Filtration system for providing clean fuel

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10471374-B2
Application number	US-201314385778-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 26, 2013
Priority date	Mar 29, 2012
Publication date	Nov 12, 2019
Grant date	Nov 12, 2019

Abstract

A filtration system is configured to provide clean fuel to a running combustion engine. The filtration system may be configured to be connected to a main fuel tank for storing contaminated fuel, and to be connected to a fuel supply of a combustion engine. A filtration circuit may include at least one filter, a first auxiliary fuel tank for containing fuel, and a first fuel pump configured to pump the fuel from the first auxiliary fuel tank through the filtration circuit back to the first auxiliary fuel tank. A second auxiliary fuel tank may be connectable to said first auxiliary fuel tank for receiving fuel from the first auxiliary fuel tank via a transfer valve. A control unit may be configured to control the transfer valve such that the first auxiliary tank is fluidly connected to the second auxiliary fuel tank only if fuel of a desired contamination level is contained in the first auxiliary tank.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A filtration system configured to be connected to a main fuel tank for storing contaminated fuel and to be connected to a fuel supply of a combustion engine, the filtration system comprising:
a filtration circuit including a first filter, a first auxiliary fuel tank for containing fuel, a cleanliness measuring device that is fluidly coupled to a fuel flow passage of the filtration circuit, and a first fuel pump configured to pump the fuel from the first auxiliary fuel tank through the filtration circuit and back to the first auxiliary fuel tank;
a second auxiliary fuel tank in selective fluid communication with said first auxiliary fuel tank via a transfer valve for receiving fuel from said first auxiliary fuel tank via the transfer valve, the second auxiliary fuel tank being fluidly coupled in series between the first auxiliary fuel tank and the fuel supply of the combustion engine to provide fuel to the combustion engine; and
a control unit operatively coupled to the transfer valve and the cleanliness measuring device, the control unit being configured to
receive a cleanliness signal from the cleanliness measuring device that is indicative of a level of cleanliness of the fuel within the filtration circuit,
compare the cleanliness signal to a desired contamination level, and
open the transfer valve to effect fluid communication between the first auxiliary fuel tank and the second auxiliary fuel tank via the transfer valve in response to the cleanliness signal meeting the desired contamination level.

2. The filtration system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one of
a first level sensor configured to measure a level of fuel within the first auxiliary fuel tank, and
a second level sensor configured to measure a level of fuel within the second auxiliary fuel tank.

3. The filtration system of claim 1 , wherein the control unit is also operatively coupled to the first fuel pump, and
wherein the control unit is further configured to control the first fuel pump such that the fuel repeatedly circulates within the filtration circuit for improving the cleanliness of the fuel.

4. The filtration system of claim 1 , further comprising a second fuel pump arranged downstream of the second auxiliary fuel tank, such that the second auxiliary fuel tank is fluidly coupled to the fuel supply of the combustion engine via the second fuel pump, the second fuel pump being configured to pump fuel from the second auxiliary fuel tank to the fuel supply of the combustion engine.

5. The filtration system of claim 1 , further comprising a second filter arranged within a fuel supply line that extends from the second auxiliary fuel tank to the fuel supply of the combustion engine.

6. A filtration system configured for connection to a main fuel tank for storing contaminated fuel and to a fuel supply of a combustion engine, the filtration system comprising:
a filtration section including a first fuel pump, a cleanliness measuring device that is fluidly coupled to a fuel flow passage of the filtration section, and at least one filter;
a first auxiliary fuel tank in selective fluid communication with the main fuel tank for receiving fuel from the main fuel tank, the filtration section, and the fuel supply of the combustion engine;
a second auxiliary fuel tank in selective fluid communication with the main fuel tank for receiving fuel from the main fuel tank, the filtration section, and the fuel supply of the combustion engine; and
a control unit operatively coupled to at least one valve and the cleanliness measuring device, the control unit being configured to
receive a cleanliness signal from the cleanliness measuring device that is indicative of a level of cleanliness of the fuel within the filtration section,
compare the cleanliness signal to a desired contamination level,
control the at least one valve to simultaneously
effect fluid communication between the first auxiliary fuel tank and the filtration section,
block fluid communication between the first auxiliary fuel tank and the fuel supply of the combustion engine,
effect fluid communication between the second auxiliary fuel tank and the fuel supply of the combustion engine, and
block fluid communication between the second auxiliary fuel tank and the filtration section, and

