Sorbent-based low pressure gaseous fuel delivery system
AssigneeAdsorbed Natural Gas Products, Inc.
InventorRobert Allen Bonelli
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A fuel extraction and pressurization system for delivering a gaseous fuel from a adsorbent fuel tank to a fuel injection system of an internal combustion engine, wherein the fuel extraction and pressurization system comprises one or more components for applying a vacuum to the interior of the tank to facilitate the extraction of the adsorbed gaseous fuel from the tank and compressing the extracted gaseous fuel to a pressure appropriate for the fuel injection system.
Claims28
A fuel extraction and pressurization system for delivering a gaseous fuel from a fuel storage system to a fuel injection system of an internal combustion engine, wherein the fuel storage system comprises a tank having an interior in which a sorbent is present and to which the gaseous fuel, when in the tank, is adsorbed and wherein the gaseous fuel, when in the tank, is at a tank pressure in a tank pressure range of about 1000 psi (7 MPa) to about 10 psi (0.07 MPa), the fuel extraction and pressurization system configured to have an input that is in fluid connection with the interior of the tank of the fuel storage system and an output in fluid connection with the fuel injection system and operates only when the tank pressure is at or below a specified pressure within the tank pressure range that is necessary to provide the gaseous fuel at a pressure and flow rate to the fuel injection system for the operation of the internal combustion engine at or about the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio for the gaseous fuel at any selected throttle position for the internal combustion engine without increasing the pressure of the gaseous fuel above that of the tank pressure, wherein the fuel extraction and pressurization system comprises one or more vacuum and pressurization components, wherein during operation of the fuel extraction and pressurization system the one or more vacuum and pressurization components apply a vacuum to the interior of the tank to facilitate the extraction of the adsorbed gaseous fuel from the tank and compress the extracted gaseous fuel thereby providing compressed gaseous fuel at an output pressure that is greater than the tank pressure and an output flow rate to the fuel injection system for the operation of the internal combustion engine at or about the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio for the gaseous fuel at any selected throttle position for the internal combustion engine, wherein the one or more vacuum and pressurization components are selected from the group consisting of a vacuum pump, a compressor, or a vacuum pump and a compressor.
A fuel system comprising:
- (a) a fuel storage system that comprises a tank having an interior in which a sorbent is present and to which a gaseous fuel, when in the tank, is adsorbed, wherein the gaseous fuel, when in the tank, is at a tank pressure in a tank pressure range of about 1000 psi (7 MPa) to about 10 psi (0.07 MPa);
- (b) a fuel injection system of an internal combustion engine;
- (c) a fueling circuit for delivering the gaseous fuel from the fuel storage system to the fuel injection system of the internal combustion engine, wherein the fueling circuit provides the gaseous fuel at a pressure and flow rate to the fuel injection system for the operation of the internal combustion engine at or about the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio for the gaseous fuel at any selected throttle position for the internal combustion engine at tank pressures greater than a selected tank pressure within the tank pressure range without increasing the pressure of the gaseous fuel above that of the tank pressure;
- and
- (d) an isolated fuel extraction and pressurization system configured to have an input that is in fluid connection with the interior of the tank of the fuel storage system and an output in fluid connection with the fuel injection system and operates only when the tank pressure is at or below the specified pressure within the tank pressure range, wherein the isolated fuel extraction and pressurization system comprises one or more vacuum and pressurization components, wherein during operation of the isolated fuel extraction and pressurization system the one or more vacuum and pressurization components apply a vacuum to the interior of the tank to facilitate the extraction of the adsorbed gaseous fuel from the tank and compress the extracted gaseous fuel thereby providing compressed gaseous fuel at an output pressure that is greater than the tank pressure and an output flow rate to the fuel injection system for the operation of the internal combustion engine at or about the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio for the gaseous fuel at any selected throttle position for the internal combustion engine, wherein the one or more vacuum and pressurization components are selected from the group consisting of a vacuum pump, a compressor, or a vacuum pump and a compressor.
A vehicle comprising a fuel system that comprises:
- (a) a fuel storage system that comprises a tank having an interior in which a sorbent is present and to which a gaseous fuel, when in the tank, is adsorbed, wherein the gaseous fuel, when in the tank, is at a tank pressure in a tank pressure range of about 1000 psi (7 MPa) to about 10 psi (0.07 MPa);
- (b) a fuel injection system of an internal combustion engine;
- and
- (c) a fueling circuit for delivering the gaseous fuel from the fuel storage system to the fuel injection system of the internal combustion engine, wherein the fueling circuit provides the gaseous fuel at a pressure and flow rate to the fuel injection system for the operation of the internal combustion engine at or about the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio for the gaseous fuel at any selected throttle position for the internal combustion engine at tank pressures greater than a selected tank pressure within the tank pressure range without increasing the pressure of the gaseous fuel above that of the tank pressure;
- and
- (d) an isolated fuel extraction and pressurization system configured to have an input that is in fluid connection with the interior of the tank of the fuel storage system and an output in fluid connection with the fuel injection system and operates only when the tank pressure is at or below the specified pressure within the tank pressure range, wherein the isolated fuel extraction and pressurization system comprises one or more vacuum and pressurization components, wherein during operation of the isolated fuel extraction and pressurization system the one or more vacuum and pressurization components apply a vacuum to the interior of the tank to facilitate the extraction of the adsorbed gaseous fuel from the tank and compress the extracted gaseous fuel thereby providing compressed gaseous fuel at an output pressure that is greater than the tank pressure and an output flow rate to the fuel injection system for the operation of the internal combustion engine at or about the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio for the gaseous fuel at any selected throttle position for the internal combustion engine, wherein the one or more vacuum and pressurization components are selected from the group consisting of a vacuum pump, a compressor, or a vacuum pump and a compressor.
A process of delivering a gaseous fuel from a fuel storage system to a fuel injection system of an internal combustion engine, wherein the fuel storage system comprises a tank having an interior in which a sorbent is present and to which the gaseous fuel, when in the tank, is adsorbed and wherein the gaseous fuel, when in the tank, is at a tank pressure in a tank pressure range of about 1000 psi (7 MPa) to about 10 psi (0.07 MPa), the method comprising:
- (a) operating a fuel circuit for delivering the gaseous fuel from the fuel storage system to the fuel injection system of the internal combustion engine, wherein the fueling circuit provides the gaseous fuel at a pressure and flow rate to the fuel injection system for the operation of the internal combustion engine at or about the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio for the gaseous fuel at any selected throttle position for the internal combustion engine at tank pressures greater than a selected pressure within the tank pressure range without increasing the pressure of the gaseous fuel above that of the tank pressure;
- and
- (b) operating an isolated fuel extraction and pressurization system configured to have an input in fluid connection with the interior of the tank of the fuel storage system and an output in fluid connection with the fuel injection system and operates only when the tank pressure is at or below the specified pressure within the tank pressure range, wherein the isolated fuel extraction and pressurization system comprises one or more vacuum and pressurization components, wherein during operation the one or more vacuum and pressurization components apply a vacuum to the interior of the tank to facilitate the extraction of the adsorbed gaseous fuel from the tank and compress the extracted gaseous fuel thereby providing compressed gaseous fuel at an output pressure that is greater than the tank pressure and an output flow rate to the fuel injection system for the operation of the internal combustion engine at or about the stoichiometric air-fuel ratio for the gaseous fuel at any selected throttle position for the internal combustion engine, wherein the one or more vacuum and pressurization components are selected from the group consisting of a vacuum pump, a compressor, or a vacuum pump and a compressor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.