A housing has an inner passage to communicate with both a fuel passage, which is to conduct fuel from a fuel pump, and a return passage, which is to return fuel a fuel tank. A valve body is movable in the housing to change a minimum flow passage cross-sectional area of the inner passage. A spring is connected to the valve body and changes its biasing load in correspondence with a fuel temperature to move the valve body. The spring moves the valve body such that the minimum flow passage cross-sectional area, when the fuel temperature is equal to or higher than a predetermined vapor generation temperature, is larger than the minimum flow passage cross-sectional area when the fuel temperature is lower than the vapor generation temperature.

A method of improving fuel efficiency in a diesel fuel internal combustion engine on a vehicle includes providing a combustion system including a fuel tank, an engine, and a fuel line disposed between the fuel tank and the engine. A heat exchanger is positioned on the fuel line between the fuel tank and the engine. Working thermal fluid is passed from a reservoir through the heat exchanger while fuel is passed through the heat exchanger, increasing the temperature of the fuel passing through the heat exchanger. A vibration isolation mount is installed between the heat exchanger and the vehicle, thereby reducing vibration of the heat exchanger during use of the vehicle. Heated fuel from the heat exchanger is delivered to the engine, improving the fuel efficiency of the engine by burning the heated fuel.

A valve device for a fuel filter module has a first fluid channel through which fuel flows only in recirculation mode of the fuel filter module and a second fluid channel through which fuel flows only outside of the recirculation mode. The first fluid channel extends inside the second fluid channel. The first and second fluid channels are coaxial to each other. A fuel filter module switchable into recirculation mode and out of recirculation mode is provided with a control valve that has a valve bore and a valve device arranged in the valve bore, wherein the valve device has a first fluid channel through which fuel flows only in recirculation mode and a second fluid channel through which fuel flows only outside of the recirculation mode. The first fluid channel extends inside the second fluid channel, and the first and second fluid channels are coaxial to each other.

A method of dissolving water into diesel fuel in a diesel engine includes pumping fuel through a flow path with a pump, directing a first portion of the fuel into a high pressure rail, injecting the first portion of the fuel into one or more cylinder heads for combustion, directing a second portion of the fuel into a first conduit, and actuating a flow diverter such that, the second portion of the fuel is directed toward a fuel reservoir when the flow diverter is in a first position, and the second portion of the fuel is directed toward the first pump bypassing the fuel reservoir when the flow diverter is in a second position.

A fuel heating apparatus includes a fuel filter head having an upper side, a fuel inlet and a fuel outlet. A fuel filter is disposed on the fuel filter head including an unfiltered fuel plenum and a filtered fuel plenum inside the fuel filter. A heating element is disposed inside the filtered fuel plenum inside the fuel filter. One or more temperature sensors are included inside the fuel filter in some embodiments. The heating element and temperature sensor are connected to a thermostat to regulate the temperature inside the fuel filter to prevent gelling of fuel. Additionally, in some embodiments, a heat exchanger is disposed on the fuel line between the fuel tank and the engine. A working thermal fluid passes through the heat exchanger in thermal contact with the fuel. Heat transfer between the working thermal fluid and the fuel preheats the fuel prior to delivery to the engine.

A fuel heating apparatus including a heat exchanger body having a first removable end plate, a main body, and a second removable end plate opposite the first removable end plate. The first and second removable end plates are secured to opposing sides of the heat exchanger main body by a plurality of threaded fasteners. The first removable end plate includes a fuel inlet line and a thermal fluid inlet line, and the second removable end plate includes a fuel outlet line and a thermal fluid outlet line. The main body includes a plurality of interior first fluid pathways and a plurality of interior thermal fluid pathways defined therein, the interior first fluid pathways being responsible for connecting the fuel inlet line to the fuel outlet line and the interior thermal fluid pathways being responsible for connecting the thermal fluid inlet line to the thermal fluid outlet line.

A thermostatic valve, which includes a main body portion, a cavity formed as part of a main body portion, and an inner wall integrally formed with the main body portion adjacent the cavity. A circumferential flange is integrally formed with the inner wall, such that the circumferential flange surrounds a valve cavity. A valve member is attached to the inner wall disposed in the valve cavity, and a flow aperture is formed as part of the inner wall. Fluid flows through the flow aperture into the valve cavity, and when the pressure in the valve cavity is above a predetermined value, the valve member contacts the inner wall, preventing fluid from flowing through the flow aperture.

A fuel supply module for a combustion engine includes a low pressure fuel pump, a fuel filter and a high pressure fuel pump. The low pressure fuel pump, the fuel filter and the high pressure fuel pump are integral parts of the fuel supply module and the fuel filter is arranged between the low pressure fuel pump and the high pressure fuel pump.

A thermostatic valve for a diesel fuel system includes a valve housing and a valve element movable within the housing between a position directing heated diesel fuel returning from an engine to the inlet of a fuel pump and a position dumping the fuel into a reservoir where the fuel mixes with lower temperature fuel. A temperature responsive thermostatic element moves the valve element in response to the temperature of the diesel fuel. A temperature relief valve is provided in the housing to dump the returning fuel into the reservoir if the temperature reaches a temperature indicating overheating of the fuel. The temperature relief valve is a bi-metal valve mounted in an end wall of the valve housing.

A fuel heating apparatus includes a fuel filter head having an upper side, a fuel inlet and a fuel outlet. A fuel filter is disposed on the fuel filter head including an unfiltered fuel plenum and a filtered fuel plenum inside the fuel filter. A heating element is disposed inside the filtered fuel plenum inside the fuel filter. One or more temperature sensors are included inside the fuel filter in some embodiments. The heating element and temperature sensor are connected to a thermostat to regulate the temperature inside the fuel filter to prevent gelling of fuel. Additionally, in some embodiments, a heat exchanger is disposed on the fuel line between the fuel tank and the engine. A working thermal fluid passes through the heat exchanger in thermal contact with the fuel. Heat transfer between the working thermal fluid and the fuel preheats the fuel prior to delivery to the engine.