Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
~0~441 4
This invention relate, to a dual fuel system for
automobiles. More precisely, the invention relates to an
automobile equipped to interchangeably operate with a
conventional petroleum fuel system and with a non-petroleum
fuel system.
With our domestic oil reserves in precariously
short supply, increasing attention has been focused on an
energy crisis. Gasoline for automobiles of course represents a
significant use of petroleum based products and is a likely
target for energy reform~ Gasoline conservation, however, has
been suggested as a key element of energy reform aided by
proposed conservation incentives such a penalty tax on
automobiles with poor fuel efficiency and increased tax on
gasoline itself. These measures are predicated on the
assumption our society is inextricably linked to gasoline as an
automobile fuel source. An alternative is to forsake this
reasoning and seek a non-petroleum fuel, such as alcohol, for
which the technology and raw materials exist to produce an
abundant domestic supply.
Others, notably those involved in professional auto
ra~ing, have in the past utilized alcohol for automotive
fuel. Typically, an alcohol based formulation is fed to the
carburetor of the engine and special adjustments of the
carburetor permit only the use of that particular fuel. The
automobile, normally of a highly specialized design, is built
primarily for speed and represents an obviously different
criteria from those usually contemplated for mass production
cars intended for highway performance.
Likewise, others have proposed alcohol or mixtures
of alcohol and water as a supplement to or additive for regular
gasoline consumption. The intent has been to improve gasoline
combustion and to clean up emissions. In such arrangements,
10~4~114t
however, the systems are again adjustment sensitive and are
adapted primarily to a specific fuel mixture, the major
constituent of which is still gasoline.
Accordingly, there is a need in the automotive
industry for a dual fuel system which may interchangeably power
automobiles on either a petroleum or non-petroleum fuel. The
advantages of such a system are myriad. The user can power his
automobile on the most readily available fuel and it would be
unnecessary to curtail usage during periods of extreme
petroleum shortage since an abundant supply of alcohol can be
assured. Additional benefits are derived from alcohol
operation. Not only does the consumer's fuel dollar stay
within the domestic economy r engines operate at cooler
temperatures to prolong engine lifef plugs and engine are not
subject to carbon deposits, engine oil remains cleaner and
automobiles function virtually pollution free.
Furthermore, the user can select his fuel as
determined by the appropriate economies. Widespread use of a
dual fuel system in automobiles can also result in a residual
benefit in providing competition between the petroleum and
nonpetroleum industries. The object of the present invention,
therefore, is to meet the need for a dual fuel system in
automobiles.
More specifically, an object of the invention is to
provide a dual fuel system for an automobile which may be
interchangeably powered by a petroleum fuel or a non-petrolelum
fuel.
Another object of the invention is to provide a
dual fuel system for automobiles wherein the user may quickly
and conveniently select an appropriate fuel based on prevailing
availabilities and economies.
Another object of the invention is to provide a
10'~41~
dual fuel system for automobiles wherein the substitute or
second fuel system employing a non-petroleum fuel may be
readily installed in existing automohiles without the necessity
of adjustments to or alterations of the existing gasoline
carburetion system. As a corollary of this object, the non~
petroleum system may likewise be factory installed without
design modifications to the conventional gasoline system.
An additional object of the invention is to provide
a dual fuel system for automobiles wherein similar economies of
operation are recognized with either system. Of the cars
tested thus far employing the dual fuel system, comparable fuel
consumption per mile is achieved. In other words, the miles
per gallon achieved on gasoline remains unchanged by the
convertion and the miles per gallon of alcohol consumed during
operation of the substitute fuel system is virtually the same
as that achieved by gasoline operation.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a
dual fuel system for automobiles wherein the substitute, non-
petroleum fuel system bypasses the existing carburetion system
of the automobile and delivers non-petroleum vapors directly to
the intake manifold of the engine.
A further object of the invention is to provide a
non-petroleum fuel system for an automobile which may be
totally relied upon for powering the automobile, including
initial starting thereof. In conjunction with this object, it
is a further goal to provide means for vaporizing the non-
petroleum fuel independent of the conventional gasoline
carburetion system.
Other and further objects of the invention,
together with the features of novelty appurtenant thereto, will
appear in the course of the following description of the
drawings.
~0~441~
Thws, in ~cordance with the present invention,
there is provided a non-petroleum fuel system for an internal
combustion engine having an intake manifold, said system
comprising: a liquid storage tank for containiny a non-
petroleum fuel; delivery rneans connected to said storage tank
for supplying liquid non-petroleum fuel therefrom; a
vaporization chamber connected to said delivery means to
receive liquid non-petroleum fuel in the bottom thereof, said
~hamber equipped with level control means regulating the amount
of liquid fuel within said chamber to define thereabove a vapor
space; a heating coil disposed within the bottom of said
vaporization chamber for warming liquid non-petroleum fuel
delivered thereto by said delivery means to thereby generate
non-petroleum vapors, an air intake port communicating with the
vapor space of said chamber to maintain substantially
atmospheric pressure within said chamber; a vapor delivery
conduit interconnecting the vapor space of said chamber
directly with the intake manifold of the engine; and valve
means associated with said vapor delivery conduit to
measuringly supply the flow of mixed air and non-petroleum fuel
vapors to the intake manifold.
In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of
the specification and are to be read in conjunction therewith,
and in which like reference numerals are employed to indicate
like parts in the various views:
FIG. 1, on sheet one of the drawings, is a top plan
view, partially schematic, of an automobile engine equipped
with a dual fuel system constructed in accordance with a first
embodiment of my invention'
FIG. 2, on shee~ one of the drawings, is a
sectional elevational view of the vapori~ation tank for the
substitute, non-petroleum fuel system taken along line 2-2 of
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10~419.
FIG. 1 in the direction of the arrows;
FIG. 3, on sheet one of the drawings, is a
sectional elevational view of the vaporization tank taken along
line 3-3 of FIG. 1 in the direction of the arrows.
FIG. 4, on sheet one of the drawings, is a
sectional plan view of the vaporization tank taken along line
4-4 of FIG. 2 in the direction of the arrows;
FIG. 5, on sheet two of the drawings, is a
fragmentary sectional view of the intake for non-petroleum
vapors positioned beneath the conventional gasoline carburetion
system as taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 1 in the direction of
the arrows;
FIG. 6, on sheet three of the drawings, is a top
plan view of an automobile engine equipped with a dual fuel
system constructed in accordance with a second embodiment of my
invention;
FIG. 7, on sheet three of the drawings, is an
enlarged top plan view of the vaporization tank for the
substitute fuel system of the second embodiment with portions
broken away to better illustrate the internal structural
details;
FIG. 8, on sheet three of the drawings, is a side
sectional view taken along line 8-8 of FIG. 7 in the direction
of the arrows;
FIG~ 9, on sheet three of the drawings, is a side
elevational view of the mechanical linkage for alternatively
selecting the fuel system as taken along line 9-9 of FIG. 6 in
the direction of the arrows;
- FIG. 10, on sheet three of the drawings, is a
fragmentary sectional view taken along line 10-10 of FIG. 9 in
the direction of the arrows;
FIG. 11, on sheet three of the drawings, is a
--5--
4~ 9l
fragmentary sectional view taken along line 11-11 of FIG. 9 in
the direction of the arrows;
FIG. 12, on sheet two of the drawings, is a
perspective view of the linkage shown in FIGS. 9-11; and
FIG. 13, on sheet two o the drawings, is a
schematic diagram illustrating the electrical controls for the
dual fuel system.
Turning to the drawings in greater detail,
attention is initially focused on the first embodiment of the
invention and particularly on FIG. 1. The petroleum fuel
system includes a tank 20 for gasoline storage. Gasoline is
delivered from the tank 20 by means of a fuel pump 21
interposed in a line 22 connected to the carburetor 23. The
carburetor 23 in turn connected to the intake manifold 24 of
the engine 25; combustion gases flow from the engine 25 out the
exhaust manifold 26. The carburetor 23 is equipped with a idle
solenoid 27 to control gasoline flow when the engine is running
at idle. When cruising, howeverJ fuel flow is regulated by a
first accelerator pedal 28 connected by a cable 29 to the
carburetor 23.
Although the second or substitute fuel system is
herein referred to as an alcohol system, it should be
understood that any vaporizable and combustible non-petroleum
fuel is contemplated for use, such as methyl alcohol, ethyl
alcohol, acetone, ethyl ether and the like. The substitute
fuel system includes an alcohol tank 30 for storing the non-
petroleum liquid fuel which is delivered via line 31 by means
of a fuel pump 32 to a vaporization chamber 33 equipped with a
liquid level control 34.
