초록 ▼

A fuel supply system for a marine propulsion system having an electronically controlled fuel injection system eliminates the need for a vapor separator. The system pumps an excessive amount of fuel through a plumbed fuel supply loop and cools recirculated fuel to cool all the components in the plumb

A fuel supply system for a marine propulsion system having an electronically controlled fuel injection system eliminates the need for a vapor separator. The system pumps an excessive amount of fuel through a plumbed fuel supply loop and cools recirculated fuel to cool all the components in the plumbed fuel supply loop, i.e. a continuous duty, constant displacement fuel pump; a pressure regulator; and a water separating fuel filter. Recirculated fuel flows from the pressure regulator to the water separating fuel filter as does make-up fuel from a fuel tank. The fuel stream from the water separating fuel filter flows to the low-pressure side of the fuel pump, which pumps the fuel through the plumb fuel supply loop. A fuel injection portion of the fuel flows to the engine for combustion, while the remaining portion of the fuel is recirculated. The recirculated portion of the fuel is cooled, preferably using a water-cooled heat exchanger. The cooled, recirculated fuel passes through the pressure regulator and repeats recirculation to the water separating fuel filter.

대표청구항 ▼

[ We claim:] [1.] In a marine propulsion system, a method of supplying fuel from a main fuel tank to an internal combustion engine comprising the steps of:providing a plumbed fuel supply loop through which a stream of fuel flows,continuously pumping the stream of fuel flowing through the plumbed fue

[ We claim:] [1.] In a marine propulsion system, a method of supplying fuel from a main fuel tank to an internal combustion engine comprising the steps of:providing a plumbed fuel supply loop through which a stream of fuel flows,continuously pumping the stream of fuel flowing through the plumbed fuel supply loop with a fuel pump, the fuel pump displacing a relatively fixed volume of liquid fuel;cooling the fuel stream flowing through the plumbed fuel supply loop with a fuel cooler;supplying a fuel injection portion of the fuel stream flowing through the plumbed fuel supply loop to the engine for combustion, the amount of the fuel injection portion under all operating conditions being substantially less than the amount of fuel pumped by the fuel pump;recirculating a remaining portion of the fuel stream which is not supplied to the engine for combustion through the plumbed fuel supply loop at a location in the plumbed fuel supply loop upstream of the fuel pump and cooler;providing make-up fuel from a main vehicle fuel tank to replenish the recirculated fuel stream flowing through the plumbed fuel supply loop;providing the replenished recirculated fuel stream through the plumbed fuel supply loop to a low-pressure side of the fuel pump without accumulating the replenished recirculated fuel stream in a vapor separator; andfiltering the fuel stream flowing through the plumbed fuel supply loop through a water separating fuel filter at a location in the plumbed fuel supply loop upstream of the fuel pump and downstream of the location where the remaining portion of the fuel stream that was not supplied to the engine is recirculated through the plumbed fuel supply loop and also downstream of the location where the make-up fuel is provided to replenish the recirculated fuel flow through the plumbed fuel supply loop.