Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Background of the Invention
~1) Field of the Invention:
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This invention relates to fuel systems and vaporizing devices therein
for internal combustion engines, and more particularly fuel gas generators.
(2) Description of the Prior Art:
Fuel systems for internal combustion engines have generally used
carburetors in which gasoline is sprayed into a stream of air anld divided into
a series of fine droplets approaching vaporization and conveyed to the point
of combustion. Only those molecules at the surface of the gasoline droplets are
in a position to react with another species and incomplete combustion results be-
cause the very short time allowed is insufficient for more than a little vaporization
of the fuel to occur. The prior art engines therefore exhaust large quantities of
unburned hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and oxides of nitrogen all of which
are undeslrable atmospheric pollutants.
This invention simuitaneously vaporizes the liquid fuel and water
at very high temperatures so that the fuel mixture in ih heated pressurized
gaseous state achieves practically complete combustion in the internal
combustion engine due to the spacing of the molecules resulting from heat.
Summary of the_nventioa
A fuel system having a novel high temperature pressure controlled
heated vapor;zer is disclosed in which gasoline and water are simultaneously
vaporized to produce a gaseous fuel under pressure for delivery to a metering
valve in communication with the inlet manifold of the engine. The metering valveadds the combustion air and regulates the same and the gaseous fuel. The partialvacuum resulting from the operation of the internal combustion engine moves the
combustion air with the proper quanti~y of gaseous fuel from the metering valve
to the areas of combustion In the engine. The complete vaporization of the
28 liquid fuel nnd the wahr is caused ~y high ternperature heat from an extomal
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source under controlled pressure and voiume conditions.
Description of the Drawings
Figure 1 i5 a cross sectional elevation of a liquid fuel vaporizer, `~
Figure 2 is a diagrammatic illustration of a fuel system for an internal
combustion engine and incorporating the vaporizer of Figure 1~ and
Figure 3 is an enlarged detal view of a portion of the fuel system.
~escription of the Preferred Embodiment
By referring to the drawings and Figure 2 thereof, the form of the
invention chosen for illustration and description herein may be seen. A fuei
system for an internal combustion engine is Tllustrated in operative communication
with an internal combustion engine 10 of the piston type in which the inlet
manifold is indicated at 11 in communication w;th a metering valve 12 to which
primary alr Is available as from an air cleaner 13. Vaporized ~uel consisting of
gasoline and water ;n superheated gaseous form is delivered to the metering valve
12 from a vaporizer 14. Water is supplied to the vaporizer 14 by way of a
water line 15 having an ad justable valve 16 therein which communicates with
a preheater 17 and a water supply source by way of a solenoid valve 18 and
a pump 1 8A. Gasoline is supplied to the vaporizer 14 by a fuel line 19 having
an ad justable valv~ 20 therein. Substan~ially eigh~ par~s of gasoline ~o ~wo
parts of wa~er are satisfactory The fuel line l ~ communicates with a fuel
source by way of a solenoid valve 22 and a pump 23. -
By referring now to Figure 1 of the drawings, it wili be seen that the
vaporizer 14 consists of a hollow body 24 having a closure formed of a secondary
hollow body 25 which in turn is closed by a cap 2b. A port 27 in the secondary
hollow body 25 communiccltes with the hollow body 24 and a heated vaporizing
chamber C therein. An apertured partition divides the chamber C.
The hollow body 24 whtch forms the vapor;z;ng chamber C has an
28 electrlc reststance heating element 28 theroln controlled by a temperGtur~
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and a pressure actuated device 29 which acts to connect the heating element
28 with a power source by way of conductors 30. The conductors 30 extend
to a control panel 31, see Figure 2 of the drawings, and additional conductors
32 and 33 extend from the control panel 31 to the solenoid vnlves ~8 and 22
respectively with the conductors 32 extending to the pump 23 and the conductors
33 extend to the pump 1 8A. A source of electrical energy, such as an alternator34, is also connected with the control panel 31 and the arrangement is such that an
interconnection with the ignition system of the engine on which the fuel
system is installed actuates the control panel 31 and energizes the solenoid
valves l ô and 22 respectively along with the pumps 23 and 1 8A simultaneously
energizes the heating element 28 in the vaporizing chamber C. During the sub-
sequent operation of the system the temperature and pressure actuated device 2
acts to control the delivery of gasoline and water to the vaporizing chamber C
and maintain desirable heat and pressure conditTons therein. The heating element
28 operating at 1250 watts,or more depending upon ~he output of the alternator 34
supplies sufficient heat to completely gasify gasoline and water vapors delivered
into the chamber C by nozzles 34 and 35, from the preheater 17. It has been
determined that tt is necessary to operate the heating element 28 at temperatures
above 600 F. and ranging up to 1800F. in order to obtain complete gasification
20 of the water and gasoline vapors in the fuel gas generator.
The water and gasoline are supplied the generator by varial~le output pumps
23 and 18A respectively at pressures between two and twelve pounds per square inch,
which pressures are substantially increased along with the volume by the superheated
gasification of the gasoline and water vapors in the chamber C. The formation of
the superheated expanding steam from the water vapor introduced into the
vaporizer contributes significantly to the pressure and volume requirements.
The superhe~ted rapidly expandiny ~as frorn the gasoline vapor. ~mixes wTth
28 the superhea~d iteam nnd 7t i~ belioved that the pressure and temperature
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environment, both in the vaporizer and the internai combustion engine convert at
least some of the water to hydrogen and oxygen to form an additional combustible
fuel and at the same time avoid detonation of the fuel and its audible knocking.
