Abstract:
Disclosed are systems and methods for generating power. The systems and methods provide techniques for agitating fuel stored in a fuel storage tank and then combusting that fuel to generate power.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application is related to (1) U.S. Utility application Ser. No. 11/461,510, filed on Aug. 1, 2006, and (2) U.S. Utility application Ser. No. 11/950,414, filed on Dec. 4, 2007. 
     FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     Various embodiments of the disclosure pertain to a system and method for storing fuel and, more particularly, to a system and method which include a fuel storage tank and a fuel agitation system coupled to the fuel storage tank and operable to agitate a fuel that is stored in the fuel storage tank for use in a power generation system. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Storing fuel is well-known and readily appreciated by those of skill in the art. Typically, fuel is stored in a fuel storage tank for use by an engine coupled to the fuel storage tank in order to generate power. However, growing concerns about the environment along with concerns about fuel costs has begun a shift from petroleum based fuels to non-petroleum based organic fuels. The storing of these non-petroleum based organic fuels raises a number of issues. 
     Some non-petroleum based organic fuels such as, for example, vegetable oil, can stagnate when stored in a fuel storage tank. This stagnation can include the vegetable oil at least partially solidifying in the fuel storage tank, can prevent the vegetable oil from being used as a fuel by the engine, and can dirty the engine such that the engine requires frequent cleaning in order to be able to operate. 
     Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide for storing fuel absent the disadvantages discussed above. 
     SUMMARY 
     Various embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to systems and methods for storing fuel. The systems and methods provide techniques for agitating fuel stored in a fuel storage tank and then combusting that fuel in order to generate power. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic view illustrating an embodiment of a power generation system. 
         FIG. 2   a  is a side view illustrating an embodiment of engine fuel storage system used in the power generation system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 2   b  is a perspective view illustrating an embodiment of a holding tank and fuel agitation system used in the engine fuel storage system of  FIG. 2   a.    
         FIG. 2   c  is a perspective view illustrating an embodiment of a holding tank and fuel agitation system used in the engine fuel storage system of  FIG. 2   a.    
         FIG. 2   d  is a perspective view illustrating an embodiment of a holding tank and fuel agitation system used in the engine fuel storage system of  FIG. 2   a.    
         FIG. 3  is a flow chart illustrating an embodiment of a method for power generation. 
         FIG. 4   a  is a side view illustrating an alternative embodiment of engine fuel storage system used in the power generation system of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4   b  is a perspective view illustrating an embodiment of a holding tank and fuel agitation system used in the engine fuel storage system of  FIG. 4   a.    
         FIG. 4   c  is a perspective view illustrating an embodiment of a holding tank and fuel agitation system used in the engine fuel storage system of  FIG. 4   a.    
         FIG. 4   d  is a perspective view illustrating an embodiment of a holding tank and fuel agitation system used in the engine fuel storage system of  FIG. 4   a.    
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view illustrating an embodiment of a vehicle using the power generation system of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a power generation system  100  is illustrated. The power generation system  100  includes a raw fuel storage tank  102 . The raw fuel storage tank  102  is a convention fuel storage tank known in the art that is operable to store non-petroleum based organic fuels such as, for example, vegetable oil, peanut oil, corn oil, canola oil, and a variety of other non-petroleum based organic fuels known in the art. The raw fuel storage tank  102  is coupled to a filtration system  104  using methods known in the art such that raw fuel stored in the raw fuel storage tank  102  can be transferred from the raw fuel storage tank  102  to the filtration system  104 . The filtration system  104  is a convention filtration system known in the art that is operable to filter impurities in raw fuel such as, for example, waste vegetable oils or other waste cooking oils, in order to convert the raw fuel into engine fuel. The filtration system  104  is coupled to an engine fuel storage system  200  using methods known in the art such that the raw fuel that has been converted to engine fuel can be transferred from the filtration system  104  to the engine fuel storage system  200 . The engine fuel storage system  200  is a fuel storage tank that is operable to store non-petroleum based organic fuels such as, for example, vegetable oil, peanut oil, corn oil, canola oil, and a variety of other non-petroleum based organic fuels known in the art that have had impurities removed by the filtration system  104 . In an embodiment, the engine fuel storage system  200  may not include the raw fuel storage tank  102  and the filtration system  104 , and engine fuel that was either manufactured without impurities or filtered separate from the power generation system  100  may be stored in the engine fuel storage system  200 . The engine fuel storage system  200  is coupled to a filtration system  106  using methods known in the art such that engine fuel stored in the engine fuel storage system  200  can be transferred from the engine fuel storage system  200  to the filtration system  106 . The filtration system  106  is a conventional filtration system known in the art that is operable to filter impurities in the engine fuel that may have not been filtered by the filtration system  104 , that may have been introduced to the engine fuel in the engine fuel storage system  200 , or that may be present in the engine fuel for whatever reason. 
     The filtration system  106  is coupled to a heating system  108  using methods known in the art such that the engine oil that passes through the filtration system  106  from the engine fuel storage system  200  can be transferred from the filtration system  106  to the heating system  108 . The heating system  108  is a convention heating system known in the art that is operable to heat the engine oil in order to lower its viscosity and prepare it for combustion. The heating system  108  is coupled to an engine  110  using methods known in the art such that the engine fuel that has been heated in the heating system  108  can be transferred from the heating system  108  to the engine  110 . The engine  110  is a conventional engine that is operable to combust non-petroleum based organic fuels such as, for example, vegetable oil, peanut oil, corn oil, canola oil and a variety of other non-petroleum based organic fuels known in the art. In an embodiment, the engine  110  is a conventional diesel combustion engine. The engine  110  is coupled to a starter fuel storage tank  112  using methods known in the art such that the starter fuel stored in the start fuel storage tank  112  can be transferred from the starter fuel storage tank  112  to the engine  110 . In an embodiment, the start fuel storage tank  112  is a conventional fuel storage tank known in the art that is operable to store petroleum based fuels such as, for example, diesel fuel. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 2   a ,  2   b ,  2   c  and  2   d , the engine fuel storage system  200  is illustrated in more detail. In an embodiment, the engine fuel storage system  200  includes a plurality of holding tanks  202 ,  204 , and  206 . The holding tank  202  includes an elongated base  202   a  that extends between a top wall  202   b  and a bottom wall  202   c  located opposite the top wall  202   b  and defines a storage chamber  202   d  between the base  202   a , the top wall  202   b , and the bottom wall  202   c . An air release valve  202   e  is located on the top wall  202   b  of the holding tank  202 . The holding tank  204  includes an elongated base  204   a  that extends between a top wall  204   b  and a bottom wall  204   c  located opposite the top wall  204   b  and defines a storage chamber  204   d  between the base  204   a , the top wall  204   b , and the bottom wall  204   c . An air release valve  204   e  is located on the top wall  204   b  of the holding tank  204 . The holding tank  206  includes an elongated base  206   a  that extends between a top wall  206   b  and a bottom wall  206   c  located opposite the top wall  206   b  and defines a storage chamber  206   d  between the base  206   a , the top wall  206   b , and the bottom wall  206   c . An air release valve  206   e  is located on the top wall  206   b  of the holding tank  206 . A fuel agitation system is coupled to each of the holding tanks  202 ,  204 , and  206  and includes an air filter  208  that is coupled to an air pump  210  through an air passageway  212  and an air passageway  214  extending from the air pump  212 . The air filter  208  is a conventional air filter that is operable to remove impurities from air moved through it, and the air pump  210  is a conventional air pump that is operable to pump air filtered through the air filter  208  into the air passageway  214 . The air passageway  214  enters the holding tank  202  though the base  202   a  adjacent the top wall  202   b  and extends through the storage chamber  202   d  until it exits the holding tank  202  through the base  202   a  adjacent the top wall  202   b . The air passageway  214  then enters the holding tank  204  though the base  204   a  adjacent the top wall  204   b  and extends through the storage chamber  204   d  until it exits the holding tank  204  through the base  204   a  adjacent the top wall  204   b . The air passageway  214  then enters the holding tank  206  though the top wall  206   b  and extends into the storage chamber  206   d.    
     An air passageway  216  is coupled to the air passageway  214  by a coupling  218  and extends from a location adjacent the top wall  202   b  of the holding tank  202 , through the storage chamber  202   d , and to a location adjacent the bottom wall  202   c  of the holding tank  202 . In an embodiment, the coupling  218  is a rotational coupling. An fuel agitation member  220  is coupled to the end of the air passageway  216  opposite the coupling  218  and, in an embodiment, includes a circular disk having a plurality of valves  220   a  extending from the fuel agitation member  220  and into the storage chamber  202   d . An elongated fuel agitation member  222  is coupled to the air passageway  214  by a coupling  224  and extends from a location adjacent the top wall  204   b  of the holding tank  204 , through the storage chamber  204   d , and to a location adjacent the bottom wall  204   c  of the holding tank  204 . In an embodiment, the coupling  222  is a rotational coupling. In an embodiment, the fuel agitation member  222  includes a plurality of valves  222   a  extending from the fuel agitation member  222  and into the storage chamber  204   d . A first fuel agitation member  226  is coupled to the air passageway  214  by a coupling  228  and extends from a location adjacent the top wall  206   b  of the holding tank  206 , through the storage chamber  206   d , and to a location adjacent the bottom wall  206   c  of the holding tank  206 . In an embodiment, the coupling  228  is a rotational coupling. The first fuel agitation member  226  includes a plurality of valves  226   a  extending from the first fuel agitation member  228  and into the storage chamber  206   d . A second fuel agitation member  230  is coupled to the end of the first fuel agitation member  226  opposite the coupling  228  and, in an embodiment, includes a circular disk having a plurality of valves  230   a  extending from the fuel agitation member  230  and into the storage chamber  206   d.    
