Fuel Nozzle Liquid-Vapor Separator with Movable Wall
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
High filling rates in fuel tanks often lead to premature closure of the filling nozzle due to excessive overpressure, caused by the pressure drop in liquid vapor separators which forces vapors to circulate through a labyrinth, increasing pressure and disrupting the filling process.
Innovation Solution
A liquid vapor separator with a movable wall that changes configuration during filling, reducing the pressure drop by allowing vapors to bypass the labyrinth, thus minimizing overpressure and facilitating smoother filling operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the liquid vapor separator uses a labyrinth configuration to extract droplets from vapors, then the separation efficiency is improved, but the pressure drop increases causing excessive overpressure in the tank
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the separator configuration changeable between two states: a labyrinth configuration for high separation efficiency during normal operation, and a direct flow configuration with reduced pressure drop during high-flow filling operations. The movable wall allows the system to dynamically adapt its structure based on operating conditions, resolving the contradiction between separation efficiency and pressure drop.
2Productivity
If the filling rate is increased to improve productivity, then the filling speed is improved, but the vapor flow causes excessive overpressure and premature nozzle closure
Solution Approach 1:
The movable wall mechanism allows the separator to dynamically switch configurations based on vapor flow rate. During high-speed filling, the wall moves to create a direct flow path that reduces pressure drop and prevents overpressure, enabling sustained high filling rates without premature nozzle closure.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the physical configuration parameter of the separator (from labyrinth to direct flow) in response to changing operating conditions (filling rate). This parameter change allows the system to maintain optimal performance across different filling rates, preventing overpressure during high-productivity operations.
3Productivity
If the movable wall is positioned to reduce pressure drop during filling, then the filling operation is improved, but the droplet separation efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the separator configuration based on operational phase: during filling operations, the movable wall creates a direct flow path for smooth filling; during normal vapor evacuation, it forms a labyrinth for efficient droplet separation. This temporal separation of functions resolves the contradiction between filling efficiency and separation efficiency.
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 reduces overpressure in the tank, preventing premature nozzle closures and ensuring uninterrupted filling by altering the vapor flow path during filling and returning to the original configuration post-filling.
Implementation Method 1
the pressure drop undergone by the flow of vapors circulating in the hollow body between the inlet duct and the outlet duct is strictly less than that undergone by the same flow of vapors when the movable wall is in the first configuration
Implementation Method 2
Due to this reduced pressure drop compared to the first configuration, the vapor flow then no longer passes through the labyrinth of walls serving to trap the droplets, and passes more directly from the inlet duct to the outlet duct
Implementation Method 3
The fuel droplets are retained by the walls of the labyrinth over which they flow by gravity and are collected in the drainage means
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
The invention relates to a filling nozzle (41) of a fuel tank (4) including a receiving pipe (200) and a liquid-vapour separator (1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e), including a hollow body (120) in communication with an intake pipe for a stream of vapours (110) from the fuel tank (4), an emptying pipe (123) flowing into the receiving pipe (200), and a vapour outlet pipe (111), said hollow body (120) containing separation means for extracting droplets. The separation means include at least one wall (130, 130a, 130b, 135, 139b, 145) that is movable between first and second configurations, such that: in the first configuration the movable wall forms, together with the walls of the hollow body (120), a maze in which the stream of vapours passing from the intake pipe (110) towards the outlet pipe (111) is forced to circulate; and in the second configuration the movable wall is arranged such as to allow the stream of vapours to pass from the intake pipe (110) to the outlet pipe (111) following a path (51) that avoids all or part of the path travelled by said vapours when the movable walls are in the first configuration; such that the pressure drop in the stream of vapours circulating in the hollow body between the intake pipe (110) and the outlet pipe (111) is strictly lower than that of an equivalent stream of vapours when the separation means are in the first configuration.