Method for diagnosing the malfunctioning of a device for adding an additive into a fuel for a vehicle, and system for implementing said method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9677969-B2
Application number	US-201314370703-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 4, 2013
Priority date	Jan 4, 2012
Publication date	Jun 13, 2017
Grant date	Jun 13, 2017

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for diagnosing the malfunctioning of a device for adding an additive into a fuel for a vehicle comprising an internal combustion engine, said method including: a step of analyzing the fuel in order to determine a variation in the amount of additive in the fuel; a step of comparing the variation in the amount of additive, measured during the previous step, with a theoretical variation in said amount; a step of sending information when the difference between the measured variation and the theoretical variation exceeds a set value. The invention also relates to a system for adding an additive into fuel and for diagnosis for a vehicle comprising an internal combustion engine, which is intended for implementing said method.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A fuel additivation and diagnosis system for a vehicle having an internal combustion engine, wherein the system comprises:
an additive distribution device for distributing at least one additive in a fuel circulation circuit of the engine of the vehicle, wherein the additive distribution device comprises:
a tank ( 12 ) containing an additive,
a chamber ( 22 ) which is in communication with a fuel circulation circuit ( 1 ) and inside which the tank ( 12 ) is inserted,
at least one movable and leaktight wall ( 32 , 33 , 34 ) between said chamber ( 22 ) and said tank ( 12 ) providing leaktight separation and maintaining an identical pressure between the additive in the tank ( 12 ) and fuel in the chamber ( 22 ), and
means for injecting the additive which are connected to the tank ( 12 ) and to the fuel circulation circuit ( 1 ) adapted to distribute the additive in the fuel circulation circuit ( 1 ), said means comprising a distribution channel ( 16 , 16 a , 16 b ) connecting the tank ( 22 ) and the fuel circulation circuit ( 1 );

an analytical device for analysis of the fuel, wherein the analytical device measures data, said data comprising the content of the at least one additive in the fuel;
means for sending the data from said analytical device to a component of the vehicle.

2. A method for diagnosing the malfunctioning of the additive distribution device in the fuel additivation and diagnosis system of claim 1 , wherein the method comprises the following stages:
(a) measuring a variation in content of additive in the fuel with the analytical device;
(b) comparing the measured variation in the content of additive and a theoretical variation in this content to determine a difference between the measured variation and the theoretical variation; and
(c) sending the data to the component of the vehicle when the difference between the measured variation and the theoretical variation in this content of additive exceeds a fixed value.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the data in stage (c) is sent to at least one of the following components:
the additive distribution device;
an electronic central processing unit of the vehicle;
a central system for diagnosing failure of the vehicle.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the analytical device is a spectrometry device.

5. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the additive tank ( 12 ) is provided in the form of a flexible bag ( 32 ) and in that said flexible bag ( 32 ) constitutes the movable and leaktight wall.

6. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the movable and leaktight wall comprises a membrane ( 33 ) or a piston ( 34 ).

7. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the additive distribution device comprises a fuel inlet orifice ( 13 ), a fuel outlet orifice ( 14 ), an additive distribution orifice ( 17 ) and a means ( 21 , 25 ) for generating a pressure difference between the fuel inlet orifice ( 13 ) or fuel outlet orifice ( 14 ) and the additive distribution orifice ( 17 ).

8. The system as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the means for generating a pressure difference is provided in the form of a diaphragm or a venturi ( 21 ).

9. The system as claimed in claim 7 , wherein the means for generating a pressure difference is provided in the form of a filtering element ( 25 ).

10. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the system further comprises a means ( 15 ) for total or partial sealing of the channel ( 16 , 16 a , 16 b ) for distribution of the additive.

11. The system as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the means ( 15 ) for sealing the channel for distribution of the additive is an electromechanical means.

12. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the additive distribution device comprises a device for filtration of the fuel comprising at least one filtering element ( 25 ).

13. The system as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the filtering element ( 25 ) is annular in shape and the additive tank ( 12 ) is positioned concentrically inside said filtering element ( 25 ).

14. The system as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the filtering element ( 25 ) is annular in shape and the additive tank ( 12 ) is positioned concentrically outside the filtering element ( 25 ).

15. The system as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the filtering element ( 25 ) and the additive tank ( 12 ) are superimposed axially.

16. The system as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the filtering element ( 25 ) is traversed by the fuel, delimiting an upstream side ( 28 ), located between the fuel tank ( 2 ) and the filtering element ( 25 ), where the unfiltered fuel circulates, and a downstream side ( 29 ), positioned between the filtering element ( 25 ) and an internal combustion engine, where the filtered fuel circulates, and wherein the additive is diffused from the upstream side ( 28 ) or from the downstream side ( 29 ).

17. The system as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the movable wall ( 32 , 33 , 34 ) is positioned between the additive tank ( 12 ) and the upstream side ( 28 ).

18. The system as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the movable wall ( 32 , 33 , 34 ) is positioned between the additive tank ( 12 ) and the downstream side ( 29 ).

19. The system as claimed in claim 12 , wherein the additive distribution device comprises (a) a diffusion head ( 10 ) intended to be permanently fitted to the fuel circulation circuit ( 1 ) and comprising a channel ( 17 ) for distribution of the additive into the fuel circulation circuit ( 1 ) and (b) a cartridge ( 11 ) comprising the filtering element ( 25 ), the additive tank ( 12 ) and the movable and leaktight wall ( 32 ), said cartridge ( 11 ) being fitted in removable fashion to the diffusion head ( 10 ).

20. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the additive distribution device is located so that the additive is diffused into a fuel return line ( 6 ) of an internal combustion engine, downstream of an injection system and toward a fuel tank ( 2 ).

21. The system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the component of the vehicle is selected from:
the additive distribution device;
an electronic central processing unit of the vehicle; and
a central system for diagnosing failure of the vehicle.

Assignees

• Rhodia Operations
• Filtrauto Sa

Inventors

• Harle Virginie
• Lallemand Michael
• Seguelong Thierry
• Monsallier Guy

Classifications

• Y02T10/40

  Engine management systems · CPC title

• G01M15/042 Primary

  by monitoring a single specific parameter not covered by groups G01M15/06 - G01M15/12 · CPC title

• F02M25/00

  Engine-pertinent apparatus for adding non-fuel substances or small quantities of secondary fuel to combustion-air, main fuel or fuel-air mixture (adding secondary air to fuel-air mixture F02M23/00; adding exhaust gases F02M26/00; fuel-injection apparatus operating simultaneously on two or more fuels or on a liquid fuel and another liquid F02M43/00) · CPC title

• F02D2200/0611

  Fuel type, fuel composition or fuel quality · CPC title

• F02D41/221 Primary

  relating to the failure of actuators or electrically driven elements · CPC title