An improved manifold assembly for compressed natural gas filling system with integrated high-pressure filter

Abstract

"AN IMPROVED MANIFOLD ASSEMBLY FOR COMPRESSED NATURAL GAS FILLING SYSTEM WITH INTEGRATED HIGH-PRESSURE FILTER" An improved manifold assembly for compressed natural gas filling system with integrated high-pressure filter that aims to that eliminate the urge to use supplementary mounting provisions and fittings and has minimum number of joints for reducing leakage chances that results in a cost friendly leakage proof compressed natural gas filling system comprising of a manifold body (1), a micro switch (6) for switching on / off the power supply in the system, a high-pressure gauge (2) to measure the compressed natural gas, a receptacle cap (3) for preventing dirt ingress and a manual shut off valve (4) used to switch off the fuel supply to a vehicle's engine, wherein the manifold body is integrated with a high-pressure filter (5) without any supplementary mounting provisions and fittings which results in decrease in the number of joints and hence decrease the chances of leakage

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to an improved manifold assembly forcompressed natural gas filling system with integrated high-pressure filter.More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved manifoldassembly for compressed natural gas filling system with integrated highpressurefilter that aims to reduce leakages, parts in the fuel filling systemswhich results in reduction in failure modes and overall cost.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONA fuel filling station provides facility of fuel and engine lubricants for vehiclesthrough various types of filling machines, tanks and pumps. Some mostcommon fuel examples are gasoline, diesel, compressed natural gas, CGH2,HCNG, LPG, liquid hydrogen, kerosene, alcohol fuel. Among all the fuelcompressed natural gas (CNG) is considered as a clean burning fuel thatensures reduction in pollution. The compressed natural gas (CNG) burnscleaner when compared to conventional petrol and diesel. It has beenobserved in many surveys that burning carbon monoxide emissions arereduced by 70 to 80 percent, and 40 to 44 percent fewer hydrocarbons areproduced when compared to gasoline-powered vehicles. Along with this, thevehicles which runs through compressed natural gas (CNG) run quietly thangasoline and diesel vehicles, that results in less noise pollution.The compressed natural gas (CNG) fueling systems are organized to deal withoperations with relatively high natural gas source pressures. The CNG fuelingsystems present in public domain comprise of numerous compressors,crankshafts, compressor driver devices and manifold assembly for gascirculation in the systems. Additionally, some CNG fueling systems areassociated with plurality of CNG storage tanks that are not able of filling afuel tank rapidly.In current times, numerous types of manifold assemblies are available in themarket for compressed natural gas (CNG) filling systems in which the filterwas a separate part and they are integrated on vehicle for gas filtration due towhich the chances of leakage increased. Also, in many countries, the filterpart in the manifold assemblies are imported from other countries whichincreases the overall cost. Additionally, for connecting the imported part i.e.the high-pressure filter with the manifold assembly some fittings andmounting provisions are needed which increases the number of joints, henceincreases the chances of leakage.CN104595706A describes about a natural gas filling system which canimprove the safety and can realize the continuous industrialized refilling. Thenatural gas filling system comprises a gas unloading column, a compressor, anatural augmenter and a sequence control panel, which are sequentiallyconnected with one another through a pipeline, wherein a gas inlet of the gasunloading column is connected with a gas outlet of a CNG transport vehicle,wherein a filter was separate part and integrated on vehicle for gas filtrationthat increases the cost of overall filling system.US9765930B2 describes about a compressed natural gas (CNG) fuelingsystem that has a single compressor, a storage tank configured to receiveCNG from the compressor, and a CNG feedback to the compressor from thestorage tank. But the drawbacks of this invention are number of joints arepresent due to which leakage chances are increased and associated with anumber of failure modes, has large packaging size that increases the vehiclelevel constraints.US20020083932A1 describes about a vehicle gaseous fuel supply systemincluding a high-pressure filter, a primary pressure-reducing valve, a solenoidcut-off valve, safety means, and a secondary pressure-reducing valve. Aregulator is formed by disposing the high pressure filter, the solenoid cut-offvalve and the primary pressure-reducing valve on a common regulator bodythat has a passage providing a connection between the high pressure filter andthe solenoid cut-off valve that aims in reduction of dimensions of a regulatorin which a plurality of components are integrated, thereby lesseningrestrictions on the layout yet the filter was separate part and integrated onvehicle for gas filtration due to which the number of joints increases andupsurges the chances of leakage and overall cost of the invention.Therefore, there is a need of an improved manifold assembly for compressednatural gas filling system with integrated high-pressure filter that aims toreduce number of joints, failure modes, overall cost of the system, packagingsize of the product to eliminate the vehicle level constraints and associatedweight that results in a cost friendly leakage proof compressed natural gasfilling system.OBJECT OF THE INVENTIONThe main object of the present invention is to provide an improved manifoldassembly for compressed natural gas filling system with integrated highpressurefilter.Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved manifoldassembly for compressed natural gas filling system with integrated highpressure filter to eliminate the vehicle level constraints and result in a costfriendly leakage proof compressed natural gas filling system.Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an improvedmanifold assembly for compressed natural gas filling system with integratedhigh-pressure filter that has minimum number of joints for reducing leakagechances.Yet another object of the present invention is to provide improved manifoldassembly for compressed natural gas filling system with integrated highpressurefilter that results in overall weight reduction of the system.Still another object of the present invention is to provide improved manifoldassembly for compressed natural gas filling system with integrated highpressurefilter that eliminates the urge to use additional mounting provisionsand fittings.SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to an improved manifold assembly forcompressed natural gas filling system with integrated high-pressure filter thataims to eliminate the urge to use supplementary mounting provisions andfittings and has minimum number of joints thereby reducing the chances ofleakage and hence results in a cost friendly leakage proof compressed naturalgas filling system.In an embodiment, the present invention provides an improved manifoldassembly for compressed natural gas filling system with integrated highpressure filter comprising of a manifold body, at least one micro switch, atleast one high-pressure gauge, at least one receptacle cap, at least one manualshut off valve, at least one NZS filling valve, at least one NGV filing valve, atleast one outlet for engine connection, and at least one filling connection,wherein the manifold body is integrated with a high-pressure filter withoutany supplementary mounting provisions and fittings which reduces thenumber of joints and hence decreases the chances of leakage; and the highpressure filter is fitted with an oil drain plug at the bottom of the high pressurefilter; The NGV filling valve is fitted on the manifold body over which thereceptacle cap is placed.The above objects and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent from the hereinafter set forth brief description of the drawings,detailed description of the invention, and claims appended herewith.