GB2170267A

GB2170267A - Diesel engine fuel preheating device

Info

Publication number: GB2170267A
Application number: GB08522482A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Giancarlo Gorra
Original assignee: WARM DIESEL Srl
Current assignee: WARM DIESEL Srl
Priority date: 1985-01-28
Filing date: 1985-09-11
Publication date: 1986-07-30
Also published as: GB8522482D0; IT8533502V0

Abstract

A tubular member (1) containing a copper coil is located in the flow path of engine cooling fluid flowing from the engine (12) to the radiator (14). The coil is included in the fuel supply pipe (9) upstream of the fuel filter (10) to preheat the fuel passing therethrough. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Fuel preheating device This invention relates to a device which, particularly when applied to vehicles having a diesel engine, provides for preheating of the fuel before it is passed to the filter, thus preventing the paraffin in the diesel fuel fed to this type of engine from solidifying in cold weather, clogging the filter and stopping the engine.

Although particularly suited to engines running on diesel fuel the device according to the invention is also useful for internal combustion engines inasmuch as it prevents cold from having an adverse effect on the performance of the engine, for example by affecting some of the substances present in the fuel.

Being easily fitted, this device may be fitted easily to any type of water-cooled vehicle without the need for any modifications.

The problems occurring in winter, particularly with vehicles running on diesel fuel, are well known.

Diesel fuel contains paraffin which solidifies below a certain temperature and clogs up the filter devices which must be fitted in the pipe carrying fuel to the injectors, with the result that the flow of diesel fuel can be shut off thereby stopping the engine.

This problem often occurs in vehicles in which the tank is located in an unprotected place, but when the temperature is particularly low it also occurs in those vehicles, like cars for example, where the fuel tank is placed in the central part of the vehicle and is surrounded by walls or other arrabgements which generally provide some insulation against heat loss.

The work which must be done in order to set the engine in motion again after this problem has occurred is extremely laborious, whence the need for means ensuring a permanent flow of fuel to the feed system, regardless of the outside temperature, maintaining the viscosity properties of the diesel fuel at an optimum.

With this object this invention provides a device for enabling heating of fuel, for diesel engines in particular, wherein means are provided connectable upstream of the fuel filter capable of extracting heat from the engine cooling fluid and transferring it to fuel moving towards the said filter.

The present invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 provides a diagrammatical illustration of a feed circuit to a diesel engine in which a device according to the invention has been fitted; and Figure 2 shows a view of a device according to the invention.

The device according to the invention consists basically of a preferably tubular pipe, which is indicated generally as 1 in Fig. 2, and has a central portion 2 of larger diameter with narrowed ends 3 and 4 such that the unit illustrated can be fitted between the hose, by which hot water leaves the engine, and the radiator of a vehicle.

Within and at the perimeter of the central portion 2 of tubular member 1 there is fitted a coil 5, preferably of copper, the ends 6 and 7 of which pass out through the wall of member 2 and are then connected in known manner to the pipe carrying fuel to the engine fuel supply devices.

Fig. 1 illustrates, by way of example, the fitting of a device according to the invention in the fuel supply circuit for a vehicle.

The fuel, drawn by a pump 17 through a dip pipe 18, passes from tank 16 through a supply pipe 9 into the coil 5 of device 1.

When the coil 5 leaves the device 1, the pipe continues, passing through a filter 10, to the injector 11 of the engine, which is shown diagrammatically and is indicated by 12.

The device containing coil 5 is positioned between hose 13, through which flows hot water from the engine, and radiator 14.

The manner of operation is as follows: The cooling fluid for the engine from coupling 13 passes inside tubular member 1 thus heating the walls of coil 5, through which the diesel fuel which is in turn heated runs, before it reaches radiator 14.

The diesel fuel drawn along by pump 17 passes along pipe 9, which is of sufficiently wide diameter, and then reaches coil 5 from which it emerges, after having been heated, and passes through the filter 10 to the injector 11 to be fed to the engine 12.

Recovered fuel which is not used to feed the engine is returned to tank 16 by a pipe 15 which opens near to dip pipe 18.

The heat energy transferred to the diesel fuel while it passes through coil 5 is sufficient to ensure that the fuel which returns to tank 16 is still hot.

In this way this fuel keeps the dip pipe 18 clean and helps to warn up the diesel fuel in the tank 16.

From tests made it has been found that vehicles to which the device according to the invention has been fitted operate without any problems even at temperatures lying betwen -20 and -25", if a coil of length approximately 1.3 m and consisting of a copper pipe of internal diameter approximately 4 mm is used.

The advantages of the device according to the invention, which is extremely cheap to manufacture, is easy to fit, does not require major work on the vehicle and does not consume energy, will now be clear from the above description.

Obviously the dimensions and the materials used may vary in relation to operating require ments.

Claims

1. A device for enabling heating of fuel, for diesel engines in particular, wherein means are provided connectable upstream of the fuel filter capable of extracting heat from the engine cooling fluid and transferring it to fuel moving towards the said filter.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein said means comprises a substantially tubular connection member insertable between the radiator and the outlet pipe for the engine cooling fluid from the engine, within which member is fitted a coil through which fuel may pass from the fuel tank towards the filter.

3. A device according to claim 2 in which the said tubular member has ends which are capable of being inserted into the radiator connection of a vehicle and the engine cooling fluid outlet coupling hose.

4. A fuel supply system for diesel engines in particular, wherein a heat exchanger is provided which can absorb heat from the cooling fluid leaving the engine and transfer it to the fuel before the latter reaches the filter.

5. A fuel supply system according to claim 4, wherein heat present in unused fuel recovered from the fuel system is used to preheat the fuel contained in the fuel tank.

6. A device for enabling heating of fuel, substantialiy as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.