Patent Description:
Accordingly, the present invention provides a fuel supply arrangement, wherein the fuel supply arrangement comprises a fuel distribution arrangement and a fuel monitoring outlet line, wherein, in use, the fuel monitoring outlet line is connected to a source of fuel, wherein the fuel distribution arrangement comprises a fuel monitoring supply circuit connected at an upstream end to the fuel monitoring outlet line and comprising an inline fuel pump, wherein a first fuel sensor supply circuit and a second fuel sensor supply circuit are each connected to the fuel monitoring supply circuit downstream of the inline fuel pump, wherein the first fuel sensor supply circuit is provided with a sensor inlet connection and a sensor outlet connection for inline connection of a sensor, wherein the second fuel sensor supply circuit comprises a sensor manifold with ports for connection of a plurality of sensors in series with each other and wherein the fuel distribution arrangement comprises a fuel outlet line to which the first fuel sensor supply circuit and the second fuel sensor supply circuit are fluidly connected.

The provision of a first fuel sensor supply circuit and a second fuel sensor supply circuit is advantageous because it provides for flexibility in the characteristics of the fuel being provided to those circuits. The first and second fuel sensor supply circuits are arranged to accommodate fuel sensors of different types and those different types of fuel sensors have different requirements for the characteristics of the fuel that must be supplied to them, if those sensors are to operate properly and thus provide useful data. For example, the characteristics of the fuel that must be supplied to an inline particle contamination sensor are different to those that must be supplied to a water in oil sensor.

Preferably, the fuel monitoring supply circuit is connected between the fuel monitoring outlet line and a first port of a three port supply connector, the first fuel sensor supply circuit is connected to a second port of the three port supply connector and the second fuel supply circuit is connected to the third port of the three port supply connector, such that, the first fuel sensor supply circuit and the second fuel supply circuit are arranged in parallel. This parallel arrangement of the two separate fuel supply circuits is advantageous because it facilitates the provision to each supply circuit of a fuel supply with the characteristics that are required by the sensor or sensors located within those fuel circuits.

According to the invention, the fuel supply arrangement further comprises a fuel chamber having a fuel inlet for connection to the source of fuel and having a fuel monitoring outlet to which the fuel monitoring outlet line is connected.

The fuel chamber further comprises a fuel consumption outlet to which the fuel consumption outlet line is connected, for connection to a fuel consumption entity.

It is advantageous to have a fuel consumption outlet that is separate to the fuel monitoring outlet because in applications of the fuel supply arrangement of the present invention to fuel consumption entities that consume very large amounts of fuel, the flow rate of fuel through the fuel consumption outlet is so high that drawing a relatively small amount of fuel from that fuel consumption line along a fuel monitoring line for use by the fuel monitoring system would not be possible to achieve with the type of fuel pump that is otherwise needed to supply fuel within the fuel distribution arrangement.

Preferably, the fuel chamber is a sealed unit with the fuel inlet, the fuel consumption outlet and the fuel monitoring outlet line being the only openings in the fuel chamber.

Preferably, the fuel monitoring supply circuit comprises a fuel turbulence reduction loop which, in use, reduces the turbulence of fuel passing through the sensor inlet connection to a level required by a sensor connected to the sensor inlet connection. It is advantageous to provide fuel with a laminar flow for particular types of sensors, for example for an inline particle contamination sensor.

Preferably an inline particle contamination sensor is located between the sensor inlet connection and the sensor outlet connection of the first fuel sensor supply circuit.

Preferably, a moveable float is attached adjacent to the upstream pick-up end of a fuel pick-up tube and the downstream discharge end of the fuel pick-up tube is connected to the fuel inlet of the fuel chamber, wherein the vertical distance between the upstream pick-up end of the fuel pick-up tube and the downstream discharge end of the fuel pick-up tube can change with the level of fuel in the source of fuel. It is advantageous for the upstream pick-up end of the fuel pick-up tube to be located on a moveable float so that it is near to the surface of the fuel, rather than near to the base of the tank, because that reduces the chance of drawing fuel contaminated with debris into the pick-up tube.

