CA1194373A - Process of uniting liquid hydrocarbon fuels and oxygen in the combustion air preparatory for combustion - Google Patents

Abstract

ABSTRACT

The thermodynamic process of uniting hydrocarbon liquid fuels and the oxygen of the combustion air preparatory for combustion, is a very complex process as anyone well versed in the current state of the art can testify. The fact that the hydrocarbon liquid fuel supply of the world is a finite, and rapidly depleting resource, with the of a never ending price esculation, is becoming the increasing concern of everyone. Also the tremendous increase of harmful hydrocarbon pollut-ants in the atmosphere in most of the larger urban centres has created tremendous respitory and other health related problems for many people.
The ever increasing financial burden, that is becoming very difficult for most of us to bear. The necessity of conserving a rapidly depleting supply of liquid hydrocarbon fuels should be of paramount importance to everyone. The reduction of harmful hydrocarbon pollutants in the atmosphere of our cities is also a necessity.
The process as defined in this invention can combust all of the liq-uid hydrocarbon fuel, with all of the oxygen in the combustion air, to produce heat (usable power of energy). Because all of the liquid hydro-carbon fuel is burnt, (enters in to the combustion process), the prod-uction of hydrocarbon pollutants is minimal.
Because all of the fuel charge can produce usable energy, the fuel efficiency of this process is much improved over the process in curr-ent use. This new process can provide all the users of liquid hydro-carbon fuels, financial saving, while practically eliminating the prod-uction of harmful hydrocarbon pollutants in the exhaust gases, from the devices where this process is used. The increased fuel efficiency of this process can give the scientists of the world some much more needed time to perfect the processes, that must be found in the use of alternate forms of energy, before our supply of liquid hydrocarbon fuels is exhausted.

Description

9~3t73 --,P~ rr~lCA~-10i~
Thi~ lnvention rel~-ltes to the process of u.nitin~.o~; liquid hyclroca.r-bon fuels a.nd ox~l~en in the combustion air in a ~rJay that the prod-ucts of combus-ti.on ~ill be carbon dio~id.e and water (stea,rn~,when the sai.d con,stituen-ts a,re burn-t (chemi,cally unitecl.), in a combus-tor. ~o free o~y,~;en or unburnt hydrocarbons will be found in the exh~us-t ~ases .
~ fu^r-ther object of this invention is -to minimize the production of harmf`ul .oxides of n.itrogen NOx~ when liquid hydrocarbon fue].s and air are combu.s-tecl in any of the numerous combustor types that I0 burn lir~uid hydroca.rbon fuels.
Anot~er furt~er object of this invent;ion is to combust lic!uia hy-drocarbon fuels and air in. the mos-t fue' efficient manner -that is possible, where all of the hydrocarbon molecules chemica.lly unite wi-th the oxy~en molecules -to produce usable heat (power~ cmd neith.--er oxy~en or unburnt hydrocarbons Qppear in the resultant exha,us-t gases, only water (steam) and carbon dioxide are found.
Anotner further ooaect of this invention is, to adapt this proc-ess so that this process ~il,l perform the above stated goals when used in any and all the various -types of combustors that burn lia-uid hydrocarbon fuels.
A partial listin~ of -the combustor.:.types o~ machines th.at burn liauid hydrocarbon fuels a,re:
Internal combustion en~ines that are ~park ignited, lar~e and sm-a],l, -two and -~our cycle includin~; rotarys (wankel type).
Gas turbine e-n~ines from the smallest power plant, a,utomotive types, ancl all,other types up to c-and includin,g the largest atir er-.
aft en~ine 8 .
l~l`urnaees with ~un type burners and all la,r,,~,er similar types of heati-ng uni-ts up to a-nd incluclin.~; the larges-t electrica,l generat-in,~; plants burnin~; oll for hea.t production.
rhe combustors nam.ed above all ha~e one common fault 7 the fuel~
: is not eompletely consumed (chemlcally united Aith oxy,~en) i,n a]:3.
o~`-thi~ varied types o:~ combustors, resultin~ in a los; of fuel ef-iciency a,ncl proclucin.~ harmful unburnt h.yd.roca.rbon.s in the e:~haust se~. Thi3 is cau~,ed because the hyd-rocarbon :~uels Qre introduced i,~to the6e vcario~ , cotnbu&-torc., .in a ]i~1uid or ,,~par-t licui~ and part ,rr~.seous forrn. 'I'he h.~d,roccr~,rbon fuels c~-a.r1not be bv.rn-t in their li~uid eltt3,te. rh,e3e -Euel~, mu~,3t be I(~()7~ va~ori~ed .and a portion of tha-t va-por m,u~t be h,e~.ted to it ~ i~;nition -t,ernperc,lture, usu~.,l].y ~r1 th a .,,p~rk., then.-thi~ .m~1l.l fl1me m1lCJt provide enou~h h~ea-t to heat the e~urroun.din,~,r hydrocark)on moleculer~ to theix combu,s,tion tempera-Gure ~or the ~lamt) to ~.pread. .rhe rapidi-ty of the flame propo,~a.-tion. (ex plosion) tlependc~ on how lon~ it -take,~ for ~ll o-f -the h~Jdroca.rbon molecules -to be he.ated -to thelr comhuctlon tem-perature so they can che~ically unite Wi Gh the oxy,~ren molecule,s in -the combustion air.
r~ere are Tr.an,y re,~sons why the licuia h~droc~,rbon Iuels are not bu:rn-G I00,;. Some ol~ th.e ~ln ones ~ill be lis-ted belo~A:
A fuel/r.ir mi. -Gure tha-t; is richer th.1.n s-toicniometricO `:~
I.

