Redundant Fuel Pump System for Engine Reliability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing fuel systems for internal combustion engines lack redundancy, leading to potential insufficient or non-existent fuel supply during operational disruptions, such as pump failures, which can cause vehicles to suddenly stop, necessitating a solution for reliable fuel delivery even in faulty conditions.
Innovation Solution
A fuel system with a main supply pump and a transfer pump, along with a valve device that allows fuel to bypass the primary fuel tank during main supply pump failures and the primary fuel tank during transfer pump failures, ensuring continuous fuel supply from a secondary fuel tank using electric engines, without requiring power or control signals, thus enabling a 'limp home' function for vehicle movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single fuel pump is used in the fuel system, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability deteriorates because the vehicle stops if the pump fails or provides insufficient fuel flow
Solution Approach 1:
The fuel system is segmented into multiple independent fuel pumps (at least two fuel pumps are provided) so that if one pump fails, the other can continue to supply fuel to the engine, maintaining vehicle operation during the trip
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit changes the operational parameters by activating different fuel pumps based on detected failures. When a failure is detected in one pump, the control unit switches to using the other pump, changing the system's operational state to maintain reliability
2Reliability
If two electrically driven fuel pumps are arranged in the fuel system to achieve redundancy, then the reliability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Both fuel pumps are designed with identical functionality and can perform the same task of supplying fuel to the engine. This universality allows either pump to take over if the other fails, providing redundancy without requiring complex specialized systems for each pump
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses identical copies of the fuel pump component (at least two fuel pumps with the same function) to provide redundancy. This copying approach simplifies the overall system design while achieving the desired reliability through redundancy
3Device complexity
If only a mechanical fuel pump driven by the internal combustion engine is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the reliability deteriorates because the fuel supply ceases if the pump fails
Solution Approach 1:
The fuel pump function is segmented into multiple independent units (at least two fuel pumps) rather than relying on a single mechanical pump. This segmentation ensures that failure of one pump does not completely stop fuel supply, as the other pump can continue operation
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces purely mechanical pump operation with a hybrid approach where electrically driven pumps are used alongside or instead of mechanical pumps. This substitution allows for better control and reliability, as electric pumps can be independently controlled and monitored by the control unit
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 system effectively reduces the risk of fuel supply disruptions, allowing the vehicle to be driven to a garage even with operational failures, by ensuring a redundant and passive fuel delivery mechanism that maintains engine operation with reduced or full effect.
Implementation Method 1
a first electric engine is arranged to operate the main supply pump
Implementation Method 2
a second electric engine is arranged to operate the transfer pump
Implementation Method 3
A valve device is arranged downstream of the transfer pump... the valve block is arranged to be in a second, closed state, in which the first and the second openings are moved in relation to the first and second fuel channels, whereat the first and the second fuel channels are closed, and accordingly the fuel flow bypasses the first fuel tank
Implementation Method 4
At operational disruptions in the transfer pump a float is arranged to close the first fuel channel
Data Source
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AI summary
A fuel system (4) for an internal combustion engine (2) comprises a first fuel tank (20), a second fuel tank (22), a first fuel conduit (36), arranged in connection with the first fuel tank (20) and the second fuel tank (22), a second fuel conduit (40), arranged in connection with the first fuel tank (20), a main supply pump (26), and a transfer pump (28). The main supply pump (26) supplies fuel from the first fuel tank (20) through the second fuel conduit (40), and the transfer pump (28) supplies fuel from the second fuel tank (22) to the first fuel tank (20), via the first fuel conduit (36). A valve device (32) is arranged downstream of the transfer pump (28). The valve device (32) comprises an arch block (55), which is arranged to move from an open state to a closed state and thus to lead the fuel flow past the first fuel tank (20). The fuel system reduces the risk of insufficient or non-existing fuel supply to the internal combustion engine in the event of an operational disruption, and enables a method for continued operation, albeit with potentially reduced power. This also secures the operation of the internal combustion engine (2) and a vehicle equipped with such a fuel system.