Preferably, the fuel pick-up tube is flexible and the moveable float is retained within a float guide tube. It is advantageous to place the float within a guide tube to help to retain the float on the surface of the fuel, for example in instances when the present invention is fitted to a moving vehicle.

Preferably, the fuel chamber is located above a floating fuel pickup.

Preferably, the fuel chamber is located at least partially inside a fuel tank.

In an alternative arrangement, the fuel chamber is located externally to a fuel tank. In such a scenario the present invention may be provided with a large fuel pump, in order that fuel can still be drawn from the source of fuel, e.g. a fuel tank, to the fuel quality monitoring system.

Preferably, the fuel chamber is provided with a tubular inlet baffle located around a fuel inlet orifice, wherein the inlet baffle has a first end proximal to the fuel inlet orifice and wherein the first end is sealed to a wall of the fuel chamber, an open end distal to the fuel inlet orifice and spaced apart from a wall of the fuel chamber, a fuel consumption outlet with an inlet end that is adjacent to the open end of the inlet baffle and a fuel monitoring outlet with an inlet end that is adjacent to the first end of the inlet baffle. This arrangement is advantageous because by reducing the distance between the inlet end of the fuel monitoring outlet and the bottom of the fuel chamber the distance between any agitated air/fuel mixture at the top of the fuel chamber and the inlet end of the fuel monitoring outlet is increased, thus reducing the amount of air drawn into the fuel monitoring outlet. It is disadvantageous to draw air into the fuel monitoring outlet, because the presence of air in the fuel can reduce the accuracy of the sensors.

Preferably, a fuel/air space is located within the fuel chamber above the level of the inlet end of the fuel consumption outlet and below the top of the fuel chamber.

Preferably, the fuel monitoring system may comprise a fuel supply arrangement that further comprises at least one sensor connected to the fuel supply arrangement and a data acquisition sub-system connected to receive data from the at least one sensor.

Preferably, the data acquisition sub-system further comprises an analyser for at least partially analysing the data received from the at least one sensor and a data transmission means for transmitting the results of the analysis. This is advantageous because it can reduce the amount of data that needs to be transmitted wirelessly to an external receiver.

Preferably, the fuel monitoring system further comprises an inline particle contamination sensor provided in the first fuel sensor supply circuit for collecting data on the size and quantity of particulates in the fuel being monitored.

Preferably, the fuel monitoring system further comprises in the second fuel sensor supply circuit a fluid property sensor to detect the density, viscosity, temperature and dielectric constant of the fuel being monitored.

Preferably, the fuel monitoring system further comprises in the second fuel sensor supply circuit a sensor to detect the water content of the fuel being monitored.

Preferably, the fuel monitoring system further comprises a remotely located processing and display system connected to receive data from the data acquisition sub-system.

Preferably, the fuel monitoring system further comprises a cloud data storage system configured to receive data from the data acquisition sub-system and to transmit that data to the remotely located processing and display system.

The present invention will be described below, with reference to the following figures:.

A fuel supply arrangement <NUM> for a fuel monitoring system <NUM> is shown in <FIG>. The fuel monitoring system <NUM> is fitted to a HGV tractor unit <NUM> and the fuel supply arrangement <NUM> is connected to its fuel tank <NUM>, so that fuel can be drawn from the fuel tank <NUM> for monitoring. Data collected by the fuel monitoring system <NUM> is wirelessly transmitted to a remotely located processing and display system <NUM>, via a cloud data storage system <NUM>.

<FIG> shows a first embodiment of the present invention with the fuel tank <NUM> in cross-section. The fuel supply arrangement <NUM> comprises a fuel pick-up arrangement <NUM> comprising an open-ended, flexible and helically wound, fuel pick-up line <NUM> with its upstream pick-up end <NUM> connected to a moveable float <NUM> and with its downstream discharge end <NUM> connected to an inlet baffle <NUM> of a fuel chamber <NUM>. The moveable float <NUM> is located at the surface <NUM> of the fuel in the fuel tank <NUM> and moves up and down within a perforated float guide tube <NUM>, as the amount of fuel in the fuel tank <NUM> changes. The inlet baffle <NUM> terminates at an open end <NUM> which is located in the upper half of the fuel chamber <NUM>. A fuel monitoring outlet line <NUM> runs from a fuel monitoring outlet <NUM> in the interior of the fuel chamber <NUM> to a fuel distribution arrangement <NUM> located within an enclosure <NUM> that is positioned on top of the fuel tank <NUM>. A fuel consumption outlet line <NUM> also runs from a fuel consumption outlet <NUM> in the interior of the fuel chamber <NUM> to an engine fuel pump <NUM> and then to the internal combustion engine <NUM> of the HGV tractor unit <NUM>. The inlet end <NUM> of the fuel monitoring outlet <NUM> and the inlet end <NUM> of the fuel consumption outlet <NUM> are located lower than the outlet <NUM> of the inlet baffle <NUM>. A fuel return line <NUM> is connected between the fuel distribution arrangement <NUM> and the fuel tank <NUM>.

The fuel chamber <NUM> is shown in detail in <FIG> and <FIG>. For the purposes of illustrating the features internal to the fuel chamber <NUM> the external wall <NUM> of the fuel chamber <NUM> has been made transparent in <FIG> and the flange plate <NUM> has been made transparent in <FIG>. The external wall <NUM> of the fuel chamber <NUM> is in the form of a cylindrical hollow body with a circular base plate <NUM> closing its lower end and a circular flange plate <NUM> closing its upper end, with the base plate <NUM> and the flange plate <NUM> parallel to each other and perpendicular to the external wall <NUM>. Thus, the fuel chamber <NUM> is a sealed unit except for the openings created for the inlet baffle <NUM>, which extends vertically upwards into the fuel chamber <NUM> from the base plate <NUM>, and for the fuel monitoring outlet <NUM> and the fuel consumption outlet <NUM> which each extend vertically downwards into the fuel chamber <NUM> from the flange plate <NUM>.

The fuel monitoring outlet <NUM> extends from the interior of the fuel chamber <NUM> to the flange plate <NUM> and connects to the fuel monitoring outlet line <NUM>, which is in turn connected to the fuel distribution arrangement <NUM>. The fuel consumption outlet <NUM> also extends from the interior of the fuel chamber <NUM> to the flange plate <NUM> and it is connected to the fuel consumption outlet line <NUM>, which is turn connected to the internal combustion engine <NUM>. A fuel inlet orifice <NUM> (shown in <FIG>) is provided through the base plate <NUM> and the fuel pick-up tube <NUM> is connected to it. The inlet baffle <NUM> is an open-ended, solid walled, cylindrical tube (i.e. a tube which doesn't have any holes or perforations in its wall) which is located around the fuel inlet orifice <NUM> and is oriented perpendicularly relative to the base plate <NUM>. The inlet baffle <NUM> is sealed to the base plate <NUM> at its lower end <NUM> and is open at its open end <NUM>. The inlet baffle <NUM> has an internal diameter that is approximately four times the diameter of the fuel inlet orifice <NUM>.

The inlet baffle <NUM> extends upwardly through the majority of the depth of the fuel chamber <NUM>, but the open end <NUM> of the inlet baffle <NUM> is spaced from the underside of the flange plate <NUM>, such that an inlet flow passage <NUM> is created between the inlet baffle <NUM> and the flange plate <NUM>.

The fuel monitoring outlet <NUM> extends downwardly through the majority of the depth of the fuel chamber <NUM>, but its inlet end <NUM> is spaced from the upper side of the base plate <NUM>. The fuel consumption outlet <NUM> extends downwardly into the fuel chamber <NUM>, but only by a short distance, such that its inlet end <NUM> is close to the underside of the flange plate <NUM>. The vertical spacing between the inlet end <NUM> and the inlet end <NUM> is large relative to the internal vertical height of the fuel chamber <NUM> and, as can be seen from <FIG>, that vertical spacing can be more than two-thirds of the internal vertical height of the fuel chamber <NUM>. The fuel monitoring outlet <NUM> and the fuel consumption outlet <NUM> are located on diametrically opposite sides of the fuel chamber <NUM> and close to the inside surface of the external wall <NUM>, such that the horizontal spacing between the inlet end <NUM> and the inlet end <NUM> is large relative to the internal diameter of the fuel chamber <NUM> and, as can be seen from <FIG>, that horizontal spacing can be more than three-quarters of the internal diameter of the fuel chamber <NUM>. A fuel/air space <NUM> is located within the internal volume of the fuel chamber <NUM> above the level of the inlet <NUM> of the fuel consumption outlet <NUM> and below the level of the underside of the flange plate <NUM>. The volume of this fuel/air space <NUM> is thus determined in part by the length of the fuel consumption outlet <NUM> and the volume of the fuel/air space <NUM> can be tuned for any particular application of the present invention, for example by changing the length of the fuel consumption outlet <NUM>.