In the first embodiment, the vaporization chamber
33 is in the form of a horizontally disposed cylindrical
tank. Fitted within the bottom of the tank 33 is a 1uid coil
~0~44~4
35. The coil 35 is connected by circulation lines 36 & 37 to
the cooling fluid system of the engine 25 whereby hot cooling
fluid flows from the engine 25 through line 36 into coil 35 and
is returned to the water pump 3B through line 37 for
recirculation. Disposed beneath the f]uid coil 35 is an
-6a-
~0~44i4
el~ctrical resistance heater 39a to warm the fuel during cold
start conditions. The heater 39a is connected to a temperature
sensitive switch 39b adapted to sense the temperature of the
liquid fuel in the bottom of the tank 33 and to turn off the
heater 39a when a preselected temperature is reached.
The vapor space or upper region of the tank 33 is
baffled with partitions 40 and is further fitted with an air
intake port 41 which is connected by a pipe 42 (which may
contain an optional check valve 43) to a hood 44 positioned
above the exhaust manifold 26 of the engine 25 for the intake
of warm air. Alternatively, the hood 44 may be omitted and
ambient air employed. The air intake members are of sufficient
size to prevent the formation of a vacuum within the tank 33.
The tank 33 also includes a vapor exhaust 45 disposed in the
upper region of the tank at the end opposite the air intake
port 41. The vapor exhaust 45 is connected by a line 46
including a one-way check valve 47 to a butterfly valve 48 for
adjustably varying the flow of vapor through the supply line 49
connected to the intake manifold 24 intermediate the engine 25
and the carburetor 23. The butterfly valve 48 is controlled by
a spring biased cable 50 (normally biasing the butterfly valve
closed) connected to a second accelerator pedal 51 referred to
as the alcohol accelerator. To idle the engine 25, the
butterfly valve 48 is also connected to an idle solenoid 52
which slightly opens the valve 48 when the accelerator 51 is
not depressed.
The control circuitry for the petroleum and non-
petroleum fuel systems is schematically illustrated in FIG.
13. The automobile battery 53 is connected in the usual
fashion to the i~nition switch 54 which, when turned to the
"on" position, is connected to a single pole, double throw fuel
selector switch 55. rrhe first output terminal 55a of the SPDT
10'~41~
switch 55 closes the alcohol circuit to connect in parallel the
alcohol pump 32, the idle solenoid 52, an indicator lamp 5h and
the heater 39a with its serially connected temperature switch
39b. I~he second terminal 55b of the SPDT swi tch 55 closes the
gasoline circuit to connect in parallel the pump 21, idle
solenoid 27, an indicator lamp 57 and fuel selection solenoid
58'. In the first embodiment, however, the fuel selection
solenoid 58' is omitted and its function will be described in
the second embodiment of the invention. It will be understood
that the fuel selector switch 55 and the indicator lamps 56 &
57 ~each appropriately labeled) may be located within the
driver's compartment of the car for the convenience of the
operator.
In operation, the dual fuel system of the first
embodiment of the invention functions in the following
manner. The operator first chooses the fuel for powering the
automobile~ Assuming gasoline is to be utilized, the fuel
selector switch 55 is positioned to close the gasoline circuit
and the car may then be started. Idle solenoid 27 causes
~0 sufficient fuel to be delivered through the carburetor 23 to
maintain the engine 25 at idle. When traveling, however, gas
accelerator 28 regulates the flow of gasoline to the engine 25
in the conventional manner. Alternatively, if the non-
petroleum fuel system is to be employed, the selector switch 55
is positioned to close the alcohol circuit. Assuming a "cold"
start, the heater 39a in the bottom of tank 33 warms the
alcohol until a preselected temperature is reached (for
example, 100F) at which time the temperature sensing switch
39b open circuits the connection to the heater 39a. Sufficient
alcohol vapors are then present in order to start the engine
25. During idle, ~olenoid 52 slightly opens the butterfly
valve 48 to admit vapors from the tank 33 through the
10~41~
associated connecting lines to the intake manifold 24 of the
engine 25. When traveling, alcohol accelerator 51 is depressed
to regulate the flow of mixed air and alcohol vapors through
the butterfly valve 48 to the engine by the draft created
through the tank 33. Hot cooling fluid from the englne 25
passes through line 36 into the coil 35 of the tank 33 to
continually warm the liquid alcohol supplied by pump 32 with
the level in the tank being regulated by the level control
34. From the coil 35, the cooling fluid returns to the water
pump 38 through line 37 and is again circulated through the
engine 25.
