DEVICE FOR DISCHARGING AND RETURNING FLUIDS

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for discharging a first fluid and for returning a second fluid, comprising a main channel (13) for discharging the first fluid and a return channel (14) for returning the second fluid. According to the invention, a test channel (15) is provided which connects the main channel (13) to the return channel (14), the main channel (13) having a narrowing (16) and the test channel (15) issuing into the main channel (13) in the region of the narrowing (16). The device further has a sensor (17) which is designed to determine a pressure in the test channel (15). The invention further relates to an outflow tube, a delivery nozzle and a delivery pump having a device according to the invention. With the aid of the invention, active return of the second fluid can be shut off in a simple and safe manner.

Claims

1. A device for discharging a first fluid and for returning a second fluid, comprising a main channel (13) for discharging the first fluid and a return channel (14) for returning the second fluid, wherein the main channel (13) has a narrowing (16), characterized by a test channel (15) which connects the main channel (13) to the return channel (14), wherein the test channel (15) issues into the main channel (13) in the region of the narrowing (16), wherein the device further has a sensor (17) which is designed to determine a pressure in the test channel (15).

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the test channel (15) has a diaphragm (18).

3. The device as claimed in claim 2, wherein the sensor (17) is designed to determine the pressure downstream of the diaphragm (18).

4. The device as claimed in one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the main channel (13) is designed to pass a substantially constant volumetric flow through the narrowing (16), wherein the volumetric flow through the narrowing is preferably between 2 l/min and 20 l/min, further preferably between 5 l/min and 15 l/min, even further preferably between 8 l/min and 12 l/min.

5. The device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the main channel (13) has a bypass channel (21) bridging the narrowing (16), wherein preferably a bypass valve is provided for controlling the throughflow through the bypass channel (21).

6. The device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the bypass valve (20) is pretensioned into a closed position in which the bypass channel (21) is closed, wherein the bypass valve (20) is movable by a fluid pressure prevailing in the main channel (13) from the closed position into an open position in which at least a portion of the first fluid flows through the bypass channel (21).

7. The device as claimed in claim 5 or 6, wherein the volumetric flow which is permitted to pass through the bypass channel (21) by the bypass valve (20) is dependent on a total volumetric flow of the first fluid entering the main channel.

8. The device as claimed in one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the return channel (14) is designed to pass through a volumetric flow which is substantially identical to the volumetric flow of the first fluid and preferably is between 5 l/min and 100 l/min, further preferably between 8 l/min and 80 l/min and particularly preferably between 10 l/min and 50 l/min.

9. The device as claimed in one of claims 1 to 8, which further has a switch valve (22) which is arranged in the return channel (14) downstream of the test channel (15) and which is switchable between an open position, in which the switch valve (22) opens the return channel (14) for returning the second fluid, and a closed position in which the switch valve (22) closes the return channel.

10. The device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the sensor (17) is operatively connected to the switch valve (21), wherein the switch valve (22) is switched as a function of the determined pressure.

11. An outflow tube of a delivery nozzle, characterized in that it has a device as claimed in one of claims 1 to 10.

12. A delivery nozzle comprising an outflow tube as claimed in claim 11.

13. The delivery nozzle, characterized in that it has a device as claimed in one of claims 1 to 10.

14. A delivery pump, characterized in that it has a device as claimed in one of claims 1 to 10.

15. The delivery pump comprising a delivery nozzle as claimed in claim 12.

Description

[0022] A preferred embodiment of the invention is described hereinafter by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0023] FIG. 1A: shows a schematic view of a device according to the invention for discharging a first fluid and for returning a second fluid;

[0024] FIG. 1B: shows a schematic view of an alternative embodiment of the device according to the invention for discharging a first fluid and for returning a second fluid;

[0025] FIG. 2A: shows a sectional view through an outflow tube according to the invention when discharging a first fluid at low volumetric flow and when returning a second fluid;

[0026] FIG. 2B: shows a detail of FIG. 2A in an enlarged view;

[0027] FIG. 2C: shows a detail of FIG. 2A in an enlarged view;

[0028] FIG. 3A: shows the sectional view of FIG. 2A when discharging a first fluid at high volumetric flow;

[0029] FIG. 3B: shows a detail of FIG. 3A in an enlarged view;

[0030] FIG. 4A: shows a sectional view through an outflow tube according to the invention when discharging a first fluid at low volumetric flow, wherein a return of a second fluid does not take place;

[0031] FIG. 4B: shows a detail of FIG. 4A in an enlarged view.

