JP2005337231A - Reformer for fuel/combustion air and combustive condition improving device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve a combustive condition for improving fuel consumption and purifying exhaust gas by making combustion air supplied to an internal combustion engine and other combustion devices for minus-ion; to provide a reformer for fuel/combustion air excellent in the combustion efficiency and the exhaust gas purification action. <P>SOLUTION: The reformer for fuel/combustion air comprises a closed container 3 containing powder mixture 4 of tourmaline powder and zeolite powder, more preferably, powder mixture 4 mixed with a smaller amount of metal power than either amount of the tourmaline powder or the amount of the zeolite powder by a volume ratio in the powder condition (preferably, aluminum powder, copper powder, silver powder, or an alloy made from these metals, or stainless steel powder) and/or carbon power leaving an empty space. A combustive condition improving device comprises the reformer attached to an outer wall of a passage for the fuel and/or the combustion air at a heated/warmed place. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a technique for improving fuel consumption and purifying exhaust gas by improving the combustion state by negatively ionizing fuel or combustion air supplied to an internal combustion engine such as a gasoline engine or a diesel engine or other combustion devices. Is.

  As a technology to purify exhaust gas or improve fuel efficiency by ionizing the air supplied to automobile engines and other combustion devices with tourmaline (magnetic stone) or magnetic field, the tourmaline ore is applied to the filter element in the engine air cleaner. A technology that mixes and applies paint powder to paint (Patent Document 1), and an intake air activation device in which a synthetic material made by synthesizing tourmaline powder with plastic, rubber or fiber is placed between the air cleaner and the intake manifold A technique of providing and joining to the intake duct (Patent Document 2), a technique of arranging an activation element that generates magnetic lines of force in the intake pipe (Patent Document 3), and attaching a plurality of bar magnets in the air flow direction, and more preferably Is a technology that wraps a metal strip with a modifier such as ceramic, tourmaline, quartz, zeolite, etc. 4) Technology to improve combustion efficiency by installing a charged ion generator having negatively charged ion pieces such as tourmaline or tritium ore in front of the carburetor of the internal combustion engine and capturing negatively charged ions in the intake air (Patent Document 5) By attaching a laminate of a magnetic generator plate containing ferrite powder, a silicon, copper plate, a weak energy tape containing tourmaline powder and an aluminum reflector to an air cleaner, or by winding it around an intake pipe A technique for reducing harmful substances in exhaust gas and improving fuel consumption (Patent Document 6) has been proposed.

  Furthermore, the technology (patent document 7) for applying natural tourmaline ore fine powder to the surface of the air flow path mainly composed of an air cleaner, tourmaline powder, aluminum powder, iron powder, and copper powder. Therefore, a technique (Patent Document 8) has been proposed that is arranged in an air cleaner to improve fuel efficiency and reduce the generation of harmful exhaust gas and black smoke.

This type of technology prevents the occurrence of incomplete combustion due to the biasing of the ionization of combustion air to the positive side under normal conditions, activates intake air, or facilitates activation with the light of a spark plug. It is intended to obtain a complete reaction between impurities and oxygen in the fuel, and to improve fuel consumption and exhaust purification by complete combustion. However, the mechanism has not been completely elucidated, and therefore the state where an optimum apparatus can be theoretically obtained has not been reached.
Utility Model Registration No. 3036682 JP 2000-136761 A JP 2001-65416 A JP 2002-242769 A JP 2003-328869 A JP 2004-3699 A JP 2003-133892 A JP 2003-103172 A

  As described above, various reforming apparatuses for combustion air using negative ions and magnetism have been proposed, but the reforming effect is not sufficient, and the effect varies depending on use conditions. As a result of the inventor's actual vehicle tests for various reformers on gasoline vehicles and diesel vehicles, the inventor of the present application has a structure in which a negative ion imparting agent such as tourmaline is arranged in the air flow path, that is, combustion air in the reformer In the structure in which the air is passed through, the effect is not sufficiently recognized, and there is a possibility that problems such as increasing the intake resistance may occur. On the other hand, it is recognized that there is a difference in the effect of the structure attached to the outer wall of the intake pipe etc., and it is found that there is not much effect even if a magnet or tourmaline is attached alone. It was.

  This invention makes it a subject to obtain the reforming apparatus of the fuel and combustion air which were more excellent in combustion efficiency and the purification | cleaning effect | action of exhaust gas based on the above knowledge.

