Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
1234~)26
Field of the lnvention
The invention refers to an internal-combustion engine
comprising at least one combustion chamber, to which a
dispersion of fuel and water is supplied via a dispersion
supplying conduit and to which is supplied the air
required for the combustion and wnich is in connection
with an exhaust conduit servin~ for the removal of the
effluent gases and vapours genera,2d during the combustion.
The fuel used can be a liquid fuel and a pulverulant fuel
and optionally a gasified fuel, noting that also a com-
bination of li~uid fuel and pulverulant fuel can be used.
The fuel used is in particular gasoline or a Diesel fuel.
The internal-combustion engine can be a reciprocating
1~ machine having within the combustion chamDer at least one
piston~but the internal-combustion engine can also consist
of a turbine.
Background of the invention
In connectlon with internal combustion-engines it is
already known to add water to the gasoline, which results
in a fuel saving. For this purpose, a dispersion of fuel
and water ~ust be produced which is supplied to the com-
bustion chamber in place of the pure fuel.
It has already been proposed to provide for the finished
dispersion at petrol stations and to deliver the dispersion
to correspondingly equipped vehicles. In this case, the
`` lZ34~Z~
-- 2
dispersion is already produced in the refinery either by
high pressure spraying or by means of supersonic ~ispersers.
Such a dispersion can simpl~ be produced and is of an
excellent qualit~ and allows a fuel saving up to approximate-
ly 35 percent. However, there exist numerous drawbacks whichhave forbidden up till now utilizztion of this system in
practice. For example, the petrol stations must be equipped
with separate tan~s for storing this dispersion, noting
that these tanks must consist of rust-proof materials in
consideration of the corrosive action of the dispersion.
Storing of the dispersion in these tanks is equally accom-
panied by problems, because the dispersions are, on the one
hand, not freeze-proof and thus only suitable for being
stored at temperatures down to approximately -3 C and have,
on the other hand, an only limlted storageability because
the dispersion dissociates into its components after some
time. Furthermore, the whole fuel system, including the
fuel tQnX, of motor vehicles operated with such dispersions
must be produced of corrosion-resistent material and must
be replaced in existing vehicles. Finally, the great amounts of
exhaust steam emitted by the exhaust equipment result in
a deterioration of the environments. A further drawback of
this system has its origin in the fact that all motor
vehicles must be operated with a dispersion having one and
the same ratio of fuel 'o water, because the petrol
stations can only deliver such dispersions hav ng a definite
ratio of fuel to water.
1234026
-- 3
It has also been proposed to supply to the combustion
chambers of internal combustion engines not only fuel or,
respecti~ely, ~-ia a carburator a fuel-air-mixture but also
water by an additional carburator or by an additional in-
jection equipment. Also in this manner, a fuel saving upto approximately 40 percent can be achieved. In this case
it is disadvantageous that an additional equipment must be
provided in the shape of a~second carburator or, respective-
ly, an additional injection equipment and that, furthermore,
a second tank must be provided ~or the water, which second
tank must have considerable dimensions and results in
filied condition in a substantial increase of the vehicle
weight, because the necessary amount of water is sub-
stantially greater than the ~ount of fuel. A further dis-
advantage has its origin in the-fact that distilled water
must be used because normal tap water would within short
result in clogging the nozzles within the carburator system
or ir.jection system. The use of distilled water results in
an increase of the operating costs, so tha* - on-account of
a substantial amount of water being required - the savings in
fuel costs are neutralized to a great e~:tent.
Prom ~S-Patent Specification 4 412 512 there has
further become known a fuel supply system in which the con-
densate obtained on cooling the hot e~haust gases and
vapours is emulsified with the fuel and the emulsion
obtained is supplied to an internal-combustion engine by
means of an injection pump. The drawback of this known
1234~)Z~i
-- 4
arrangement is the heat loss resulting on condensation of
the steam within the exhaust system. This condensation heat
corresponds to the heat of vaporization which is extracted
from the combustion gases. This is the reason on account of
5 which the known arrangements have in the ~ixing ratio an
upper limit for the water of approximately 50 percent. If
the mixing ration is increased above this value, the
efficlency is reduced again.
