# US 4,398,506 A · System for improving combustion efficiency

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- Number: US 4,398,506 A
- Document ID: US4398506A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 06/235,976
- Filed: 1981-02-19
- Granted: 1983-08-16
- Earliest claimed: 1980-02-21
- Inventors: Thomas M. Cosway
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4398506A

## CPC

- F02M 25/0225: {Water atomisers or mixers, e.g. using ultrasonic waves}
- F02M 25/028: into the charge intakes
- Y02T 10/12: Improving ICE efficiencies
- F02M: SUPPLYING COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL WITH COMBUSTIBLE MIXTURES OR CONSTITUENTS THEREOF
- Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION

## Abstract

A system for improving the combustion efficiency of an internal combustion engine having means for supply fuel and primary air for combustion in said engine and a valve for controlling the flow of at least the primary air into the engine, said system including means for introducing liquid in fine particle or vapour form into the primary air stream and means for drawing air treated by said liquid introducing means into the primary air stream at a position immediately down stream of the primary air controlling valve of the engine together with valve means for controlling the flow of said treated air in response to the level of vacuum produced by said engine whereby the valve means is closed when the engine is idling and is open when the engine is operating at a speed above the idling speed. The valve means is positioned in a line connected to the primary air stream and to a source of the treated air, said valve means being spring loaded to close said line when said engine is operating at idling speed, said valve means being opened by the suction is said line at speeds above the idling speed. The liquid introducing means comprises an air and liquid permeable member in the form of an element of open-pore cellular material having a pore density which facilitates proper air flow through the adequate saturation of said element together with means for introducing liquid into the element and for constraining the air flow through the element to ensure that the air collects an adequate amount of liquid in fine particle or vapour form.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A system for improving the combustion efficiency of an internal combustion engine having means supplying fuel and primary air for combustion in said engine and a valve for controlling the flow of at least said primary air into said engine, said system including means for introducing a liquid in fine particle or vapour form into said primary air stream, means for drawing air treated by said liquid introducing means into said primary air stream at a position down stream of the primary air controlling valve of said engine, and valve means for controlling the flow of said treated air in response to the level of vacuum produced by said engine whereby said valve means is closed when the engine is idling and is open when the engine is operating at a speed above the idling speed.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A system of claim 1, wherein said treated air is introduced into said primary air stream immediately downstream of said air controlling valve.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1, 2)

The system of claim 1 or 2, hwerein said valve means is positioned in a line which opens into said primary air stream at a position down stream of the primary air controlling valve of said engine and to a source of said treated air, said valve means being opened by the suction in said line.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1, 2, 3)

The system of claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said liquid introducing means includes an air and liquid permeable member in the form of an element of open-pore cellular material constituted by interconnecting strands of material fre from covering membrances, said member having a pore density which facilitates proper air flow through and adequate saturation of said element, and means for introducing liquid into said element for saturating said element with liquid to a predetermined level such that the liquid is entrained into said air stream in fine particle or vapour form.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The system of claim 4, wherein the said element is positioned within a housing having an air inlet opening and an air outlet opening, means for constraining the air to flow generally transversaly through one part of said element and for enabling said air to flow longitudinally through another part of said element to said air outlet whereby said air collects an adequate amount of liquid in fine particle or vapour form.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The system of claim 5, wherein the said element comprises two annular portions of said open-pore cellular material one arranged within and in contact with the other, said constraining means comprising means for sealing one end of the innermost portion of said element against longitudinal air flow whilst leaving the outermost portion of said element open to said outlet opening.

### Claim 7

The system of any one of the preceeding claims, further comprising means for restricting the flow or air from said liquid introducing means to said primary air stream to reduce the level of vacuum produced by the engine.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The system of claim 7, wherein said restricting means comprises a tube positioned in the airpath the reduce the size of said airpath.