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSThe present invention will be described with reference to the followingdrawings. The drawings and the associated descriptions are provided toillustrate embodiments of the invention and not to limit the scope of theinvention:Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a manifold assembly for compressed natural gasfilling system with integrated high-pressure according to an embodiment ofthe present invention.Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a conventional assembly for compressed naturalgas filling system.Fig. 3 is a rear perspective view of a manifold assembly for compressednatural gas filling system with integrated high-pressure according to anembodiment of the present invention.Fig. 4 is a rear perspective view of a conventional manifold assembly forcompressed natural gas filling system.Fig. 5 is another perspective view of a manifold assembly for compressednatural gas filling system with integrated high-pressure and filing valve.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONMany aspects of the invention can be better understood with references madeto the drawings below. The components in the drawings are not necessarilydrawn to scale. Instead, emphasis is placed upon clearly illustrating thecomponents of the present invention. Moreover, like reference numeralsdesignate corresponding parts through the several views in the drawings.Before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention, it is to beunderstood that the embodiments of the invention are not limited in theirapplication to the details of construction and to the arrangement of thecomponents set forth in the following description or illustrated in thedrawings. The embodiments of the invention are capable of being practicedand carried out in various ways. In addition, the phraseology and terminologyemployed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regardedas limiting.The present invention provides an improved manifold assembly forcompressed natural gas filling system with integrated high-pressure filter thateliminates the urge to use additional fitting provisions and reduces the jointsin the system for decreasing the chance of any leakage thereby ensuring safety.In an embodiment, the present invention provides an improved manifoldassembly for compressed natural gas filling system with integrated highpressurefilter comprising of a manifold body, at least one micro switch forswitching on / off the power supply in the system, a high-pressure gauge tomeasure the compressed natural gas, a receptacle cap for preventing dirtingress, a manual shut off valve to manually switch off the fuel supply to avehicle's engine, at least one NZS filling valve for slow filling, at least oneNGV filing valve for fast filling, at least one outlet for engine connection, anda plurality of filling connections, wherein the manifold body is integrated witha high-pressure filter without any supplementary mounting provisions andfittings which results in decrease in the number of joints and hence decreasethe chances of leakage; and the high pressure filter is fitted with an oil drainplug at the bottom of the high pressure filter; The NGV filling valve is fittedon the manifold body over which the receptacle cap is placed.Referring to Fig. 1, a perspective view of a manifold assembly for compressednatural gas filling system with integrated high-pressure is illustrated. Themanifold body (1) is integrated with the high-pressure filter (5) without anyfittings and mounting provisions for gas filtration. The high-pressure filter (5)used herein is responsible for protecting a vehicle's critical engine componentsthat includes but not limited to such as fuel injectors and pressure reducingvalves from contaminants present in the compressed natural gas fuel as thecomponents require contaminant free air. The high-pressure gauge (2) isresponsible for measuring the pressure of the compressed natural gas isconfigured over the manifold body (1). The purpose of the NGV filling valve(9) in the compressed natural gas filling system is to control and regulate theflow of high-pressure natural gas and are opened or shut in accordance to theresponse of the gas pressure under general safety standards. The NGV fillingvalve is fastened with the receptacle cap (3) to prevent contaminants or dirtingress. The micro switch (6) is mounted over the manifold body (1) forswitching on / off the power supply in the system. Additionally, a manual shutoff valve (4) is mounted over the manifold assembly (100) that is used toswitch off the fuel supply to a vehicle's engine.Referring to Fig. 2, a perspective view of a conventional assembly forcompressed natural gas filling system is depicted in which the high-pressurefilter (5') is externally fitted into the conventional assembly, which increasethe number of joints and chances of leakage in the assembly, whereas in Fig.1, the high-pressure filter (5') is integrated within the manifold body (1),which reduces the number of joints and imported part which results inreduction in the chances of leakages.Referring to Fig. 3, a rear perspective view of a manifold assembly forcompressed natural gas filling system with integrated high-pressure isillustrated. On the rear portion of the manifold assembly (100), a plurality offilling connections (8), and an outlet (7) for engine connection is provided toconnect the vehicle with the manifold body (1) for filling the tank of vehiclewith compressed natural gas (CNG) fuel. The oil drain plug (10) is providedat the bottom of the high-pressure filter (5) for draining out the compressednatural gas. The NZS filling valve (11) is provided at one side of the manifoldassembly (100) for slow filling.Referring to Fig. 4, a rear perspective view of a conventional manifoldassembly for compressed natural gas filling system is depicted, in which thereare two ports (8') one for cylinder connection & one for engine, whereas inFig. 3, the manifold assembly for compressed natural gas filling system withintegrated high-pressure i.e. the present invention includes two fillingconnections (8), and an outlet (7) for engine connection is provided toconnect the vehicle with the manifold body (1) for filling the tank of vehiclewith compressed natural gas (CNG) fuel.Referring to Fig. 5, shows another perspective view of a manifold assemblyfor compressed natural gas filling system with integrated high-pressure andfiling valve is depicted, wherein the NGV filling valve (9) is provided on oneof the sides of the manifold body (1) and the receptacle cap (3) is fastened overit to safeguard the valve from any kind of damage due to dust particles. Whenthe system is not in use the cap (3) remains fastened over the valve (9) asdepicted in Fig. 1.EXAMPLE 1Experimental AnalysisA comparison between number of components of the conventional manifoldassembly for compressed natural gas filling system and the present inventioni.e. an improved manifold assembly for compressed natural gas filling systemwith integrated high-pressure filter is depicted in Table 1.Table 1Comparison between conventional assembly and improved manifoldassembly for compressed natural gas filling systemFrom the Table 1, it is observed that the present invention i.e. improvedmanifold assembly comprise less number of components and joints, whichresults in reduction in chances of leakage as compared to the conventionalmanifold assembly.Therefore, the present invention provides a cost-effective manifold assemblyfor compressed natural gas filling system with integrated high-pressure filterthat eliminate the urge to use additional mounting provisions and fittings,having minimum joints for ensuring safety and associated with minimumfailure modes that also eliminated vehicle level constraints.The foregoing description of embodiments of the invention has beenpresented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to beexhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed, andmodifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings ormay be acquired from practice of the invention. The embodiments werechosen and described in order to explain the principals of the invention and itspractical application to enable one skilled in the art to utilize the invention invarious embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to theparticular use contemplated.