Objects of the invention
It is an object of the present invention to provide
an internal-combustion engine which can be operated with
an optimum efficlency by means of a dispersion of fuel and
water, thereby utilizing all advantages resulting from such
operation. It is a further object of the present invention
to àesign an internal-combustion engine such that its
additional equipment and, respectively, its change-over
reguirements isreasonably limited and that, in particular,
it can be avoided to provide for a second tank of great
volumetric capacity for the water and to provide for a
second carburator or, respectively, a second fuel injection
pump equip~ent. A still further object of the invention is
to design the internal-combustion engine such that operation
thereof does not result in an increase of the environmental
burden but in a reduction thereof. A further object of the
invention is the improvement of the efficiency of the
internal-combustion engine and the reduction of the emission
~Z3~02~
-- 5
of noxiou~ ~bstances via the exhaust system. The interna~-
-combustion engine according7 to the invention ~hall f~rther
be designe~ such that existing internal-combustiGn ensines
can in a simple manner be changed over for operation with
a fuel-~ater-aispersion. The mixing rati~ between water ana
fuel shall be varlable in a simple manner and be adaptable
to the just existing requirements in connection with an in-
ternal-combustlon engine according to the invention. The
internal-combustion engine according to the invention shall
further provide the possibility to utilize the hydrocarbons
entering the exhaust system-in an unburnt condition.
3rief aescription OL the drawings
Pigure ~ shows, in principle, an embodiment of an
internal-combustion engine according to the inven,ion.
Figure ~A shows, in principle, a further embodiment of an
internal-combustion engine-according to the invention.
Figure 2 shows a section through the control block and
through the emulsifying means. Figure 3 show~ in a section
the heat exchanger of the internal-combustion engine
according to the invention
According to the ernbodiment shown in Figure ~, fresh
air is fed via an air filter 1 to a heat exchanger 2, the
construction and the mode-of operation of which will be
explained later in detail. Within the heat exchanger 2, the
frech air is heated, whereupon the air is supplied to a
carburator 9 via an air supply conduit 3. Heating is
lZ34~)26
-- 6
effected in a manner to be later described in detail by
means of the hot exhaust gases and vapors of the motor 5.
The carburator 4 receives via a dispersion supply con-
duit 6 a fuel-water-dispersion which is produced wlthin a
dispersins means 7, the construction and the mode of operation
of which is later explaine~ in ~etail. ~or this purpose, there
is fed fuel by means of a fuel pump ~ via a fuel supply
conduit 10 from the fuel tank ~ to a control bloc~ 11 to
which is also fed condensate by-means of a condensate pump ~3
via a condensate supply conduit 12. The condensate is forme~ -
as is later described in detail - within the heat exchanQer 2
and is collected within a condensate collecting chamber.
This embodiment shown in Figure 1 is suitable for
adding low proportions of water up to a maximum of approxi-
~5 mately 50 percent, but has the advantage of simple con-
struction, so that this embodiment provides the possibility
to supplement in a simple manner already existing equipment.
The embodlment according to Figure lA differs from the
embodiment according to Figure 1-by the fact that the
carburator 4 is fed with a fuel-water-dispersion via the
dispersion supply conduit 6 and is immediately fed with
fresh air from the air filter 1 via the air supply conduit 3.
The heat exchanger 2 is now fed with the dispersion-air-
-mixture formed within the carburator 4, noting that this
mixture is heated within the heat exchanger and the dis-
persion is such evaporated prior to supplying the mixture
via the conduit 14 into the combustion chamber of the
~234~)26
-- 7
motor 5. In place of using the carburator~ the dispersion
can also be injected into the `neat exchanger 2 via an in-
jection nozzle. This e~bodiment is suitable for ~Tery high
proportions in water, but the geometric dimensions must
be well coordinated relative to the gas velocities.