  The inventor of the present application first performed to confirm how much negative ions are generated outside the container in a state where the tourmaline powder is sealed in a metal container or a plastic container. As a result, it was confirmed that negative ions were generated even through the wall of the container. The next problem was how to increase the negative ions outside the container.

  As a result of studying various substances used with tourmaline to solve this problem, we tried to mix zeolite powder used as a catalyst and ion exchanger with tourmaline powder. Was clearly observed to increase. The mixing ratio of the tourmaline powder and the zeolite powder adopted at this time was 9 to 1 in volume ratio, and the particle size of the powder was about 3 microns.

  The inventor of the present application manufactured a reformer in which a mixed powder of tourmaline powder and zeolite powder was enclosed in an aluminum container and measured the amount of negative ions generated under various conditions. It was observed that the amount of negative ions generated increased remarkably, and that the amount of negative ions generated increased by stirring or rubbing the powder in the container by applying vibration or the like.

  Furthermore, in order to investigate how the modification effect changes by adding metal powder to the mixed powder of tourmaline and zeolite, the inventor of the present application has tried an alloy of 85 wt% silver and 15 wt% copper. When a running test (Tables 1 to 3) using a gasoline vehicle and a diesel vehicle was performed with powder added, a remarkable improvement effect on fuel consumption and exhaust gas was recognized. In addition, when an aluminum powder or 18-8 stainless steel powder was mixed in place of the silver-copper alloy powder, a similar or more significant improvement effect was recognized by additional tests.

  Based on the above findings, we carried out actual vehicle tests by installing reformers with different mixing ratios of tourmaline and zeolite and types of additives in gasoline and diesel vehicles. As a result, it was found that the mixing ratio of zeolite may be increased, and the addition of carbon powder is effective in improving fuel consumption and reducing black smoke in exhaust gas from diesel vehicles. Furthermore, it has been found that the effects of improving fuel consumption and reducing black smoke in exhaust gas can be obtained more effectively by adding the reformer of the present invention to the fuel pipe.

  The present invention has been made in the process as described above, and the fuel and combustion air reformer according to the invention of claim 1 has a closed container 3 in which a mixed powder 4 of tourmaline powder and zeolite powder is mixed. It is sealed while leaving a void. The mixing ratio of tourmaline and zeolite is preferably equal to the volume ratio in the powder state or the ratio of zeolite 1 to tourmaline 9.

  The invention of claim 2 of the present application is one in which metal powder is further added to the above mixed powder of tourmaline and zeolite. The sealed container 3 has a volume ratio in a powder state to a mixed powder of tourmaline powder and zeolite powder. This is a reformer for fuel and combustion air, in which the mixed powder 4 to which a smaller amount of metal powder than any of these is added is filled with a gap left.

  The invention of claim 3 of the present application is a fuel and combustion air reformer characterized in that the metal powder in the invention of claim 2 is aluminum, copper or silver powder, alloys thereof or stainless steel powder. is there.

  The invention of claim 4 of the present application is the above-described mixed powder of tourmaline and zeolite or a mixed powder obtained by adding metal powder thereto, and further adding carbon powder. The mixed powder 4 or the mixed powder 4 to which the above metal powder is added is mixed with the mixed powder 4 in which the amount of carbon powder is smaller than that of either the tourmaline powder or the zeolite powder in a volume ratio in the powder state, leaving voids. It is a reformer for fuel and combustion air that is enclosed in a state.

  The invention of claim 5 of the present application relates to a combustion state improving apparatus using each of the above reformers, and in the portion where the reformer 5 of claim 1, 2, 3 or 4 is heated or heated. This is a combustion state improving device attached to the outer wall of the combustion air passage.

  The invention of claim 6 of the present application relates to a combustion state improving apparatus using each of the above reformers, and in the portion where the reformer 5 of claim 1, 2, 3 or 4 is heated or heated. This is a combustion state improving device attached to the outer wall of the combustion passage.

  The reason why the mixed powder 4 is sealed in the container 3 with a space left is to allow the negative ions to increase due to the mixed powder being agitated or rubbed in the container 3 due to vehicle running or engine vibration. is there. When this space is used for an automobile engine or the like, it is a relatively large space. However, if the space is provided in a statically installed combustion apparatus (for example, a fan heater), a large stirring action cannot be expected. A small space that can be vibrated by rubbing with adjacent powder particles is sufficient, and when a large space is not required, the entire reformer can be made smaller by setting the space small.

