# US 2014/0150753 A1 · Fuel recovery system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0150753 A1 - Document ID: US20140150753A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/689,823 - Filed: 2012-11-30 - Published: 2014-06-05 - Earliest claimed: 2012-11-30 - Assignees: Electro-Motive Diesel, Inc. - Applicants: Electro-Motive Diesel, Inc. - Inventors: Aaron Gamache FOEGE - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140150753A1 ## CPC - F02M 33/02: for collecting and returning condensed fuel {(apparatus for re-atomising condensed fuel F02M29/00)} - F02D 19/022: {to adjust the fuel pressure, temperature or composition} - F02D 19/027: {Determining the fuel pressure, temperature or volume flow, the fuel tank fill level or a valve position} - F02M 21/0215: {Mixtures of gaseous fuels; Natural gas; Biogas; Mine gas; Landfill gas} - F02M 21/0218: {Details on the gaseous fuel supply system, e.g. tanks, valves, pipes, pumps, rails, injectors or mixers} - F02M 21/0224: {Secondary gaseous fuel storages} - F02M 21/0287: {characterised by the transition from liquid to gaseous phase (F02M21/06 takes precedence); Injection in liquid phase; Cooling and low temperature storage} - F17C 9/02: with change of state, e.g. vaporisation - Y02T 10/30: Use of alternative fuels, e.g. biofuels - F02M: SUPPLYING COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL WITH COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURES OR CONSTITUENTS THEREOF - F02D: CONTROLLING COMBUSTION ENGINES (vehicle fittings, acting on a single sub-unit only, for automatically controlling vehicle speed B60K31/00; conjoint control of vehicle sub-units of different type or different function, road vehicle drive control systems for purposes other than the control of a single sub-unit B60W) - F17C: VESSELS FOR CONTAINING OR STORING COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED OR SOLIDIFIED GASES; FIXED-CAPACITY GAS-HOLDERS; FILLING VESSELS WITH, OR DISCHARGING FROM VESSELS, COMPRESSED, LIQUEFIED, OR SOLIDIFIED GASES (storing fluids in natural or artificial cavities or chambers in the earth B65G5/00; construction or assembling of bulk storage containers employing civil-engineering techniques E04H7/00; variable-capacity gas-holders F17B; liquefaction or refrigeration machines, plants, or systems F25) - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A fuel recovery system for a machine is disclosed. The fuel recovery system may have a tank configured to store a liquid fuel. The fuel recovery system may also have an accumulator fluidly connected to the tank and configured to receive gaseous fuel formed in the tank. The fuel recovery system may further have a compressor fluidly connected to the accumulator and configured to compress the gaseous fuel. In addition, the fuel recovery system may have a separator fluidly connected to the compressor and the tank. The separator may be configured to receive the compressed gaseous fuel, and separate the compressed gaseous fuel into a first flow of gaseous fuel at a first temperature and a second flow of gaseous fuel at a second temperature. In addition, the separator may be configured to direct the second flow to the tank. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A fuel recovery system comprising: a tank configured to store a liquid fuel; an accumulator fluidly connected to the tank and configured to receive gaseous fuel formed in the tank; a compressor fluidly connected to the accumulator and configured to compress the gaseous fuel; and a separator fluidly connected to the compressor and the tank and configured to: receive the compressed gaseous fuel from the compressor, separate the compressed gaseous fuel into a first flow of gaseous fuel at a first temperature and a second flow of gaseous fuel at a second temperature, and direct the second flow to the tank. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The fuel recovery system of claim 1, further including a heat exchanger fluidly connected to the accumulator and the compressor and configured to cool the compressed gaseous fuel exiting the compressor using the gaseous fuel received from the accumulator. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The fuel recovery system of claim 2, wherein the second temperature is lower than the first temperature. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The fuel recovery system of claim 3, wherein the separator is a Hilsch vortex generator. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The fuel recovery system of claim 4, further including an engine configured to receive the first flow. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The fuel recovery system of claim 5, further including: a first control valve configured to selectively direct the gaseous fuel from the tank to the accumulator when a first pressure in the tank exceeds a first pressure threshold; and a second control valve configured to selectively direct the gaseous fuel from the accumulator to the compressor when a second pressure in the accumulator exceeds a second pressure threshold. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The fuel recovery system of claim 6, further including: a controller in communication with the first control valve and the second control valve, the controller being configured to selectively direct flows of the gaseous fuel from the tank and the accumulator. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The fuel recovery system of claim 7, wherein the accumulator is a floating piston accumulator. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The fuel recovery system of claim 7, wherein the engine drives the compressor. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The fuel recovery system of claim 7, wherein the engine drives a refrigeration system configured to cool the liquid fuel in the tank. ### Claim 11 A method of recovering gaseous fuel from a tank containing liquid fuel, comprising: collecting the gaseous fuel from the tank in an accumulator; compressing the gaseous fuel; separating the compressed gaseous fuel into a first flow of gaseous fuel at a first temperature and a second flow of gaseous fuel at a second temperature; and returning the second flow to the tank. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further including: circulating the gaseous fuel from the tank through a heat exchanger; circulating the compressed gaseous fuel through the heat exchanger; and cooling the compressed gaseous fuel using the gaseous fuel from the tank. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, further including: controlling a first control valve to selectively direct the first flow of gaseous fuel from the tank to the accumulator when a first pressure in the tank exceeds a first threshold; and controlling a second control valve to selectively direct the second flow of gaseous fuel from the accumulator to a compressor when a second pressure in the accumulator exceeds a second threshold. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein separating further includes: injecting the compressed gaseous fuel into a Hilsch vortex generator; removing the first flow from an outer periphery of the generator; and removing the second flow from a center of the generator. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the second temperature is lower than a condensation temperature of the fuel at atmospheric pressure. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further including: supplying the first flow to an engine; and combusting the first flow in the engine to generate power. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further including using the power generated by the engine to drive the compressor. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, further including: using the power generated by the engine to drive a refrigeration system; and using the refrigeration system to cool the fuel in the tank. ### Claim 19 A machine comprising: a platform; a plurality of wheels configured to support the platform; a tank mounted on the platform and configured to store a liquid fuel; an accumulator fluidly connected to the tank and configured to receive gaseous fuel from the tank; a compressor fluidly connected to the accumulator and configured to compress the gaseous fuel; a heat exchanger fluidly connected to the compressor and configured to cool compressed gaseous fuel exiting the compressor; an engine configured to drive the compressor; and a Hilsch vortex generator fluidly connected to the compressor and the tank and configured to: receive the compressed gaseous fuel from the compressor, separate the compressed gaseous fuel into a first flow of gaseous fuel at a first temperature and a second flow of gaseous fuel at a second temperature lower than the first temperature, direct the first flow to the engine, and direct the second flow to the tank. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The machine of claim 19, further including: a first control valve configured to selectively direct the gaseous fuel from the tank to the accumulator when a first pressure in the tank exceeds a first pressure threshold; a second control valve configured to selectively direct the gaseous fuel from the accumulator to the compressor when a second pressure in the accumulator exceeds a second pressure threshold; and a controller in communication with the first control valve and the second control valve and configured to selectively direct flows of gaseous fuel from the tank and the accumulator.