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US 4,499,885 AGranted
Supplemental system for fuel agency
OwnerJoseph Weissenbach, deceased, by Jane A. Shahrokh-Khani, executorinventors
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OwnerJoseph Weissenbach, deceased, by Jane A. Shahrokh-Khani, executorinventors
Estimating the term…
A supplemental fuel system for a combustion engine has a primary fuel supply feeding the combustion chamber directly and a supplemental fuel supply which feeds into the combustion air intake. The supply of primary fuel is appropriately reduced or regulated by automatic control and the supply of the supplemental fuel is continuously automatically adjusted to the supply of primary fuel. Initially the supplemental fuel in vapor state is introduced into the air intake until the heat exchange vaporizer system warms up, when there is an automatic shift to the liquid state of supplemental fuel. A temperature compensator in the air intake connected to the supplemental fuel supply holds the temperature of the supplemental fuel at the same temperature as the air with which it is mixed before passing to the final metering orifice and then to the combustion chamber. In case of failure or malfunction of the supplemental fuel supply system, a fail-safe mechanism automatically cuts off the supplemental fuel portion of the system allowing the entire system to operate at restored full power output on the primary fuel.
A supplemental fuel system for an engine which has a combustion chamber, a conduit thereto for a flowing combustion air supply, a primary source for primary fuel, primary delivery means between said primary source and said combustion chamber, and primary fuel pressure means for said primary delivery means, a supplemental source for a supplemental fuel agency including a supplemental delivery means between said supplemental source and said air supply, and an automatic flow control means in said supplemental delivery means for establishing an initial open flow condition therein, a temperature moderator for said supplemental delivery means responsive to temperature of said air supply for moderating the temperature of said supplemental fuel agency, a main electrical circuit for said primary fuel pressure means having an ignition switch therein, adjusting means in said electrical circuit for establishing flow conditions in said primary delivery means and automatic compensating means for regulating the flow condition in said supplemental delivery means reponsive to the flow condition in said primary delivery means.
A supplemental fuel system for an engine which has a combustion chamber, a conduit thereto for a flowing combustion air supply, a primary source for primary fuel, primary delivery means between said primary source and said combustion chamber, and primary fuel pressure means for said primary delivery means, a supplemental source for a supplemental fuel agency including a supplemental delivery means between said supplemental source and said air supply, and an automatic flow control means in said supplemental delivery means for establishing an initial open flow condition therein, a temperature moderator in said supplemental delivery means responsive to temperature of said air supply for moderating the temperature of said supplemental fuel agency, a main electrical circuit for said primary fuel pressure means having an ignition initiator, adjusting means in said electrical circuit for establishing flow conditions in said primary delivery means and automatic compensating means for regulating the flow condition in said supplemental delivery means responsive to the flow condition in said primary delivery means, a heat exchanger for said supplemental delivery means, said heat exchanger being at a location operationally removed from said primary delivery means, said flow control means comprising a pressure regulator and said supplemental source having an integral gas containing portion and a liquid containing portion, a feed line from each said portion to said supplemental delivery means, a sensor in said electric circuit responsive to temperature in said heat exchanger, and a valve control in said electric circuit for each said feed line selectively responsive to said sensor whereby to deliver in the alternative gaseous or liquid fuel to said supplemental delivery means in response to demand by said sensor.
A supplemental fuel system as in claim 38 wherein there is a pressure responsive regulator having a regulator chamber including a pressure responsive means, said pressure responsive means including a yieldable partition in said chamber, a first section on one side of said chamber, a supplemental delivery orifice to said first section in communication with said supplemental delivery means, and a regulator valve for said supplemental delivery orifice responsive to said pressure responsive means, a second section of said chamber on the other side of said partition, a control pressure line in communication between said primary delivery means and said second section of the chamber whereby to vary the pressure and flow of said supplemental fuel vapor in response to changes in pressure in the primary delivery means.
A method for the continuous proportional mixing of a primary fuel and supplemental fuel in a combustion engine supply system comprising initiating by electric means a supply of primary fuel for starting combustion, then by electric means automatically initiating a supply of supplemental fuel to the combustion air supply for the engine in response to a variation in pressure of the primary fuel, then using variations in the flow of supplemental fuel to automatically vary by electrical means the flow of primary fuel and constantly balancing automatically the relative flow of the two fuels for optimum efficiency of operation of the combustion engine.
A method for the continuous proportional mixing of a primary fuel and supplemental fuel in a combustion engine supply system comprising initially by electric means initiating a supply of primary fuel for starting combustion, then by electric means automatically initiating a supply of supplemental fuel to the combustion air supply for the engine in response to a variation in pressure of the primary fuel, then using variations in the flow of supplemental fuel to automatically vary by electrical means the flow of primary fuel, constantly balancing automatically the relative flow of the two fuels for optimum efficiency of operation of the combustion engine, heating the supply of supplemental fuel by heat generated by combustion of fuel in the combustion engine and regulating the temperature of secondary fuel to match ambient temperature.
A method for the continuous proportional mixing of a primary fuel agency and supplemental fuel agency in a combustion engine supply system comprising initiating by electric means a supply of primary fuel agency for starting combustion, automatically initiating by electric means a supply of supplemental fuel agency to the combustion air supply for the agency to vary by electrical means the flow or primary fuel agency, constantly balancing automatically the relative flow of the two fuel agencies for optimum efficiency of operation of the combustion engine and adjusting the temperature of the supplemental fuel agency to a temperature compatible with the temperature of the air supplied for combustion in the engine.
A method for the continuous proportional mixing of a primary fuel and supplemental fuel in a combustion engine supply system comprising initially by electric means initiating a supply of primary fuel for starting combustion, then by electric means automatically initiating a supply of supplemental fuel to the combustion air supply for the engine, then using variations in the flow of supplemental fuel to vary by electrical means the flow of primary fuel, constantly balancing automatically the relative flow of the two fuels for optimum efficiency of operation of the combustion engine and modifying the flow of the supplemental fuel in proportion to the air flow condition in the supply of air for combustion in the engine.
A method for the continuous proportional mixing of a primary fuel and supplemental fuel in a combustion engine supply system comprising initiating by electric means a supply a primary fuel for starting combustion, then by electric means automatically initiating a supply of supplemental fuel to the combustion air supply for the engine, then using variations in the flow of supplemental fuel to vary by electrical means the flow of primary fuel and constantly balancing automatically the relative flow of the two fuels for optimum efficiency of operation of the combustion engine, the method being one wherein the supplemental fuel is first introduced during an initial period in vapor state to the supply of air for combustion and then after the initial period substantially simultaneously turning off the supply of supplemental fuel in vapor state and turning on the supply of supplemental fuel in liquid state independently of the primary delivery means, and converting the supplemental fuel in liquid state to vapor state before mixing it with air supplied for combustion in the engine.
A method for the continuous proportional mixing of a primary fuel and supplemental fuel in a combustion engine supply system comprising initiating by electric means a supply of primary fuel for starting combustion, then by electric means automatically initiating a supply of supplemental fuel to the combustion air supply for the engine in response to a variation in pressure of the primary fuel, then using variations in the flow of supplemental fuel to automatically vary by electrical means the flow of primary fuel and constantly balancing automatically the relative flow of the two fuels for optimum efficiency of operation of the combustion engine, said method including automatically cutting off the entire supply of supplemental fuel and supplying only primary fuel whenever the supply of supplemental fuel falls below a selected level.
A supplemental system for an engine which has a combustion stage, a conduit thereto for a combustion air supply, a primary source for a primary fuel agency, primary delivery means between said primary source and said combustion stage, and a primary pressure means for said primary delivery means, a supplemental source for a supplemental fuel agency including a supplemental delivery means between said supplemental source and said combustion air supply, and a flow control means in said supplemental delivery means for establishing an initial open flow condition therein, a temperature moderator in said supplemental delivery means responsive to temperature of said combustion air supply for moderating the temperature of said supplemental fuel agency, a main electrical circuit for said primary pressure means having an ignition initiator therein, adjusting means in said electrical circuit for establishing flow conditions in said primary delivery means, and compensating means for regulating the flow conditions in said supplemental delivery means, a detector means between said compensating means and said combustion air supply, said compensating means being responsive to the flow condition in said combustion air supply.
A supplemental fuel system for an engine which has a combustion stage, a conduit thereto for combustion air in a flowing supply, a primary source for primary fuel, a primary delivery means between said primary source and said combustion stage, a primary fuel pressure means for said primary delivery means, a supplemental source for a supplemental fuel agency including a supplemental delivery means between said supplemental source and said air supply, and automatic flow control means in said supplemental delivery means for establishing flow condition therein with an initial open adjustment, a main electrical circuit for said primary fuel pressure means having an ignition initiator, adjusting means in said electrical circuit for establishing flow conditions in said primary delivery means, and automatic compensating means connected to said supplemental delivery means for regulating the flow condition from said supplemental delivery means to said combustion air supply, said compensating means being directly responsive to flow conditions in said primary delivery means.
