US 6,199,542 B1 · Fuel treatment apparatus

Abstract

A fuel treatment apparatus comprising a fuel heater assembly having: a body with a fuel inlet, fuel outlet and a fuel passageway in communication with the fuel inlet and fuel outlet; and a coolant inlet, coolant outlet and a coolant passageway in communication with the coolant inlet and coolant outlet. Coolant enters the coolant inlet; travels through the coolant passageway; and exits the coolant outlet. The coolant is used to heat the fuel. The fuel enters the fuel inlet; travels through the fuel passageway; and exits the fuel outlet. The fuel treatment apparatus also includes a demoisturizing assembly and a fuel filter assembly. A method of treating fuel supplied to a vehicle engine comprising the steps of: providing a fuel treatment apparatus having an interconnected fuel heating assembly, fuel filter assembly, and fuel demoisturizing assembly; supplying fuel to the fuel treatment apparatus; supplying coolant to the treatment apparatus; heating the fuel within the fuel heating assembly; demoisturizing the fuel within the fuel demoisturizing assembly; filtering the fuel within the fuel filter assembly; and dispensing the fuel from the fuel treatment apparatus.

Claims10

Dependent claims

A fuel treatment apparatus comprising:

a fuel heating apparatus, comprising:
a unitary metallic body defining
a fuel inlet, a coolant outlet, and a coolant passageway in communication with a coolant inlet and said coolant outlet;
a fuel filter assembly comprising a cover attached to said body, said fuel filter cover having a chamber in communication with at least one fuel through passage and a fuel outlet passage, said fuel filter cover adapted to receive a fuel filter therein;
and
a fuel demoisturizing assembly comprising a cover attached to said body, said fuel demoisturizing assembly cover having a chamber in communication with a fuel inlet passage and said at least one fuel through passage;
wherein coolant enters said coolant inlet;
travels through said coolant passageways, and exits said coolant outlet, and transfers heat to said unitary metallic body and
wherein fuel enters said fuel inlet, travels through said fuel inlet passage and is heated therein and flows into said fuel demoisturizing assembly, fuel filter assembly, through said fuel through passage into said fuel filter assembly, through said fuel outlet passage.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Fuel treatment apparatus

Life of this patent

Fuel treatment apparatus

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims10