Phase separation detecting filter
OwnerWilliam R. Ayersinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A filter for alternate use in filtering methanol-gasoline and ethanol-gasoline blends and sensing phase separation in either blend. The filter includes a composite filter media including a mechanical filter, a methanol sensing material and an ethanol sensing material. Both of the sensing materials are responsive to unduly high levels of the material being sensed in a corresponding blend and swelling to a substantially increased volume. The same are contained in a flow path such as to substantially block the flow path upon swelling of either or both of the sensing materials to thereby provide an indication of phase separation.
Claims17
A filter for sensing phase separation in an alcohol bearing gasoline product comprising:
- a composite filter media including:
- (a) a mechanical filtering layer;
- (b) a first swelling layer including a first material capable of absorbing a water containing liquid and swelling to substantially increase its volume in response thereto;
- and
- (c) a second swelling layer including a second material capable of absorbing an alcohol rich liquid and swelling to substantially increase its volume in response thereto;
- and
- means, including an inlet and an outlet, housing said media and defining a flow path through said media between said inlet and said outlet which is at least partially blocked by swelling of either of said first and second layers.
A filter for alternate use in filtering methanol-gasoline and ethanol-gasoline blends and sensing phase separation in either blend comprising:
- a composite filter media including
- (a) at least one mechanical filtering material for filtering particulate material from either blend;
- (b) a methanol sensing material responsive to an overly methanol rich methanol-gasoline blend by swelling to a substantially increased volume;
- and
- (c) an ethanol sensing material responsive to an overly ethanol rich ethanol-gasoline blend by swelling to a substantially increased volume;
- and
- means defining a flow path through said media;
- said media being disposed within said flow path so as to substantially block the same upon swelling of either or both of said sensing materials.
A filter comprising:
- a canister having an inlet and an outlet;
- a central perforated tube within and spaced from said canister and in fluid communication with one of said inlet and outlet;
- the space between said tube and said cannister being in fluid communication with the other of said inlet and said outlet and defining a flow path between said inlet and said outlet;
- a pleated filter paper structure within said space about said tube;
- a first layer in said space about said tube including a polyacrylate component;
- and
- a second layer in said space about said tube including a starch polyacrylonitrile graft copolymer component.
A device for use in detecting phase separation in methanol-gasoline and ethanol-gasoline blends comprising:
- a flow path for a blend;
- and
- a media including;
- (a) a methanol sensing material responsive to an overly methanol rich methanol-gasoline blend by swelling to a substantially increased volume, and
- (b) an ethanol sensing material responsive to an overly ethanol rich ethanol-gasoline blend by swelling to a substantially increased volume;
- and
- means defining a flow path through said media;
- said media being disposed within said flow path so as to substantially block the same upon swelling of either or both of said sensing materials.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.