US 6,543,394 B2 · Four-cycle fuel-lubricated internal combustion engine

Abstract

A four-cycle, fuel lubricated, internal combustion engine system suited for a vehicle includes a fuel tank containing fuel at a remote location from the engine, a first fluid path for transporting fuel to the lubrication system of the engine, and a second fluid path for transporting fuel to said combustion system of the engine. In this way, the engine's fuel serves as the lubricant and the combustive agent. Certain load bearing surfaces of the engine can include a hard material based on borides, carbides and nitrides, a super-hard steel, a self-lubricating material, or a diamond-like coating. The fuel can be one of liquefied petroleum gas, bio-diesel, natural gas, biogas, methanol, Fischer-Tropsch fuel, ethanol, n-pentene, hexane, n-heptane, isooctane, or hydrogen. Also, additives such as molybdenum disulfide, graphite, soybean derived oil, canola oil, polytetrafloeraethylene (PTFE), zinc dialkyldithiophosphate, polyalphaolefin, dibasic organic esters, or mineral oil can be added to the fuel.

Claims37

Dependent claims

An engine system comprising:

a four-cycle, internal combustion engine including a combustion system and a lubrication system;
a fuel tank for holding a reservoir of fuel, said fuel to be used as a combustive agent and a lubricant;
a first fluid path for transporting fuel to said lubrication system;
and
a second fluid path for transporting fuel to said combustion system;
wherein certain load bearing surfaces of said engine include one of (i) a hard material coating based on one of borides, carbides and nitrides, (ii) a super-hard steel, (iii) a self-lubricating material, and (iv) a diamond-like coating.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Four-cycle fuel-lubricated internal combustion engine

Life of this patent

Four-cycle fuel-lubricated internal combustion engine

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims37