Automotive onboard fuel production system
OwnerFrederick McCanninventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system for distilling alcohol from mash onboard a motor vehicle is provided. The system uses the waste heat normally exchanged to the atmosphere by a vehicle radiator to drive a two-stage distillation process and uses the velocity of the vehicle to provide moving air to condensors liquefying the alcohol.
Claims7
In a motor vehicle having an internal combustion engine, the improvement comprising an onboard distillation system producing fuel for said internal combustion engine;
- said distillation system comprising a mash storage tank, a distillation vessel having a drain valve and a thermostat means sensing the temperature in said distillation vessel, a heat exchanger contained within said distillation vessel and receiving coolant from said internal combustion engine at an elevated temperature, said distillation vessel having a fuel vapor output port through which fuel vapor is delivered to a condensor means liquefying said fuel vapor, said condensor cooled by moving air, the liquid fuel output of said condensor being delivered to a fuel storage tank. Said drain valve being controlled by a cycle timer having a preselected cycle period, said timer being enabled whenever said thermostat means indicates the temperature in said distillation vessel exceeds a first preselected threshold, said cycle timer actuating said valve to empty said distillation vessel at the end of each cycle and resetting, allowing said vessel to be refilled and said cycle period to restart.
In a motor vehicle having an internal combustion engine cooled by a fluid engine coolant, the improvement comprising an onboard distillation system producing fuel for said internal combustion engine;
- said distillation system comprising a mash storage tank, a first distillation vessel, a first heat exchanger contained in said first distillation vessel and receiving coolant from said internal combustion engine at an elevated temperature, said first distillation vessel having a fuel vapor output port through which fuel vapor is delivered to a first condensor means liquefying said fuel vapor, the liquid fuel output of said first condensor being delivered to a first run holding tank, said first run holding tank supplying liquid fuel to a second distillation vessel, said second distillation vessel containing a second heat exchanger receiving coolant from said internal combustion engine at an elevated temperature, said second distillation vessel having a fuel vapor output port through which fuel vapor is delivered to a second condensor means liquefying said fuel vapor, the liquid fuel output of said second condensor being delivered to a fuel storage tank said first distillation vessel having a first drain valve and a first thermostat means sensing the temperature within said first distillation vessel, and said second distillation vessel having a second drain valve and a second thermostat means sensing the temperature within said second distillation vessel, said first drain valve being opened by a first cycle timer having a preselected first cycle period, said first cycle timer proceeding through its cycle only when said first thermostat indicates said first distillation vessel temperature exceeds a first preselected temperature, said second drain valve being opened by a second cycle timer having a preselected second cycle period, said second cycle timer proceeding through its cycle only when said second thermostat indicates said second distillation vessel exceeds a second preselected temperature.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.