Submerged Fuel Pump in Methanol Supply System
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current methanol fuel supply systems for marine vessels are cumbersome and require complex components, necessitating a dedicated explosion-safe zone for the external low-pressure pump, which is not feasible for higher-powered engines due to space constraints and safety concerns.
Innovation Solution
A compact methanol fuel supply system incorporating a recovery tank and submerged first fuel pump, which eliminates the need for a dedicated service tank and reduces the system's footprint by integrating the purging circuit and inert gas source, allowing for safe operation without an external low-pressure pump in an explosion-safe zone.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If an external low-pressure pump is used to supply methanol fuel, then the fuel can be delivered to the engine, but a dedicated explosion-safe zone (ATEX zone) is required which increases space requirements and system complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the low-pressure pump with the fuel storage tank by submerging the pump inside the tank. This integration eliminates the need for a separate external pump and its associated explosion-safe zone, thereby simplifying the system layout while maintaining fuel supply capability to the engine.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the low-pressure pump from the external environment and places it inside the fuel storage tank. This relocation eliminates the need for a dedicated ATEX zone for the pump and reduces the overall system footprint while maintaining the necessary fuel delivery function.
2Quantity of substance
If a large fuel storage tank is arranged on the deck for higher-powered engines, then the required fuel volume is available, but the deck space is occupied and a dedicated explosion-safe zone is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent relocates the fuel storage tank from the horizontal deck surface to the vertical space beneath the deck. This dimensional transition allows the tank to be positioned in previously underutilized space, maintaining adequate fuel storage volume while preserving deck area for other ship operations and eliminating the need for an external ATEX zone.
3Reliability
If the external low-pressure pump is located close to the service tank to avoid cavitation, then cavitation risk is reduced, but the fuel preparation room must be arranged close to the fuel service tank increasing layout complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the low-pressure pump with the fuel storage tank structure by submerging the pump inside the tank. This merger ensures the pump is always positioned at the optimal location for cavitation prevention while eliminating the need for a separate fuel preparation room, thereby maintaining reliability without increasing layout complexity.
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 simplifies layout, reduces component complexity, and ensures operator safety by enabling compact installation and efficient methanol fuel supply to multiple marine fuel consuming devices, while avoiding cavitation issues and contamination separation within the recovery tank.
Implementation Method 1
the external low-pressure pump needs to be arranged to avoid cavitation phenomenon Therefore, the external low-pressure pump is located as close as possible to a service tank
Implementation Method 2
a purging circuit (16) fluidly connected to the fuel consuming device (4) and to the recovery tank (10), and configured to remove methanol fuel (2) and any contaminations (17) in the methanol fuel (2) from the fuel consuming device (4) to the recovery tank (10) by means of an inert gas (18)
Implementation Method 3
The recovery tank (10) may comprise a separator arrangement (20) which is configured to separate the methanol fuel (2), the inert gas (18) and the contaminations (17) in the recovery tank (10) from each other
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The disclosure relates to a methanol fuel supply system (1) for supplying methanol fuel (2) to a marine fuel consuming device (4), the system (1) comprising: a fuel storage tank (6) configured to contain methanol fuel (2) to be delivered to the fuel consuming device (4); a first fuel pump (8), which is fluidly connected to the fuel storage tank (6) and to the fuel consuming device (4). The system (1) comprises a recovery tank (10), which is fluidly connected to the fuel consuming device (4), which recovery tank (10) is configured to collect and recover methanol fuel (2) purged from the fuel consuming device (4). The disclosure further relates to a method for operating the methanol fuel supply system (1).