Furthermore, 2 second throttle or, respectively, a second
slide valve can become necessary within the conduit 14 in
proximity of the motor 5 if too a great gas tTolume o~ the
heat exchanger 2 results in an undesired increase of the
response delay of the motor.
Also an embodiment comprising two heat exchangers is
possible, noting that one heat exchanger is arranged up-
stream the carburato or, respectively, the injection nozzle
and the second heat exchanger is arranged between the
carburator or, respectively, the injection nozzle and the
motor. Such an e~odiment represents a combination o~ the
embodiments shown in Figure 1 and in Figure 1A and is
preferably used if particularly low outside temperatures are
to be expected, because the air sucked in is preheated by
the second heat exchanger located upstream the carburator 4
and thus the risk of icing is reduced.
~ he control block 11 consists of a rotatable
slide ~al~-e 37 arranged within a housing and allowing to
control the supplied fuel as well as the supplied condensate.
Thus, within this control block l1 the mixing ratio between
fuel and condensate is adjusted and both components are
roughly pre-mixed, noting that it is possible to adjust
`-` lZ34~2~
-- 8
definlte mixing ratios of the fuel-water-disperslor, even
during operation of the ir,ternal combus~ion engine. In
dependence on type and load condition of the motor, values
within the range 9:1 (90 percent water) and approximately
24:~ ~96 percent water) have proved suitable.
The mixture produced within the control block ~1 is,
via a conduit 15, fed to the dispersing means 7 and finally
dispersed there. Any excess of ~ispersion is recycled to
the entry side of the dispersing means ~ia a cycling con-
duit 16 into which is interconnected a cycling pump 17.Thus, the amount of dispersion produced within the dispersin~
means 7 need not exactly be coordinated to the required
amount and a certain excesslve amount can be produced wi~hin
the dispersing means 7, thereby making sure that on all
operating conditions a sufficient amount of dispersion is
at disposal for being supplied tc the combustion chambers.
The dispersing means 7 is conveniently arranged direct-
ly on the motor 5, so that the dispersion required for the
combustion is produced directly prior to the com~ustion
process and the leng-th of the dispersion supply conduit 6 can
be kept short and phase separation of the dispersion is not
possible.
The dispersion-air-mixture formed within the carburator 4
is fed into the combustion chamber of the motor 5 via the
conduit 14/whereas discharge of the exhaust gases and vapors
.. produced during the combustion is effected via the exhaust gas
conduit 19, which leads to the heat exchanger 2 and from
lZ34~)26
g
there via the tube 20, inlo which lS interconnected in a
manner known per se an exhaust silencer, into the free
atmosphere.
Wlthin the carburator 4, the ~ispersion is atomized
and mixed with air liXe usual fuel. It is only necessary that
the carburator is designed for the substantially sreater
amount of llquids, i.e. that, above all, the diameter of the
nozzles must substantially be increased. Fine-mesh filters
within the carburator can, however, be omitted, because also
coarse contaminations can pass without problems through the
nozzles of increased aiameter. These great diameters have
2S a further effect that the tolerances with respect to the
ratio between fuel or dispersion, respectively, and air can
be greater, because any change of the supplied amount of
emulsion is, wi.hin a broad r~nge, scarcely of influence.
The fuel enters the motor in four phases: -
1. Mainly as a sas/which is produced during evaporationafter atomizing.
2. ~inally distributed as particle within the water drop-
2~ lets formed during atomizing and in the film of dispersionflowing to the inlet valves alon~ the walls of the intake
elbow.
3. On account of the surface tension, part of the fuel
particles arrives at the surface of the water droplets and
forms there a thin film.
4. For a minor portion dissolved within the water.
As small as the amount of fuel dissolved in water might
1234~
~ 10 --
.