Attention is now focused on the second embodiment
of the invention utilizing a single accelerator for control of
both fuel systems and reference is initially made to FIG. 6.
Prime numerals are generally em~loyed to indicate elements
similar to the first embodiment. The petroleum fuel system
includes a tank (not shown) for gasoline storage. Gasoline is
delivered from the tank by means of a fuel pump 21' disposed in
a line 22' connected to the carburetor 23'. The carburetor 23'
is in turn connected to the intake manifGld of the engine
25'. The carburetor 23' is equipped with an idle solenoid 27'
act`ing against the carburetor advance lever 23a' to control
gasoline flow when the engine is running at idle. When
cruising, however, fuel flow is regulated through the
carburetor 23' by an accelerator pedal 28' connected by a cable
29' to the carburetor 23' by means of control linkage to later
be described.
The substitute fuel system includes an alcohol tank
~not shown) for storing a non-petroleum liquid fuel which is
delivered by a line 31' by means of a fuel pump 32' to a
vaporization chamber 33' equipped with a liquid level control
34'
lo~ J ~
In the second embodiment, the vaporization chamber
33' is in the form of a horizontally disposed rectangular
tank. Fit~ed within the bottom of the tank 33' is a fluid coil
35' connected by circulation lines 36' & 37' to the cooling
fluid system of the engine 25' whereby hot cooling fluid flows
from the engine 25' through line 36' into the coil 35' and is
returned to the water pump 38' through line 37' for
recirculation. An adjustable control valve 36a' may be
installed in line 36' for regulating the flow of fluid from the
engine to the coil 35'. Disposed in the bottom of tank 33' is
an electrical resistance heater 39a' to warm the fuel during
cold start conditions. The heater 39a' is connected to a
temperature sensitive switch 39b' adapted to sense the
temperature of the liquid fuel in the bottom of the tank 33'
and to turn off the heater 39a' when a preselected temperature
is reached.
The vapor space of the tank 33' is baffled with an
inclined, foraminous partition 40'. One end of the tank 33' is
bored with one or more air intake ports 41' disposed above the
lower end of the inclined partition 40' to receive ambient air
from a conduit 42' open to the atmosphere. The air intake is
of sufficient size to admit an ade~uate supply of ambient air
to the tank 33' to prevent the formation of a vacuum within the
tank during operation of the engineO
At the end of the tank 33' opposite the air intake
port 41' are bored exhaust openings 45' which are isolated from
the liquid fuel in the tank 33' by a wire 45a'. Associated
with the exhaust openings 45' are a pair of butterfly valves
48' operating in unison to adjustably vary the flow of air and
alcohol vapors through supply lines 49' connected to the intake
manifold 24 intermediate the engine 25' and the carburetor 23'.
With reference to ~IGS. 9-12, the linkage connected
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~0~44~4
to the accelerator cable 29' to control operation of the
carburetor 23' and butterfly valves 48' is now to be described
in detail. Secured to the side of the tank 33' are a pair of
brackets 60 & 61 which carry, for limited pivotal movement, a
control rod 62. One end of the control rod 62 project~ through
bracket 60 and is rigidly attached to a downwardly extending
arm 63. The lower end of the arm 63 is connected to a fuel
selection solenoid 58' and, intermediate its ends~ the arm 63
is connected to a spring 64 from the wall of tank 33' to pull
the arm toward the tank. Carried on .he rod 62 for sliding
longitudinal movement relative thereto is a tubular sleeve 65
having a longitudinal slot 65a from one end thereof into which
projects a fixed pin 62a from the rod 62. A spring 66
interconnecting the bracket 60 with an ear ~5b attached to the
sleeve 65 urges the end of the sleeve 65 to engagement wi~h
bracket 60. The sleeve 65 is also equipped with a second ear
65c to which is coupled the accelerator cable 29'. Depression
of the acceleartor pedal 28' causes the cable 29' to pull the
sleeve 65 forward against the influence of spring 66 in sliding
longitudinal movement along rod 62. Further attached to sleeve
65 is an alcohol actuator arm 65d to bear against, in one
rotative position of the sleeve 65 as shown in the full line
view of FIG~ 10, the control arm 48a' of the butterfly valves
48'. An alcohol idle solenoid 52' additionally engages the
butterfly control arm 48a'. A gasoline actuator arm 65e is
attached to the sleeve 65 to bear against, in the alternative
rotative position of the sleeve 65 shown in the broken line
view of FIG. 11, the carburetor advance lever 23a' controlling
operation o the carburetor ~3'.
The control circuitry for the second embodiment is
the same as that described with reference to FIG. 13 with the
fuel selection solenoid 58' included. Prime reference numera]s
1094414
indicate elements similar to those of FIG. 13, but applied in
the second embodiment. Accordingly, the gasoline circuit
includes the pump 21', idle solenoid 27', lamp 57' and fuel
selection solenoid 58' connected in parallel to terminal 55b'
of SPDT switch 55' coupled to the ignition switch 54' and
battery 53'. The alcohol circuit connected to terminal 55a' in
parallel similarly includes pump 32', idle solenoid 52', lamp
56' and heater 39a' with associated temperature switch 39b'.
- In operation, the dual fuel system of the second
embodiment of the invention functions in the following
manner. The operator first chooses the fuel for powering the
automobile. Assuming gasoline is to be utilized, the fuel
selector switch 55' is positioned to close the gasoline circuit
which actuates solenoid 58' to pivotally move the arm 63
against the influence of spring 64 which also pivots rod 62.
Sleeve 65 is carried in this same rotative movement by virtue
of pin 62a within slot 65a causing sleeve 65 to pivot to an
outboard position in which the gas actuator lever 65e is
aligned to bear against the carburetor advance lever 23a'
(broken line view of FIG. 11) and alcohol actuator lever 65d is
rotated out of alignment with the butterfly control lever 48a'
(broken line view of FIG. 10). The car may be started in
conventlonal fashion and idle solenoid 27' extends against
advance arm 23a' when the accelerator 28' is underpressed to
cause sufficient fuel to be delivered through the carburetor
23' to maintain the engine 25' at idle. When traveling,
however, accelerator 28' is depressed to pull the sleeve 65
forward and advance the carburetor lever 23a' engaged by gas
lever 65e.
Alternatively/ if the non-petroleum fuel system is
to be employed, the selector s~itch 55' is positioned to close
the alcohol circuit. Since fuel selector solenoid 58' is not
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~094~
energized, spring ~4 urges the arm 63 to the inboard position
in which the gas actuator 65e is out of alignment with the
carburetor advance lever 23a' and the alcohol lever 65d is in
alignment with the butterfly control lever ~8a'. Assuming a
"cold" start, the heater 39a' in the bottom of tank 33' warms
the alcohol until a preselected temperature is reached at which
time the temperature sensing switch 39b' open circuits the
connection to the heater 39a'. Sufficient alcohol vapors are
then present in order to start the engine 25'. During idle,
solenoid 52' extends to engage butterfly control lever 48a' to
slightly open the butterfly valves 48' to admit vapors from the
tank 33' through the connecting lines 49' to the intake
manifold 24' of the engine 25'. ~hen traveling, the
accelerator 28' is depressed to pull the sleeve 65 against the
influence of spring 66 to advance the butterfly control lever
48a' and thereby open the butterfly valves 48' to regulate the
flow of mixed air and alcohol vapors to the engine 25' by the
draft created through the tank 33'. Hot cooling fluid from the
engine 25' passes through line 36' into the coil 35' of the
tank 33' to continually warm the liquid alcohol supplied by
pump 32' with the level in the tank being regulated by the
level control 34'. From the coil 35', the cooling fluid
returns to the water pump 38' through line 37' and is again
clrculated through the engine 25'.
When operating on alcohol, with either embodiment
of the invention, the intake stroke of the pistons, within the
cylinders of the engine pulls the air and alcohol vapors into
the cylinders from the intake manifold connected to the alcohol
vapor tank. This induced flow of vapor is achieved by
supplying ambient or warm air at the end of the tank opposite
the alcohol exhaust. The sizing of the air supply members may
vary greatly and will in part depend upon the size and
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~09'~414
configuration of the alcohol tank. Neverthe~ess, the general
intent is to provide a vapor tank maintained substantially at
atmospheric pressure with sufficient air draft to create
turbulence within the vapor space of the tank to facilitate the
vapor flow to the engine.
From the foregoing it will be seen that this
invention is one well adapted to attain all the ends and
objects hereinabove set forth, together with the other
advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the
structure.
It will be understood that certain features and
subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without
reference to other features and subcombinations. This is
contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims.
Since many possible embodiments may be made of the
invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be
understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the
accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and
not in a limiting sense.
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