The fuel distribution arrangement <NUM> is shown schematically in <FIG>. The fuel monitoring outlet line <NUM> is attached to a fuel monitoring supply circuit <NUM> which comprises an inline fuel pump <NUM>. A fuel strainer / filter <NUM> is located downstream of, and in close proximity to, the inline fuel pump <NUM>. A fuel turbulence reduction loop <NUM> is located between the outlet of the fuel strainer / filter <NUM> and the inlet port <NUM> of a three port supply connector <NUM>. The fuel turbulence reduction loop <NUM> runs around the internal perimeter of the enclosure <NUM> so that it has a length sufficient to reduce the turbulence of the fuel to a level which permits an inline particle contamination sensor <NUM> to accurately detect the number of particles per unit volume of fuel that is flowing through it. A fuel inlet line <NUM> of a particle detection circuit <NUM> is connected to the first outlet port <NUM> of the three port supply connector <NUM>. A fuel inlet line <NUM> of a fuel property detection circuit <NUM> is connected to the second outlet port <NUM> of the three port connector <NUM>.

The inline particle contamination sensor <NUM> is connected to the fuel inlet line <NUM> of the particle detection circuit <NUM>, at a position adjacent to the first outlet port <NUM>. A fuel return line <NUM> is provided in the particle detection circuit <NUM> between an outlet <NUM> of the inline particle contamination sensor <NUM> and an inlet port <NUM> of a three port return connector <NUM> of a fuel outlet circuit <NUM>. The fuel outlet circuit <NUM> is connected to the fuel return line <NUM>. A check valve <NUM> is located in the fuel return line <NUM>, adjacent to the outlet <NUM>.

An inlet <NUM> of a manifold block <NUM> is connected to the fuel inlet line <NUM> of the fuel property detection circuit <NUM>. An outlet <NUM> of the manifold block <NUM> is connected to a second inlet port <NUM> of the three port return connector <NUM> of the fuel outlet circuit <NUM>. The manifold block <NUM> provides a first connection <NUM> for inline series connection of a water in oil sensor <NUM>, a second connection <NUM> for inline series connection of a fluid property sensor <NUM> and a third connection <NUM> for inline series connection of a check valve <NUM>. The water in oil sensor <NUM>, the fluid property sensor <NUM> and the check valve <NUM> are located between the inlet <NUM> and the outlet <NUM> of the manifold block <NUM>, in series and in that order.

The enclosure <NUM> also contains a data acquisition, analysis and transmission data sub-system <NUM>. Wired data connections <NUM>, <NUM> and <NUM> connect the inline particle contamination sensor <NUM>, the water in oil sensor <NUM> and the fluid property sensor <NUM> respectively to the data sub-system <NUM>. Also located within the enclosure <NUM> and adjacent to its base is a proximity sensor <NUM>, which is connected to the data sub-system <NUM> by a wired data connection <NUM>. An ambient temperature and humidity sensor <NUM> is located outside of the enclosure <NUM> and connected to the data sub-system <NUM> by a wired data connection <NUM>.

The data sub-system <NUM> communicates wirelessly with a cloud data storage system <NUM>. A remotely located processing and display system <NUM> is also in wireless communication with the cloud data storage system <NUM>. Data can be received by and sent from the cloud storage system <NUM> and both the data sub-system <NUM> and the remotely located processing and display system <NUM> can send and receive data. The remotely located processing and display system <NUM> is configured to display information collected by the various sensors and information resulting from analysis, such as can be undertaken by the data acquisition, analysis and transmission data sub-system <NUM>. For example, and as illustrated in <FIG>, the remotely located processing and display system <NUM> can display information about the fuel density (as detected by the fluid property sensor <NUM>), the ambient conditions, such as temperature and humidity, (as detected by the ambient temperature and humidity sensor <NUM>), the particulate count (as detected by the particle contamination sensor <NUM>) and the fuel water content (as detected by the water in oil sensor <NUM>).

