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US 7,500,464 B2Granted
Fuel processor apparatus and method for a diesel engine
AssigneeLyteSyde, LLC
InventorsKelly P. Rock, Bruce E. Nadeau, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention provides a diesel engine and methods and apparatus for premixing diesel fuel and oxidant for combustion. The methods and apparatus may include a two stage vortex, each stage accommodating different flow rate ranges. The vortex pulverizes diesel fuel and optimally mixes the diesel fuel with an oxidant prior to introduction into a combustion chamber. The premixing results in more complete combustion and, consequently, fuel efficiency is increased and pollution is decreased.
Claims25
A method of providing fuel to a diesel engine, comprising:
- fueling a diesel engine, the fueling comprising:
- creating a gaseous, homogenous premixture of diesel fuel and oxidizer in a first pre-combustion vortex chamber, the first pre-combustion vortex chamber having a generally cylindrical shape with a periphery and a central axis, wherein creating the gaseous, homogenous premixture includes supplying the oxidizer along the periphery and supplying the diesel fuel along the central axis into the oxidizer;
- introducing the gaseous, homogenous premixture of diesel fuel and oxidizer from the first pre-combustion vortex chamber into a combustion chamber.
A method of running an engine, comprising:
- operating a diesel engine, the operating comprising:
- creating a gaseous, homogenous premixture of diesel fuel and oxidizer in a first pre-combustion vortex chamber, the first pre-combustion vortex chamber having a generally cylindrical shape with a periphery and central axis, wherein creating the gaseous, homogenous premixture includes supplying the oxidant along the periphery to create an oxidant vortex and supplying the diesel fuel along the central axis into the oxidant vortex;
- flowing the gaseous, homogenous premixture of diesel fuel and oxidizer into a combustion cylinder of the diesel engine;
- compressing the gaseous, homogenous premixture of diesel fuel and oxidizer in the combustion cylinder with a piston at a ratio of at least about 15:1 without causing auto-ignition of the gaseous, homogenous premixture of diesel fuel and oxidizer;
- igniting the compressed gaseous, homogenous premixture of diesel fuel and oxidizer with a spark generating member.
2 more elements
A method of providing fuel to a diesel engine, comprising:
- fueling a diesel automobile, the method further comprising:
- premixing diesel fuel with an oxidant in a pre-combustion vortex chamber, the pre-combustion vortex chamber having a generally cylindrical shape with a periphery and a central axis, the premixing comprising supplying the oxidant to the pre-combustion vortex chamber through a plurality of openings along the periphery to create a oxidant vortex, and introducing diesel fuel into the oxidant vortex along the central axis to create a premixed diesel fuel and oxidant mixture;
- inputting the premixed diesel fuel and oxidant mixture into a combustion chamber of the automobile without forcing additional diesel fuel into the combustion chamber.
A method of providing fuel to a diesel engine, comprising:
- fueling a diesel engine, the fueling comprising:
- creating a gaseous, homogenous premixture of diesel fuel and oxidizer in a first pre-combustion vortex chamber, wherein creating the gaseous, homogenous premixture of diesel fuel and oxidizer comprises:
- providing a primary stage oxidizer introduction path;
- providing a secondary stage oxidizer introduction path;
- opening a valve in the secondary stage oxidizer introduction path upon reaching a predetermined oxidizer requirement threshold;
- creating an oxidizer vortex in a second pre-combustion vortex chamber with fluid flow from the secondary stage oxidizer introduction path;
- introducing diesel fuel at an axis of the oxidizer vortex;
- pulverizing the diesel fuel and mixing the diesel fuel with the oxidizer;
- introducing the gaseous, homogenous premixture of diesel fuel and oxidizer from the first pre-combustion vortex chamber into a combustion chamber.
6 more elements
A method of providing fuel to a diesel engine, comprising:
- fueling a diesel engine, the fueling comprising:
- creating a gaseous, homogenous premixture of diesel fuel and oxidizer in a first pre-combustion vortex chamber, wherein creating the gaseous, homogenous premixture of diesel fuel and oxidizer comprises:
- providing a primary stage oxidizer introduction path;
- providing a secondary stage oxidizer introduction path;
- opening a valve in the secondary stage oxidizer introduction path upon reaching a predetermined oxidizer requirement threshold and holding open a valve in the primary stage oxidizer introduction path;
- creating an oxidizer vortex in a second pre-combustion vortex chamber with fluid flow from the secondary stage oxidizer introduction path;
- introducing diesel fuel at an axis of the oxidizer vortex;
- pulverizing the diesel fuel and mixing the diesel fuel with the oxidizer;
- introducing the gaseous, homogenous premixture of diesel fuel and oxidizer from the first pre-combustion vortex chamber into a combustion chamber.
6 more elements
A method of running an engine, comprising:
- operating a diesel engine, the operating comprising:
- creating a gaseous, homogenous premixture of diesel fuel and oxidizer in a first pre-combustion vortex chamber;
- flowing the gaseous, homogenous premixture of diesel fuel and oxidizer into a cylinder of the diesel engine;
- compressing the gaseous, homogenous premixture of diesel fuel and oxidizer in the cylinder with a piston at a ratio of greater than 21:1 without causing auto-ignition of the gaseous, homogenous premixture of diesel fuel and oxidizer;
- igniting the gaseous, homogenous premixture of diesel fuel and oxidizer.
2 more elements
A method of running an engine, comprising:
- operating a diesel engine, the operating comprising:
- creating a gaseous, homogenous premixture of diesel fuel and oxidizer in a first pre-combustion vortex chamber, wherein creating the gaseous, homogenous premixture of diesel fuel and oxidizer comprises maintaining a combustible mixture while reducing the diesel fuel to an average particle size such that compressing the gaseous, homogenous premixture of diesel fuel and oxidizer in the cylinder with a piston at a ratio of at least 25:1 does not cause auto-ignition of the gaseous, homogenous premixture of diesel fuel and oxidizer;
- flowing the gaseous, homogenous premixture of diesel fuel and oxidizer into a cylinder of the diesel engine;
- compressing the gaseous, homogenous premixture of diesel fuel and oxidizer in the cylinder with a piston at a ratio of at least about 15:1 without causing auto-ignition of the gaseous, homogenous premixture of diesel fuel and oxidizer;
- igniting the gaseous, homogenous premixture of diesel fuel and oxidizer.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.