Still referring to Figure l of the drawings, it will be seen that the secondary
hollow body member 25 with which the port 27 communicates, positions a diaphragm
36 therein for movement by pressures therein. The diaphragm :36 ls ad justably spring
biased by a spring 37. The diaphragm 36 has discs 38 centrally thereoF with a hoss 40
thereon and moves responsive to pressures in the secondar,v hollow body 25 and moves
an arm 39 on the boss 40 and a valve element 41 thereon toward and away from the
port 27. It will be observed that the common wall forming the bottom of the hollow
body member 25 and the top of the vaporization chamber C results in operating
temperatures within the hollow body member 2S sufficiently great to maintain the
superheated gaseous fuel in its desired state and that the regulator formed by the
diaphragm 36, arm 39 and valve element 41 act to mainta;n u desirable operating
pressure, such as for example twelve pounds per square inch, in the hollow body
member 25 when negative pressure exists in the outlet thereof. The hot gaseous
fuel flows out of the hollow body member 25 through a passageway 42 as defined
by a tube 43 and directly into the metering valve l 2, which in turn communicates
with the inlet manifold ll of the engine lO.
Those skilled in the art will observe that the metering valve l 2 which
may be seen in Figure 3 of the drawings, provides vertical passageways 44 between
the air cleaner l8 and the inlet manifold l l and incorporates a butterfly valve-
assembly 45 in the air passageways and a rotary valve eiement 46 in the metering
valve controls the communication of the hot gaseous fuel being clelivered thereto
from the vaporizer 14 as here;nbefore described. The rotary valve 46 and the
butterfly vc Ive ~ are interconnected so that throttle control of the internal
combustion engine ~etuates the valves 45 and 46 to deliver predetermined
28 desirable amounh of eombustion ~ir and hot ~aseous fuel directly to the intak
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manifold 11 of the internal combustion engine. It will be observed by those
ski I led in the art that it is essential that the high operating temperature of the
device be maintained and to this end suitable insulation is installed to
prevent cooling of the hot gaseous fuel and to further increase the efficiency
of the device. The vaporizer 14 has a false bottom 47 spaced above a bottom
cap 48 so as to form a heating chamber HC immediately below th~ vaporizing
chamber C. Exhaust gases from the exhaust manifold of the engine pass by
way of an exhaust pipe 49 through the preheater 17 a n d i n t o t h i s
heating chamber HC and emerge therefrom through a secondary exhaust pipe 50
which communicates with the exhaust system as will be understood by those skilled
in the art.
As a result of this supplemental heating from engine exhaust the vaporization
chamber C ;s more readily ma;ntained at its 1800F. operating temperature and
the energy demand on the electric heating element 28 is reduced. The same exhaust
heat produces gasoline and water vapors in the preheaters 17 and 21.
Those skilled in the art will observe that a desirable ratio between the gasoline
and the water delivered to the vaporizer 14 in the fuel system disclosed herein is
necessary and desirable and it has been determlned that considerable leeway with
respect to the amount of water introduced into the fuel mixture is possible. An
internal combustion engine operating on the fuel generator disclosed herein operates
at peak efficiency only when water is added to the vaporize~ and when the water
comprieses 5% to ~5% of the total liquid delivered to the vaporizer. Successful
operation can be maintained with percentag0s of the water as high as 30% of the total liquid.
Amounh below 2% adversely affect the operation as a reduction in rpm and torque
ability is quite noticeable.
it will occur to those skilled in the art that an anti-freeze additive such as
alcohol can be a~ded to the water supplied the fuel generator herein without affecting
28 the operation of the same and without changing the water to gasoline ratio.
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1055341
The metering valve 12 may compris0 any suitable commerc;al device which
will control the amount of air and a gaseous fuel admitted thereto for delivery to
the iniet manifold 11 and one such suitable metering vaive is generally available
under the trademark CENTURY. In the preferred embod~ment, as seen in Figures 2
and 3 oF the drawings, the metering valve 12 provides throttle control with respect to
the amount of air and hot gaseous fuel admitted to the inlet manifold 11 of the
Internal combustion engine, responsive to the partial vacuum in the inlet manifold
11 as will be understood by those skilled ;n the art.
The metering valve 12 hereinbefore referred to is partially illustrated
Tn Figures 1,2and 3 of the drawings, and in Figute 1 of the drawinas it will be
seen that the vaporizer whicl has been generally indicated by the number 1~ is
mounted on the side of the metering valve 12 so that the hot gaseous fuel passageway
therefrom communicates with a passaaeway 51 in the metering valve 12 and dlrectly
wlth the rotary valve 46 therein which is disposed transversely thereto.
Those skilled in the art will be aware that decomposition of a fuel
molecule may occur without combustion occuring unlPss ~here is sufficient time
and sufficient oxyg0n. Such decomposition (pyrolysis) produces products which
may be more toxic than the original fuel and the elimination of the possibility of
such pyrolysis products in the exhaust may be achieved by insuring as complete
20 combustion as possible with the invention hereinbefore described.
Although but one embodiment of the pres0nt invention has been illustrated
and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art thàt various changes
and modif;cations may be made therein without departing from the sp;rit of th~
inventi~n .
Having thus d~scrlbed our lnventton what we claim is:
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