Fuel rail assembly including fuel separation membrane

A method of operating a fuel system for an internal combustion engine, comprising:

• supplying a pressurized fuel mixture to a first fuel rail, said fuel mixture including a hydrocarbon component and an alcohol component;
• separating at least a portion of the alcohol component from the fuel mixture by passing at least said portion of the alcohol component through a fuel separation membrane element disposed within the first fuel rail to obtain an alcohol reduced fuel mixture;
• delivering the alcohol reduced fuel mixture from the first fuel rail to at least a cylinder of the engine via a first fuel injector fluidly coupled with the first fuel rail;
• supplying the separated alcohol component from the first fuel rail to a second fuel rail;
• and
• delivering the separated alcohol component from the second fuel rail to the cylinder via a second fuel injector fluidly coupled with the second fuel rail.

An engine system for a vehicle, comprising:

• an internal combustion engine including a plurality of combustion chambers;
• a fuel storage tank;
• a first fuel rail defining an internal volume that includes a first region and a second region, said first fuel rail including a fuel inlet that communicates with the first region and a plurality of fuel outlets, wherein at least a first fuel outlet and a second fuel outlet of the first fuel rail each communicate with the first region, and at least a third fuel outlet of the first fuel rail communicates with the second region;
• a fuel separation membrane element disposed within the first fuel rail and segregating the first region from the second region, said membrane element configured to pass a first component of a mixed fuel from the first region to the second region at a higher rate than a second component of the fuel mixture;
• a first fuel passage fluidly coupling the fuel storage tank with the first region via the fuel inlet of the first fuel rail;
• a first fuel pump arranged along the first fuel passage, said first fuel pump configured to pressurize the first region with the mixed fuel;
• a first fuel injector fluidly coupled with the first region via the first fuel outlet of the first fuel rail, said first fuel injector configured to supply at least a portion of the mixed fuel to a first combustion chamber of the engine;
• a second fuel injector fluidly coupled with the second region via the second fuel outlet of the first fuel rail, said second fuel injector configured to supply at least a portion of the mixed fuel to a second combustion chamber of the engine;
• a second fuel rail including a fuel inlet and a plurality of fuel outlets;
• a second fuel passage fluidly coupling the second region of the first fuel rail via the third fuel outlet to the fuel inlet of the second fuel rail;
• and
• at least a third fuel injector fluidly coupled with a first outlet of the second fuel rail, said third fuel injector configured to supply at least a portion of the first component that has passed through the membrane to the first combustion chamber of the engine.

A method of operating a fuel system for an internal combustion engine, comprising:

• supplying a pressurized fuel mixture to a fuel rail, said fuel mixture including a hydrocarbon component and an alcohol component;
• separating at least a portion of the alcohol component from the fuel mixture by passing at least said portion of the alcohol component through a fuel separation membrane element disposed within the fuel rail to obtain an alcohol reduced fuel mixture;
• delivering the alcohol reduced fuel mixture from the fuel rail to at least a plurality of cylinders of the engine via injectors fluidly coupled with the first fuel rail;
• supplying the separated alcohol component to the engine.

A method of operating a fuel system for an internal combustion engine, comprising:

• supplying a pressurized fuel mixture to a fuel rail, said fuel mixture including a hydrocarbon component and an alcohol component;
• separating at least a portion of the alcohol component from the fuel mixture by passing at least said portion of the alcohol component through a fuel separation membrane element disposed within the fuel rail to obtain an alcohol reduced fuel mixture;
• delivering at least a portion of the alcohol reduced fuel mixture from the fuel rail to at least a plurality of cylinders of the engine via injectors fluidly coupled with the first fuel rail;
• supplying at least a portion of the separated alcohol component to the engine;
• and
• adjusting at least one of the delivery of the alcohol reduced fuel mixture and the supply of the separated alcohol component responsive to variation in engine operating conditions.