Auburn Hills, Michigan - Walbro Corporation unveiled its 2000x Smart Tanktm - fuel system of the future - at the Cobo Conference/Exhibition Center in Detroit during the SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) 1999 International Congress and Exposition.
Walbro's Smart Tanktm, the industry's first electronically managed fuel storage and delivery system, features its own in-tank computer that receives commands and delivers processed information directly to the vehicle's onboard computer network.
"This new fuel system reflects the next generation of features for fuel systems," said Tom Mathues, Vice President - Engineering, North America. "The fuel system of the future is working to meet the challenges of the 2004 proposed evaporative emission regulations. This system is built to eliminate most of the traditional holes and joints and to capture all active parts of the system within the tank shell."
Walbro's Smart Tanktm is a complete system that only requires two connections to its plastic coextruded tank with a vapor barrier to control evaporative emissions. One connector is for the filler tube. The other connector is for a subsystem assembly that includes a Smart Pumptm, smart purge, unique electronic control module, fuel level and OBD II sensors.
Walbro's Smart Tanktm incorporates fuel pressure generation, fuel pressure control, a stationary piezo sensor to measure fuel volume, vapor collection, carbon vapor storage, a fuel/fill stop valve, an all-position fuel reservoir and its final filter.
The Smart Tank'stm intelligence comes from its electronic tank control module (TCM). It processes information and works directly with the vehicle's onboard computer network. It is programmed to optimize the vapor purge process, provide fuel pressure on demand, and minimize the drain on the vehicle's electrical system.
Walbro Corporation is a designer and manufacturer of precision fuel systems and products for automotive and small engine markets. Headquartered in Auburn Hills, MI, USA, Walbro has subsidiaries and joint ventures throughout the world, including North and South America, Europe and Asia. Walbro common stock is traded on the NASDAQ National Market under the symbol WALB.
