Fuel pre-heater

Patent · Tue Mar 10 04:00:00 EST 1987

OSTI ID:6977227

Michaud, J P; Brennan, L A

A fuel preheater is described for a fluid fuel for use in an internal combustion engine having a liquid coolant system comprising, in combination: an elongated closed housing having a coolant inlet at one end and a coolant outlet at the other end; a liquid-tight transverse partition disposed within the housing in proximity to each of the inlet and the outlet between the inlet and the outlet defining an inlet compartment, a central compartment and an outlet compartment; heat transfer elements comprised of spaced-apart tubes formed of a thermoconductive material extending between the partitions through the central compartment and communicating the inlet compartment with the outlet compartment for the flow of heated coolant therethrough. A pair of the spaced-apart tubes extend into the outlet compartment; a fuel inlet and a fuel outlet formed on the housing for the flow of fuel through the central compartment for heating of the fuel by the heat transfer elements; and normally-open thermostatically-controlled valve means operatively positioned in the outlet chamber are seated on means provided on the pair of spaced-apart tubes for closing the coolant outlet when the coolant reaches a predetermined temperature whereby the fuel is heated to a predetermined maximum temperature.

• Assignee: NOV; NOV-87-051283; EDB-87-072557
• Patent Number(s): US 4648372
• OSTI ID: 6977227
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS
330100* -- Internal Combustion Engines
AUTOMOTIVE FUELS
CONTROL
CONTROL EQUIPMENT
COOLANTS
ENERGY TRANSFER
ENGINES
EQUIPMENT
FLOW REGULATORS
FUELS
HEAT ENGINES
HEAT TRANSFER
HEATERS
HEATING
INTAKE STRUCTURES
INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES
MECHANICAL STRUCTURES
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
POSITIONING
SPACE DEPENDENCE
TEMPERATURE CONTROL
THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES
THERMOSTATS
TUBES
VALVES
VEHICLES