canister by converting the hydrocarbons to water, carbon dioxide and electricity.
A plug-in hybrid vehicle comprising:
- an electric motor providing a primary driving force for the vehicle,
- a battery pack for supplying electricity to operate the motor,
- an internal combustion engine for providing power to the vehicle when the
- battery pack is not capable of supplying electricity to operate motor,
- a fuel tank for supplying fuel to the engine,
- a vapor collection canister in communication with the fuel tank so as to receive hydrocarbons,
- a fuel cell in communication with the canister, and
- a pump constructed and arranged to pump hydrocarbons from the canister to the fuel cell so that the fuel cell can purge the canister by converting the hydrocarbons to water, carbon dioxide and electricity even when the engine is not operating.
A method of purging hydrocarbons from an evaporative emission control system of a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing an evaporative control system including a fuel tank, a vapor collection canister in communication with the fuel tank, and a fuel cell in communication with the canister, and
- sending hydrocarbons from the canister to the fuel cell so that the fuel cell can purge the canister by converting the hydrocarbons to water, carbon dioxide and electricity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.