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1 and 3 , a method  300  for generating power is illustrated. The method  300  begins at step  302  where raw fuel is stored in the raw fuel storage tank  102 . Raw fuel such as, for example, waste vegetable oil, waste peanut oil, waste corn oil, waste canola oil, combinations thereof, or a variety of other raw fuels known in the art, is collected and stored in the raw fuel tank  102 . The method  300  then proceeds to step  304  where the raw fuel is filtered to produce engine fuel. The raw fuel in the raw fuel tank  102  is moved through the filtration system  104  in order to filter out impurities in the raw fuel. The filtration system  104  filters out impurities in the raw fuel such that the raw fuel is converted to engine fuel that may be combusted in the engine  110  without introducing any impurities into the engine  110  that might hinder the functions of the engine  110 . The method  300  then proceeds to step  306  where engine fuel is stored in the engine fuel storage system  200 . The engine fuel produced by filtering the raw fuel through the filtration system  104  is transferred to and stored in the engine fuel storage system  200  for use by the engine  200 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1 ,  2   a ,  2   b ,  2   c ,  2   d  and  3 , the method  300  proceeds to step  308  where engine fuel in the engine fuel storage system  200  is agitated. The engine fuel produced by filtering the raw fuel through the filtration system  104  in step  304  of the method  300  is stored in the holding tanks  202 ,  204  and  206 . In an embodiment, the engine fuel is a fuel that will at least partially solidify without agitation. The air pump  210  is then activated in order to draw air through the air filter  208  and into the air pump  210 . The air filter  208  filters out any impurities in the air that might contaminate the engine fuel that is stored in the holding tanks  202 ,  204  and  206 . The air pump  210  moves the air filtered through the air filter  208  into the air passageway  214 . Air may then travel from the air passageway  214  down through the air passageway  216  located in the holding tank  202  and into the fuel agitation member  220  such that air is released from the plurality of valves  220   a  and into the engine fuel located in the storage chamber  202   d . The air moves through the engine fuel located in the storage chamber  202   d  and agitates the engine fuel to prevent the engine fuel from stagnating, solidifying, and/or becoming unsuitable for combustion by the engine  110 . In an embodiment, the coupling  218  is a rotatable coupling that is actuated by the air flow between the air passageway  214  and the air passageway  216  such that the air passageway  216  rotates in a direction A as air is released from the plurality of valves  220   a . Air released from the plurality of valves  220   a  and into the storage chamber  202   d  may be released from the storage chamber  202   d  by the air valve  202   e  located on the top wall  202   b  of the holding tank  202 . 
     Air may also travel from the air passageway  214  down through the fuel agitation member  222  located in the holding tank  204  such that air is released from the plurality of valves  222   a  and into the engine fuel located in the storage chamber  204   d . The air moves through the engine fuel located in the storage chamber  204   d  and agitates the engine fuel to prevent the engine fuel from stagnating, solidifying, and/or becoming unsuitable for combustion by the engine  110 . In an embodiment, the coupling  224  is a rotatable coupling that is actuated by the air flow between the air passageway  214  and the fuel agitation member  222  such that the fuel agitation member  222  rotates in a direction B as air is released from the plurality of valves  222   a . Air released from the plurality of valves  222   a  and into the storage chamber  204   d  may be released from the storage chamber  204   d  by the air valve  204   e  located on the top wall  204   b  of the holding tank  204 . Air may also travel from the air passageway  214  down through the first fuel agitation member  226  located in the holding tank  206  and into the second fuel agitation member  230  such that air is released from the plurality of valves  226   a  and  230   a  and into the engine fuel located in the storage chamber  206   d . The air moves through the engine fuel located in the storage chamber  206   d  and agitates the engine fuel to prevent the engine fuel from stagnating, solidifying, and/or becoming unsuitable for combustion by the engine  110 . In an embodiment, the coupling  228  is a rotatable coupling that is actuated by the air flow between the air passageway  214  and the fuel agitation member  226  such that the fuel agitation member  226  rotates in a direction C as air is released from the plurality of valves  226   a  and  230   a . Air released from the plurality of valves  226   a  and  230   a  and into the storage chamber  206   d  may be released from the storage chamber  206   d  by the air valve  206   e  located on the top wall  206   b  of the holding tank  206 . 