Heat exchange system for using vegetable oils as an engine fuel
OwnerJackie L. Wardinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fuel tank heat exchanger receives hot water from a vehicle diesel engine for the heating of vegetable oils that are used as engine fuel. An electrically-operable shunt valve is installed in the water line from the engine to the radiator to direct hot water from the engine to the heat exchanger and then to the radiator or to the radiator only in order to provide adequate cooling of the engine and to prevent excessive heating of the fuel oil. Temperature sensing of the fuel oil is used to provide information for operating the shunt valve. The system also includes a fuel heat exchanger wrapped around the vehicle exhaust pipes and water and fuel preheaters for additional heating particularly for initial starting of the engine in cold climates.
Claims17
A method of regulating the temperature of a viscous fuel in a fuel tank that is supplied to a diesel engine that is cooled by directing water from the engine to a radiator including the steps of:
- A. providing a heat exchanger mounted inside the fuel tank for receiving hot water from an engine;
- and
- B. selectively directing the hot water from the engine to the heat exchanger for heating the fuel in the fuel tank when the temperature of the fuel in the tank is below a predetermined temperature range.
A system for regulating the temperature of viscous fuel from a fuel tank that is supplied to a diesel engine, that is cooled by directing water from the engine to a radiator, comprising a heat exchanger for heating fuel in the fuel tank, piping means for connecting said heat exchanger to the engine and to the radiator, selectively operable valve means connected between the radiator and said heat exchanger for selectively directing hot water leaving the engine alternately to the radiator or to said heat exchanger.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.