Drain system for fuel processor apparatus

In a fuel processor operative to separate out water or other impurities from the fuel, the fuel processor interconnected to a fuel circuit wherein the fuel is pumped from a fuel tank, circulated within the fuel processor and returned to the fuel tank, the fuel processor including a chamber adapted to receive the fuel flowing therethrough, the water in the fuel or other impurities being separated into a lower portion of the chamber, the improvement comprising:

• chamber quantity sensing means located in the chamber for detecting the presence of at least one predetermined quantity of water or other impurities therein said chamber sensing means including first and second electrical contacts disposed at opposing sides of said chamber;
• drain means actuatable to discharge a substantial portion of the water or other impurities from the chamber in response to the detection of said predetermined quantity of water or impurities by said chamber quantity sensing means;
• and control means for causing actuation of said drain means in response to the detection of said predetermined quantity or other impurity in the chamber
• whereby the quantity of said water or other impurities in the chamber is maintained at or below said predetermined quantity.

A fuel processing system operative to separate out water from said fuel, said fuel processing system conducting said fuel from a fuel tank, and returning said fuel to said fuel tank, said system comprising:

• a fluid-tight chamber having a fuel inlet and a fuel outlet, said fuel and said water being substantially separated in a lower portion of said chamber;
• drain means actuable to discharge a substantial portion of said water or other impurities from said chamber;
• an inlet conduit conducting said fuel from said fuel tank to said chamber fuel inlet;
• an outlet conduit conducting said fuel from said chamber fuel outlet;
• pump means interconnected to one of said conduits
• fuel tank quantity sensing means located in said fuel tank for detecting the presence of at least one predetermined quantity of said water, and
• control means actuable to cause said pump means to cause said fuel to flow within said chamber in response to the detection by said fuel tank sensing means of said predetermined quantity of said water.

In a fuel processor means operative to separate out water or other impurities from the fuel, said fuel processor means receiving said fuel conducted from a fuel tank, and returning said fuel to said fuel tank, said fuel processor means including a chamber adapted to receive said fuel flowing therethrough, said fuel and said water or other impurities being separated in a lower portion of said chamber, the improvement comprising:

• quantity sensing means located in said lower portion of said chamber for detecting the presence of at least one predetermined quantity of said water or other impurities therein;
• drain means actuable to discharge a substantial portion of said water or other impurities from said chamber in response to the detection of said predetermined quantity of said water or other impurities by said quantity sensing means, whereby the quantity of said water or other impurities in said chamber is maintained at or below said predetermined quantity;
• and
• temperature sensing means located in said lower portion of said chamber for sensing the temperature of said water or other impurities in said lower portion of said chamber and for disabling said drain means in response to detection of a water temperature below a predetermined temperature level.

A fuel processing apparatus for use on trucks, automobiles, and the like, sad fuel processing apparatus receiving said fuel conducted from a fuel tank and returning said fuel to said fuel tank, said apparatus being operative to preheat the fuel to separate out water or other impurities from the fuel, said apparatus comprising in combination:

• a fluid-tight chamber having a fuel inlet and a fuel outlet, said fuel and said water or other impurities being substantially separated in a lower portion of said chamber;
• heating means in said chamber for preheating said fuel;
• filter means operatively connected with said chamber for filtering said fuel after said water and other impurities have been substantially separated;
• quantity sensing means located in said lower portion of said chamber for detecting the presence of various quantities of said water or other impurities therein;
• drain valve means actuable to provide fluid communication between the interior of said lower portion of said chamber and the exterior of said chamber in order to discharge a substantial portion of said water and other impurities therefrom, said drain valve means further being deactuable to prevent said fluid communication;
• automatic control means for actuating said drain valve means in response to detection by said quantity sensing means of the presence of a first predetermined quantity of said water or other impurities in said lower portion of said chamber and for deactuating said drain valve means in response to detection by said quantity sensing means of the presence of a second lesser predetermined quantity of said water or other impurities in said lower portion of said chamber whereby the quantity of said water or other impurities is maintained generally between said first and second predetermined quantities;
• and
• temperature sensing means located in said lower portion of said chamber for sensing the temperature of said water or other impurities therein and for disabling said drain means in response to detection of a water temperature below a predetermined temperature level.

