Fuel processor apparatus for diesel 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. 90/001,643, 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(3).

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 .Iadd.means .Iaddend.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 elongated tubular vessel means .Iadd.which provides for a substantially unconstrained flow path of the diesel fuel therethrough .Iaddend.for separating .Iadd.the .Iaddend.water-.Iadd.impurities .Iaddend.out of the fuel, .Iadd.and collecting the water-impurities at the bottom of said vessel means, .Iaddend.   inlet conduit means near the top of said vessel .Iadd.means .Iaddend.to introduce hot engine coolant liquid to .[.the .]. .Iadd.said .Iaddend.vessel, .Iadd.means, .Iaddend.   another conduit means passing through a central portion of said vessel .Iadd.means and into said bottom of said vessel means .Iaddend.for transmitting the hot coolant liquid therethrough,   outlet conduit means for recirculating the .Iadd.hot .Iaddend.coolant liquid back through the engine cooling system,   a second inlet conduit means for introducing .Iadd.the .Iaddend.fuel .Iadd.into .Iaddend..[.to.]. the interior of .[.the.]. .Iadd.said .Iaddend.vessel .Iadd.means .Iaddend.near the .Iadd.vertical .Iaddend.midpoint thereof for flow therethrough .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..[.and such that this inlet is above the level of water-impurities being collected in the vessel,.].   a second outlet conduit means for the fuel located 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.,   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 the level of water impurities collected at the bottom of said vessel means from rising to the level of said second inlet conduit means.Iaddend.,   and means near the top of .[.the.]. .Iadd.said .Iaddend.vessel .Iadd.means .Iaddend.for venting .[.the.]. .Iadd.said .Iaddend.vessel .Iadd.means .Iaddend.when desired.   
     
     
       2. The invention of claim 1 wherein, said .[.apparatus.]. .Iadd.vessel means .Iaddend.includes .Iadd.a top plate and .Iaddend..[.an integral.]. .Iadd.said particulate .Iaddend.filter .[.means built-in with the vessel and.]. .Iadd.having a cup shaped canister enclosing a filter media element with an opened end defining inlet and outlet flow ports mounted to said top plate such that said filter is disposed above said top plate with said opened end directed downwardly, said filter .Iaddend.operative to perform a filtering operation on the fuel during its passage through the .[.apparatus.]. .Iadd.vessel means.   
     
     
       3. 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 of generally seamless construction means .Iadd.which provides for a substantially unconstrained flow path of the diesel fuel therethrough .Iaddend.operative for separating .Iadd.the .Iaddend.water-.Iadd.impurities .Iaddend.out of the fuel .Iadd.and collecting the water-impurities at the bottom of said vessel.Iaddend.,   inlet conduit means near the top of said vessel to introduce hot engine coolant liquid,   another conduit means passing through a central portion of said vessel .Iadd.and into said bottom of said vessel .Iaddend.for transmitting the hot coolant liquid therethrough,   outlet conduit means near the bottom of said vessel for recirculating the coolant liquid back through the engine cooling system,   a second inlet conduit means for introducing .Iadd.the .Iaddend.fuel .Iadd.into.Iaddend..[.to.]. the interior of .[.the.]. .Iadd.said .Iaddend.vessel near the .Iadd.vertical .Iaddend.midpoint thereof for flow therethrough .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,.Iaddend..[.and such that this inlet is above the level of water-impurities being collected in the vessel,.].   a second outlet conduit means for the fuel near the top of .[.the.]. .Iadd.said .Iaddend.vessel 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 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 for draining out .Iadd.the .Iaddend.water-impurities which collect .[.therein..]..Iadd.therein to prevent the level of water impurities collected at the bottom of said vessel from rising to the level of said second inlet conduit means. .Iaddend.   
     
     
       4. The invention of claim 3, wherein, said .[.apparatus.]. .Iadd.vessel .Iaddend.is free of moving parts and has no internal gaskets to leak or deteriorate.   
     
     
       5. The invention of claim 3 further characterized as including: means near the top of .[.the.]. .Iadd.said .Iaddend.vessel for venting .[.the.]. .Iadd.said .Iaddend.vessel when desired.   
     
