Vehicle fuel management system

A fuel management system for managing fuel storage and delivery in a vehicle, said fuel management system comprising:

• a fuel storage tank for storing fuel in a vehicle;
• fuel injectors for injecting fuel into an engine;
• an engine control module for controlling operation of the engine including controlling the fuel injectors to inject fuel into the engine;
• a fuel delivery line supplying fuel to the fuel injectors;
• a fuel pump disposed within the fuel storage tank for delivering fuel to the fuel delivery line;
• a local controller located in close proximity to the fuel storage tank, said local controller controlling the fuel pump to deliver fuel to the fuel delivery line, wherein the local controller controls a fuel fill operation by controlling a vent actuator coupled to the fuel storage tank for venting gas from the fuel storage tank;
• and
• an electrically operated valve disposed in a fuel fill opening in communication with the fuel storage tank, wherein the valve is controlled by the local controller.

A fuel delivery system for delivering fuel from a storage tank to a fuel delivery line for an engine in a vehicle, said fuel delivery system comprising:

• a variable speed fuel pump for pumping fuel from a storage tank to a fuel delivery line, said fuel pump comprising a variable speed electric motor operable at multiple speeds;
• a sensor for monitoring a load demand characteristic of the vehicle;
• and
• a controller for controlling the speed of the electric motor as a function of the monitored load demand characteristic, said controller commanding a first motor speed during a sensed high load demand characteristic and further commanding a second lower motor speed during a sensed low load demand characteristic, wherein the controller is provided in a control module disposed in fluid communication with the fuel, wherein said sensor is disposed internal to said control module.

A vapor fuel management system for managing fuel vapor in a fuel storage tank of a vehicle, said fuel management system comprising:

• a vapor collection canister located within the fuel storage tank for collecting evaporated fuel vapor;
• a vent actuator coupled to the fuel storage tank for venting gas from the fuel storage tank during a vent operation;
• a purge actuator coupled to the vapor collection canister for purging fuel vapor from the vapor collection canister during a purge operation;
• and
• a fuel control module separate from a vehicle engine control module with which the fuel control module communicates for controlling the vent actuator and purge actuator, said fuel control module further controlling the vent actuator during a fuel fill operation to control the dispensing of fuel into the fuel storage tank.

A fuel delivery system for delivering fuel from a storage tank to a fuel delivery line for an engine in a vehicle, said fuel delivery system comprising:

• a variable speed fuel pump for pumping fuel from a storage tank to a fuel delivery line, said fuel pump comprising a variable speed electric motor operable at multiple speeds;
• a sensor for monitoring a load demand characteristic of the vehicle;
• and
• a controller that directly monitors an output from said sensor and controls the speed of the electric motor as a function of the monitored load demand characteristic, said controller commanding a first motor speed during a sensed high load demand characteristic and further commanding a second lower motor speed during a sensed low load demand characteristic, wherein the controller is provided in a module disposed in the storage tank.