Claims

1. An improved manifold assembly (100) for compressed natural gas filling system with integrated high-pressure filter, comprising: a manifold body (1); at least one high-pressure gauge (2); at least one receptacle cap (3); at least one manual shut off valve (4); at least one NZS filling valve (11); at least one NGV filing valve (9); at least one outlet (7) for engine connection; at least one filling connection (8); and at least one micro switch (6); wherein, said manifold body (1) is integrated with a high-pressure filter (5) without any supplementary mounting provisions and fittings reducing the number of joints and hence decreasing the chances of leakage; said high pressure filter (5) is fitted with an oil drain plug (10) at the bottom portion for draining out the compressed natural gas; and said NGV filling valve (9) is provided on said manifold body (1) and said receptacle cap (3) is fastened over said manifold body (1) to safeguard from any kind of damage due to dust particles.

2. The improved manifold assembly (100) for compressed natural gas filling system with integrated high-pressure filter as claimed in claim 1, wherein said high-pressure filter (5) is for protecting critical engine components of a vehicle that includes but not limited to such as fuel injectors and pressure reducing valves from contaminants.

3. The improved manifold assembly (100) for compressed natural gas filling system with integrated high-pressure filter as claimed in claim 1, wherein said high-pressure gauge (2) is for measuring the pressure of the compressed natural gas is configured over said manifold body (1).

4. The improved manifold assembly (100) for compressed natural gas filling system with integrated high-pressure filter as claimed in claim 1, wherein said NGV filling valve (9) controls and regulates the flow of high-pressure natural gas.

5. The improved manifold assembly (100) for compressed natural gas filling system with integrated high-pressure filter as claimed in claim 1, wherein said micro switch (6) is mounted over the manifold body (1) for switching on / off the power supply in said improved manifold assembly for compressed natural gas filling system.

6. The improved manifold assembly (100) for compressed natural gas filling system with integrated high-pressure filter as claimed in claim 1, wherein said manual shut off valve (4) is mounted over the manifold assembly that is used to switch off the fuel supply.