Fuel Tank Vent Line Defect Detection via Volume Profile Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for detecting defective gas flows in purge lines of fuel vapor absorption filters require additional sensors, increasing costs and complexity, especially in systems with sealed tank stoppers and ORVR systems.
Innovation Solution
A method that continuously measures the fuel volume in the tank during filling and compares the volume profile over time to a predetermined profile, detecting defective flows by calculating volume gradients and incrementing a stoppage number when gradients are below thresholds, without the need for additional sensors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If additional sensors (pressure sensor or flow sensor) are installed in the purge line to detect defective gas flows, then detection reliability is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the existing fuel volume measurement capability to self-diagnose vent line defects. The control module analyzes the relationship between fuel volume added during refilling and the corresponding change in absorption filter mass, using this self-generated data to detect defective gas flows without external sensors.
Solution Approach 2:
The existing fuel volume measurement system, originally designed for refilling control, is made multi-functional by also using it for defective flow detection. The same measurement infrastructure serves dual purposes: managing the refilling process and monitoring vent line integrity.
2Measurement precision
If additional sensors are installed to monitor gas flow in the purge line, then detection precision is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system leverages its existing measurement capabilities (fuel volume measurement and absorption filter mass measurement) to perform defect detection. No external measurement devices are required, as the system uses its own operational data to diagnose vent line conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The absorption filter mass change serves as an intermediary indicator of gas flow conditions. Instead of directly measuring gas flow, the system measures the indirect effect (mass change of the filter) which correlates with vent line functionality.
3Difficulty of detecting and measuring
If pressure sensors or flow sensors are added to the purge system, then detection capability is improved, but the number of components and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The control module performs defect detection using data already collected during normal system operation. The existing infrastructure for measuring fuel volume and filter mass is repurposed to provide diagnostic functionality, eliminating the need for separate detection hardware.
Solution Approach 2:
The detection function is extracted from the physical domain (requiring sensors) and moved to the computational domain (software analysis). The control module analyzes operational parameters to detect defects, separating the detection logic from hardware requirements.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for detecting defective gas flow in a vent line of a device for purging a fuel vapor absorption filter of a vehicle's internal combustion engine during filling the vehicle's tank with fuel from a filler nozzle having a venturi effect duct, so as to stop the filling when the duct is full of fuel. The vent line connecting the fuel tank to the filter. The tank having: a filler pipe, at the end of which is a stopper designed so that, during filling with fuel from the filling nozzle, fuel vapors are evacuated through the vent line. At least one gauge measures fuel volume in the tank. The detection method continuously measuring the volume of fuel in the tank during filling and comparing a volume profile thus measured with respect to time against a predetermined volume profile. A defective flow detected if the two profiles do not match.