In use of the fuel supply arrangement <NUM> on a HGV tractor unit <NUM>, the engine fuel pump <NUM> provided on the internal combustion engine <NUM> draws fuel into the fuel chamber <NUM>. The fuel is drawn through the upstream pick-up end <NUM> of the fuel pick-up tube <NUM> attached to the moveable float <NUM>, flows through the fuel pick-up tube <NUM> and then out of its downstream discharge end <NUM>, through the fuel inlet orifice <NUM> and then into the inlet baffle <NUM> of the fuel chamber <NUM>. The fuel exits the open end <NUM> of the inlet baffle <NUM>, flows into the fuel chamber <NUM> and flows out of the fuel chamber <NUM> to the internal combustion engine <NUM> through an inlet end <NUM> of the fuel consumption outlet <NUM>. The fuel entering the fuel chamber <NUM> via the fuel inlet orifice <NUM> does not mix with the rest of the fuel in the fuel chamber <NUM> until it has passed through the height of the inlet baffle <NUM> and exited into the fuel chamber <NUM> through the inlet flow passage <NUM>. The relatively large internal diameter of the baffle <NUM>, compared to the diameter of the fuel inlet orifice <NUM>, combined with the height of the inlet baffle <NUM>, provides a significant volume through which the fuel must pass before it can enter into the fuel chamber <NUM>, from where it can be extracted via the fuel monitoring outlet <NUM> or the fuel consumption outlet <NUM>. In passing through the relatively large internal volume of the inlet baffle <NUM> the velocity of fuel entering the fuel chamber <NUM> is reduced, which leads to a reduction in the amount of agitation of the fuel and air mixture in the fuel / air space <NUM> at the top of the fuel chamber <NUM>. A reduction in the agitation of the fuel and air mixture in the fuel / air space <NUM> has the advantage of reducing the amount of air being drawn into the fuel monitoring outlet line <NUM> and the into fuel consumption outlet line <NUM>, which is beneficial because, for example, if air is present in the fuel passing through the fuel sensors of the fuel monitoring system <NUM>, then the accuracy of the readings of those sensors can be negatively impacted.

Upon first use of the fuel supply arrangement <NUM>, or use after a fuel system servicing operation, the fuel chamber <NUM> must be filled with fuel until the level of fuel in the fuel chamber <NUM> is above the level of the inlet end <NUM> of the fuel monitoring outlet <NUM> and above the level of the inlet end <NUM> of the fuel consumption outlet <NUM>. This is achieved by a priming operation in which air is removed from the fuel chamber <NUM> (because the fuel chamber <NUM> is sealed) in order for fuel chamber <NUM> to fill with fuel. The engine <NUM> consumes fuel as it runs and the engine fuel pump <NUM> ensures that the level of fuel in the fuel chamber <NUM> remains at the correct level. Some air remains at the top of the fuel chamber, in the fuel / air space <NUM>. The volume of air retained in the fuel chamber <NUM> is reduced by virtue of the relatively short length of the fuel consumption outlet <NUM>.

To supply fuel to the fuel monitoring system <NUM>, the inline fuel pump <NUM> of the fuel monitoring supply circuit <NUM> draws fuel from the fuel chamber <NUM> via the inlet end <NUM> of the fuel monitoring outlet <NUM>. The inlet end <NUM> is drawing fuel from the fuel chamber <NUM> and thus the fuel being supplied to the fuel monitoring system <NUM> for analysis is representative of the fuel being consumed by the internal combustion engine <NUM> of the HGV tractor unit <NUM>, because that fuel is also drawn from the fuel chamber <NUM>.