In a fluid fuel processor device operative to separate water or other impurities from the fuel, said fuel processor means receiving said fuel conducted from a fuel tank, and returning said fuel to said fuel tank, the fuel processor device including a chamber adapted to receive the fuel flowing therethrough, the fuel and the water or other impurities being separated in a lower portion of the chamber wherein an interface is created between the fuel and the water or other impurities, the fuel having a different resistance or electrical conductivity from that of the water or other impurities, the improvement comprising:

• drain means located in the lower portion of the chamber and actuable for providing fluid communication between the lower portion of the chamber and the exterior of the chamber;
• quantity sensing means located in the lower portion of the chamber for detecting the level of the interface between the fuel and the water or other impurities, said quantity sensing means including at least one elongated electric probe protruding generally vertically into the lower portion of said chamber, said probe having an insulated lower probe portion and an uninsulated upper probe portion, said upper probe portion being adapted to generate distinct electrical signals as it is exposed along its length to the interface between the fuel and the water or other impurities, said distinct electrical signals varying continuously along the length of said uninsulated upper probe portion as the level of the interface changes,
• automatic control means adapted to receive said electrical signals from said probe and to actuate said drain means in response to a first electrical signal corresponding to a predetermined high level of the interface and to deactuate said drain means in response to a second electrical signal corresponding to a predetermined low level of the interface,
• whereby the quantity of said water or other impurities in the lower portion of the chamber is maintained at or below said predetermined high level, and
• temperature sensing means in said chamber for detecting the temperature therein, said control means being adapted to disable said drain means in response to detection by said temperature sensing means of a temperature at or below a predetermined temperature level.

A fuel processor means for use with diesel engines on diesel trucks, automobiles, and the like, and whereby said fuel processor means is operative to preheat the diesel fuel and to separate out water-impurities from the diesel fuel by drawing fuel from a fuel tank and returning said fuel to the tank, comprising,

• a vertically oriented tubular vessel means operative for separating water-impurities out of the fuel in a lower portion thereof,
• inlet conduit means to introduce hot liquid from the engine,
• another conduit means passing through a central portion of said vessel for transmitting the hot liquid therethrough,
• outlet conduit means for recirculating the hot liquid back through the engine system,
• a second inlet conduit means for introducing fuel to the interior of the vessel near the midpoint thereof for flow therethrough and such that this inlet is above the level of water-impurities being collected in the vessel,
• a second outlet conduit means for the fuel near the top of the vessel for transmitting the water-free fuel to the engine,
• vent means near the top of the vessel for venting the vessel when desired,
• quantity sensing means located in said lower portion for detecting the presence of at least one predetermined quantity of said water-impurities therein, and
• drain means actuable to discharge a substantial portion of said water-impurities from said chamber in response to the detection of said predetermined quantity of said water-impurities by said quantity sensing means, whereby the quantity of said water-impurities in said chamber is maintained at or below said predetermined quantity.

A fuel processor means for use with diesel engines on diesel trucks, automobiles, and the like, and whereby said fuel processor means is operative to preheat the diesel fuel and to separate out water-impurities from the diesel fuel by receiving fuel from a fuel tank and returning said fuel to said fuel tank, comprising,

• a vertically oriented tubular vessel means operative for separating water-impurities out of the fuel in a lower portion thereof,
• inlet conduit means to introduce hot liquid from the engine,
• another conduit means passing through a central portion of said vessel for transmitting the hot liquid therethrough,
• outlet conduit means for recirculating the hot liquid back through the engine system,
• a second inlet conduit means for introducing fuel to the interior of the vessel near the midpoint thereof for flow therethrough and such that this inlet is above the level of water-impurities being collected in the vessel,
• a second outlet conduit means for the fuel near the top of the vessel for transmitting the water-free fuel to the engine,
• quantity sensing means located in said lower portion of said chamber for detecting the presence of at least one predetermined quantity of said water-impurities therein, and
• drain means actuable to discharge a substantial portion of said water-impurities from said chamber in response to the detection of said predetermined quantity of said water or other impurities by said quantity sensing means, whereby the quantity of said water-impurities in said chamber is maintained at or below said predetermined quantity.