Bidirectional Valve for Jet Pump Fuel Return Line
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fuel systems for internal combustion engines face issues with cost and efficiency due to the complexity and flow restriction of unidirectional check valves, which can lead to fuel leakage and reduced jet pump performance, especially when the fuel return line is damaged or during accidents.
Innovation Solution
A fuel system with a valve that allows bidirectional flow between the fuel return line and the jet pump, ensuring fuel is primed and preventing leakage by maintaining differential pressure above a predetermined threshold, using a resilient elastomer valve that allows fluid communication when pressure exceeds a certain level, thus minimizing cost and maintaining efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a unidirectional check valve is used to prevent fuel leakage, then fuel leakage prevention is improved, but device complexity and cost increase due to multiple components
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the essential function of preventing fuel leakage backflow from the complex multi-component check valve structure, implementing it through a simplified resilient elastomer valve that only requires a single movable component within the fuel return line to achieve the same protective function
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a resilient elastomer valve made from flexible material that can deform under pressure differential to control fuel flow direction, replacing rigid multi-part mechanical check valve structures with a simple flexible membrane that achieves the same one-way flow control
2Reliability
If a unidirectional check valve is used to prevent fuel leakage, then fuel leakage prevention is improved, but jet pump efficiency decreases due to flow restriction
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic valve response where the resilient elastomer dynamically opens and closes based on real-time pressure differential conditions, allowing optimal fuel flow during normal operation while preventing backflow only when necessary, thereby maintaining jet pump efficiency while ensuring leakage prevention
3Reliability
If a valve is added to prevent fuel leakage, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a self-regulating valve system where the resilient elastomer automatically responds to pressure differential changes without external control mechanisms, opening to allow fuel flow when pressure differential is favorable and closing to prevent leakage when pressure differential reverses, eliminating the need for additional actuators or control systems
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively prevents fuel leakage and keeps the fuel return line primed, reducing costs and enhancing the efficiency of the fuel system while ensuring reliable operation even when the fuel pump is not running.
Implementation Method 1
a valve which allows fuel flow from the fuel return line to the jet pump when a differential pressure across the valve is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold and which also allows fuel flow from the jet pump to the fuel return line when the differential pressure across the valve is greater than or equal to the predetermined threshold
Implementation Method 2
using a resilient elastomer valve that allows fluid communication when pressure exceeds a certain level
Data Source
AI summary
A fuel system includes a fuel reservoir configured to be located within the fuel tank such that the fuel reservoir defines a fuel reservoir volume which is a subset of a fuel tank volume; a fuel pump configured to pump fuel from within the fuel reservoir volume to the fuel consuming device through a fuel supply line; a jet pump configured to 1) receive excess fuel, through a fuel return line, which had been supplied to the fuel consuming device through the fuel supply line and 2) aspirate fuel into the fuel reservoir volume from the fuel tank volume; and a valve which allows fuel flow in both directions between the fuel return line and the jet pump when a differential pressure across the valve is greater than or equal to a predetermined threshold.