~e, this amoun~ is, however, o great importance. On the
one hand, the freezing point ls lowered down to some degrees
below O C and a compact lce structure is prevented and, on
the other hand, the boiling point is increased and the pheno-
menon of delay of ebollution is provoked. If now the dis-
persion-air-mixture is compressed after having been sucked-
-in, the pressure curve does not correspond as usual nearly
to the aciabatic line of air but exten2s with a reduced in-
clination because the water ~aken alon~ absorbs part of the
r.eat generated during compression and thereby evapor2.es
and furthermore because the adiabatic exponent of the steam
taken along is smaller than that ~f air. Therefore, the
compression stroke consumes less energy than during usual
operation. If the combustible gases are now ignited by the
ignition spark of the spark plug, -also the fuel films located
on the surface of the dispersion droplets are ignited because
they have, in comparison to the volume of compact gasoline
droplets, a surface increased for several decimal powers.
~his heats the already super-heated dispersion droplets,
being in the condition of delay of ebollution, beyond the
critical temperature, so that they suddenly e~plosively
evaporate and disintegrate the fuel particles contained
within the droplets into particles of molecular size and
violently throw the fuel particles-in all directions. This
initiates some type of chain reaction,which propagates uni-
formely through the combus-tion chamber. Furthermore, the
steam produced cleans the-cylinder free of oil coke and
- 1~ - 1234~Z~;
carbon black, which are - 2t the prevailing temperatures -
xeacted in an endothermic reaction to hydrogen anG carbon-
monoxide. These substances are, on accoun. of the high pressure
and the high tem?erature, reacted with further steam to
different hydrocarbons. 3ecause ~ small ~ortion of the
water becomes additionally .hermically dissociated, i.e. is
decomposed into H2 and 2~ but the gases are in the statu
nascendi (i.e. atomic), a further gradu2ted hydrogenationznd
oxidatlon occurs. Furthermore, the hot steam formed extracts
from the system a great amount of heat, so that the peak
temperatures are considerably lowered. ~he reactions takinc
place are not unlike those taking place in the gasoline
syntheses according to Fischer-Tropsch and Kolbel-Engelhardt.
The content in nitrogen oxide is thus strongly reduced and
also the proportion of CO is kept small in spite of a rich
mixture (~oudouard-equilibrium). The pro?ortion of CHX in
the exhaust gases is increased. The intrinsic antiknocking
property of the motor is strongly increased so that also
motors of a high compression ratio of 1~:1 and still
higher can easily be operated with lead-free fuels of low
octane value. During the working~ stroke now following, the
gases expanc on account of their content of high pressure
hot steam to a sreater extent than in the normal Otto car-
burator engine.
As can be taken from Figure 2, the slide valve 37
rotatably supported within the housing of the control block ~1
is guided in longitudinal direction by a screwedly connected
- ~2 - 1~3~026
cover plate ~ and has a control bore 3&,which is in
connection, on the one hand,with the condensat supply con-
duit 12 via a bore 44 in the housing and, on the other hand,
with a collecting chamber 42 within the control block 11.
further control. bore~39 within the rotatable slide valve 37
is connected, on the one hand, with the fuel supply conduit ~C
via a bore 45 within the housing and, on the other hand, with
the mentioned collecting cha~er 42. The collecting chamber ~2
is in connection with the ent-ry side of the dispersing means 7
via the mentioned conduit 15.-
This dispersing me~ns 7 has a housing 2~in which isarranged a main nozzle 22. Wi-thin the main nozzle 22, there
is pro~ided an acjustable nozzle needle 23,which is supported
within a nozzle needle holder -24. By adjusting the nozzle
needle 23, the flow velocity of the dispersion can be varied.
The chamber 26, being sealed by~a sealing slee~7e 25, is ln
connec,ion, on the one han~, with the main nozzle 22 via
openings 27 and, on the other hand, with the cycling con-
duit 16 via an opening 28 .in the housing.