The fuel and combustion air reformer of this invention uses tourmaline powder and zeolite powder. It is known that tourmaline has an effect of improving fuel efficiency and purifying exhaust gas by negatively ionizing combustion air, as widely used in the above-described conventional devices. Zeolite is a general term for aluminosilicates having a molecular size space in the crystal structure, and has a skeletal structure in which T atoms of Si or Al are bonded through O atoms, and Al is contained in T atoms. The skeleton is negatively charged and serves as an ion exchange site that adsorbs and holds Na ^{+ and the} like. From such a structure, zeolite is used as a catalyst, an adsorbent, and an ion exchanger, and it is considered that the zeolite powder of the present invention serves as a host for accumulating negative ions.

  The reason for paying attention to silver and copper as the material of the metal powder is that these have long been considered to have a bactericidal effect and an activation effect. For example, silver is used as tableware and copper is used as a flower vase, which is based on the fact that it has been known to have a sterilizing effect and a long-lasting effect. Although it is not clear what the modification effect by adding such a metal powder is derived from, it is presumed to be related to the action of exciting tourmaline and the action of adsorbing and retaining positive ions of zeolite.

  According to the invention of the present application, it can be easily mounted on various combustion devices such as an automobile engine. By mounting this, the fuel consumption of the combustion device is improved and the pollutants in the exhaust gas are reduced. By doing so, there is an effect that fuel cost can be reduced and air pollution can be reduced.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings and tables showing test results. An aluminum pipe cut to a length of about 8 cm is flatly crushed, and an elongated oval lid 1 is fitted into one end of the aluminum pipe, and a putty 2 used for repairing an automobile exhaust pipe is embedded and fixed in a container 3 The mixed powder 4 in which the zeolite powder and the silver / copper alloy powder are mixed at a volume ratio of 3: 1 to 0.5 in the powder state is put into the tourmaline powder, A similar lid plate 1 was fitted, fixed with a putty 2, and a reformer 5 in which the mixed powder 4 was sealed in a sealed container 3 was manufactured (FIGS. 1 and 2).

  The composition of the mixed silver and copper alloy is 85% by weight of silver and 15% of copper. The particle size of the powder is approximately 3 microns for tourmaline and zeolite, and approximately 7 microns for the silver-copper alloy powder. The amount of the mixed powder 4 enclosed in the container 3 is about 60% of the inner volume of the container 3.

  Table 2 and Table 2 show the results of running tests performed by attaching the reformer 5 manufactured above to five gasoline vehicles with vehicle numbers 1 to 5 and five diesel vehicles with vehicle numbers 6 to 10 (Table 1). Table 3 shows.

  All the vehicles used for the test were domestic cars, and the mounting position of the reformer 5 at the time of the test was a diesel car, as shown in FIG. 3, a position near the inlet manifold 7 of the intake pipe 6, and a gasoline car. Is a portion of the cover plate 9 of the air cleaner 8 as shown in FIG. The temperature in the bonnet during engine operation is about 60 ° C., and the mixed powder 4 in the container is considered to be at the temperature or higher.

  “Year” in Table 1 indicates the manufacturing year (Heisei) of each vehicle, “travel distance” indicates the distance traveled before the test, and “displacement” indicates engine displacement. The “demonstration distance” in Tables 2 and 3 indicates the distance traveled by mounting the above reformer. The measurement items are carbon monoxide emission rate% before and after installation for gasoline vehicles, ppm of hydrocarbon emission before and after installation, and fuel consumption km / liter before and after installation for gasoline and diesel vehicles. "Effect" is the fuel consumption improvement rate%.

  As shown in Tables 2 and 3, a remarkable improvement effect is recognized in any of the items, and it is recognized that the improvement effect is particularly remarkable for a vehicle having a long traveling distance and an old model.

  Next, in order to examine the reforming effect by the metal to be mixed, the reformer enclosing the mixed powders of the following Example 1 to Example 5 was individually mounted on the gasoline car of the vehicle number 5 in Table 1, The carbon monoxide emission percentage before and after installation and the hydrocarbon emission ppm were measured by bench test in the factory. The mixed powder of Example 4 below has the same composition as the mixed powder used in the tests of Tables 2 and 3. The measurement results are shown in Table 4 below.

Example 1
A mixed powder obtained by mixing tourmaline powder and zeolite powder in a volume ratio of 3: 1. The particle size of the powder is approximately 3 microns for both tourmaline and zeolite.

