Combustion engine with a fuel reformer and distiller assembly
AssigneeVolvo Car Corporation
InventorsOla Rolandson, Joshua Dudley
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An internal combustion engine assembly comprises: a fuel tank for containing fuel comprising alcohol, a reformer unit being in heat exchanging contact with exhaust gases from an exhaust system, for steam reforming of alcohol, a water supply unit connected to a water steam inlet of the reformer unit, and a distiller unit being with a fuel inlet connected to a distiller supply duct that is connected to the fuel tank, an alcohol outlet of the distiller unit being connected to the inlet of the reformer unit. The increased alcohol concentrations at the inlet of the steam reformer result in improved efficiency of the reforming process.
Claims16
Internal combustion engine assembly comprising:
- a fuel tank for containing fuel comprising alcohol, the fuel tank being connected via a fuel supply duct to a fuel inlet of at least one of a number of cylinders, the cylinders being with an outlet connected to an exhaust system,
- a reformer unit being in heat exchanging contact with exhaust gases from the exhaust system, for steam reforming of alcohol, the reformer unit being with a reformer outlet connected to the fuel inlet of the cylinders,
- a water supply unit, comprising an evaporator that is in heat exchanging contact with the exhaust system, the water supply unit being with an outlet connected to a water steam inlet of the reformer unit, and
- a distiller unit being with a fuel inlet connected to a distiller supply duct that is connected to the fuel tank, the distiller unit comprising a heat exchange element that is in heat exchanging contact with the exhaust system, an alcohol outlet that is connected to the inlet of the reformer unit and a high volatile fraction outlet for supplying components of the fuel with a boiling point below a boiling point of alcohol.
A vehicle comprising:
- an internal combustion engine assembly, comprising:
- a fuel tank for containing fuel comprising alcohol, the fuel tank being connected via a fuel supply duct to a fuel inlet of at least one of a number of cylinders, the cylinders being with an outlet connected to an exhaust system,
- a reformer unit being in heat exchanging contact with exhaust gases from the exhaust system, for steam reforming of alcohol, the reformer unit being with a reformer outlet connected to the fuel inlet of the cylinders,
- a water supply unit, comprising an evaporator that is in heat exchanging contact with the exhaust system, the water supply unit being with an outlet connected to a water steam inlet of the reformer unit, and
- a distiller unit being with a fuel inlet connected to a distiller supply duct that is connected to the fuel tank, the distiller unit comprising a heat exchange element that is in heat exchanging contact with the exhaust system, an alcohol outlet that is connected to the inlet of the reformer unit and a high volatile fraction outlet for supplying components of the fuel with a boiling point below a boiling point of alcohol.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.