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1 and 3 , the method  300  proceeds to step  310  where engine fuel from the engine fuel storage system  200  is filtered. The engine fuel in the engine fuel storage system  200  is moved through the filtration system  106  in order to filter out impurities in the engine fuel. The filtration system  108  filters out impurities in the engine fuel such that the engine fuel may be combusted in the engine  110  without introducing any impurities into the engine  110  that might hinder the functions of the engine  110 . The method  300  then proceeds to step  312  where starter fuel is combusted in the engine  110 . In an embodiment, the engine  110  combusts starter fuel stored in the starter fuel storage tank  112  in order to start the engine  110  and power the heating system  108 . The method  300  then proceeds to step  314  where the filtered engine oil is heated. The engine oil filtered through the filtration system  106  in step  310  of the method  300  is heated by the heating system  108  in order to lower the viscosity of the engine oil such that it is suitable for combustion in the engine  110 . The method then proceeds to step  316  where the engine oil is combusted in the engine  110 . The engine  110  combusts engine fuel from the heating system  108  and converts the thermal energy from combustion into mechanical energy in order to provide power. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 4   a ,  4   b ,  4   c  and  4   d , in an alternative embodiment, an engine fuel storage system  400  is substantially similar in design and operation to the engine fuel storage system  200 , described above with reference to  FIGS. 1 ,  2   a ,  2   b ,  2   c ,  2   d ,  2   e  and  3 , with the provision of an fuel agitation member  402  replacing the fuel agitation member  220 , an fuel agitation member  404  replacing the fuel agitation member  222 , and a first fuel agitation member  406  and a second fuel agitation member  408  replacing the first fuel agitation member  226  and the second fuel agitation member  230 , respectively. The fuel agitation member  402  includes a plurality of fluid flow creation devices  402   a . The fuel agitation member  404  includes a plurality of fluid flow creation devices  404   a . The first fuel agitation member  406  and the second fuel agitation member  408  include a plurality of fluid flow creation devices  406   a  and  408   a , respectively. In operation, the engine fuel storage system  400  operates substantially similarly to the engine fuel storage system  200  according to the method  300 , with the provision of a modified step  308 . During the modified step  308 , air may be used to actuate the rotatable coupling  218  such that the air passageway  216  rotates in the direction A and allows the fluid flow creation member  402   a  to agitate the engine fuel to prevent the engine fuel from stagnating, solidifying, and/or becoming unsuitable for combustion by the engine  110 . Air released into the storage chamber  202   d  during this process may be released from the storage chamber  202   d  by the air valve  202   e  located on the top wall  202   b  of the holding tank  202 . 
     Air may also travel from the air passageway  214  down through the fuel agitation member  404  located in the holding tank  204  to actuate the fluid flow creation devices  404   a  such that the fluid flow creation devices  404   a  agitate the engine fuel to prevent the engine fuel from stagnating, solidifying, and/or becoming unsuitable for combustion by the engine  110 . In an embodiment, the coupling  224  is a rotatable coupling that is actuated by the air flow between the air passageway  214  and the fuel agitation member  404  such that the fuel agitation member  404  rotates in a direction B as the fluid flow creation devices  404   a  agitate the engine fuel. Air released into the storage chamber  204   d  during this process may be released from the storage chamber  204   d  by the air valve  204   e  located on the top wall  204   b  of the holding tank  204 . Air may also travel from the air passageway  214  down through the first fuel agitation member  406  located in the holding tank  206  to actuate the fluid flow creation devices  406   a  while air is also used to actuate the rotatable coupling  228  to rotate the first fuel agitation member  406  and the second fuel agitation member  408  in a direction C such that the fluid flow creation devices  408   a  and  406   a  agitate the engine fuel to prevent the engine fuel from stagnating, solidifying, and/or becoming unsuitable for combustion by the engine  110 . In an embodiment, a combination of the fuel agitation members  220 ,  222 ,  226 ,  230 ,  402 ,  404 ,  406  and  408  may be used in the engine fuel storage system  200  or  400 . Furthermore, while the engine fuel storage systems  200  and  400  are illustrated and described using air to power the fuel agitation system pneumatically, one of skill in the art will recognize that hydraulic power, mechanical power, or a variety of other power systems may be used to power the fuel agitation system in order to agitate fuel in the engine fuel storage system  200  or  400 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 5 , in an alternative embodiment, the power generation system  100 , described above with reference to  FIGS. 1 ,  2   a ,  2   b ,  2   c ,  2   d ,  3 ,  4   a ,  4   b ,  4   c  and  4   d , may be located in a vehicle chassis  500 , with the engine  110 , the raw fuel storage tank  102 , the starter fuel storage tank  112 , and the engine fuel storage system  200  mounted to the vehicle chassis  500 , in order to provide power to a vehicle  502 . In an embodiment, the vehicle  502  may be, for example, an automobile. 
     Although illustrative embodiments have been shown and described, a wide range of modification, change and substitution is contemplated in the foregoing disclosure and in some instances, some features of the embodiments may be employed without a corresponding use of other features. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of the embodiments disclosed herein.