Fuel Tank Control Method for Vehicle Maintenance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fuel tank arrangements for vehicles require regular maintenance, which involves draining fuel, often necessitating a separate storage tank, and there is a need to efficiently manage fuel levels between multiple tanks to ensure sufficient propulsion and prevent overfilling or underfilling.
Innovation Solution
A method for controlling a fuel tank arrangement with multiple tanks connected to a prime mover, where a control unit manages fuel delivery and return flow based on predetermined minimum and maximum fuel levels, allowing adaptive pumping power to maintain optimal fuel levels for maintenance and operation, ensuring sufficient propulsion and preventing overfilling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of repair
If fuel is drained from the fuel tank before maintenance, then the fuel tank can be maintained, but a separate storage tank is required and fuel evacuation volume is large
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts only the necessary amount of fuel from the fuel tank, leaving a minimum residual volume that is sufficient for safety and operation. This is achieved by controlling the fuel level to maintain a minimum volume rather than completely draining the tank before maintenance, thereby reducing the fuel evacuation volume while still enabling maintenance activities.
2Quantity of substance
If fuel level is reduced in the first fuel tank for maintenance, then maintenance can be performed with less fuel evacuation, but sufficient propulsion fuel must be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary assessment of fuel levels and determines the minimum required volume before maintenance begins. The control unit calculates and maintains a minimum fuel volume threshold that ensures sufficient propulsion capability while allowing fuel evacuation above this threshold, thereby preparing the system in advance to balance maintenance needs with propulsion requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit continuously monitors the fuel level in the first fuel tank and dynamically adjusts fuel evacuation and transfer operations based on real-time measurements. This feedback mechanism ensures that the minimum fuel volume required for propulsion is maintained while allowing maximum fuel evacuation for maintenance, thus resolving the contradiction between reducing evacuation volume and maintaining propulsion capability.
3Ease of repair
If return flow is prevented from the first fuel tank, then fuel level is controlled for maintenance, but fuel delivery to prime mover must be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the fuel supply system into multiple independent fuel tanks (first fuel tank for maintenance, second fuel tank for propulsion). By dividing the fuel storage into separate compartments with independent control, the system can prevent return flow to the first fuel tank for maintenance while simultaneously maintaining fuel delivery to the prime mover through the second fuel tank, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of repair and productivity.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a method for controlling a fuel tank arrangement (100) connected to a prime mover (101) for propulsion of a vehicle. More particularly, the fuel tank arrangement (100) comprises a first (102) and a second (104) fuel tank connected to the prime mover of the vehicle.