Patent ID: 8726853

Claim:
A fuel supply system having a fuel supply pipe ( 12 ) with a fuel pump ( 14 , 15 ) for conveying fuel from a fuel tank via the fuel pump ( 14 , 15 ) to a fuel injection device ( 10 ) of an internal combustion engine; the system further including a fuel filter ( 16 ) with a housing arranged in the fuel supply pipe ( 12 ) and comprising a water separator ( 17 ); a fuel/water discharge device ( 32 ) coupled with the fuel filter ( 16 ) for removing water which has collected in the water separator ( 17 ) from the fuel filter ( 16 ) and inject it into an exhaust gas system ( 34 ) of the internal combustion engine, the fuel/water discharge device ( 32 ) being connected via a main pipe ( 22 ) to a water-free region of the fuel filter ( 16 ) and via a branch pipe ( 20 ) to a water storage region of the fuel filter ( 16 ); and a mixing device ( 24 ) arranged in the main pipe ( 22 ), and the branch pipe ( 20 ) extending to the mixing device ( 24 ) so that a fuel flow of the main pipe ( 22 ) can draw water via the branch pipe ( 20 ) from the water separator ( 17 ), the mixing device ( 24 ) being in the form of a throttle device, or a venturi nozzle; a valve device ( 36 ) provided in the housing of the fuel filter ( 16 ) or the branch pipe ( 20 ) for optional opening or closing of the branch pipe ( 20 ); and a water level sensor ( 18 ) arranged in the water separator ( 17 ) of the fuel filter ( 16 ) for detecting a water level.