Feed composition modification for internal combustion engines
AssigneeQuestAir Technologies Inc.
InventorsBowie G. Keefer, Daniel K. Mather, David E. Foster, Denis J. Connor, Carl F. Hunter, Todd Smith
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A compact and efficient rotary pressure swing adsorption (PSA) apparatus with laminated sheet adsorbers is used to supply enriched oxygen and/or nitrogen streams to an internal combustion engine, allowing for reduced noxious emissions and enhanced engine performance.
Claims56
A process for igniting a gaseous fuel in an internal combustion engine, comprising:
- providing at least one pressure swing adsorption module that produces an oxygen-enriched stream;
- providing an internal combustion engine chamber that includes an initial combustion zone and a primary combustion zone;
- providing a fuel-lean mixture of air and gaseous fuel in the primary combustion zone of the internal combustion engine chamber;
- and
- introducing the oxygen-enriched stream from the pressure swing adsorption module into the initial combustion zone of the internal combustion engine chamber under conditions sufficient to ignite the gaseous fuel.
A process for providing fuel and an oxygen-enriched stream to at least one chamber of an internal combustion engine, comprising:
- providing at least one pressure swing adsorption module that produces an oxygen-enriched stream;
- providing an internal combustion engine chamber that includes a first combustion zone and a second combustion zone;
- providing a fuel-rich mixture of the oxygen-enriched stream and a first fuel in the first combustion zone of the internal combustion engine chamber;
- and
- providing a fuel-lean mixture of air and a second fuel in the second combustion zone of the internal combustion engine chamber.
A process for providing an oxygen-enriched stream to at least one internal combustion engine chamber, comprising:
- providing an oxygen-enriched stream;
- recycling exhaust gas from an internal combustion engine chamber via a closed loop;
- mixing together the oxygen-enriched stream and the recycle exhaust gas to produce an engine chamber feed stream, wherein the oxygen-enriched stream is the only source of fresh oxygen in the engine chamber feed stream;
- and
- introducing the engine chamber feed stream into the internal combustion engine chamber.
A process for providing an oxygen-enriched stream to at least one internal combustion engine chamber, comprising:
- introducing a first air stream into an internal combustion engine chamber having a displacement element;
- introducing a second air stream into a pressure swing adsorption module to produce an oxygen-enriched stream and a nitrogen-enriched stream;
- introducing the oxygen-enriched stream into the internal combustion engine chamber during an expansion stroke of the displacement element;
- and
- introducing the nitrogen-enriched stream into the internal combustion engine chamber during an intake stroke of the displacement element.
An internal combustion engine process, comprising:
- providing an oxygen-enriched stream;
- providing a first internal combustion engine chamber that produces a first engine exhaust stream;
- mixing together the oxygen-enriched stream and the first engine exhaust stream to produce a feed steam;
- and
- introducing the feed stream into a second internal combustion engine chamber.
A gaseous fuel internal combustion engine system, comprising:
- (a) at least one rotary pressure swing adsorption module having a first outlet for discharging an oxygen-enriched stream;
- (b) at least one gaseous fuel internal combustion engine chamber having an initial combustion zone;
- and
- (c) a first conduit fluidly communicating between the first outlet of the rotary pressure swing adsorption module and the initial combustion zone of the gaseous fuel combustion engine chamber such that the oxygen-enriched stream can be introduced into the gaseous fuel combustion engine chamber.
A system for providing an oxygen-enriched stream to an internal combustion engine, comprising
- (a) at least one pressure swing adsorption module that includes a first outlet for discharging an oxygen-enriched stream, a rotor that includes a plurality of flow paths that receive a plurality of adsorbent laminate arrays, and means for exposing each of the flow paths to discrete pressure levels between an upper operating pressure and a lower operating pressure;
- (b) at least one first internal combustion engine chamber;
- and
- (c) a first conduit fluidly communicating between the first outlet of the pressure swing adsorption module and the internal combustion engine chamber such that the oxygen-enriched stream can be introduced into the internal combustion engine chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.