Patent ID: 7077110

Claim:
A return fuel temperature control module for use in controlling the temperature of fuel diverted away from an engine and returned to a fuel tank, the return fuel temperature control module comprising a module housing formed to include an insulator passageway adapted to insulate thermally fuel flowing therethrough, a cooler passageway adapted to cool fuel flowing therethrough and arranged in a parallel flow arrangement with the insulator passageway, and a flow-controller passageway located downstream from the insulator and cooler passageways to receive fuel therefrom, and flow controller means for controlling flow of fuel through the insulator and cooler passageways to the flow-controller passageway in response to temperature of fuel in the flow-controller passageway so that fuel flows through the insulator passageway to the flow-controller passageway but not through the cooler passageway to the flow-controller passageway when the temperature of fuel in the flow-controller passageway is lower than a predetermined lower temperature, flows through the cooler passageway to the flow-controller passageway but not through the insulator passageway to the flow-controller passageway when the temperature of fuel in the flow-controller passageway is higher than a predetermined higher temperature, and flows through both the insulator passageway and the cooler passageway to the flow-controller passageway when the temperature of fuel in the flow-controller passageway is between the predetermined lower temperature and the predetermined higher temperature.