[0032] An embodiment according to the invention shown in FIG. 1A of a device for discharging a first fluid and for returning a second fluid comprises a main channel 13 which is designed to pass through the first fluid, for example a liquid fuel. To this end the main channel 13 may be connected to a fuel reservoir, not shown, fuel being pumped therefrom by means of a fuel pump through the main channel 13. The main channel 13 comprises a narrowing 16.

[0033] The device further comprises a return channel 14 through which a second fluid, for example a gas and, in particular, fuel vapors, air or a mixture of fuel vapors and air may be passed. To this end, the return channel 14 may also be connected to a fuel reservoir, not shown, wherein the second fluid is pumped off via a return pump into the fuel reservoir.

[0034] Between the main channel 13 and the return channel 14 extends a test channel 15 which feeds in the region of a first opening 12 into the main channel 13 and in the region of a second opening 19 into the return channel 14.

[0035] The first opening 12 is arranged in the region of the narrowing 16. A flow resistance 18 is located in the region of the second opening 19, said flow resistance constituting a diaphragm within the meaning of the present invention. The flow resistance 18 limits the flow cross section which is available for the transition into the test channel 14. The test channel 14 is also connected to a pressure sensor 17 which is designed to determine a fluid pressure in the test channel 15.

[0036] If a fuel is pumped through the main channel 13, the Venturi effect causes a drop in the hydrostatic pressure in the region of the narrowing 16. Gas which is located in the return channel 14 is suctioned by the negative pressure into the test channel 15. In this case, when entering the test channel a pressure difference, which is dependent on the physical material properties of the suctioned gas, is produced at the flow resistance. In this manner, using the determined pressure value it may be established whether the suctioned gas is air or fuel vapors.

[0037] FIG. 1B shows an alternative embodiment of the device according to the invention for discharging a first fluid and for returning a second fluid. Essential elements of this embodiment are identical to those of FIG. 1A and are provided with the same reference numerals.

[0038] In contrast to the embodiment of FIG. 1A a further feed opening 126, which is connected via a reference opening 46 to the ambient air, is arranged in the region of the narrowing 16. If a fuel is pumped through the main channel 13, therefore, external air is suctioned in via the reference opening 46.

[0039] In the embodiment of FIG. 1B the pressure sensor 17 additionally has a test chamber 40 which is fluidically connected to the test channel 15 via a test line 41. The sensor 17 also comprises a reference chamber 42 which is connected to the reference opening 46 via a reference line 45. Finally, the sensor has a pressure-sensitive membrane 43 which separates the test chamber 40 from the reference chamber 42.

[0040] The membrane 43 is connected via a trigger mechanism, not shown, to a plunger 44. The membrane 43 is designed to actuate the trigger mechanism as a function of a pressure difference between the test chamber 40 and the reference chamber 42 and thus the plunger 44 is moved from an open position in which the return channel 14 is open (not shown) into the closed position shown in FIG. 1B in which the return channel is closed. To this end, the plunger 44 is moved by the trigger mechanism.

[0041] As long as fuel vapors are guided through the return line 14, the pressure inside the test chamber 40 remains at a value at which the plunger 44 remains in the open position. If greater quantities of air are guided through the return channel 14, the pressure increases in the test chamber 40. As soon as a certain pressure threshold value is exceeded, the membrane 43 is moved and as a result triggers the trigger mechanism by which the plunger 44 is moved into the closed position shown in FIG. 2.

[0042] FIG. 2A shows a cross-sectional view through an outflow tube 30 according to the invention for discharging a fuel and for returning a gas, wherein the fuel is discharged at a low volumetric flow. The elements according to the invention which have been already described in connection with FIGS. 1A and 1B bear the same reference numerals in FIG. 2A and are not described in further detail hereinafter. Illustrated in FIG. 2A are a circular detail A and a rectangular detail B which are shown enlarged in FIGS. 2B and/or 2C.