That component part of the main nozzle 22.which comprises
the nozzle opening 29 is surroun~ed by a mi~ing nozzle 30
having its nozzle opening 31 aligred with the nozzle opening
29, noting that the interstice 32 is in connection with the
conduit 15 via an inlet opening 33. The dimension o~ the inter-
stice 32 can be varied by varying the relative position
between the main nozzle 22 and the mixing nozzle 30 within
the housing 21, so t.hat it is possible to make a basic
- 13 - 1Z3402~
adjustment. The ~uel-water-dispersion formed by said both
nozzies 22, 30 flows into .he ~,ixing chamber 35 defined by
a component part 3q connected with the housing 21 and from
there, on the one hand, to the carburator 4 via the dispersion
su?ply conduit 6 and,- on the other hand, to the entry side
of the dispersing means 7 via the cycling conduit 16 and the
opening 28 within the housing,~so that any excessi~e dis-
persion is again recycled to the dispersing means 7.
The heat exchanger shown in Figure 3 has a plurality
of parallel and essentially vertical tubes q6 having their
upper end connected with the exhaust gas conduit 19 and
opening with their lower er,d into a condensate collecting
chamber 97. A heating chamber ~9.accommodating the tubes q6
lS fed via a feed conduit q~ either with fresh air in the
embodiment according to Figure-1 or with a dispersion-air-
-mixture c~ming from the carburator q in the embodiment
according to Figure lA. ~he fresh air or, respectively, the
dispersion-air-mixture flows through this heating chamber ~9
in counter-current and in upward direction and emerges Irom
the heat exchanger 2 at the upper area thereof. In the emDodi-
ment according to Figure 1, the heated fresh air is supplied
to the carburator 4 via the air supply conduit 3, whereas
in the embodiment according-to ~igure 1A the heated dispersion-
-air-mixture, in which thedispersion is heing evaporated, is
supplied to the combustion chamber of the motor 5 via the
conduit 1 q . As already mentioned, the hot exhaust gases
and vapors removed via the exhaust conduit ~9 are cooled
_ ~9 _ 1234~26
within the heat e~changer, in h7hich simultaneously the
fresh air or, respectively, the dis~rsion-air-mixture is
heated, so that the vapors are condensed an~ the condensate
is collected within the condensate collecting chamber ~7.
The le~7el of liquid within the condensale collecting cha~er
is indicated by the dashed line 50. ~he exhaust gases flow
in upward direction via the channel 51 and then into the
tube 20,in wnich is interconnected in a manner known per se
an exhaust silencer, and then intj. the -~ree atmosphere.
~0 Removal of the condensate from..the condensate collec,ing
chamber 47 via the condensate supply conduit ~2 is eflected
at 53 within the area OL- the level 5~ of tne liquid, so that
hydrocarbons floating on the:condensed water are equally
sucked off. ~ny excess of conaensate is removed via an over-
~5 flow 5~. At the lowermost position-of the condensate collect-
ing chamber there is provided a closeable dlscharge opening
55 for emptying the condensate collecting chamber 47.
Within the heat exchanger.2 operated acco-ding to the
counterflow principle, the steam is, in practice, completely
condensed. The exhaust gases are thereby properly w2shed,
so that also the unburnt hydrocarbons are nearl~ completel~
separated~because their boiling point is, as a rule, higher
than that of water. T~ese unburnt hydrocarbons are partially
dissolved ~ithin the condensed water, but the.major part
floats on the surface of this distilled water as a thin
film of oil, from where it is,-as already mentioned, sucked
off together with the condensed water being used for producing
- 15 _ 1~34~2~
the disperslon, so that also these unburnt hvdrorarb3ns
are utilized. As already mentioned, heating of the dispersion-
-air-mixture takes place within the heat exchanger 2. For
this procedure there is utilized the fact that the boiling
point is increased with increasing pressure. On account of
a higher pressure always being existent within the exhaust
system than within the intake pipe, the dispersion contained
within this dispersion-air-mixture evaporates by consumina
the amount of heat deliberated by-the steam condensin~ at
~O a higher temperature within the exhaust gas system. In t~e
internal-combustion engine accordin~ to the in~ention, the
energy balance is just improved for this amount of energy,
so that by using the heat exchanger 2 the efficiency is
substantially increased.
