Valve for a tank and especially for a flow control arrangement having a plurality of fluid storage tanks
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorMuhammad Pervaiz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fluid flow control valve having a cam disposed near an opening of a fuel passage. The cam is operable to be rotated about a shaft by the action of a float. As a fluid level in a tank changes, the cam rotates from an open position remote from the opening to a closed position (as illustrated) proximate the opening. A gap remains between the cam and the opening, thereby allowing the fluid level to be drawn down to the bottom of opening. Float has a generally wedge shaped cross-section to minimize the effect of wave action in the fluid.
Claims18
A multi-tank fuel storage arrangement for a vehicle for complete emptying of the tanks, the arrangement comprising:
- a plurality of separate fuel storage tanks adapted to be carried on a vehicle;
- a fuel pump;
- piping extending from the fuel pump to each fuel storage tank, with the piping for each tank terminating at a fuel inlet opening positioned adjacent to the bottom of the tank;
- a valve at each fuel inlet opening, with each valve having a movable valve member mounted for movement between a first position, constituting an open position, unblocking the fuel inlet opening for flow of fuel from the tank to the pump when the level of the fuel in the tank is above a predetermined level and a second position, constituting a closed position, blocking substantially but not completely the flow of fuel from the tank to the pump when the level of the fuel in the tank is below a predetermined level, and
- a float for each tank for moving the respective movable valve member between its open and closed positions,
- whereby fuel may continue to be emptied from each of the tanks after the respective float has moved the respective valve member to its closed position through a gap defined between a pair of sealing surfaces of each respective valve until the fuel level is drawn down to a level equal to a bottom of the fuel inlet while limiting a flow of air through the gap to the pump to a value that would not adversely affect its operation.
A fluid storage arrangement comprising:
- a plurality of fluid storage vessels;
- a pump;
- piping connecting the pump to each vessel, the piping for each vessel terminating at an inlet opening positioned within the respective vessel;
- a valve connected at each inlet opening, each valve moveable between an open position unblocking the inlet opening for full flow of fluid between the respective vessel and the pump and a closed position blocking substantially but riot completely the flow of fluid between the respective vessel and the pump;
- wherein a gap is maintained between a pair of sealing surfaces of each valve for the flow of fluid through the respective valve when in the closed position so that fluid in the respective vessel may be drawn down to a level proximate a bottom of the respective inlet opening;
- and
- wherein each gap is maintained to be small enough so that an amount of air drawn through the gap when the fluid level in the respective vessel is fully drawn down below the inlet opening is small enough that it does not adversely affect the operation of the pump.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.