A supplemental system for an engine which has a combustion stage, a conduit thereto for a flowing combustion air supply, a primary source for fuel, and a supplemental agency source, primary delivery means between said primary source and said combustion stage, and primary pressure means for said primary delivery means, a supplemental delivery means between said supplemental agency source and said air supply, and an automatic flow control means in said supplemental delivery means for establishing an initial open flow condition therein, a flow condition means for said supplemental delivery means responsive to the flow condition of said combustion air supply for moderating the flow of said supplemental agency, an electric circuit for said primary pressure means having a switch therein, adjusting means in said primary delivery means for establishing flow conditions in said primary delivery means and automatic compensating means for regulating the flow condition in said supplemental delivery means responsive to the flow condition in said primary delivery means.
A supplemental system for an engine which has a combustion stage, a conduit thereto for a flowing combustion air supply, a primary source for fuel, primary delivery means between said primary source and said combustion stage, and primary pressure means for said primary delivery means, a supplemental source for a supplemental agency including a supplemental delivery means between said supplemental source and said air supply, and an automatic flow control means in said supplemental delivery means for establishing an initial open flow condition therein, a flow condition means for said supplemental delivery means responsive to the flow condition of said combustion air supply for moderating the flow of said supplemental agency, an electrical circuit for said primary pressure means having a switch therein, adjusting means in said primary delivery means for establishing flow conditions in said primary delivery means and automatic compensating means for regulating the flow condition in said supplemental delivery means responsive to the flow condition in said primary delivery means, said automatic compensating means having an inflow line from said supplemental delivery means and an outflow line to said combustion air supply, said automatic compensating means comprising a pressure regulating and compensating device, a first input pressure passage to said regulating and compensating device in communication with said primary delivery means, an output pressure passage from and regulating and compensating device in communication with said automatic compensating means, and a second input pressure passage to said regulating and compensating device in communication with said flow condition means whereby to augment the pressure condition in said output pressure line.
A supplemental fuel system for a spark ignition engine which has a combustion chamber, a conduit thereto for a combustion air supply, a primary tank for primary fuel, primary delivery means from said primary tank to said combustion chamber, a throttle valve, fuel pressure generating means in said primary delivery means, an ignition system having an ignition switch therein for activating said pressure generating means, a supplemental tank for supplemental fuel in both liquid and gaseous form including supplemental delivery means from said supplemental tank to said air supply, supplemental feed lines respectively for liquid and gaseous supplemental fuel from said supplemental tank to said supplemental delivery means, a heat exchanger in said supplemental delivery means, a heat sensitive vapor temperature switch downstream of said heat exchanger, an electric actuated valve in each said feed line responsive selectively to said vapor temperature switch whereby to switch between gaseous and liquid forms of said supplemental fuel, a line pressure regulator in said supplemental delivery means downstream of said feed lines, said supplemental delivery means having an outlet orifice into said air supply, a temperature equalizer in said air supply and connected in said supplemental delivery means upstream of said outlet orifice, a bypass line having a pressure controlled orifice therein, said bypass line communicating between said primary delivery means and said fuel pressure generating means, a pressure responsive regulator in said supplemental delivery means and responsive to pressure conditions in said primary delivery means, a fail-safe accumulator chamber, a first supplemental branch line from said pressure responsive regulator to said accumulator chamber, a second supplemental branch line from said line pressure regulator to said accumulator, a check valve in each of said branch lines opening to allow flow to said accumulator chamber, electric signal and cut off switching function means responsive to a preset predetermined activated condition, excessive supplemental fuel system pressures accumulating in said chamber and a manual cut off means for said supplemental delivery means.
A supplemental fuel system for an engine which has a combustion stage, a conduit thereto for a flowing combustion air supply, a primary source for primary fuel, a primary delivery means between said primary source and said combustion stage and primary fuel pressure means for said primary delivery means, a supplemental source for a supplemental fuel agency including a supplemental delivery means between said supplemental source and said combustion stage, and an automatic flow control means in said supplemental delivery means for establishing a flow condition therein, a temperature moderator for said supplemental delivery means for moderating the temperature of said supplemental fuel agency, an electric circuit for said primary fuel pressure means, means for energizing said electric circuit, adjusting means in said electric circuit for establishing flow conditions in said primary delivery means, and automatic compensating means for regulating the flow condition in said supplemental delivery means responsive to flow conditions in said primary delivery means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.