Systems and methods for a two-valve non-integrated refueling canister only system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9267467-B2
Application number	US-201314024416-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 11, 2013
Priority date	Sep 11, 2013
Publication date	Feb 23, 2016
Grant date	Feb 23, 2016

Abstract

A system for a vehicle, comprising: a tank pressure control valve coupled in a first conduit between a fuel tank and a fuel vapor canister; a refueling valve coupled in a second, different, conduit between the fuel tank and the fuel vapor canister, the second conduit in parallel to the first conduit. In this way, two smaller, less complex valves may be utilized to control fuel tank vapor purging and fuel tank depressurization during refueling. This in turn may lower system cost and increase system functionality.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system for a vehicle, comprising:
a tank pressure control valve coupled in a first conduit between a fuel tank and a fuel vapor canister;
a refueling valve coupled in a second, different, conduit between the fuel tank and the fuel vapor canister, the second conduit in parallel to the first conduit; and
a tank pressure control buffer canister coupled in a purge conduit between the fuel vapor canister and a canister purge valve.

2. The system of claim 1 , where the vehicle does not include a fuel tank isolation valve positioned between the fuel tank and the fuel vapor canister, the fuel tank isolation valve configured to isolate the fuel tank from the fuel vapor canister when closed, and where the vehicle does not include a fuel tank vent valve positioned in parallel with the tank pressure control valve and the refueling valve, the fuel tank vent valve configured to relieve fuel tank pressure above a threshold during a condition where the tank pressure control valve and refueling valve are each closed.

3. The system of claim 1 , where the tank pressure control valve has a smaller orifice diameter than an orifice diameter of the refueling valve.

4. The system of claim 1 , where the tank pressure control valve and refueling valve are solenoid valves.

5. The system of claim 4 , where the tank pressure control valve includes an armature having a smaller volume than an armature of the refueling valve, and wherein the first conduit has an outlet coupled to the purge conduit between the fuel vapor canister and the tank pressure control buffer canister.

6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a mechanical refueling lock configured to unlock based on a pressure gradient.

7. A method for a hybrid-electric vehicle, comprising:
in response to receiving a refueling request during a condition when a fuel tank pressure is above a first threshold:
opening a tank pressure control valve while maintaining a refueling valve closed;
allowing the fuel tank pressure to decrease below the first threshold; and
opening the refueling valve; and

in response to receiving a refueling request during a condition when a fuel tank pressure is below the first threshold:
opening the refueling valve while maintaining the tank pressure control valve closed.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
allowing the fuel tank pressure to decrease below a second threshold, the second threshold lower than the first threshold; and
unlocking a refueling lock.

9. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
in response to a fuel tank vapor purging request, opening the tank pressure control valve while maintaining the refueling valve closed.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the tank pressure control valve is coupled in a first conduit between a fuel tank and a fuel vapor canister; and
wherein the refueling valve is coupled in a second conduit between the fuel tank and the fuel vapor canister, the second conduit in parallel to the first conduit.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the hybrid-electric vehicle does not include a fuel tank isolation valve positioned between the fuel tank and the fuel vapor canister, the fuel tank isolation valve configured to isolate the fuel tank from the fuel vapor canister when closed.

12. A system for a hybrid-electric vehicle, comprising:
a tank pressure control valve coupled in a first conduit between a fuel tank and a purge line coupled to a fuel vapor canister;
a refueling valve coupled in a second conduit between the fuel tank and the fuel vapor canister, the second conduit in parallel to the first conduit, the second conduit directly coupled to an inlet of the fuel vapor canister; and
a controller configured with instructions stored in non-transitory memory and executable by a processor to:
in response to receiving a refueling request during a condition when a fuel tank pressure is above a first threshold:
open the tank pressure control valve while maintaining the refueling valve closed;
allow the fuel tank pressure to decrease below the first threshold; and then
open the refueling valve.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the hybrid-electric vehicle does not include a fuel tank isolation valve positioned between the fuel tank and the fuel vapor canister, the fuel tank isolation valve configured to isolate the fuel tank from the fuel vapor canister when closed.

14. The system of claim 13 , further comprising a refueling lock.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the controller is further configured with instructions to:
allow the fuel tank pressure to decrease below a second threshold, the second threshold lower than the first threshold; and
unlock the refueling lock.

16. The system of claim 14 , wherein the controller is further configured with instructions to:
in response to a fuel tank vapor purging request, opening the tank pressure control valve while maintaining the refueling valve closed;
in response to receiving a refueling request during a condition when a fuel tank pressure is below the first threshold, open the refueling valve while maintaining the tank pressure control valve closed;
allow the fuel tank pressure to decrease below a second threshold, the second threshold lower than the first threshold; and then
unlock the refueling lock.

17. The system of claim 13 , further comprising a tank pressure control buffer canister coupled in a purge conduit between the fuel vapor canister and a canister purge valve.

18. The system of claim 12 , where the tank pressure control valve and refueling valve are solenoid valves.

19. The system of claim 18 , where the tank pressure control valve includes an armature having a smaller volume than an armature of the refueling valve.

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Peters Mark W
• Bunge Mark Daniel
• Yang Dennis Seung-Man
• Pearce Russell Randall

Classifications

• F02M25/0854 Primary

  Details of the absorption canister · CPC title

• B60K2015/03514

  with vapor recovery means · CPC title

• B60K15/03519

  Valve arrangements in the vent line · CPC title

• B60K2015/03302

  Electromagnetic valves · CPC title

• F02D41/003

  Adding fuel vapours, e.g. drawn from engine fuel reservoir · CPC title