     
       6. 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 of generally seamless construction means .Iadd.which provides for a substantially unconstrained flow path of the diesel fuel therethrough .Iaddend.operative for separating .Iadd.the .Iaddend.water-.Iadd.impurities .Iaddend.out of the fuel .Iadd.and collecting the water-impurities at the bottom of said vessel.Iaddend.   inlet conduit means to introduce hot liquid from the engine,   another conduit means passing through a central portion of said vessel .Iadd.and into said bottom of said vessel .Iaddend.for transmitting the hot liquid therethrough,   outlet conduit means for recirculating the hot liquid back through the engine system,   a second inlet conduit means for introducing .Iadd.the .Iaddend.fuel .Iadd.into .Iaddend..[.to.]. the interior of .[.the.]. .Iadd.said .Iaddend.vessel near the .Iadd.vertical .Iaddend.midpoint thereof for flow therethrough .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, .Iaddend..[.and such that this inlet is above the level of water-impurities being collected in the vessel,.].   a second outlet conduit means for the fuel near the top of .[.the.]. .Iadd.said .Iaddend.vessel 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 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 for draining out .Iadd.the .Iaddend.water-impurities which collect therein .Iadd.to prevent the level of water impurities collected at the bottom of said vessel from rising to the level of said second inlet conduit means.Iaddend., and   vent means near the top of .[.the.]. .Iadd.said .Iaddend.vessel for venting .[.the.]. .Iadd.said .Iaddend.vessel when desired.   
     
     
       7. The .[.apparatus.]. of claim 1 wherein, said .[.apparatus.]. is free of moving parts and has no internal gaskets to leak or deteriorate.   
     
     
       8. A fuel processor means with an integral filter element 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 melting wax crystals and then filter the diesel fuel, enabling the diesel fuel to be used in cold ambient conditions without the use of fuel additives such as chemicals or lighter grade fuel to improve fuel flowability .Iaddend.comprising, a vertically oriented elongated tubular vessel means for separating .Iadd.the .Iaddend.water-.Iadd.impurities .Iaddend.out of the fuel .Iadd.and collecting the water-impurities at the bottom of said vessel means, said vessel means defining a top plate.Iaddend.,   a filter element .Iadd.having a cup shaped canister enclosing a filter media element with an opened end defining fuel flow ports .Iaddend.engaged to .[.the.]. .Iadd.said .Iaddend.top .Iadd.plate .Iaddend.of said vessel means .Iadd.such that said filter is disposed above said top plate with said opened end directed downwardly .Iaddend..[.and being of integral construction therewith.].,   inlet conduit means to introduce hot engine coolant liquid to .[.the.]. .Iadd.said .Iaddend.vessel .Iadd.means.Iaddend.,   another conduit means passing through a central portion of said vessel .Iadd.means and into the bottom of said vessel means .Iaddend.for transmitting the hot coolant liquid therethrough,   outlet conduit means for recirculating the coolant liquid back through the engine cooling system,   a second inlet conduit means for introducing fuel to the interior of .[.the.]. .Iadd.said .Iaddend.vessel .Iadd.means .Iaddend.near the .Iadd.vertical .Iaddend.midpoint thereof for flow therethrough,   another interior conduit means .Iadd.passing through said top plate .Iaddend.for transmitting the water-free fuel upwardly for passage through .[.the.]. .Iadd.said .Iaddend.filter element .Iadd.for filtration.Iaddend.,   a second outlet conduit .Iadd.means passing through said top plate.Iaddend..[.means.]. for removing the fuel from .[.the.]. .Iadd.said .Iaddend.filter element and transmitting the fuel to 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 the level of water impurities collected at the bottom of said vessel means from rising to the level of said second inlet conduit means.Iaddend.. .Iadd.9. The invention defined in claim 1 or claim 8 wherein said engine cooling system includes a compartment heater operable to heat the drivers compartment of the truck or automobile by the passage of the hot engine coolant liquid therethrough at temperatures regulated by the driver, said inlet conduit means being connected in said cooling system in series with said compartment heater to receive liquid coolant from said compartment heater. .Iaddend.