GB1521224A - Combustion engine system - Google Patents

Abstract

1521224 Fuel supply for internal combustion engines NISSAN MOTOR CO Ltd 16 March 1976 [31 March 1975] 10451/76 Heading C5E A method for combusting methanol in an internal combustion engine comprises decomposing methanol catalytically in a reaction chamber 34, mixing the decomposed methanol with oxygen at 28, and combusting this mixture in a combustion chamber 20 of an internal combustion engine; the operating temperature of the catalyst is maintained within the desired range either by cooling the catalyst with atmospheric air or by heating with combustion gases produced by burning methanol in a burner 58 supplied with air by a fan 60. As shown, methanol is fed from tank 48 via line 54 to the chamber 34 and via line 62 to the burner 58. Exhaust gases from the combustion chamber 20 pass through chamber 35 and preheat the methanol in line 54 and also the catalyst in chamber 34. When it is necessary to cool the catalyst, air only is supplied to the exhaust pipe 42. The catalyst temperature is monitored by a conventional device such as a thermocouple. In a modification (Fig. 2, not shown), unreacted methanol is condensed from the gases leaving the chamber 34 and is used to supply the burner 58.