~5 The ste~m generated during the combustion of the dis-
persion-air-mixture within the combustion chamber of the
motor 5 results in an effective internal cooling of the
motor,so that in an internal-combustion engine according
to the invention one can omit l~sual cooling means such as
2G blowers, water coolers, oil coolers or cooling fans. It is
even convenient to provide with a heat insulation the
motor housing and/or the heat exchan~er 2 together with the
condensate collecting chamber ~7 as well as, if desired,
further condensate-containing parts of the e~uipment.
Thereby, the heating periods are shor.ened and the sound
emission is reduced, on the one hand, and freezing of the
condensate at low temperatures is prevented, cn the other hand.
`` lZ341~)2~
- ~6 -
For preventing such freezin~ and, respec.ively, for thawing
a condensate already frozen on account of extremely low
temperatures, the mentione~ component parts of the equipment,
above all also the condensate collectins chamber ~7, can be pro-
vided with heating means. Conveniently tnere are usea elec-
tric hea.ing means which are energized by the vehicle
battery and which effect heating of these component parts
and the media contained therein.
The theoretic fundamentals in the operation of the
internal-combustion engine according to the invention are
as follows:
Because an internal-combustion engine can exclusively
use the pressure difference between the expanded combustion
gas and the ambient air, it seems that the high temperatures
generated during the co~bustion are disadvantageous because
they result in a high stress of the materials.
These high temperatures a~e, however, actually necessary
because the combustion does not result in an increase of
yolume but even in a small reduction of volume. According .o
stoi~hiometric laws there result-from 10.8 l fuel-air-mixture
sucked in only 10 l exhaust gas if equally measured on normal
conditions. The loss in volu~le is thus approximately 7.~ per-
cen.. This indicates that the pressure increase or, respec-
tively, increase in volume within the motor is only based on
the extreme temperature increase during the combustion. The
increase of pressure and volume, respectively, can be cal-
culated by means of the laws of nature.
- ~7 - 1~34~2~,
~ The present in~7ention ma~es use of the fact that,
as can be taken from pertinent tables, 1 l of gasoline pro-
vides sufficient heat energy to con~ert approximately ~5 l
water to steam. In practice, tests haYe shown that even
fuel-water-dispersions ha~ing a respective ratio of ~:20
could be burnt ~7ithout problems -~7ithin the motor and could
not be expanded b~ this motor to such an extent that conden-
sation occurred. According to the present in-~ention, this
heat energy is utilized for-evaporating the water ~ispersed
witr, the fuel, noting that the steam effects the major part
of the expansion work and thus provides for moving the
piston or, respectively, the turbine blades in a similar
manner as in a steam engine.
The present invention provides the possibility to
change over without difficulties and without substantial
expenditure any existing internal-combustion engine for
operating this engine with a fuel-water-dispersion. In a
carburator engine, for exa~plej it is only necessary to
install the heat exchanger together with the condensate
collecting chamber and preferably to~ether with the conden-
sate p~mp, the dispersing means and the required connecting
conduits and to enlarge the nozzles of the existin~ car-
burator such that the substantially increased amounts of
liquid can pass through these nozzles. In compensation
therefor it is no more necessary to provide fine-mesh fil-
ters, because even contaminations ha~ing a diameter of
1.5 mm, ~hich contaminations ~70uld immediately clog a
- 1 & 1234~6
normal carburatcr~ may p2SS these nozzles of increased
diameter without causing troubles.