9~3'~

:~ 'uel~ai-r mi~-~,ure th:-~.t; is Ie;-,m.er th;:)n s-toic~:iometric.
A hvcLroc.?.rbon :E'u~l -t~l~.-t is no-t volitile e~ou,~h for I;he par-ticul~e.rcom.bus-tor in w~ ch it is used. G...so'Line -~;'n-.-t does not h.f.lve the ~eicl v;lnor 1?resc.ure -th.-t i.s neces:~.ary ~or efficiel1t opera-tion in co].der (.~;inter) weathe:r, is one e~a..r~lple.
~ny ~'ac-tor -that in.terIeres wi-th the no rna.~L]y pL--,,nned fuel eva.pora.t~ion s,~ster~l! particulaYily ln automo-tive :and re:'a.-,,ed. carbure-tor 9y---tems, -that rel~ on mani~old hot spots~ co.~bvs~lon -~ir heatin,c~r9 ~Fen---turi low pressuYe aYeas and -tu~-bulen-t Y'a'pid air moverr!ent in the c~ir-I0 buretion and induc-tion ~3ystem~-,.
~e time element, necessary f'or -the licluicl h~droclrbon fuel to vap-orize I00.~. In a .~ras turbi-ne en~rine combustor there is an -abunda,nce of heat and ox~.~ren, however 9 there is just not enou~h -tir.le for -the la,rgreY droplets of the jet fuel to evapoYate IOO~o bef'ore these dro-plets reach the air quenchin~c,r æone and -t~e flame is extin~,uished.
~he oil furnaces and related -type 'ourners have much the sa,me probl-em. Also the time factor is prese-n-t in -the automobile carbure-tor and in.duction ~ysi-tern. At any average driving condition -the speed of air rnovemen-t (velocity) through the carburetor a~nd induction m~nif-old -th~-t the li~uid -fuel in -the fuel/c.air mixture tra,velsgdoes not allow suficient time for ~ery ~uch eva.porcation to take ple~ce. ~n~J
fuel thæt is in a liquid forrn when combustion takes place is largely was-ted. .~'he fuel/air ratio wa.cl proba.bly close to a stoichiometric fuel/air rati.o when the ini-tia.l combustion took plac~, however~ the fuel portion of the ratio was composed of onl~r -the vaporized envel~
opes (p~rtion of vaporized ga.s) around -~,he mi~u-te li~luid particles tha-t were still in a lic~uid form. In ga~ turbines and oil furna,ces 'l.iquid fuel is injected into a bur-nin~rr f'lt-~,me and combus~ic~ is con-tinuous. ~Nith internal combustlon engines operation, the minu-te l.iq-uid drops are vapori~ed during the ini-tial combustion phase,ho~.lever -there is no c3igni-~icant &moun-t of o~,cy,~en for thi~ lar~e amount of hydrocarbo~ vf~ipc)~.cret3;tèd by -the initif.~l combus-ti.on phase, to uni-te with. ~ sma~.l portion of thls newly va,~ori~ed fuel burnr~ v~!ith a ~low burnin.~ ~lc~me tha-t continues until the exhr,).us-t valve,-3 open.~h.i.3 secondary c310w bu~nin~ fl m~e does no^t provid.e an,y u3able power bu-t provicles Jl.n idea'.!. envirorlmen-t for the procluction of:NOx.
~ nother :~ac-tor thrl.t e~.E'ects. t'n.e e~iclency o:E' fuel c~mbus,-tion in a comhut3-tor it,3 the t]~orou.,~,hnes,l3 with v~hich. the fuel t.m.d air are mix-ecl. '~'~ith th.e current ct~,rburetor t~nfl. ~uel i.n~ecti.on sy,C~terns u~in.~.() qu:lcl fuel~ a truly homo~erleous fue:L/f~ir mixture ct~.nnot be achieved, '.~h.e mixin,~ o:~ ~)clrt ll~uid. ~ncl ptart vaporized. hydroc.~rbon ftlel a.ncltlir ctl.n on~.;y rec.lult in a combirlation of the two ingredients. r~O ob-t~.i.n a trul,y homo,~relleoui mix-ture you mu~,3t hrlve tV'I~O gaSe3 in orderto cl.chi.eve -th.e uni~orm inte~r,rr~,-tion of the hy(3.rocr~,r'oon molecules ana the oxyrren mo'l.eculec-J nece,srlry to obta~in r,~ -trul.y homogeneous fuel/
air mlxture. A car'oure-tor u.(3in.~g propane c~.n achieve a -truly homog-eneous fllel/air mixture cl; -the liquid propane storea in the fuel ta nk is vapo:ri.~ed I0(~v before it u~ite~ with -the combuc~tion air.

