GB2048374A - I C engine fuel/air atomiser - Google Patents

Abstract

A body or mass 4 of material such as steel wool or of members such as balls or granules is received in a bore 14 of the induction system. The material is preferably contained within a holder or cage 40 to facilitate insertion into its position of use and to serve as a thermostatically- controlled electric heating element. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Fuel/air intermixing means The object of this invention is to provide a simple and effective intermixing means in or for the fuel/air induction system of an internal combustion engine especially, but not exclusively, of a motor vehicle whereby improved fuel economy is obtained as well as smoother running of the engine and also reduced toxic exhaust emission. Practical advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following disclosure.

According to a further aspect of the invention the fuel/air intermixing means consists of at least one body or mass of material or intermixing means comprising at least one body or mass of material or members providing very extensive surface area in relation to a large number of passageways through the body or mass in order to effect thorough intermixing of fuel and air of a fuel/air mixture on the latter being caused to pass through the body or mass to the engine.

Accoding to a further aspect of the invention the fuel/air intermixing means consists of at least one body or mass of material or members providing very extensive surface area in relation to a large number of passageways through the body, which body or mass is adapted to be installed in a bore or bores of inlet passageway means for fuel/air mixture to an internal combustion engine such as in an inlet manifold thereto whereby flow of fuel/air mixture to the engine through the passageway means or manifold is caused to pass through said body or mass or each thereof for effecting thorough intermixing of the fuel and air.

Fuel/air, e.g. petrol/air intermixing means in accordance with the invention may be incorporated in the induction system of an engine during assembly of the latter, i.e. on initial manufacture or conversion, or it may be provided for ready installation in the induction system of an existing engine, i.e. in the manner shown in the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic part sectional elevation of a simple arrangement, and Figure 2 is a sectional part plan view showing a modification.

Like parts are referred to by the same or similar reference designation in the drawings, whilst alternative embodiments of the invention are subsequently described.

In the case of a multi-cylinder internal combustion engine (e.g. of a motor vehicle), the inlet manifold 1 secured to the engine 2 and communicating with the inlet ports 20 to the engine cylinders is provided with.the usual inlet branch 10 which is connected to and carries the carburettor 3 or one of the carburettors where more than one of the latter are provided.

In the example shown in Fig. 1 the fuel/air intermixing means according to this invention consists of a body or mass 4 of a fibrous or filamentous texture and in one form may consist of a body or mass of steel wool which is inserted into the bore 14 of the inlet branch 10 of the manifold 1 so as to fill the cross section of the bore 14 and extend along the latter for a suitable distance, e.g. 1 Ocm (4 inches) or thereabouts.

The texture of the steel wool of the body 4, i.e. its density, may be similar to that which is commercially available for cleaning purposes although the texture or density may be varied according to requirements.

Initial practical tests have established that by using a body or mass 4 of steel wool as commercially available and in the manner indicated in Fig. 1 or Fig. 2, a substantial increase in fuel economy is obtained of the order of 12% together with much smoother running of the engine. This is believed to be due to the fact that the strands of the steel wool provide a very extensive surface area for contact with the fuel and air and also have the effect of breaking up and spreading globules of the liquid fuel whilst the interstices provided by the strands provide a large number of passageways for finely divided passage of air flow through the body or mass 4.As a result very thorough intermixing of the air with the petrol or similar fuel is obtained so that a homogeneous fuel/air mixture passes into the engine for more complete combustion therein and resulting greater power output as well as reduced toxic exhaust emission.

It was also evident from the tests that expected restriction of the fuel/air flow through the manifold 1 by the body or mass 4 of steel wool did not occur having regard to the much improved engine performance obtained and this is believed to be due to the fact that under normal running conditions of a motor vehicle the position of the usual butterfly valve 30 of the carburettor is such that fuel/air flow is restricted by the valve 30 to about half the effective cross sectional area of the bore 34 of the carburettor choke tube 31 which communicates with the bore 1 4 of the inlet manifold branch 10 of substantially the same bore size and that it is only at maximum throttle opening that full bore fuel/air flow is approached. Thus half bore fuel/air flow (or thereabouts) is readily passed by the body or mass 4 of steel wool with little or no hindrance.

In the example shown in Fig. 1 and in order to reinforce the body or mass 4 of steel wool and also to facilitate its insertion in the bore 1 4 of the inlet branch 10 of the manifold 1, the body 4 is received by a holder or cage 40 shown consisting of wire wound to a spiral form. By such form the holder 40 containing the body 4 of steel wool be inserted in the inlet bore 14 by a screwing action and is retained therein by friction fit. Any forward movement of the holder 40 and body 4 would be restricted by abutment of the holder 40 and body 4 with the inner end wall of the inlet branch bore 14, i.e. where the bore communicates with the longitudinal bore 1 2 leading to the branch portions 11 of the manifold 1, which in turn communicate with the cylinder inlet ports 20 of the engine.The arrangement as seen in plan view is shown in Fig. 2 and in which an alternative form of holder or cage 40' is shown of mesh form, e.g. of wire or expanded metal.

Whereas it is believed that the body or mass 4 of commercially available steel wool would have a reasonable serviceable life and in any event can be readily replaced, it may be rendered more resistant to corrosion by formation from stainless steel or it may be suitably treated or coated. Any strands of wire wool which may break away from the body 4, e.g. due to corrosion and which would be carried into the engine, would immediately be burnt and thus cause little or no harm to the valves, pistons and cylinder bores of the engine.

