Fuel processor apparatus for diesel engine powered vehicles

Abstract

A new fuel processor apparatus for diesel engines, particularly diesel engine powered vehicles, with the apparatus having no moving parts and no internal gaskets or connections to leak or deteriorate, and said apparatus being capable of removing water from the diesel fuel while promoting filterability and combustion efficiency of the fuel. The questions raised in reexamination request No. 90/001,642, filed Nov. 22, 1988, have been considered and the results thereof are reflected in this reissue patent which constitutes the reexamination certificate required by 35 U.S.C. 307 as provided in 37 CFR 1.570(e).

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A fuel processor means for use with diesel engines on diesel trucks, automobiles, and the like, and whereby said fuel processor means is operative to .[.preheat.]. .Iadd.heat .Iaddend.the diesel fuel and to separate out water-impurities from the diesel fuel, .Iadd.and for melting wax crystals which form in cold ambient conditions before the fuel is transmitted to a particulate filter and enabling the diesel fuel to be used in cold ambient conditions without the use of fuel additives such as chemicals or lighter grade fuels to improve fuel flowability, .Iaddend.comprising: a vertically oriented tubular vessel means .Iadd.which provides for a substantially unconstrained flow path of the diesel fuel therethrough .Iaddend.operative for separating .Iadd.the .Iaddend.water out of the fuel, .Iadd.and collecting the water-impurities at the bottom of said vessel means,   first .Iaddend.inlet conduit means .[.to introduce.]. .Iadd.for introducing .Iaddend.hot liquid from the engine .Iadd.to said vessel means.Iaddend.,   .[.another.]. .Iadd.a heat exchange .Iaddend.conduit means passing .Iadd.from said first inlet conduit means .Iaddend.through a central portion of said vessel .Iadd.means and into said bottom of said vessel means .Iaddend.for transmitting the hot liquid therethrough,   .Iadd.first .Iaddend.outlet conduit means for recirculating the hot liquid .Iadd.from said heat exchange conduit means .Iaddend.back through the engine system,   a second inlet conduit means for introducing .Iadd.unprocessed .Iaddend.fuel .[.to.]. .Iadd.into .Iaddend.the interior of .[.the.]. .Iadd.said .Iaddend.vessel .Iadd.means .Iaddend.near the .Iadd.vertical .Iaddend.midpoint thereof for flow therethrough .[.and such that this inlet is above the level of water-impurities being collected in the vessel,.]. .Iadd.whereby said separation of the water-impurities provided by said fuel processor means begins to occur after the fuel enters from said second inlet conduit means into said vessel means, .Iaddend.   a second outlet conduit means for the fuel near the top of .[.the.]. .Iadd.said .Iaddend.vessel .Iadd.means .Iaddend.for transmitting the water-free fuel to .Iadd.the particulate filter and .Iaddend.the engine .Iadd.whereby said second inlet conduit means and said outlet conduit means cause the fuel to flow through said vessel means in a manner which facilitates the separation of the water-impurities and minimizes remixing of the water-impurities being collected, .Iaddend.   drain means at .[.the.]. .Iadd.said .Iaddend.bottom of .[.the.]. .Iadd.said .Iaddend.vessel .Iadd.means .Iaddend.for draining out .Iadd.the .Iaddend.water-impurities which collect therein .Iadd.to prevent water impurities collected in the bottom of said vessel means from rising to the level of said second inlet conduit means.Iaddend., and   vent means near the top of .[.the.]. .Iadd.said vessel .Iadd.means .Iaddend.for venting .[.the.]. .Iadd.said .Iaddend.vessel .Iadd.means .Iaddend.when desired.   
     
     
       2. A fuel processor means for use with diesel engines on diesel trucks, automobiles, and the like, and whereby said fuel processor means is operative to .[.preheat.]. .Iadd.heat .Iaddend.the diesel fuel and to separate out water-impurities from the diesel fuel .Iadd.and for melting wax crystals which form in cold ambient conditions before the fuel is transmitted to a particulate filter and enabling the diesel fuel to be used in cold ambient conditions without the use of fuel additives such as chemicals or lighter grade fuels to improve fuel flowability.Iaddend., comprising: a vertically oriented tubular vessel means .Iadd.which provides for a substantially unconstrained flow path of the diesel fuel therethrough .Iaddend.operative for separating .Iadd.the .Iaddend.water out of the fuel .Iadd.and collecting the water-impurities at the bottom of said vessel means.Iaddend.,   .Iadd.first .Iaddend.inlet conduit means to introduce hot liquid from the engine .Iadd.into said vessel means.Iaddend.,   .[.another.]. .Iadd.heat exchange .Iaddend.conduit means passing .Iadd.from said first inlet conduit means .Iaddend.through a central portion of said vessel .Iadd.means and into said bottom of said vessel .Iaddend.for transmitting the hot liquid therethrough,   .Iadd.first .Iaddend.outlet conduit means for recirculating the hot liquid .Iadd.from said heat exchange conduit means .Iaddend.back through the engine system,   a second inlet conduit means for introducing .Iadd.unprocessed .Iaddend.fuel .[.to.]. .Iadd.into .Iaddend.the interior of .[.the.]. .Iadd.said .Iaddend.vessel .Iadd.means .Iaddend.near the .Iadd.vertical .Iaddend.midpoint thereof for flow therethrough .[.and such that this inlet is above the level of water-impurities being collected in the vessel.]. .Iadd.whereby said separation of the water-impurities provided by said fuel processor means begins to occur after the fuel enters from said second inlet conduit means into said vessel means.Iaddend.,   a second outlet conduit means for the fuel near the top of .[.the.]. .Iadd.said .Iaddend.vessel .Iadd.means .Iaddend.for transmitting the water-free fuel to .Iadd.the particulate filter and .Iaddend.the engine .Iadd.whereby said second inlet conduit means and said second outlet conduit means cause the fuel to flow through said vessel means in a manner which facilitates the separation of the water-impurities and minimizes remixing of the water-impurities being collected.Iaddend., and   drain means at .[.the.]. .Iadd.said .Iaddend.bottom of .[.the.]. .Iadd.said .Iaddend.vessel .Iadd.means .Iaddend.for draining out .Iadd.the .Iaddend.water-impurities which collect therein .Iadd.to prevent water impurities collected in the bottom of said vessel means from rising to the level of said second inlet conduit means.Iaddend.. .Iadd.3. A diesel fuel processor for separating water-impurities from diesel fuel and for preventing the formation of wax crystals in said fuel as said fuel is supplied to the diesel engine of an automotive vehicle, said vehicle having a drivers compartment heater through which coolant liquid heated incident to the operation of said engine is passed under the control of the driver to regulate the temperature in the drivers compartment,   said processor comprising a vertically elongated hollow tubular vessel having an internal processing chamber adapted to contain diesel fuel,   fuel inlet means for introducing unprocessed diesel fuel into said chamber at a location substantially midway between the top and bottom of the chamber,   fuel outlet means adjacent the top of said chamber for conducting processed fuel from said chamber to said engine,   liquid inlet means adjacent the top of said chamber for receiving coolant liquid passed through said compartment heater,   liquid outlet means for returning said coolant liquid to said engine,   a coolant liquid heat exchange conduit sealingly connected at its opposite ends to said liquid inlet means and to said liquid outlet means and extending from said liquid inlet means through the central and bottom of said chamber to said liquid outlet means to transfer heat from liquid passing through said heat exchange conduit to diesel fuel and water-impurities in said chamber,   and drain means at the bottom of said vessel for draining separated water-impurities collected in the bottom of said chamber from said chamber as required to maintain the level of said separated water-impurities a substantial distance below the location at which said unprocessed fuel is   
     
     
        introduced into said chamber by said fuel inlet means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.4. A diesel fuel processor as defined in claim 3 wherein said diesel engine is a liquid cooled engine and said liquid heated incident to the operation of said engine is liquid coolant circulated through the engine cooling system of said engine.