The fuel flows through the pump <NUM>, into the fuel monitoring supply circuit <NUM> through the fuel strainer / filter <NUM> and into the fuel turbulence reduction loop <NUM>. The turbulence of the fuel is reduced as it passes through the fuel turbulence reduction loop <NUM> and before it reaches the inlet port <NUM> of the three port supply connector <NUM>, where the fuel is split into a supply to the particle detection circuit <NUM> and a supply to the fuel property detection circuit <NUM>. The pressure of fuel in the fuel monitoring supply circuit <NUM>, in the fuel turbulence reduction loop <NUM> and consequently in the particle detection circuit <NUM>, is controlled by the characteristics of the inline fuel pump <NUM> and the method in which the inline fuel pump <NUM> is driven, such that the pressure and volumetric flow of fuel can be maintained at the desired level (such as might be required for correct operation of the inline particle contamination sensor <NUM>).

The fuel for the particle detection circuit <NUM> passes out of the first outlet port <NUM> of the three port connector <NUM> into the fuel inlet line <NUM> and then into the inline particle contamination sensor <NUM>, where the number of particles per unit volume of fuel that is flowing through it is counted, and the size of those particles is measured. The fuel passing into the inline particle contamination sensor <NUM> has been filtered by the fuel strainer/filter <NUM> to prevent blockage of the inline particle contamination sensor <NUM>. The data collected on the number of particles per unit volume and the size of the particles is transmitted by the wired data connection <NUM> to the data sub-system <NUM> for processing and onwards transmission to the remotely located processing and display system <NUM>. Upon the fuel leaving the particle contamination sensor <NUM> through the outlet <NUM> that fuel flows to the check valve <NUM>. The purpose of the check valve <NUM> is to maintain the pressure in the particle detection circuit <NUM> at a level that permits correct operation of the inline particle contamination sensor <NUM>. The fuel flows through the check valve <NUM> to the three port return connector <NUM> and then to the fuel outlet circuit <NUM> from which the fuel then flows to the fuel return line <NUM> and back to the fuel tank <NUM>.

The fuel for the fuel property detection circuit <NUM> passes out of the second outlet port <NUM> of the three port supply connector <NUM> and into the manifold block <NUM> through its inlet <NUM>. The fuel flows through the water in oil sensor <NUM>, then through the fluid property sensor <NUM> and then through the check valve <NUM>, before passing out through the outlet <NUM> of the manifold block <NUM> to the three port return connector <NUM>. The fuel then flows to the fuel outlet circuit <NUM> and then to the fuel return line <NUM> and back to the fuel tank <NUM>. The data collected by the water in oil sensor <NUM> about the water content of the fuel is transmitted by the wired data connection <NUM> to the data sub-system <NUM> and the data collected by the fluid property sensor <NUM> about the density, viscosity, temperature and dielectric constant of the fuel is transmitted by the wired data connection <NUM> to the data sub-system <NUM> for processing and onwards transmission to the remotely located processing and display system <NUM>.

The proximity sensor <NUM> detects the presence of fluid leaking into the enclosure <NUM>, for example fuel from a loose connection within one of the fuel circuits of the fuel distribution arrangement <NUM>, or water entering into the enclosure <NUM> from outside. If a fluid is detected by the proximity sensor <NUM> then it sends an electrical signal to the data sub-system <NUM> and that signal can be used to display a warning to, for example, an operator, via the remotely located processing and display system. The data sub-system <NUM> comprises a global positioning system (GPS), for example to locate the position of the HGV tractor unit <NUM> and to track its movements and the ambient temperature and humidity sensor <NUM> collects data about the environment in which the fuel supply arrangement <NUM> is located. The data from the proximity sensor <NUM> is transmitted to the data sub-system <NUM> by the wired data connection <NUM> and the data from the ambient temperature and humidity sensor <NUM> is transmitted to the data sub-system <NUM> by the wired data connection <NUM>. The fuel monitoring system <NUM> may also be provided with a fuel level sensor (not shown), provided in the fuel tank <NUM>. The fuel level sensor is capable of providing very accurate information about the amount of fuel in the tank <NUM>. The additional information provided by this fuel sensor level can be particularly useful if the fuel monitoring system <NUM> is fitting to a fuel tank <NUM> which already has a pre-existing fuel level sensor, but that pre-existing fuel level sensor is not capable of providing information about the level of the fuel in the tank <NUM> with the desired level of accuracy.