3~73 I-Iow (l oes co~ bllsti O:r? -tl-~ke place in al~ au-tornobile cyli-nde-r hea,cl us--in~o -the ~rese-n-t s-tate of th~e e,rt c~rburetor or fuel injection sy:-i-t--em? Dvrin;~r -t're compression s-trolre -the cylincler heacl con-tains a mi}r~---ture of air .,mcl atomized drople-tc, of 1 i~uid ,o;~sollne v.i-th c:louds of vc~pori.zed ~cis aroun~l each of the mi-nu-te 1 i~iuid clro~s. '!~he fuel part of -the fuel/alr ra-ti.o i`.f composed of only the vaporized clouds aro-und the lic~uid dropcf ~ a5i it ls impos~fible f`or la,asioli.ne to burn in a licluid sta-te~ l,iquirl gasoline mus-t be v~1,pforized and a -nortion of the ftras must be 'rlecf~tecl -to t'ne ScliCI gase 1 Sf i~ni-tion temperature bythe acti.on (heat produced) f~ by a sparl{ jumpinlo~ ci,cross -the spark pl-v.;g elec-trodes, this flarne must heat -the rest of t'ne ;a,r~,soline var,for to i-t ' s ignition ter,!pera-ture as the flame front pro~rresses -throv.,~h the ren-ainder of -the fuel/air -mixture in the cylinder head. r~his is the initial combustion phl-lse. However, there is a seconda-r,T combu-u~tion phase ca,usecl by the evaporation~ of the ~gasoline contained in the liquid drops . However, if -the initical mixture was close -to a s t-oichiometric fuel/air ra-tio 9 there is no appreciable ~,mount of oxy-gen for this lar~e amount of hydrocarbons -to unite with. Some of this new su,pply of hydrocarbons burn ~ ith ~1, slow 'ou-rni~ residual 20 flarne tha-t continues -to burn af-ter -the exllavs-t valves open. The la--r~e, t part of the said h,ydrocarbons appear in -the exhaust ,F~ ses as vn-~burned hydrocarbon pollutan-ts.
There are me thods that current inven-tions have tried -to solve -this problem. One me-thod is to further combus-t the sai.d excess hydrocar~
bons in the exhaust sy.3 terns, ~ii-th ai,r purnps introducin~ fresh air ( oxygen), into -the burnin,~ gases as -they en-ter the exhaust manifo:l.d, A second method uses catalytic converters and -the-rmal reac-tors to achieve -the s~me goal. An al-ter-rlate me-thod is to be~,in the initial combus-tion with a mixture tha-t i~ much leaner than stoichiometric, 30 which ~iill provide free oxy~en that was no-t required for initial co-bustion. This free oXy,C,r~en CQn uni.te wi,th some of the hydrocarbons vaporized by the initial combustion phase, Unfortunately, these me-thods are not I~O'~o ef-fec-tive, -they s,re expen.sive to manuf~cture and rnaint~lin, and the lean mixture .a~pY()ach ca.uses m~ny performa~lce pr-ob].ems ~.nd '.lower6 en~,ine'~ power outpu-t, .-llso t'he -~ree ox,~,r~ren a,nd hi,~rher erL~ine opera.t:Ln~r temper~-l-turecs in.creacse th~e nro(lllc tion of J~'()x.
'rh.e formca-ti.on of '~Ox is ~ problem in ~ny combustor -thcat ~roduces hi.s.~r,:h t,emper,ltu:res. 'rh.e forrn..ltion o~ NOx is d.ependant on -three mfl.in :~aotors; the combus-t:ion tem~erature, the cluration oF'-the h.igrh temp-.~ erat~lre, -the nv,l.i.]..lb:ili-t~r.~ncl ~uanti-ty o:~ -free oxy,~r~en av.ailable .
,h. t;e~nper~lture meanin~ f.~ly temperatu:re th.a-t will form NOx a.hout d e ,rrr e e '.'1 '.~`he prod.u.ction of NOx is reduced by the fol'lowing procedures: re-ucin,~r t'h.e av~li].clbilit;y of free ox~gen. in -the combustor by burningr a r7li.xtu.re -that is .,~rreater tha.n. s-toichiorfLetric (rich) 7 by recircula-t-in.?; oF exhc~us-t ~(raseC. into -the fuel/cair mixture (~ ancl. the emp-10~7Lent of -thermal reactorr-~ in -the exh.lllst sys-tem. ',~he rich mixture m.ethod produces more I'IC pollu-tion and is less fuel e~ficien-t~

