Internal-combustion engines – Miscellaneous – Fuels – lubricants and additives
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-07
2001-08-21
Kamen, Noah P. (Department: 3747)
Internal-combustion engines
Miscellaneous
Fuels, lubricants and additives
Reexamination Certificate
active
06276310
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention generally relates to fuel additive dosing methods and systems for adding additives to fuel in a vehicle and, more particularly, to a method and system for adding an additive to fuel by directly monitoring the fuel added to a vehicle in conjunction with using the vehicle electronic control unit to monitor fuel consumption and fuel remaining in the fuel tank.
BACKGROUND ART
Vehicles having combustion engines can employ filters for collecting particulate emitted from the engines. Engine particulate collected by a filter causes the exhaust back pressure to increase, adversely affecting fuel economy and vehicle performance. A regeneration method is required for successful operation of the engine particulate filters.
One way to regenerate a particulate filter is to oxidize the collected particulate. A problem with this approach is that the oxidation temperature of the collected particulate (carbon) lies above the temperature range of the exhaust of most vehicles having combustion engines. Some form of external energy is used to increase the filter temperature such that the oxidation temperature is reached and the filter can regenerate. Electrical heaters and fuel burners are two such external energy systems, but are not viable for vehicles due to increased cost, complexity, and reliability.
Another way to regenerate a particulate filter is to use a catalyst to lower the oxidation temperature of the collected particulate. Catalysts can either be applied as a filter coating or as an additive added to the fuel of the vehicle. The advantage of fuel additives to promote regeneration is that the catalyst is contained within the particulate trapped by the filter. A fuel additive dosing system adds the additive to the fuel.
The fuel additive dosing system must add a determined amount of the additive to the fuel to maintain a desired fuel/additive ratio. Typical fuel additive dosing systems use the fuel level sender gauge located in the fuel tank to monitor the fuel level in the fuel tank. The typical fuel additive dosing systems gain information about the refueling operations such as the amount of fuel added during refueling by using the fuel level gauge.
A problem with using the fuel level gauge in the fuel tank is that the reading from the fuel level gauge is typically not accurate enough for fuel additive dosing systems. Fuel level gauges are also prone to having erroneous fuel readings when the fuel tank is full or nearly empty.
Because the fuel level reading regarding the amount of fuel in the fuel tank is not typically accurate, the fuel additive dosing systems add an improper amount of the additive to the fuel. The improper amount may be more or less than the amount required for maintaining the desired fuel/additive mixture ratio. This causes the actual fuel/additive ratio to be different than the desired fuel/additive ratio. Deviance from the desired fuel/additive ratio must be kept to a minimum for proper filter performance.
What is needed is a more accurate way of determining the amount of fuel in a vehicle or added to a vehicle for fuel additive dosing methods and systems.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and system for adding an additive to fuel based on directly monitoring the fuel added to a vehicle having an engine in conjunction with using the engine electronic control unit for monitoring fuel consumption and fuel remaining in the fuel tank.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a method for adding an additive to fuel in a vehicle having an electronic control unit. The method includes monitoring the amount of fuel consumed by the vehicle prior to refueling using the electronic control unit (ECU). The amount of fuel added to the vehicle during refueling is measured during refueling. The amount of fuel in the vehicle after refueling is then determined as a function of the amount of fuel consumed by the vehicle prior to refueling and the amount of fuel added to the vehicle during refueling. The amount of the additive to add to the fuel in the vehicle to maintain a desired fuel/additive ratio is then determined as a function of the amount of fuel added to the vehicle. The determined amount of the additive is then added to the fuel in the vehicle.
Further according to the present invention, there is provided a system for adding an additive to fuel in a vehicle having a fuel tank. The system includes an electronic control unit for monitoring the amount of fuel consumed by the vehicle prior to refueling. Measuring means measure the amount of fuel added to the fuel tank of the vehicle during refueling. A processor operable with the ECU, or as part of the ECU, and the measuring means determines the amount of fuel in the fuel tank after refueling as a function of the amount of fuel consumed by the vehicle prior to refueling and the amount of fuel added to the fuel tank during refueling. The processor determines an amount of the additive to add to the fuel tank as a function of the determined amount of fuel added to the fuel tank to maintain a desired fuel/additive ratio.
Preferably, the system further includes a dispenser for adding the determined amount of the additive to the fuel tank of the vehicle. In alternative embodiments of the present invention, the measuring means include a receiver for receiving a signal from a fuel pump indicative of the amount of fuel added to the fuel tank during refueling, or a venturi or turbine positioned between the fuel tank and the fuel tank opening, for measuring the flow of fuel added to fuel tank during refueling.
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Backes Rolf
Gadd Sarah Jane
Drouillard Jerome R.
Ford Global Technologies Inc.
Huynh Hai
Kamen Noah P.
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