Although steel wool is cheap and effective material for the purpose of providing the body 4, other metallic or non-metallic (e.g. plastic) material may be employed of a fibrous or filamentous nature or the body 4 may consist of such material or materials of interstitial form intermeshed or similarly arranged in a mass to provide extensive surface area in relation to a multiplicity of air flow passageways following devious paths through the body. The material may be non-absorbent-or- absorbent (e.g. asbestos).

In order to further provide the extensive surface area in relation to numerous passageways the body 4 may be composed of a large number of bodies such as balls, granules, fine bore tubular members or the like in a suitable holder and which collectively provide a very large surface area within the bore 14 with the passageways defined between such bodies.

By way of still further formation the body 4 may consist of foraminous, porous or foam texture material again providing the extensive surface area with a large number of airflow passages through the body.

Any material used in forming the body 4 or each such body should be such that it is not affected by fuel such as petrol and with advantage may also be corrosion resistant against the action of moisture.

In alternative arrangements of the practical application of the invention and where possible, the bZody or mass 4 may extend into or be wholly accommodated in the choke like or similar outlet bore of a carburettor, or be provided in, or partly in, an intermediate passageway member between the carburettor and inlet branch of a manifold.

More particularly in the case of initial assembly of an engine or conversion of the latter, the passageways of the inlet manifold may be wholly or partly filled with the fibrous or other material as referred to herein, e.g. at those branch portions which communicate with the cylinder inlet ports of the engine.

In a still further development of the example shown more particularly in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the coil form holder 40 containing the body 4 of steel wool or other aforesaid material may serve as an electrically operated heating coil in which the turns of the coil 40 serve as a heating element conductor and are electrically insulated from the body 4 where of steel wool and the wall of the bore 14.

Heating operation of the coil may be thermostatically controlled in relation to engine temperature so that the coil is operative to heat cold fuel/air mixture entering the manifold when starting the engine from cold, the coil being switched off on the engine reaching running temperature. Operating temperature of the coil 40 may be variably controlled in this way.

Claims (23)

1. Fuel/air intermixing means consisting of at least one body or mass of material or members providing very extensive surface area in relation to a large number of passageways through the body, which body or mass is adapted to be installed in a bore or bores of inlet passageway means for fuel/air mixture to an internal combustion engine such as in an inlet manifold thereto whereby flow of fuel/air mixture to the engine through the passageway means or manifold is caused to pass through said body or mass or each thereof for effecting thorough intermixing of the fuel and air.

2. FuelXair intermixing means according to claim 1 wherein the material or members of the or each said body or mass is or are of metallic or non-metallic material (e.g. plastics material) or provided by a combination of such materials.

3. Fuel/air intermixing means according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the material of the or each said body or mass is of fibrous or filamentous material.

4. Fuel/air intermixing means according to claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the material of the or each said body or mass consists of steel wool.

5. Fuel/air intermixing means according to claim 3 wherein the steel wool is of stainless steel.

6. Fuel/air intermixing means according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the material of the or each said body or mass is of interstitial form intermeshed or similarly arranged to provide the body or mass or each thereof.

7 Fuel/air intermixing means according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the material of the or each said body or mass is of foraminous, porous or foam texture form.

8. Fuel/air intermixing means according to any of claims 5, 6 or 7 wherein the material is non-absorbent or absorbent.

9. Fuel/air intermixing means according to any of the preceding claims wherein the material of the or each said body or mass is contained in a holder adapted to be inserted in a bore of inlet passageway means for fuel/air mixture to an internal combustion engine.

10. Fuel/air intermixing means according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the or each said body or mass consists of a large number of bodies such as balls, granules, tubular members of the like contained in a holder and which collectively provide very extensive surface area in relation to a large number of passageways through the body or mass.

11. Fuel/air intermixing means according to any of the preceding claims wherein the material or members of the or each said body or mass is or are treated or coated against corrosion.

12. Fuel/air intermixing means according to claim 9 or 10 wherein the holder is formed from elongate material such as wire.

1 3. Fuel/air intermixing means according to claim 1 2 wherein the elongate material or wire is wound to a spiral form to provide the holder.

1 4. Fuel/air intermixing means according to claim 9 or 10 wherein the holder is of cage or mesh form e.g. of wire or expanded metal.

1 5. Fuel/air intermixing means according to any of the preceding claims wherein there is provided in relation to the or each said body or mass, electrically operated heating means for heating fuel/air mixture flow through the or each said body or mass.

1 6. Fuel/air intermixing means according to claim 1 5 with any of claims 1 2 to 14 wherein elongate electrically conductive material or wire forming at least part of the holder is adapted to serve as an electrically operated heating element for heating the fuel/air mixture flow.

1 7. Fuel/air intermixing means according to claims 1 2 and 1 5 wherein the elongate material or wire wound to a spiral form is adapted to serve as an electrically operated heating coil.

18. Fuel/air intermixing means according to any of claims 1 5 to 1 7 wherein the electrically operated heating means provided is ar ranged to be thermostatically controlled in relation to the operating temperature of an internal combustion engine when the fuel/air intermixing means is received by the induction system of the engine.

1 9. Fuel/air intermixing means according to any of the several embodiments thereof substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

20. Inlet passageway means for fuel/air mixture to an internal combustion engine wherein one or more bores of said passageway means receives therein at least one said body or mass according to any of the preceding claims.

21. Inlet passage way means according to claim 20 wherein an inlet manifold of the passageway means receives in a bore or bores thereof at least one said body or mass.

22. Inlet passageway means according to claim 21 wherein an inlet manifold of the passageway means receives in an inlet bore to said manifold at least one said body or mass.

23. Inlet passageway means for fuel/air mixture to an internal combustion engine wherein an inlet manifold of the passageway means receives in an inlet bore to said manifold a said body or mass substantially in the manner herein described with reference to Fig. 1 or Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings.