Variable Capacity Hydrocarbon Emissions Trap
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing evaporative emission control systems face challenges in efficiently capturing bleed emissions due to limited packaging space and bleed element capacity, especially in vehicles with larger fuel tanks, leading to inadequate emission trapping and increased emissions.
Innovation Solution
A vapor canister design featuring a series of fluidically coupled bleed element shells externally mounted on its sidewall, which connects to both the atmosphere and an internal chamber, allowing for adjustable bleed element capacity without increasing packaging space, thereby enhancing emission trapping efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a carbon scrubber is mounted outside the vapor canister in a separate conduit, then bleed emissions can be captured, but packaging space increases
Solution Approach 1:
The bleed element shells are integrated with the vapor canister by coupling them to the external sidewall, merging two previously separate components (vapor canister and bleed element housing) into a single integrated assembly. This eliminates the need for separate conduits and reduces overall packaging space while maintaining bleed emissions capture functionality
Solution Approach 2:
The bleed element shells are positioned and coupled to the external sidewall of the vapor canister, effectively nesting the bleed element assembly within the overall canister structure. This nested arrangement allows the bleed elements to utilize the external surface area of the canister without occupying additional packaging space
2Volume of stationary object
If a bleed canister is placed inside the vapor canister, then packaging space is reduced, but the bleed element capacity is limited
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of placing the bleed elements inside the vapor canister (three-dimensional internal space), the bleed element shells are coupled to the external sidewall of the canister. This moves the bleed element capacity expansion to the external surface dimension, allowing for increased capacity without compromising internal vapor canister volume or increasing overall packaging space
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the bleed element capacity is increased to meet stringent emission requirements, then emissions are captured effectively, but packaging space and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The bleed element system is divided into multiple discrete bleed element shells that are coupled in series to the external sidewall of the vapor canister. This segmentation allows for scalable capacity - the number and size of shells can be adjusted to meet different emission requirements without requiring a completely different system architecture, enabling flexible capacity expansion without proportional increases in packaging space
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
This design effectively captures bleed emissions and purges trapped hydrocarbons through the engine intake, reducing atmospheric emissions and accommodating varying fuel tank sizes without compromising on packaging or cost.
Implementation Method 1
a carbon scrubber is configured to receive and absorb the bleed emissions from the vapor canister
Implementation Method 2
a fuel vapor canister configured to adsorb refueling, diurnal, and running loss fuel vapors
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems are provided for a vapor canister couple to a fuel tank of a vehicle. A series of fluidically coupled, variable capacity bleed elements, externally coupled to a sidewall of the vapor canister, capture the bleed emissions resulting from desorption of fuel vapors from an adsorbent material inside the vapor canister. The series of bleed elements may be fluidically coupled through flow paths passing through the vapor canister wall, connecting through a first flow path to a chamber inside the vapor canister and connecting through a second flow path to a vent port of the vapor canister.