The remotely located processing and display system <NUM> is monitored by an operator and that operator may be on the HGV tractor unit <NUM>, or may be located remotely from the HGV tractor unit <NUM>, for example if the HGV tractor unit <NUM> is an autonomous vehicle. A typical use of the data collected by the fuel monitoring system <NUM> is to alert the operator that an HGV tractor unit <NUM> is currently consuming sub-standard fuel. In certain circumstances the operator can be instructed to shut down the internal combustion engine <NUM> of the HGV tractor unit, for example to prevent it from being damaged.

The information collected by the various sensors and received by the remotely located processing and display system <NUM> can be utilised in various ways. For example, it can be sent to a monitoring centre, or it can be sent to a pre-existing dashboard, for example that of the HGV tractor unit <NUM>, where the information can be displayed in the manner consistent with the general approach of the OEM manufacturer of the HGV tractor unit <NUM>.

<FIG> shows an example not according to the appended claims with a fuel tank <NUM> in cross-section. The fuel supply arrangement <NUM> comprises a fuel pick-up arrangement <NUM> comprising a straight, rigid, pick-up pipe <NUM> with its upstream pick-up end <NUM> located near to the bottom of the fuel tank <NUM> and with its downstream discharge end <NUM> connected to a fuel monitoring outlet line <NUM>. In normal use, the pick-up end <NUM> remains below the surface <NUM> of the fuel in the tank <NUM>. The fuel monitoring outlet line <NUM> runs to a fuel distribution arrangement <NUM> of a fuel monitoring system <NUM> which is located within an enclosure <NUM> that is positioned on top of the fuel tank <NUM>. The fuel distribution arrangement <NUM> is as described above and as illustrated schematically in <FIG>.

A straight and rigid fuel consumption outlet line <NUM> also runs from a position near to the bottom of the fuel tank <NUM> vertically upwards, out of the tank <NUM> and to an internal combustion engine <NUM> of a HGV tractor unit <NUM>, such as is shown in <FIG>. A fuel return line <NUM> is connected between the fuel distribution arrangement <NUM> and the fuel tank <NUM>.

Claim 1:
A fuel supply arrangement (<NUM>) for a fuel monitoring system (<NUM>) wherein the fuel supply arrangement (<NUM>) comprises a fuel distribution arrangement (<NUM>) and a fuel monitoring outlet line (<NUM>), wherein, in use, the fuel monitoring outlet line (<NUM>) is connected to a source of fuel (<NUM>), wherein the fuel distribution arrangement (<NUM>) comprises a fuel monitoring supply circuit (<NUM>) connected at an upstream end to the fuel monitoring outlet line (<NUM>) and comprising an inline fuel pump (<NUM>), wherein a first fuel sensor supply circuit (<NUM>) and a second fuel sensor supply circuit (<NUM>) are each connected to the fuel monitoring supply circuit (<NUM>) downstream of the inline fuel pump (<NUM>), wherein the first fuel sensor supply circuit (<NUM>) is provided with a sensor inlet connection and a sensor outlet connection for inline connection of a sensor, wherein the second fuel sensor supply circuit (<NUM>) comprises a sensor manifold (<NUM>) with ports for connection of a plurality of sensors (<NUM>,<NUM>) in series with each other and wherein the fuel distribution arrangement (<NUM>) comprises a fuel outlet line (<NUM>) to which the first fuel sensor supply circuit (<NUM>) and the second fuel sensor supply circuit (<NUM>) are fluidly connected, characterised in that the fuel supply arrangement (<NUM>) further comprises a fuel chamber (<NUM>) having a fuel inlet (<NUM>) for connection to the source of fuel (<NUM>) and having a fuel monitoring outlet (<NUM>) to which the fuel monitoring outlet line (<NUM>) is connected, wherein the fuel chamber (<NUM>) further comprises a fuel consumption outlet (<NUM>) to which a fuel consumption outlet line (<NUM>) is connected, for connection to a fuel consumption entity (<NUM>).