초록

A fuel system for on-board vehicle fuel separation to supply engine fuel compositions formulated as a function of driving cycle conditions. The invention results in improvements in one or more of feed efficiency and combustion emissions.

대표청구항 ▼

A fuel system for on-board vehicle fuel separation to supply engine fuel compositions formulated as a function of driving cycle conditions. The invention results in improvements in one or more of feed efficiency and combustion emissions. ombustion chamber; a vent structure operative having an inlet

A fuel system for on-board vehicle fuel separation to supply engine fuel compositions formulated as a function of driving cycle conditions. The invention results in improvements in one or more of feed efficiency and combustion emissions. ombustion chamber; a vent structure operative having an inlet portion communicated with said combustion chamber, and a discharge portion, said vent structure being operative, during firing of said heating apparatus, to create a draft that draws the created hot combustion products through said vent structure toward said discharge portion thereof; and a flammable vapor control system for substantially preventing entry into and combustion within said combustion chamber of extraneous flammable vapors externally adjacent said bottom portion of said heating apparatus, without detecting the extraneous flammable vapors or terminating firing of said heating apparatus, said flammable vapor control system including: a dilution air flow passage coupled to said discharge portion of said vent structure, isolated from direct communication with said combustion chamber, and having an inlet portion positioned externally adjacent said bottom portion of said heating apparatus, said dilution air flow passage functioning, during firing of said heating apparatus, to draw dilution air and said extraneous flammable vapors into said discharge portion of said vent structure for discharge therefrom, and a combustion air flow passage having an inlet for receiving ambient combustion air from adjacent said heating apparatus, and an outlet communicated with said combustion chamber. 14. The fuel-fired heating apparatus of claim 13 wherein: said outlet of said combustion air flow passage is directly connected to said combustion chamber. 15. The fuel-fired heating apparatus of claim 14 wherein: substantially all of the combustion air supplied to said combustion chamber interiorly traverses said combustion air flow passage. 16. The fuel-fired heating apparatus of claim 13 wherein: said heating apparatus is a fuel-fired water heater. 17. The fuel-fired heating apparatus of claim 13 wherein: said heating apparatus is a gas-fired water heater. 18. The fuel-fired heating apparatus of claim 13 wherein: said heating apparatus is a forced draft heating appliance, said discharge portion of said vent structure includes a draft inducer fan having an inlet portion, and said dilution air flow passage is coupled to said inlet portion of said draft inducer fan. 19. The fuel-fired heating apparatus of claim 18 wherein: said dilution air flow passage is defined by an external conduit structure. 20. The fuel-fired heating apparatus of claim 13 wherein: said heating apparatus is a natural draft heating appliance. 21. The fuel-fired heating apparatus of claim 20 wherein: said dilution air flow passage is defined by an external conduit structure. 22. The fuel-fired heating apparatus of claim 13 wherein: said combustion chamber has a substantially imperforate bottom wall. 23. The fuel-fired heating apparatus of claim 13 wherein: said combustion chamber is enclosed within and bounded by a wall structure substantially devoid of flame quenching openings. 24. A method of operating a fuel-fired heating apparatus having a combustion chamber disposed at a bottom portion thereof, a burner structure operative to create hot combustion products within said combustion chamber, and a vent structure having an inlet portion communicated with said combustion chamber, and a discharge portion, said vent structure being operative, during firing of said heating apparatus, to create a draft that draws the created hot combustion products through said vent structure toward said discharge portion thereof, for discharge therefrom, said method comprising the step of: substantially preventing entry into and combustion within said combustion chamber, during firing of said heating apparatus, of extraneous flammable vapors externally adjacent said bottom portion of said heating apparatus, without detecting the extraneous flammable vapors or terminating firing of said heating apparatus, said substantially preventing step including the steps of: draw