Hydrogen generator for internal combusion engines
AssigneeMöbiVolt Defense LLC
InventorsRu Chen, Ian W. Kaye
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Hydrogen generation systems and processes are described that facilitate on-board generation of hydrogen for use in internal combustion engines. A hydrogen generator converts diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) or other urea-based fluids into a hydrogen-rich product gas. In some embodiments waste heat from the engine is used to preheat the DEF for the hydrogen generator. Steam reformers, electrolyzers and fuel reformers that generate hydrogen using the DEF are described.
Claims32
A method of operating an engine comprising:
- generating a hydrogen-rich gas from diesel exhaust fluid;
- supplying at least some hydrogen from the hydrogen-rich gas, air and fuel to the engine to provide a hydrogen enhanced air-fuel mixture that includes the supplied hydrogen, air and fuel in the working chamber;
- and
- operating the engine using the hydrogen enhanced air-fuel mixture.
A method of operating an engine comprising:
- heating a urea-based fluid using heat from exhaust gases generated by operation of the engine, the urea-based fluid being received from a tank that stores the urea-based fluid;
- steam reforming the heated urea-based fluid to generate a hydrogen-rich gas;
- electrolyzing water in the hydrogen-rich gas to create additional hydrogen in the hydrogen rich gas;
- supplying air, fuel and at least some hydrogen from the hydrogen-rich gas to the engine to provide a hydrogen enhanced air-fuel mixture;
- and
- operating the engine using the hydrogen enhanced air-fuel mixture.
A method of operating an engine comprising:
- electrolyzing a urea-based fluid during operation of the engine to generate a hydrogen-rich gas, the urea-based fluid being received from a tank that stores the urea-based fluid;
- supplying air, fuel and at least some hydrogen from the hydrogen-rich gas to the engine to provide a hydrogen enhanced air-fuel mixture;
- and
- operating the engine using the hydrogen enhanced air-fuel mixture.
A hydrogen delivery system for delivering hydrogen to an engine in conjunction with delivery of fuel and air to the engine to facilitate use of a hydrogen enhanced air-fuel mixture by the engine, the hydrogen fuel delivery system comprising:
- a diesel exhaust fluid tank;
- a hydrogen generator configured to receive diesel exhaust fluid from the tank and generate a hydrogen rich gas from the diesel exhaust fluid;
- and
- injectors configured to inject at least some hydrogen from the hydrogen-rich gas into the engine to facilitate use of the hydrogen enhanced air-fuel mixture.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.