'i'~ie will briefly discuss tl~e fol~Lowin.~ pri.ol ar-t reference, ES they are repre.sen-ta.-tive of recen,t clevelopmen-ts in the fielcl of which t'his in~Jen-tio11 applies.
CEl~naaiE~ .p~tent..... ....I053099 Canadi~n patent........ ....98I
C.an3dir~,m pE~tentO... ~ 924596 Cana.diE~.n p,tent..... ..~.I0~4879 CanadiE-,m patent I053099 basic fea.ture is the improvemen-t of a lean operatin,g engine,~he irrlprovement is to ada adcl,itiona~. fuel to one or I0 a sui-table nu~,her of combusti.on. chE~.r,~bers of a lean operation engine relative to -the quantity of sucked-in air to the combus-tion c~amber or c'n-ambers, -to fo-rm, an air~fuel ch.E3.r.,ge richer -th.en stoic'niome-tricth.erin as the engine power demand increases i-n oraer to increase the outpu-t power of the eng,ine, an.d also increase -the quick respo-nce of the en~ine to -the rapid increase of -the en~ine polrler demand~
'~he supply of the additi,onal fuel is effected with accompanying co~
unter measures to prevent the emissions of nitrogen oxides, hydroc-arbons and carbon monoxides~ esPecially of nitrogen oxides from exc-eedin~ the limits set by the air pollution control regulation s-tand-ards.
Canadi..1n patent 9~I998 is an improved method and appa.ra-tus for the operation of a premixed c'narge, piston type, internal combus-tion en-gin.e. It relates particularily to extending th.e opera,tion of such an engine to very lean,fuel -to air (~/A) mixtures, resultin~ in low fu-el combustion, production of 1O1N exha~us-t erQissions and low exh.~ust gas temper~tures. I,gnition of such l.nixtures is caused by the flame of a spar~ nitab:Ly rich pil.ot fuel charge. 'rhe pilot fuel charge is injec-~ed in-to a c~Jlinder toward positive i~nition me~ns, e.g. a spar~ plu,~ he pilo-t fuel cha.rge is i,.~nited iM the same non-knock-3o in~ ma.nner as disclosed in U.~. Patents Numbers 2,~4,00~ E.~I.Barb-er, issued I0/II/49 and 2,~64,374, E.~.Barber~ C.W.~avis, issued I2/
I6/5~. The resultir,rr pi].ot fuel cha,Y~e flame ignites the rnain., power protlucin~r" premi~ed fuel chrlrr,re.
~ ansdir,~.n Patent 924596 i9 a combur3tion.l?rocesc.-~or ~,n en~r,ine in which :Euel i'3 inaected direc-tly in-to -the en,,n~ine combus-tion ch~mbers arld t'ne air su-~ly is t;hrott:l.ed. or unthro-tt:led ~3 -the need be to ma~-.i.ntain a desiYe~. r-l,.i.r--~ue]. ratit) over -the r!!aaor portior of operration of the er~,rrine. ~rhe en~rr,ine air i.3 throt-tle-l clurirl,cr en~crine idle a,nd prl.rt lo,-ld corldi.ti.onc3 o~` oper.,~.tion -to provicle a locali~,,),ed overrich ~,~ m:ixture s~lrrolmdeA b~r ;.l. portiorl that iS maintained rl,-t a cler31red le~
t:~nne~3r-J. 'Exh,~ust ~ ses ;,l,re rccircu]..~!.-ted into -th.e en,~r~ine cylinders to re(luce oxy,~en ,~,va,iliblli-ty .,~n,d. reduce en.~ine ~eak combustion temp-er.q tures .
~ arladian 'Patent I054~79 propose~ c~n improved snark-i~rrnited inter-nal combu.stion en,crine ca-~c~le of a relatively high EGR rate, ~nd a method of opera,-ting th.e ~eQme, whereb~J the emission level of N0x can be e~fec-tively lowered without loweri.n~: of -the engine ou-tput power and fuel economy. The hirrrh ~.~r~. rate is maintained at a. relatively hi~r,rh value ran..~rin~,r from I0 to 50~; and -the char~r~e containingr such a 5(~ hi~rr~h concen-tra-tion of exh~ust rr~ases is, i~nited by a. plurcrlli-ty of L37~

spark plugs disposed within each of the combustion chambers of the engine. Also emission levels of CO and HC are decreased by increas-ing the temperature of exhaust gases without lowering of the engine output power and the fuel consumption although the emission levels of these constituents seem to be necessarily increased by a relat-ively high EGR rate.
The above inventions are all very ingenious, and they vary in complexity and sophistication from fairly simple to build and operate to the opposite extreme. One of these inventions requires major alterations to the current engine's cylinder head and has a very complex and sophisticated operation and control system. As useful and progressive as these inventions may be they all have one serious common shortcoming, they all treat the symptoms of the malaise in current carburation and fuel injection systems and do not treat and remove the malaise itself.
This invention eliminates the malaise itself and there-fore eliminates the symptoms. We will describe how this is done:
The invention provides an apparatus for providing a com-bustable air-fuel mixture which apparatus includes: an air passage;
a sensor for sensing rate of air flow in the passage; a mixing chamber in the passage adapted to receive and mix gaseous hydro-carbon fuel with the air flowing in the passage, which chamber is shaped to reduce the speed of the air passing through the passage and contains a fuel dispersal grid adapted to impart turbulence to the air flowing in the passage; a valve for controlling the flow of a liquid hydrocarbon fuel; means connecting the sensor and the valve to regulate the valve to control the supply of liquid hydro-carbon fuel to a substantially stoichiometric amount for combustion with -the air in the passage; and a heating c:hamber into which the valve delivers the liquid hydrocarbon fuel and from which gaseous fuel, at a temperature not far below its combustion temperature and at a pressure that is above atmospheric, is delivered to the mixing chamber.
The invention also provides a method for providing a mix-ture of air and hydrocarbon fuel that when combusted will react substantially all o:E the oxygen in the combustion air with suhstan-tially all o. the hydrocarbon fuel to produce an exhaust which will substantially contain only water and carbon dioxide which method includes: sensing the flow-rate of air for combustion;
providing a substantially stoichiometric amount of liquid hydro-carbon fuel for combustion with the air in response to the sensed flow-rate; heating the liquid hydrocarbon fuel so provided by an electric source, exhaust gas source, or both, to a gas having a temperature not far below its combustion temperature and a pressure that is above atmospheric; and mixing the fuel gas with the air for combustlon so as to provide for combustion a substantially homogeneous mixture, the mixture including a substantially stoichio-metric amount of hydrocarbon fuel for combustion with the sensedair flow.
This invention has evolved after many years of study, research and experimentation. The hardest part of the enigma was to discover what actually happens when liquid hydrocarbon fuels and air are burnt in a certain type of combustor. How could an explosion that apparently began with about a stoichiometric fuel/
air ratio, produce so much unburned hydrocarbons (HC) in the exhaust gases?

r 1 ~

We proved the truth that liquid hydrocarbon fuels cannot burn in their liquid state. Drop a lighted match into a can con-taining gasoline, the can having an open top, that has been stored outside in a temperature about -10 degrees F. Do not attempt this experiment during the summer or you could be badly burned. A very small flame was started and the burn:ing match was extinguished when it entered the liquid gasoline. The Reid vapor pressure of the gasoline was sufficient to allow the gasoline to evaporate even at this cold temperature. The small flame increased in size and then continued to burn at that stabilized size. Why did not the flame continue to grow larger? The amount of heat that -the flame could produce above the amount required to maintain its own existence (the temperature at which the fuel molecules must be heated to so that they can chemically unite with the oxygen mole-cules), was only enough to evaporate a small amount of the frigid gasoline.
The first fact we realized was that the liquid hydrocarbon fuel must be 100% vaporized before the said fuel is mixed with the combustion air. We concluded that this fuel will require instantly available supplementary heat for an engine start up, and large quantities of supplementary heat for running conditions. We also realized that even with the fuel in a 100% vaporized state a stoichiometric fuel/air mixture is a necessi-ty at any and all flow volumes of the combustion air that is consumed.
We also realized that the stoichiometric fuel/air ratio must also be a truly homogeneous mixture at any and all the flow volumes of combustion air consumed. When the mixture is not truly homogeneous -the Elame propogatlon speed of combustion is reduced, - 6a -'73 usable power production declines and the produc-tion of NOx is increased.
The process of the invention is cornposed of four basic operations (steps). The apparatus according to the invention is a means to carry out the inventive process although it is contemplated that other apparatus could be employed to carry out the inventive process.
1. A very accurate air volume sensor that measures the flow volume of the combustion air flowing to the combustor or plurality of combustors. This sensor can be constructed to provide either a vacuum output signal or an electronic output signal. The electronic output will be employed where computer control is employed.

2. A very accurate stoichiometric liquid hydrocarbon propor-tioner that meters liquid fuel in a stoichiometric fuel/air ratio to the flow of combustion air. The proportioned liquid fuel will form a stoichiometric fuel/air ratio with the combustion air when the said liquid fuel is vaporized 100% and the vapor heated to a temperature close to the said vapor's ignition temperature. The stoichiometric liquid hydrocarbon proportioner will be regulated by the signals received from the air volume sensor, -therefore a stoi-chiometric fuel/air ratio will be produced at any and all flow volumes of the combustion air.

3. A stoichiometric vaporizing and heating chamber. This chamber provides instantly available supplementary heat to vaporize the liquid fuel received from -the stoichiometric liquid hydrocarbon proportioner, and heat the 100% vaporized fuel (gaseous hydrocarbon vapor), to a temperature close to the said vapor's ignition tempera-ture. Thi.s heated hydrocarbon vapor leaves the chamber at a - 6b -~ ~9~'37~