associate the cleanliness signal with a cleanliness of fuel within the first auxiliary fuel tank and repeatedly circulate the fuel from the first auxiliary fuel tank through the filtration section in response to the cleanliness of fuel within the first auxiliary fuel tank not meeting the desired contamination level, based on the cleanliness signal.

7. The filtration system of claim 6 , further comprising at least one of
a first level sensor configured to measure a level of fuel within the first auxiliary fuel tank, and
a second level sensor configured to measure a level of fuel within the second auxiliary fuel tank.

8. The filtration system of claim 6 , further comprising a second fuel pump arranged downstream of the first fuel pump, the second fuel pump being configured to pump fuel from the first or second auxiliary fuel tanks to the fuel supply of the combustion engine.

9. The filtration system of claim 6 , the control unit being further configured to
determine that the cleanliness of fuel within the first auxiliary fuel tank meets the desired contamination level, based on the cleanliness signal;
in response to the cleanliness of fuel within the first auxiliary fuel tank meeting the desired contamination level, control the at least one valve to simultaneously
effect fluid communication between the second auxiliary fuel tank and the filtration section,
block fluid communication between the second auxiliary fuel tank and the fuel supply of the combustion engine,
effect fluid communication between the first auxiliary fuel tank and the fuel supply of the combustion engine, and
block fluid communication between the first auxiliary fuel tank and the filtration section; and

associate the cleanliness signal with a cleanliness of fuel within the second auxiliary fuel tank and repeatedly circulate the fuel from the second auxiliary fuel tank through the filtration section in response to the cleanliness of fuel within the second auxiliary fuel tank not meeting the desired contamination level, based on the cleanliness signal.

10. A filter module, comprising:
a support frame; and
a filtration system coupled to the support frame, the filtration system being configured for connection to a main fuel tank for storing contaminated fuel and to a fuel supply of a combustion engine, the filtration system comprising:
a filtration section including a first fuel pump, a cleanliness measuring device that is fluidly coupled to a fuel flow passage of the filtration section, and at least one filter;
a first auxiliary fuel tank in selective fluid communication with the main fuel tank for receiving fuel from the main fuel tank, the filtration section, and the fuel supply of the combustion engine;
a second auxiliary fuel tank in selective fluid communication with the main fuel tank for receiving fuel from the main fuel tank, the filtration section, and the fuel supply of the combustion engine; and
a control unit operatively coupled to at least one valve and the cleanliness measuring device, the control unit being configured to
receive a cleanliness signal from the cleanliness measuring device that is indicative of a level of cleanliness of the fuel within the filtration section,
compare the cleanliness signal to a desired contamination level,
control the at least one valve to simultaneously
effect fluid communication between the first auxiliary fuel tank and the fi

Assignees

• Caterpillar Motoren Gmbh & Co

Inventors

• Cope Troy D
• Graumuller Robert

Classifications

• F02M37/0088

  Multiple separate fuel tanks or tanks being at least partially partitioned · CPC title

• F02M37/0064 Primary

  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) · CPC title

• B01D29/60

  integrally combined with devices for controlling the filtration · CPC title

• B01D29/885 Primary

  with internal recirculation through the filtering element (B01D37/02 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F02M37/22

  Arrangements for purifying liquid fuel specially adapted for, or arranged on, internal-combustion engines, e.g. arrangements in the feeding system · CPC title