# US 9,038,613 B2 · Fuel rail assembly including fuel separation membrane > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,038,613 B2 - Document ID: US9038613B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/048,941 - Filed: 2013-10-08 - Published: 2014-02-06 - Granted: 2015-05-26 - Earliest claimed: 2007-12-21 - Assignees: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Applicants: Ford Global Technologies, LLC - Inventors: Ross Dykstra Pursifull; Mark Allen Dearth; Tom G. Leone - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9038613B2 ## CPC - F02M 69/50: Arrangement of fuel distributors {, e.g. with means for supplying equal portion of metered fuel to injectors (F02M69/147 takes precedence)} - F02D 19/0605: {to adjust the fuel pressure or temperature} - F02D 19/0665: {Tanks, e.g. multiple tanks} - F02D 19/0671: {Means to generate or modify a fuel, e.g. reformers, electrolytic cells or membranes} - F02D 19/0689: {for in-cylinder direct injection} - F02D 19/0692: {Arrangement of multiple injectors per combustion chamber} - F02D 19/081: {Adjusting the fuel composition or mixing ratio; Transitioning from one fuel to the other} - F02M 37/0064: {for engines being fed with multiple fuels or fuels having special properties, e.g. bio-fuels; varying the fuel composition (controlling engines working with pluralities of fuels F02D19/06)} - F02M 37/0088: {Multiple separate fuel tanks or tanks being at least partially partitioned} - F02M 43/00: Fuel-injection apparatus operating simultaneously on two or more fuels, or on a liquid fuel and another liquid, e.g. the other liquid being an anti-knock additive - F02M 55/025: {Common rails} - F02M 63/0225: {Fuel-injection apparatus having a common rail feeding several injectors (F02M63/0003 takes precedence); Means for varying pressure in common rails; Pumps feeding common rails} - F02D 35/02: on interior conditions - F02D 35/027: {using knock sensors} - F02M 2200/27: Fuel-injection apparatus with filters - Y02T 10/30: Use of alternative fuels, e.g. biofuels - F02M: SUPPLYING COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL WITH COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURES OR CONSTITUENTS THEREOF - F02D: CONTROLLING COMBUSTION ENGINES (vehicle fittings, acting on a single sub-unit only, for automatically controlling vehicle speed B60K31/00; conjoint control of vehicle sub-units of different type or different function, road vehicle drive control systems for purposes other than the control of a single sub-unit B60W) - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract As one example, a fuel rail assembly for supplying pressurized fuel to a plurality of cylinders of an engine is provided. The fuel rail assembly includes a fuel rail housing defining an internal fuel rail volume having at least a first region and a second region; a fuel separation membrane element disposed within the fuel rail housing that segregates the first region from the second region. The membrane element can be configured to pass a first component of a fuel mixture such as an alcohol through the membrane element from the first region to the second region at a higher rate than a second component of the fuel mixture such as a hydrocarbon. The separated alcohol and hydrocarbon components can be provided to the engine in varying relative amounts based on operating conditions. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of operating an engine fuel system, 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, the membrane element being permeable and comprising a polymer; 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. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the second fuel injector is configured as a direct in-cylinder fuel injector and wherein said delivering the alcohol fuel component to the cylinder includes directly injecting the alcohol fuel component into the cylinder via the second fuel injector. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the first fuel injector is configured as a direct in-cylinder fuel injector and wherein said delivering the alcohol reduced fuel mixture to the cylinder includes directly injecting the alcohol reduced fuel mixture into the cylinder via the first fuel injector. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein said supplying the pressurized fuel mixture to the first fuel rail is performed via at least a first lower pressure fuel pump that is powered by an electric motor and a second higher pressure fuel pump that is powered by a mechanical output of the engine. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said supplying the pressurized fuel mixture to the first fuel rail is performed via at least a first fuel pump; and wherein said supplying the separated alcohol component from the first fuel rail to the second fuel rail further comprises increasing pressurization of the separated alcohol component via a second fuel pump. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said supplying the separated alcohol component from the first fuel rail to the second fuel rail further comprises condensing a vapor phase portion of the separated alcohol component to a liquid phase at a condensation tank before the separated alcohol component is supplied to the second fuel rail in the liquid phase. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: increasing intake air pressure supplied to the cylinder by boosting said intake air via a compression device; and increasing an amount of the alcohol component delivered to the cylinder relative to the hydrocarbon component in response to an increase of the intake air pressure supplied to the cylinder via the compression device. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising, heating the first fuel rail with heat generated by the engine, and where the alcohol reduced component is delivered to a plurality of cylinders. ### Claim 9 A method for an engine fuel system, comprising: supplying a fuel mixture to a 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 rail to obtain an alcohol reduced fuel mixture, the membrane element being permeable and comprising a polymer; delivering the alcohol reduced fuel mixture from the rail to at least a plurality of cylinders of the engine via injectors; and supplying the separated alcohol component to the plurality of cylinders. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 where the separated alcohol component is delivered in a vapor phase to the engine. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 where the separated alcohol component is delivered in a pressurized liquid phase to the engine. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 where the injectors are coupled directly to the rail. ### Claim 13 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 further comprising pressurizing the fuel mixture with a high pressure fuel pump. ### Claim 14 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9 where a pressure of the pressurized fuel mixture is adjusted responsive to an exhaust gas oxygen amount. ### Claim 15 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, the membrane element being permeable and comprising a polymer; 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. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15 further comprising adjusting the delivery of the alcohol reduced fuel mixture responsive to exhaust air-fuel ratio. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15 further comprising adjusting supply of the separated alcohol component responsive to exhaust air-fuel ratio. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15 further comprising at least partially condensing the portion of the separated alcohol component before supplying it to the engine, where the condensing is adjusted responsive to an operating condition.