pressure that is above atmospheric.4. A truly homogeneous mixing chamber. A chamber where -the gaseous heated hydrocarbon molecules can be homogeneously integrated with the oxygen molecules in the combustion air. We use the term "truly" because when you mix two gases it is possible to achieve a homogeneous fuel/air mixture in reality, and not in name only.
This chamber must provide this homogeneous mixture, which is also a stoichiometric fuel/air ratio, at any and all flow volumes of the combustion air.
The steps of this invention provide a truly stoichiomet-ric fuel/air ratio that is also a truly homogeneous mixture of two gases, air and hydrocarbon fuel, at any and all flow volumes of the fuel/air mixture into a combustor or plurality of combustors. The hydrocarbon gas (fuel) is still close to the said fuel's combustion temperature because of the rapid air flow in the induction mani-Eold. Therefore, the propogation velocity of the flame front begun in the combustion chamber will be almost instantaneous. This is possible because of the small amount of extra heat the hydrocarbon molecules will need to burn (chemically unite with the oxygen mole-cules).
Because the fuel/air ratio in the combustion chamber was a truly stoichiometric ratio all of the available oxygen will burn (chemically unite) with all of the hydrocarbon molecules and the resultant - 6c -"', g~73 c~h .?~U';t g~-7.ses lr!il]. con-ta:in onl~ wa.ter ( s~eam~ ancl carbon cl.ioxide.
r~he ~roduction o~ NOx lNi.l-l. be reduced for tl,~,o reasons; there wil.l be no free ox~en ava,ilable~ a,nd the dura-tion of'-the MOx producin~
ter_pera,-ture~ wlll be greatl,~ reduced~ comnared -to tha-t time in the present sta.-te of'-the ar-t.~i-th -thi~ invention there will be onl~;~ one practica.ll~J ins-tanta,neous explo~ion and the fl.-)me -terminates. '.~rom tha-t time, the gases in -the cylinder and head wi.11 obey the ~hysic-al 1aWS of hea-t and pres~ure. As -the piston descends the ternperat--ur that produces N0-x is n.o lon~er present.
IV In sore cases with the present s-t~-te o-f the art 9 the residual bur-nin~ -that ocurrs produces IirOx producing -temperatures even in the ex-ha,ust mar7i.fold~
This invention ~.rill enable .gas turbine en~ines to burn t'neir liqu-id hy~drocarbon fuel in the same ef'ficien-t non-pollu-ting rnanner as a.n automobile engine. The only signific~ant cl.esign ch.an,,~e will be that -the Presen.t combustor (barrel type) will have -to be replaced by a co~
mbustor with a pre~mix cha.rr!ber. The production of' NOx ~Nill be redu~
ced as all of' the combustion will take place in -the prirnary zone o-f the combustor.
This invention will en.able the oil furn.ace type combustors bO burn -their ]ie~uid fuel in the sarQe efficient non polluting manner as desc-ribed above. r~he production of NOx wi.ll be reduced because of the in -creased flc1,me propo~a,tion soeed durin~ combustion, and the fact that a furnace can be desi~ned to operate at a tem~erature tha-t produces minimul amounts of NOx.
A self evident fact about thi~ inventlon is that it is a much more fuel efficient process than the process used ~Rith the present state of the art, because it combusts all o~ the hydrocarbon fuel -to pro-vide usable heat (power). With -the present stP..,-te of the art most of the heat nece~ary to raise the hydroca.rbon Fuel to i-t's i~ni-tion tempera,ture comes from the hea-t in the combustion f'lame and is a pa-risitic drain on -the u~able heat (power) produced. .All of the heat needed to vaporize an~J lic~uid drop3 in the combus-tor Fl~me is lar~e-ly w~,sted. Th.is invention use~ waste exhc~ust ~;as heat -to perform -the evaporation. and heati.ng of the 'I.i~luid. h.~drocarbon :Fuel, -thereby con-servin~ aclditioYla] ener,~y.
7.

' IP'i` I ON
Other ob~ects fnd features o~ -the r~resen-t i..nven-tion wilJ. become more a~parent from the fol].o~,vini~ descrl~?tion v~i-th the accompan,yin,g drawi.n~;s/ in which ll'lre reference nurnerals and characters aesi,~nate coresondin~ pf3,rts f,~,-nd elements z;l.nd in which:
8. is. an extremel~ accurate air volvme sensor that will be const-ruc-ted to operate wi-th a vacuum co-ntrol si~nal or with an eleckron-ic con-trol si~nal.
I. is an ex-tremely a.ccurate stoichlome-tric ].i~uid hydrocarbo-n proportioner that will me-ter an f3moun-l, of. li~uid hydrocarbon fuel I0 in res~on.se from the con-trol si~nals received from -the sensor 8~, that are a stoichiometri.c -~uel/a~ir ratio wlth the combustion air actin~ on sensor:'8. ~his me-tered li~u-id hydrocarbon f.uel will be a stoichiometric ~uel/air ratio v~ith. the combllstio-n aar ~Nhen the said licuid is vapori~ed I00,.~, and the vapor (~as) heated to a temAperature -that is close to -the saicl fuel's cormbustiol1 -tempera-ture.
2. ls a stoichiome-tric vaporizin,g and heating chamber that conta-ins a source of instan-tly available supplementary h.eat (electric he-tin~ elemen.t) 7 and a source of continuisly operating supplemen.tary heat (exh~ust ~ases), 3, is a homogeneous mixing chamber that cornbines the combustion air II. and the I00~,~ vapori~ea and heated fuel I5. ln a truly hom.-o~eneous mixture I0. A truly homogeneous mixture is possible becau-se we are mixin~ -two ~ases.
4v, is a. small aiameter conduit that con.ducts the vacuum control signal I7V, from the sensor 8. to the propor-tioner I~ 7 when the op-erating mode is vacuu.m.
4E. is s.n. electric wire that conducts -the electronic control si~-nal I7E from the sensor 8, to the propor-tioner I~ when the o~era.-tin~
mode is electronic or under compu-ter control~
5. is a combus-tion Qir suppl~ condui-t that contains sensor 8. ~nd is joined to the honogenous mi~;ing ch.ambe,-r in a m~,nner that does not restrict the combustion air f10~N II.
6. iS a, fuel (liquid.) su~pl~ con~.ui-t tha-t allows a pressure re~-ula.-ted ~supply o-f lic~uid fuel I4. -to en.ter the propor-tioner I.
7 iF3 a concluit that concluc-ts a stoichiometrica~.l,y propor-tioned S~mo~mt o' li~ui~ fue]. I6. from the proportioner I. to -the vaPori .in~ smd h.esa1;in,rr chsm1ber 2.
~ss reT1r~-;ents su~I~'lementar~ ~leat supplied to -the va,porizinrr and he~.tin.~ cha1nber 2.
~0 I(.). re~rese~t,F3 a, tru'l.y stoichiorne-tric fuel/air ratio -tha,t is also -trul~r homo~rreneous mix-ture 7 the h~Jdrocarbon. fuel in a In~si" vapor-i~,ed.F.~t,~te a.ncl -the F3aid. ~a.s hes.~.te(~ to a tem~erature -tha.-t is close to -the f'uell's i~nit:ion. ternpe.~,~c~ture.
II. representF3 the combustion air tha-t i.5 ~oin~ -to form -the air portion o~ -the fuel/~air mix-ture.
I2. is a. con.dui-t ~lnsulated to prevent hea.t loss), that conduc-ts ~he va,porirs~.ed ana heated h,~Jdroc.irbon ,~,a.s (fuel) at a prei3sure tha-t is above a-tr11osnheric~ from chamber s7 . to t'ne mixing chc~mber 3.
~.

