Patent · US Expired

Liquid cooled fuel pump and vapor separator

US5647331A · kind A · utility

44Cited by
6References
13Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateAug 19, 1996
Grant dateJul 15, 1997
Priority date
Expiry dateAug 19, 2016

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
  • CPC primaryF02M37/20
  • WIPO fieldEngines, pumps, turbines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

An electric fuel pump is housed in an aluminum body module formed by two iso-pods open-end-to-open-end to provide a multi-cavity module housing of heat conductive material. The pump inlet faces downwardly in one of the cavities and a small clearance volume directly surrounds the pump casing which, in one embodiment, is filled with liquid fuel and in another with cooling water. Another module cavity forms a fuel sump at its lower end and a vapor separator chamber at its upper end. Fuel is supplied from a fuel tank at a low pressure (3-8 psi) up to a float operated inlet needle valve in the vapor separator/sump cavity and a fuel passage communicates the sump with the pump inlet casing. The fuel collects as a pump inlet reserve supply in the sump at atmospheric pressure, or slightly thereabove. Vapor separates from the fuel into the pump headspace and is vented via a suitable vapor pressure regulator. The module has a water jacket coolant passageway system sealed from the housing cavities and surrounding the pump cavity so that circulation of cooling water through the housing water jacket carries away heat transferred to the housing from the fuel and generated by operation of the fuel…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.