# US 4,395,996 A · Fuel supply and conditioning means for diesel engines > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 4,395,996 A - Document ID: US4395996A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 06/312,330 - Filed: 1981-10-16 - Granted: 1983-08-02 - Earliest claimed: 1981-10-16 - Assignees: Davco, Inc. - Inventors: Leland L. Davis - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4395996A ## CPC - B01D 35/18: Heating or cooling the filters - F02M 31/16: Other apparatus for heating fuel - F02B 3/06: with compression ignition (compression ignition engines using air or gas for blowing fuel into compressed air in cylinder F02B13/02) - Y02T 10/12: Improving ICE efficiencies - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) - F02M: SUPPLYING COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL WITH COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURES OR CONSTITUENTS THEREOF - F02B: INTERNAL-COMBUSTION PISTON ENGINES; COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL (gas-turbine plants F02C; hot-gas or combustion-product positive-displacement engine plants F02G) - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract Diesel engine fuel treating means which heats the fuel flowing from the fuel tank to the engine also furnishes heat to the fuel in the tank, provides for removal of contaminants, and inhibits gelling and wax solidification. In some embodiments the heating device is incorporated in the fuel tank, and includes a fuel filter intimately associated with the treating device but accessible outside the tank. In another embodiment the treating device is located outside the tank and includes two fuel heating circuits, one for fuel flowing to the engine and the other for preheating the main fuel supply in the tank. A third embodiment has an axial tubular member which conducts heated and filtered fuel from a top-mounted spin-on filter back through the heating chamber in a second pass and also forms a clamping device for a removable cover and an attaching and fluid coupling device for the filter. ## Claims ### Claim 1 Diesel engine fuel supply and conditioning means comprising in combination with a fuel supply tank having a wall portion with an opening therein, a heat exchanger assembly extending into the tank from said opening and having a fuel inlet within the tank, means for positioning the heat exchanger with respect to the tank and for sealing said opening and for mounting a fuel filter on the tank in close proximity to the heat exchanger, comprising a combined cover and coupling member secured to the heat exchanger and to said wall portion in peripherally sealed engagement with said wall portion around said opening and with the heat exchanger, means on said member outside the tank for removably supporting a fuel filter thereon, and fuel delivery passages in said member including a passage extending from the interior of the heat exchanger to the inlet of a filter attached to said member, and a passage extending from the filter to a fuel outlet carried by said member. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) Means as defined in claim 1 wherein the tank has a wall lying generally at right angles to the first mentioned wall portion, the heat exchanger having a side portion lying closely against the interior of said wall. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) Means as defined in claim 2 including heater fluid circulating means carried by the heat exchanger in heat conductive communication with an interior fuel-containing portion of the heat exchanger, and heater fluid inlet and outlet means extending through said wall and through said side portion of the heat exchanger for delivery of heater fluid to and discharge of the same from said heater fluid circulating means. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) Means as defined in claim 2 including heater means carried by the heat exchanger in heat conductive communication with an interior fuel-containing portion of the heat exchanger, and heater connecting means extending through said wall. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) Means as defined in claim 1 wherein the tank has top and bottom wall parts, said first mentioned wall portion comprising a recessed section of one of said wall parts. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) Means as defined in claim 1 wherein said heat exchanger has fuel containing walls of high heat conductivity directly exposed within the tank. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) Means as defined in claim 1 wherein said heat exchanger has walls formed of a material of high heat conductivity defining a fuel segregating and treating chamber exposed to contact by fuel within the tank, and heater means in said chamber.