I3. is a fuel/air exit conduit which is joined to the homogeneous mixing chamber in such a manner that does not restrict the flow of the stoichiometric fuel/air ratio that is also ahomogeneous mixture that exits from conduit I3 ready to be combusted.
Figure I is a schematic plan view of the various steps in the to-tal process that constitutes this invention. The steps or procedures that constitute the process of this invention are four in number;
I. An extremely accurate air volume sensor 8. that is contained in a combustion air inlet conduit 5. that is joined to a homogeneous mixing chamber 3., the said joinings being compatible with un-restr-icted air flow. The sensor 8. monitors the flow volume of the combu-tion air II., and sends a vacuum control signal I7v via a conduit 4v to the liquid proportioner I., or sends an electronic control signal I7E via electronic wire 4E to the liquid proportioner I.. The electr-onic mode of construction will be used when there is computer con-trol, and the vacuum mode of construction will be employed where th-is system is more advantageous.
II. An extremely accurate liquid hydrocarbon proportioner I. that is constructed so that the control signal I7v or I7E received from sensor 8, will cause the proportioner I. to meter an amount of liq-uid fuel I6. that will form a stoichiomatric fuel/air ratio with the flow volume of the combustion air II.. This amount of metered fuel I6. will form a stoichiometric fuel/air ratio with the combustion air II., when the said liquid fuel is vaporized I00% and the vapot (gas), is heated to a temperature that is close to the said fuel's ignition temperature. Proportioner I. is joined on its top end to a smalldiameter conduit 6., that receives a pressure regulated supply of hydrocarbon fuel I4.. Proportioner I. is joined on its bottom end to the small diameter conduit 7., which is also joined to the vapor-izing and heating chamber 2..
III. A stoichiometric vaporizing and heating chamber 2., provides an instantly available source of supplementary heat 9., that instan-tly vaporizes the liquid fuel I6., metered from the proportioner I., and heats the gas to a temperature that ts close to the said fuel's ignition temperature I5.. The start up heat is supplied by an elec-tric heating element, and the running heat is taken from exhaust gases.
IV. A homogeneous mixing chamber 3.. This chamber receives I00%
vaporized and heated hydrocarbon gases that exit from chamber 2. at a pressure that is above atmospheric,and are conducted into mixing chamber 3. via conduit I2..These gases are represented by the arrows I5.. The homogeneous mixing chamber 3. unites the combustion air II. and the vaporized and heated fuel I5. which are bothe gases, and are a stoichiometric fuel/air ratio, into a truly homogeneous fuel/
air mixture. The conduit I3 and the conduit 5., are joined to mix-ing chamber 3. on a vertical plane, and in a manner compatible with un-restricted air flow. From conduit I3. will flow the stoichiomet-ric fule/air ratio that is also a homogeneous mixture I0. that is ready to be combusted.

