Electronic voltage regulation for a marine returnless fuel system
AssigneeBrunswick Corporation
InventorsLuke A. Doepke, Michael A. Torgerud, Troy J. Kollmann
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fuel system for a marine propulsion device controls the pressure of liquid fuel within a fuel rail by altering the pump speed of a fuel pump. The fuel pressure in the rail is measured by a pressure transducer which provides an output signal to a microprocessor that allows the microprocessor to select an operating speed for the fuel pump that conforms to a desired fuel pressure in the rail. By decreasing or increasing the operating speed of the positive displacement fuel pump as a function of the measured pressure in the rail, the microprocessor can accurately regulate the fuel pressure.
Claims20
A fuel system for a marine propulsion device, comprising:
- a fuel rail connected in fluid communication with a plurality of fuel injectors;
- a fuel pump having an outlet connected in fluid communication with said fuel rail, an inlet of said fuel pump being connectable in fluid communication with a fuel reservoir of a marine vessel which is displaced from said fuel pump;
- a pressure sensor connected in fluid communication with said fuel rail;
- a controller connected in signal communication with said pressure sensor, said controller being configured to control the operating speed of said fuel pump as a function of the pressure of fuel within said fuel rail;
- and
- a bypass conduit connected in selective fluid communication between said fuel pump outlet and said fuel pump inlet.
A fuel system for a marine propulsion device, comprising:
- a fuel rail connected in fluid communication with a plurality of fuel injectors;
- a fuel pump having an outlet connected in fluid communication with said fuel rail, an inlet of said fuel pump being connectable in fluid communication with a fuel reservoir of a marine vessel which is displaced from said fuel pump, said fuel pump being the sole pump disposed between said fuel reservoir and said fuel rail, said fuel pump being a positive displacement pump, said fuel system being sealed from the atmosphere between said inlet of said fuel pump and said fuel rail;
- a motor connected in torque transmitting relation with said fuel pump;
- a pressure sensor connected in fluid communication with said fuel rail;
- a controller connected in signal communication with said pressure sensor, said controller being configured to control the operating speed of said fuel pump as a function of the pressure of fuel within said fuel rail;
- and
- a bypass conduit connected in selective fluid communication between said fuel pump outlet and said fuel pump inlet.
A fuel system for a marine propulsion device, comprising:
- a fuel rail connected in fluid communication with a plurality of fuel injectors;
- a positive displacement fuel pump having an outlet connected in fluid communication with said fuel rail, an inlet of said positive displacement fuel pump being connectable in fluid communication with a fuel reservoir of a marine vessel which is displaced from said fuel pump, said fuel system being unvented between said fuel reservoir and said fuel rail;
- a pressure sensor connected in fluid communication with said fuel rail;
- a controller connected in signal communication with said pressure sensor, said controller being configured to control the operating speed of said positive displacement fuel pump as a function of the pressure of fuel within said fuel rail;
- and
- a bypass conduit connected in selective fluid communication between said fuel pump outlet and said fuel pump inlet.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.