Liquid vaporizer and diffuser
OwnerChristopher M. Keeneinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Apparatus for vaporizing liquids to be burned in an internal combustion engine or furnace for the purpose of increasing fuel efficiency, improving cold weather starting and reducing pollution. The device may also be used in non combustion processes such as heating coating or disbursing. A three dimensionally porous electric heating element constructed of a PTC ceramic is utilized in combination with a liquid injection apparatus for the purpose of vaporizing liquid injected into it. The PTC ceramic is resistantly heated by electrical power leads a temperature at which the injected liquid vaporizes and diffuses through its pores. The porous PTC ceramic is designed to auto-stabilize its temperature at a point for the optimum vaporization of the desired liquid.
Claims25
A liquid vaporizer and diffuser comprising:
- a housing having a hollow interior;
- liquid injection means for introducing a liquid into the hollow interior of the housing;
- a porous thermistor element affixed at least partially within the hollow interior of the housing and having a void aligned with a point of liquid injection for disbursing the liquid from said liquid injection means within said thermistor element, said porous thermistor element being fabricated from a 3-dimensionally porous ceramic material having a positive temperature coefficient of electrical resistance such that said porous thermistor element is (a) of sufficient electrical resistance to become heated when subjected to an electric current so as to vaporize said incident upon said porous thermistor element;
- (b) sufficiently porous and thick to allow said vapor to pass through said porous thermistor element when subjected to a pressure differential;
- (c) sufficiently porous and thick to diffuse vapor passing through said porous thermistor element;
- and (d) adapted to accept an electrical connection to a power.
An apparatus for vaporizing and diffusing liquid comprising
- a body having a top portion, a bottom portion and lateral sides extending therebetween and having a bore extending therethrough;
- fluid injection means entering the bore at the top portion of the body such that the top portion becomes closed to inhibit air intake, said fluid injection means for introducing fluid into the bore along a fluid injection axis;
- and
- porous thermistor means at least partially enclosed within said body having a curved surface relative to the fluid injection axis, said porous thermistor means for receiving the fluid introduced into the bore by the fluid injection means such that the fluid is forced through the porous thermistor means and is heated by the porous thermistor means such that a fluid vapor is produced in the bore at the bottom portion.
A fluid vaporizer for use with a fluid injection system, said fluid vaporizer comprising
- a housing having a central axis and being closed at a top portion and open at a bottom portion, said housing having a bore along the central axis terminating with an aperture in the bottom portion of the housing;
- fluid injection means connected to the bore in the housing at the top portion of the housing for introducing fluid into the housing;
- deflector means in a path of the fluid for dispersing the fluid;
- heating means disposed within the bore for receiving the fluid from the bore and for heating the fluid such that the fluid is transformed into a fluid vapor, said heating means automatically altering electrical resistance to change current flow such that a predetermined temperature of the porous thermistor is maintained, said heating means then
- diffusing said fluid vapor and propelling said fluid vapor out of the bottom portion of the housing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.