[0043] The outflow tube 30 has a front end 31 and a rear end 32. The front end 31 may be introduced, for example, into a filler neck of a vehicle tank for discharging a fuel (not shown). The rear end 32 may be introduced into a delivery nozzle, not shown. Instead of the plunger 44 the outflow tube according to the invention comprises a switch valve 22 which is connected to a trigger mechanism 23. The pressure sensor 17 has in the embodiment of FIG. 2A, as well as the embodiment of FIG. 1B, a pressure-sensitive membrane 43 which is operatively connected to the trigger mechanism 23. The outflow tube further comprises a bypass channel 21 and a bypass valve 20. The bypass valve 20 is pretensioned by a restoring device 25 into a closed position in which it bears against a valve seat 24.

[0044] In the state shown in FIG. 2A a fuel is passed at a low volumetric flow of approximately 10 l/min through the main channel 13. The low volumetric flow in the main channel 13 is not able to open the bypass valve 20 against a closing force of the restoring device 25 so that the bypass valve 20 remains in its closed position. This may be seen, in particular, in FIG. 2C in which it may be identified that the bypass valve 20 bears against an associated valve seat 24 and the bypass channel 21 is closed. The volumetric flow flowing through the main channel 13 is therefore passed entirely through the narrowing 16. In the case of an increase of the volumetric flow through the main channel 13 (for example to up to 50 l/min), the bypass valve 20 is displaced by the fluid pressure from the closed position into an open position so that a portion of the volumetric flow may flow past the narrowing 16 through the bypass channel 21. This is illustrated in FIGS. 3A and 3B which also coincide with FIGS. 2A and 2C. The greater the volumetric flow through the main channel 13, the wider the bypass valve opens. By means of the narrowing 16 the volumetric flow may thus be kept constant at approximately 10 l/min so that the test channel 15 is evacuated at a constant suction power.

[0045] Moreover, in the state shown in FIG. 2A fuel vapors are removed via the return channel 14. The fuel vapors are ideally removed at the same volumetric flow at which the fuel is guided through the main channel 13 so that there is a constant ratio of fuel to fuel vapors. As already described with reference to FIG. 1A, a negative pressure is generated when the fuel passes through the main channel 13 in the test channel 15, which leads to a suctioning of the fuel vapors located in the return channel 14. The volumetric flow of the fuel vapors suctioned through the test channel 15 is mixed with the volumetric flow of fuel in the main channel 13 and is negligibly small relative thereto.

[0046] The space above the membrane 43 corresponds to the test chamber 40 shown in FIG. 1B but for reasons of space is not provided with a reference numeral. The test chamber is connected to the test channel 15, wherein this connection is not identifiable in the sectional view shown. The pressure prevailing in the test channel 15 acts directly on the membrane 43. The space below the membrane corresponds to the reference chamber 42 shown in FIG. 1B. The reference chamber is connected—also as shown in FIG. 1B—via the reference line 45 to the reference opening 46, wherein this is not identifiable in FIGS. 2A-4B. The further feed opening 126 is also not identifiable in FIGS. 2A-4B.

[0047] The membrane 43 is operatively connected to the switch valve 22, via the trigger mechanism 23 which in the embodiment shown is pretensioned by way of example by a spring. In alternative embodiments, the trigger mechanism may also be pressurized or subjected to a magnetic force. In the operating conditions shown in FIG. 2A (when suctioning fuel vapors) a negative pressure of approximately −0.060 bar prevails in the test chamber relative to the reference chamber. This negative pressure is below a pressure threshold value (which for example may be −0.050 bar) in which the membrane 43 moves and triggers the trigger mechanism 23. The switch valve 22 thus remains in the open state shown, in which the fuel gases are removed via the return channel 14.

[0048] If the vehicle to be refueled is a vehicle with an ORVR system, air is substantially removed via the return channel 15. The different physical material properties of the removed air, relative to the fuel vapors, lead to a pressure increase in the test channel 15 and thus also in the test chamber so that the negative pressure relative to the reference chamber is still only approximately −0.045 bar. When removing air, therefore, the pressure threshold value is exceeded by −0.050 bar in which the membrane 43 is moved and triggers the trigger mechanism 23. In this case, the switch valve 22 is switched into the closed position by the trigger mechanism. This state is shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B which generally coincide with FIGS. 2A and 2C. In the state shown in FIG. 4A, the gas return is thus prevented by the switch valve 22.