Gas flow enhancer for combustion engines
OwnerCraig Cummingsinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A gas flow enhancer for a combustion engine includes a housing, configured to receive an inlet flow of gas at an inlet pressure, and enclosing an expansion chamber. Disposed within the expansion chamber are a set of inner vanes and outer vanes, and a flow separator. The outer vanes are disposed outside the flow separator and produce an outer helical flow of the gas. The inner vanes are disposed within the flow separator and produce an inner helical flow of the gas, the inner helical flow having a higher velocity and lower pressure than the outer helical flow. The outer helical flow and inner helical flow are recombined at an outlet of the expansion chamber so as to produce an outlet laminar flow profile having a lower average pressure than the inlet pressure.
Claims27
A gas flow enhancer for a combustion engine, comprising:
- a) a housing, enclosing an expansion chamber, having an inlet configured to receive an inlet flow of gas from a gas flow conduit at an inlet pressure;
- b) a plurality of outer vanes, disposed within the expansion chamber around an outer periphery thereof, configured to produce an outer helical flow of the pressurized gas;
- c) a plurality of inner vanes, disposed within the expansion chamber in a central portion thereof, configured to produce an inner helical flow of the gas within the central portion, the inner helical flow having a higher velocity and lower pressure than the outer helical flow;
- d) a flow separator, disposed in the central portion between the inner vanes and the outer vanes, configured to separate the gas flow into outer flow that flows past the outer vanes, and inner flow that flows past the inner vanes;
- and
- e) an outlet, configured to combine the outer helical flow and the inner helical flow, so as to produce an outlet laminar flow profile having a lower average pressure than the inlet pressure.
An exhaust system for a combustion engine, comprising:
- a) an exhaust pipe, connected to the engine;
- and
- b) a first gas flow enhancer, disposed in the exhaust pipe, including:
- i) a housing, configured to receive an inlet flow of exhaust gas from the exhaust pipe at an inlet pressure;
- ii) a flow splitter, centrally disposed within the housing, configured to separate the gas flow into an outer flow and an inner flow;
- iii) a plurality of outer vanes, radially disposed between the flow splitter and the housing, configured to produce a helical flow of the outer flow;
- iv) a plurality of inner vanes, disposed within the flow splitter, configured to produce a helical flow of the inner flow, the inner helical flow having a higher velocity and lower pressure than the outer helical flow;
- and
- v) an outlet, configured to combine the outer helical flow and the inner helical flow, so as to produce a laminar flow profile having a lower average pressure than the inlet pressure.
An exhaust system for a combustion engine, comprising:
- a) an exhaust pipe, connected to the engine;
- and
- b) a first gas flow enhancer, disposed in the exhaust pipe, including:
- i) a substantially hollow housing, configured to receive an inlet flow of exhaust gas from the exhaust pipe at an inlet pressure;
- ii) a plurality of outer vanes, disposed within the housing around an outer periphery thereof, configured to produce an outer helical flow of the exhaust gas around the outer periphery;
- iii) a plurality of inner vanes, disposed within the housing in a central portion thereof, configured to produce an inner helical flow of the exhaust gas within the central portion, the inner helical flow having a higher velocity and lower pressure than the outer helical flow;
- and
- iv) an outlet, configured to combine the outer helical flow and the inner helical flow, so as to produce a laminar flow profile having a lower average pressure than the inlet pressure.
A method for enhancing the flow of gas in a conduit, comprising the steps of:
- a) directing the gas through an inlet into a chamber, the gas having an inlet pressure;
- b) separating the flow of gas into an outer annular flow and an inner flow, within the chamber;
- c) causing the outer annular flow to rotate while axially flowing through the chamber;
- d) causing the inner flow to rotate while axially flowing through the chamber, the inner flow having a higher rotational velocity and lower pressure than the outer annular flow;
- and
- e) recombining the outer annular flow and the inner flow so as to produce an outlet flow having a laminar flow profile with a lower average pressure than the inlet pressure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.