Example 2
A mixed powder obtained by adding iron powder to the mixed powder of Example 1. The mixing ratio is tourmaline 3 to zeolite 1 to iron powder 0.5 by volume ratio in powder. The average particle size of the iron powder is about 7 microns.

Example 3
A mixed powder obtained by adding aluminum powder to the mixed powder of Example 1. The mixing ratio is tourmaline 3 to zeolite 1 to aluminum powder 0.5 by volume ratio in powder. The average particle size of the aluminum powder is about 7 microns.

Example 4
A mixed powder obtained by adding silver and copper alloy powder to the mixed powder of Example 1. The mixing ratio is tourmaline 3 to zeolite 1 to alloy 0.5 by volume ratio in powder. The average particle size of the alloy powder is about 7 microns.

Example 5
A mixed powder obtained by adding 18-8 stainless steel powder to the mixed powder of Example 1. The mixing ratio is tourmaline 3 to zeolite 1 to stainless steel 0.5 by volume ratio in powder. The average particle size of the stainless steel powder is about 7 microns.

  As can be seen from Table 4, the improvement of the modification effect by adding iron powder is small, but the purification effect of exhaust gas is greatly improved by adding aluminum powder, silver and copper alloy powder or 18-8 stainless steel powder. It was recognized that Better results are obtained when alloy powder is added than single metal powder.

  The preferred mounting position of the reformer is the outer wall of the intake passage close to the combustion chamber serving as a heat source. For example, in a car with a turbocharger, it is a good method to mount the reformer on the intercooler. In the structure in which tourmaline and the reformer of the present invention are arranged in the intake passage, the tourmaline is cooled by cold intake air, so that the amount of negative ions generated is considered to be small, and a preferable effect cannot be obtained.

  In a container similar to the container described above, a mixed powder obtained by adding 0.1 gr of carbon powder to a mixed powder obtained by mixing 3 gr each of tourmaline powder and zeolite powder was subjected to an actual vehicle test. And a decrease in black smoke in diesel vehicles. Also in the measurement of the ion meter, it was recognized that negative ions outside the container increased by adding carbon powder.

  As a result of running tests using actual vehicles with the reformer of the present invention installed at various locations around the automobile engine, it was effective in improving fuel economy and reducing black smoke in diesel vehicle exhaust gas. is there. On the other hand, when it is attached to the intake pipe, it is effective for improving the feeling of acceleration. In order to reduce the black smoke, a method was used in which exhaust gas was put into a measuring instrument, blown on a test paper to deposit carbon, and visually inspected at that concentration. Since it changes depending on how the accelerator is depressed, it is not a very precise measurement, but it is a method that is implemented in vehicle inspections. The reduction rate of graphite in this test is reduced to 30% from 50% or more.

  The reformer attached to the fuel vibrator is a mixed powder obtained by adding metal powder and 0.05 gr of carbon powder to a mixed powder of 1,5 gr of tourmaline powder and zeolite of the same volume in a powder state on a rubber pipe having an inner diameter of 1 cm. Inserted with rubber caps at both ends and attached in parallel to the position just before the intake of the fuel vibrator with a binding band. When attaching to a fuel pipe, it is more effective to attach it to a place where the temperature is high.

Cross section of the reformer used for the test End view of the container of FIG. Diagram showing the mounting position of the reformer in a gasoline vehicle Diagram showing the mounting position of the reformer in a diesel vehicle

Explanation of symbols

3 Container 4 Mixed powder 6 Intake pipe 7 Inlet manifold 8 Air cleaner 9 Air cleaner cover plate

Claims (6)

  A fuel and combustion air reformer comprising a sealed container (3) filled with a mixed powder (4) of tourmaline powder and zeolite powder, leaving a void.   A fuel comprising a sealed container (3) filled with a mixed powder (4) of tourmaline powder and zeolite powder and a metal powder in an amount smaller than any of these in a powdered state, leaving a void. And combustion air reformer.   The fuel and combustion air reformer according to claim 2, wherein the metal powder is aluminum, copper, silver powder, an alloy thereof, or stainless steel powder.   A fuel comprising a sealed container (3) filled with mixed powder (4) of tourmaline powder, zeolite powder, and carbon powder in an amount smaller than any of these in a powder state, leaving a void. And combustion air reformer.   A combustion state improving device, wherein the reformer (5) according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4 is attached to the outer wall of the combustion air passage at a location where the reformer (5) is heated or heated.   A combustion state improving device, which is attached to the outer wall of a fuel pipe at a location where the reformer (5) according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4 is heated or heated.

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