# US 2014/0150752 A1 · Method And System For Cleaning A Charcoal Canister Of An Emissions System Using A Fuel Cell

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- Number: US 2014/0150752 A1
- Document ID: US20140150752A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/691,871
- Filed: 2012-12-03
- Published: 2014-06-05
- Earliest claimed: 2012-12-03
- Assignees: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc.
- Applicants: Continental Automotive Systems, Inc.
- Inventors: Brian Gordon Woods; David William Balsdon
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140150752A1

## CPC

- F02M 33/02: for collecting and returning condensed fuel {(apparatus for re-atomising condensed fuel F02M29/00)}
- F02M 25/089: {Layout of the fuel vapour installation}
- H01M 8/04089: of gaseous reactants
- H01M 16/00: Structural combinations of different types of electrochemical generators
- H01M 2008/1293: {Fuel cells with solid oxide electrolytes}
- H01M 2250/20: Fuel cells in motive systems, e.g. vehicle, ship, plane
- Y02E 60/50: Fuel cells
- Y02T 90/40: Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells
- F02M: SUPPLYING COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL WITH COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURES OR CONSTITUENTS THEREOF
- H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## 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.

## Claims

### Claim 1

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.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, further comprising a battery associated with the fuel cell so that the electricity generated by the fuel cell is stored by the battery.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The system of claim 2, wherein the fuel cell is constructed and arranged to generate electricity in the range of about 13-48 volts.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The system of claim 1, in combination with an internal combustion engine, the fuel tank supplying fuel to the engine, wherein the fuel cell and pump are constructed and arranged to purge the canister without operating the engine.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The combination of claim 4, in further combination with the vehicle, the vehicle being a plug-in hybrid vehicle.

### Claim 6

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.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The vehicle of claim 6, further comprising a battery associated with the fuel cell so that the electricity generated by the fuel cell is stored in the battery.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The vehicle of claim 7, wherein the fuel cell is constructed and arranged to generate electricity in the range of about 13-48 volts.

### Claim 9

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.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, further comprising storing the electricity in a battery.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The method of claim 9, wherein the vehicle is a plug-in hybrid vehicle having an electric motor providing a primary driving force for the vehicle, a battery pack for supplying electricity to operate the motor, and an internal combustion engine for providing power to the vehicle when the battery pack is not capable of supplying electricity to operate the motor, wherein the sending step occurs when the engine is not in operation.