Method and apparatus for liquid fuel preparation to improve combustion

A method for providing fuel to a combustion chamber, comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a gas charger unit comprising,
• a housing subject to high pressure and defining a liquid flow path therethrough, the liquid flow path being defined between a liquid inlet port and a liquid outlet port, the housing additionally including a gas inlet port;
• and
• (b) feeding liquid fuel at a relatively high second pressure P2 to the liquid inlet port,
• (c) feeding at least one gas at a relatively high pressure P1 to the gas inlet port, where P1 is in a range 0.95 to 0.99 P2 and P2 lies in a range 7 to 22 MPa, and dissolving the gas in the liquid fuel to form a liquid/gas fuel solution,
• (d) pumping the liquid/gas fuel solution from the liquid outlet port to a third pressure P3 higher than the first pressure P1 prior to injection into the combustion chamber, to change the liquid/gas fuel solution to a substantially non-saturated solution.

In an internal combustion fuel system including a fuel injection system for injection into a combustion chamber of an engine, a gas charger comprising, comprising:

• a reservoir including a liquid flow path therethrough, the liquid flow path being defined between a liquid inlet port and a liquid outlet port, said housing further including a gas inlet port;
• a plurality of plate honeycomb packing elements disposed in said liquid flow path, at least a first of said plurality comprising at least one corrugated screen rolled with at least one flat screen, and at least a second of said plurality comprising a flat screen disposed in close proximity to said first;
• a first high pressure pump for providing liquid fuel at a second pressure to said liquid inlet port,
• a high pressure gas source for providing at least one gas at a first pressure to said gas inlet port unit,
• wherein the first pressure and the second pressure are sufficient to substantially dissolve the gas in the liquid fuel to form a liquid/gas fuel solution, and
• a second high pressure pump connected at said liquid outlet port or in a lower section of said housing for raising the pressure of the liquid/gas fuel solution to a third pressure higher than said second pressure prior to injection into the combustion chamber.