Fuel module with electrostatic discharge mitigation
Methods and apparatus are provided for electrostatic discharge mitigation for a fuel module. In one embodiment, the system includes a fuel pump having a power and ground connection for pumping fuel. A fuel filter in fluid communication with the fuel pump, the fuel filter including one or more components made of a non-conductive plastic and having a sulfonated surface covered with a conductive surface formed over the sulfonated surface. The conductive surface is electrically coupled to the vehicle ground plane. A method is provided for mitigation of electrostatic discharge in a fuel module. In one embodiment, the method includes sulfonating non-conductive plastic components of the fuel module to provide a sulfonated layer on the non-conductive plastic components and forming a conductive layer over the sulfonated layer to provide an electrical discharge path for electrostatic buildup resulting from fuel moving through the fuel module.
1. A system, comprising:
a fuel pump having a power and ground connection for pumping fuel;
a fuel filter in fluid communication with the fuel pump, the fuel filter including one or more components of a non-conductive plastic having a sulfonated surface with a conductive surface formed over the sulfonated surface and electrically coupled to the ground connection of the fuel pump; and
a fuel exit port in fluid communication with the fuel filter, the fuel exit port being formed from a non-conductive plastic having a sulfonated interior surface with a conductive surface formed over the sulfonated interior surface and electrically coupled to the ground connection of the fuel pump.
2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a housing containing the fuel pump and the fuel filter;
a housing cover having the fuel exit port positioned therein.
3. The system of claim 2 , further comprising a connector conduit between the fuel pump and the fuel filter, the connector conduit being formed of a non-conductive plastic having a sulfonated surface with the conductive surface formed over the sulfonated surface and electrically coupled to the ground connection of the fuel pump.
4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the fuel filter comprises:
a filter housing formed of the non-conductive plastic having the sulfonated surface;
a filter housing cover formed of the non-conductive plastic having the sulfonated surface and having the conductive surface applied to an interior sulfonated surface thereof.
5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the conductive surface is also applied to an interior sulfonated surface of the filter housing.
6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the fuel exit port is formed in an elbow configuration having an inlet and an outlet on either side of an angled portion.
7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the fuel exit port has the conductive surface formed over the sulfonated interior surface from the inlet through the angled portion.
8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the fuel exit port has the conductive surface formed over the sulfonated interior surface from the inlet through the outlet.
9. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a filter conduit between the fuel filter and fuel exit port, the filter conduit being formed of a non-conductive plastic having a sulfonated surface with the conductive surface formed over the sulfonated surface and electrically coupled to a ground connection.
10. A vehicle, comprising:
a combustion engine;
a fuel reservoir containing fuel for the combustion engine and configured to receive a fuel module comprising;
a fuel pump having a power and ground connection for pumping fuel from the fuel reservoir to the combustion engine;
a fuel filter in fluid communication with the fuel pump, the fuel filter including one or more components of a non-conductive plastic having a sulfonated surface with a conductive surface formed over the sulfonated surface and electrically coupled to the ground connection of the fuel pump;
a fuel exit port in fluid communication with the fuel filter, the fuel exit port being formed from a non-conductive plastic having a sulfonated interior surface with a conductive surface formed over the sulfonated interior surface and electrically coupled to the ground connection of the fuel pump; and
a fuel conduit coupling the fuel exit port of the fuel module to the combustion engine.
11. The vehicle of claim 10 , further comprising:
a housing containing the fuel pump and the fuel filter;
a housing cover having the fuel exit port positioned therein.
12. The vehicle of claim 11 , a connector conduit between the fuel pump and the fuel filter, the connector conduit being formed of a non-conductive plastic having a sulfonated surface with the conductive surface formed over the sulfonated surface and electrically coupled to the ground connection of the fuel pump.
13. The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the fuel filter comprises:
a filter housing formed of the non-conductive plastic having the sulfonated surface;
a filter housing cover formed of the non-conductive plastic having the sulfonated surface and having the conductive surface applied to an interior sulfonated surface thereof.
14. The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the conductive surface is also applied to an interior sulfonated surface of the filter housing.
15. The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein the fuel exit port is formed in an elbow configuration having an inlet and an outlet on either side of an angled portion.
16. The vehicle of claim 15 , wherein the sulfonated surface of the fuel exit port extends from the inlet through at least the angled portion thereof.
17. The system of claim 10 , further comprising a filter conduit between the fuel filter and fuel exit port, the filter conduit being formed of a non-conductive plastic having a sulfonated surface with the conductive surface formed over the sulfonated surface and electrically coupled to a ground connection.