Patent · US Active

Fuel system and method

US8904669B2 · kind B2 · utility

16Cited by
10References
19Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 17, 2011
Grant dateDec 9, 2014
Priority date
Expiry dateOct 25, 2031

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02T50/40
  • WIPO fieldChemical engineering
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

A fuel system comprising a fuel tank, a vent tank having a duct open to the ambient atmosphere, a first vent line fluidically connecting the fuel tank ullage to the vent tank, a gas drying system including a pump and a dehumidifying device disposed within the vent tank, and a second vent line fluidically connecting a dry gas outlet of the dehumidifying device to the ullage, wherein the pump is operable to maintain a higher pressure within the ullage than in the vent tank so as to drive vapor rich gas from the ullage into the vent tank via the first vent line. Also, a method of operating the fuel system and a method of retro-fitting the gas drying system in an existing fuel system. The gas drying system may optionally be a gas drying/inerting system.

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