3~3 , IJ ~Y7 ~

'~he process of thi;7 inven-tlol1 has a ve.r,~ broad. sphere of a-Pplica-tion, as an~one .~nowlecl~eable i.n this field of -theYmodynamics c.-an readily seeO '~his process cal,n be used wherever liauid hydrocarbon fuels are combustecl,with on].y one exception7 sin,.~le fuel die~sel en-~ines burnin~ uid fuel. '~he process of -this inven-tlon can be us-ed YJith. dual fuel c'7iesels 9 a.nd cliesels tha.t use only a ,~,aseous fuel~
In the oper-.a-tion of dual fuel diesels 90','J~ of the fuel iS .a h.,vdro-carbon ,~as such as natur.?.l .Gas7 the remainin~; I~/o i.3 ~iesel fuel th ,e7,-t is in,jected at the proper time -to stsfr-t the col~bus-tion process.
IO Gas only fuel diesels, sta,r-t the combustion process V~Ji th a sPark.
'~he process of t~is invention ca~ be usecl to vaporiæe diesel fue:L
to supply -the 9~.'7..~,aseous fuel consumecl by dual fuel diesels~ .and all of the fuel consumed b-y the gas only burning diesels. As the pr-lce .a.nd scarclty of diesel -uel increases, i-t rnay become advantag~
eous to use dua,l fuel en,gines ^or au-tomobile, truck~ and tractor use utili7ling 9~7/.77 of the diesel fue] in the vaporized (true gas) state~
Usin~ the process of this inven-tion for c~ o~ the fuel consumed wo-uld result in a. lar,~,e saving of fuel and money while recl.ucing the creation of harmful polluta.nts. ~ur-thermore, ,~as only burnintg diesel en~ines may be used, burning diesel f.uel in a IO~.~o vaporized sta.te.
The process of -this inven-tion can be used ~y all types and sizes of combustors tha.t burn liauid hydrocarbon fuel ? with. the exception of sin,~le`fuel diesels that burn lir1uid fuel.
This invention can be used in hea-ters thatSburn lic?uid hydroca.rbon fuels, includin.g oil fired therno-electric power plan-ts.
'rhis inven-tion cm be used in all types tand sizes of ~as turbine en~ines 7 from srnall power units, to the largest ga.s turbine engines used in a.ircraft. Additional fuel e:'ficiency of this invention may ma~e ~as turbine en.~ines the practical choice to be used in au-tomo-biles, truck.s and tractors.
rrhis invention can be used in all types and sizes~ t~o and four ~cl.e t spark i~nited intern.al c~rnbustion en~ines that burn li~ui.d hydrocarbon fuels~ '~his also includes ro-tary (Wankel) t~pes of eng-ines..
r.C~Ie additional f'uel ef'fieiency of this invention will a.llow a et ~.~irer~ft to carry 13.rfger payl.oQds, or f].,y lon~er routes, and benef~
it all -t~pes of ~.ireraft where the horsepo~er hour eonten-t of th.e fuel earri.ed is so vi.ta].].y impor-t~nt.
'~he i~cre~sed fuel effieienc~ of -th.is invention wi:Ll reduee the eost of` he~.tin~ 'bui:ldin!~rs wi-th oil. fired furna.ces, and ~rovi.de chea-per e].ec-tric:i.ty from oll fired power ~lants.
'rhe increa.sed fuel efficieney, and decrea~ed volume of polluta.n-ts that e~n result ~rom -the use of thi,s inven.-ti.on, can result in world v~/ide benefits. I-t will help red.uce inflatlon, and pollution in our a-tmosphere. lt will he1.p to conserve our fini.te and ever deereasing SU~p].~J of .!.i~uid h~droc~1.rbon fuels 7 -the cos-t of which is ccntinualy risin.~. An~J conserva-tion of li~uld fuels will .~,r~nt the scientists of -the world an ex-tra amount of much needeA time to perfect the alt-ernate for~.s of ener~.7~J that will neecled v~7hen our suppl,~J of li~uid

Claims (14)

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY Or PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. An apparatus for providing a combustable air-fuel mixture which apparatus includes:
an air passage;
a sensor for sensing rate of air flow in the passage;
a mixing chamber in the passage adapted to receive and mix gaseous hydrocarbon fuel with the air flowing in the passage which chamber is shaped to reduce the speed of the air passing through the passage and contains a fuel dispersal grid adapted to impart turbulence to the air flowing in the passage;
a valve for controlling the flow of a liquid hydrocarbon fuel;
means connecting the sensor and the valve to regulate the valve to control the supply of liquid hydrocarbon fuel to a substantially stoichiometric amount for combustion with the air in the passage; and a heating chamber into which the valve delivers the liquid hydrocarbon fuel and from which gaseous fuel, at a temperature not far below its combustion temperature and at a pressure that is above atmospheric, is delivered to the mixing chamber.

2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the heating chamber employs an electrical, or exhaust gas heat source, or both.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein the electrical heat source is a glow plug.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the air flow rate sensor is capable of substantially continually producing vacuum or electronic signals which vary in intensity in direct pro-portion to the volume of air flowing in the passage.

5. The apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein the air flow rate sensor is a venturi tube.

6. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the means connecting the sensor and the valve is either vacuum or electronically oriented.

7. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the mixing chamber is convex in shape.

8. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the fuel dispersal grid is a tube in the mixing chamber and has fuel exit holes of a size and plurality calculated to promote mixing of the fuel and air.

9. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein there is an air flow throttle valve provided in the passage.

10. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein one or more flame arrestor screens are provided in the passage.

11. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein means is provided for switching from the electrical heat source to the exhaust gas heat source during operation of the apparatus.

12. The apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the combus-tible fuel-air mixture is provided to any one of an internal com-bustion engine, hydrocarbon burning furnace or power plant, gas burning diesel engine or gas turbine engine.

13. A method for providing a mixture of air and hydrocarbon fuel that when combusted will react substantially all of the oxygen in the combustion air with substantially all of the hydrocarbon fuel to produce an exhaust which will substantially contain only water and carbon dioxide which method includes:
sensing the flow-rate of air for combustion;
providing a substantially stoichiometric amount of liquid hydrocarbon fuel for combustion with the air in response to the sensed flow-rate;
heating the liquid hydrocarbon fuel so provided by an electric source, exhaust gas source, or both, to a gas having a temperature not far below its combustion temperature and a pressure that is above atmospheric; and mixing the fuel gas with the air for combustion so as to provide for combustion a substantially homogeneous mixture, the mixture including a substantially stoichiometric amount of hydro-carbon fuel for combustion with the sensed air flow.

14. The method as defined in claim 13 wherein the liquid hydrocarbon fuel is heated by the electric source during start-up and then by the exhaust gas source when such gas is sufficiently hot for heating the fuel to a gas having a temperature not far below its combustion temperature.