Fluid system and method of making and using the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9435299-B2
Application number	US-201414191599-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 27, 2014
Priority date	Feb 27, 2014
Publication date	Sep 6, 2016
Grant date	Sep 6, 2016

Abstract

A number of variations may include a product including a housing including at least one phase change material and a medium constructed and arranged for thermal energy transfer to or from a vehicle fuel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A product comprising:
a housing, comprising at least one phase change material and a medium, wherein the housing is constructed and arranged for thermal energy transfer to or from a fuel wherein the medium comprises a layer in contact with or adjacent to a flow or static state of the fuel wherein the phase change material does not include an icosane or decane and wherein the phase change material is encapsulated by a polymer comprising polyuria-formaldehyde.

2. A product as set forth in claim 1 wherein the fuel comprises a diesel based fuel.

3. A product as set forth in claim 1 wherein the fuel comprises an ethanol based fuel.

4. A product as set forth in any of claim 1 wherein the housing comprises at least one of a vehicle fuel filter component, a vehicle fuel tank component, or a portable insulation jacket.

5. A product as set forth in any of claim 1 wherein the phase change material further comprises encapsulated microspheres.

6. A product as set forth in claim 5 wherein the encapsulated microspheres are incorporated into a coating applied to a fiber or fabric.

7. A product as set forth in claim 6 wherein the coating further comprises an extensible binder.

8. A product as set forth in claim 4 wherein the housing further comprises a baffle of a fuel tank.

9. A product as set forth in claim 1 wherein the phase change material is constructed and arranged to solidify and release thermal energy to the fuel through the medium at temperatures at, around, or below the freezing, gel, or cloud point of the fuel.

10. A product as set forth in claim 1 wherein the phase change material is constructed and arranged to liquefy and collect thermal energy above the freezing, gel, or cloud point of the fuel.

11. A product comprising:
a fuel system for use in at least one vehicle component comprising a housing, comprising at least one phase change material and a medium, wherein the housing is constructed and arranged for thermal energy transfer to or from a vehicle fuel wherein the medium comprises a layer in contact with or adjacent to a flow or static state of the fuel wherein the phase change material does not include an icosane or decane and wherein the phase change material is encapsulated by a polymer comprising polyuria-formaldehyde.

12. A method comprising:
providing a product including a housing, comprising at least one phase change material and a medium, wherein the housing is constructed and arranged for thermal energy transfer to or from a vehicle fuel wherein the medium comprises a layer in contact with or adjacent to a flow or static state of the fuel;
providing a vehicle comprising a container comprising vehicle fuel;
placing the product so that the medium is in contact with or adjacent to the container of vehicle fuel or the fuel itself;
transferring heat to the fuel from the phase change material or transferring heat from the fuel to the phase change material wherein the phase change material does not include an icosane or decane and wherein the phase change material is encapsulated by a polymer comprising polyuria-formaldehyde.

13. A method as set forth in claim 12 wherein the fuel comprises a diesel based fuel.

14. A method as set forth in claim 12 wherein the fuel comprises an ethanol based fuel.

15. A method as set forth in claim 12 wherein the phase change material is constructed and arranged to solidify and release thermal energy to the fuel through the medium at temperatures at, around, or below the freezing, gel, or cloud point of the fuel.

16. A method as set forth in claim 12 wherein the phase change material is constructed and arranged to liquefy and collect thermal energy above the freezing, gel, or cloud point of the fuel.

17. A method as set forth in claim 12 wherein the phase change material further comprises encapsulated microspheres.

18. A method as set forth in claim 17 wherein the encapsulated microspheres are incorporated into a coating applied to a medium comprising fiber or fabric.

19. A method as set forth in claim 12 wherein the housing comprises a portable insulation jacket.

20. A product as set forth in claim 1 wherein the medium comprises a fiber or fabric.

21. A product as set forth in claim 7 wherein the phase change material is bonded to the medium by the binder.

22. A product as set forth in claim 1 wherein the medium is static.

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Lopes Shailesh M

Classifications

• F02M37/0082 Primary

  Devices inside the fuel tank other than fuel pumps or filters (electrical pumps submerged in fuel tanks F02M37/10, jet pumps F02M37/025) · CPC title

• B60K15/03

  Fuel tanks · CPC title

• F02B3/06

  with compression ignition (compression ignition engines using air or gas for blowing fuel into compressed air in cylinder F02B13/02) · CPC title

• B60Y2410/13

  Materials or fluids with special properties · CPC title

• Y02T10/36

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic