Fuel-vaporizing system for internal-combustion engine and method of operating same

Abstract

A carburetor communicating with an intake manifold of an internal-combustion engine receives preheated air through an annular filter heated electrically during a cold-starting phase and fluidically with the engine in operating condition, the air passing around a flap valve--acting as an automatic choke--into a mixing chamber to aspirate a volatile hydrocarbon such as gasoline from a main fuel tank. The flap valve is heated in the same manner as the filter, and so are a pair of accelerator-controlled throttle valves separating the mixing chamber from a further compartment into which a heavier hydrocarbon such as diesel oil is aspirated in vaporized form after passing from an ancillary fuel tank through a boiling cylinder heated by the exhaust gases of the engine. The fuel/air mixture enriched with the diesel-oil vapors enters the intake manifold where any residual droplets are intercepted by a stationary plate which is also heated and, like the throttle valves, is coated with an adsorbent layer of metal gauze or wicking to promote evaporation. The boiling cylinder, located in the exhaust duct or a branch thereof, may be journaled for rotation by the exhaust gases or may have a recirculating conduit including a pump driven by these gases for preventing the accumulation of liquid hydrocarbons therein.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.