Fuel heater

Patent · Tue Feb 02 04:00:00 EST 1988

OSTI ID:5422252

Martinson, D

An apparatus for heating liquid fuel for an internal combustion engine having means for supplying the engine with fuel and a cooling system using a fluid to cool the engine is described comprising: a fuel heater comprising a housing having a first chamber for accommodating hot fluid from the cooling system of the engine, a second chamber for accommodating fuel, and top and bottom end members closing the second chamber. Heat conducting wall means separate the first and second chambers whereby the hot fluid heats the fuel in the second chamber. A solid cylindrical core of non-heat conductive material is located within the second chamber having an external wall spaced inwardly from the wall means providing passage means adjacent the wall means for the fuel in the second chamber, means connecting the core to the top and bottom end members, a cap mounted on the top member forming a third chamber between the top member and the cap. The top member has passage means connecting the second and third chambers whereby fuel vapors in the second chamber flow into the third chamber, a porous filter operable to allow fuel vapors to flow through the filter and prevent liquid fuel from flowing through the filter mounted on the cap and open to the third chamber and externally of the cap whereby the fuel vapors flow through the filter and externally of the cap and the liquid fuel remains in the third chamber, and a controller for regulating the flow of fluid from the cooling system to the heater in response to the temperature of fuel flowing out of the second chamber of the heater to the means for supplying the engine with fuel.

• Assignee: Northwest Investments, Crookston, MN
• Patent Number(s): US 4722314
• OSTI ID: 5422252
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS
330100* -- Internal Combustion Engines
COOLANTS
COOLING SYSTEMS
DESIGN
ENERGY SYSTEMS
ENGINES
FILTERS
FLUID FLOW
FLUIDS
FUEL SYSTEMS
GASES
HEAT ENGINES
HEATERS
INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES
LIQUID FLOW
VAPORS