US20160101391A1 - Infrared Aided Fuel Emulsion - Google Patents

Infrared Aided Fuel Emulsion Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US20160101391A1
US20160101391A1 US14/973,379 US201514973379A US2016101391A1 US 20160101391 A1 US20160101391 A1 US 20160101391A1 US 201514973379 A US201514973379 A US 201514973379A US 2016101391 A1 US2016101391 A1 US 2016101391A1
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
fuel
phase component
dispersed phase
infrared
radiation source
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
US14/973,379
Inventor
Albert Chin-Tang Wey
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to US14/973,379 priority Critical patent/US20160101391A1/en
Publication of US20160101391A1 publication Critical patent/US20160101391A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
    • C10L—FUELS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NATURAL GAS; SYNTHETIC NATURAL GAS OBTAINED BY PROCESSES NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C10G, C10K; LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS; ADDING MATERIALS TO FUELS OR FIRES TO REDUCE SMOKE OR UNDESIRABLE DEPOSITS OR TO FACILITATE SOOT REMOVAL; FIRELIGHTERS
    • C10L1/00—Liquid carbonaceous fuels
    • C10L1/32—Liquid carbonaceous fuels consisting of coal-oil suspensions or aqueous emulsions or oil emulsions
    • B01F3/0446—
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01F—MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING
    • B01F23/00—Mixing according to the phases to be mixed, e.g. dispersing or emulsifying
    • B01F23/20—Mixing gases with liquids
    • B01F23/23—Mixing gases with liquids by introducing gases into liquid media, e.g. for producing aerated liquids
    • B01F23/232—Mixing gases with liquids by introducing gases into liquid media, e.g. for producing aerated liquids using flow-mixing means for introducing the gases, e.g. baffles
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01F—MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING
    • B01F23/00—Mixing according to the phases to be mixed, e.g. dispersing or emulsifying
    • B01F23/40—Mixing liquids with liquids; Emulsifying
    • B01F23/41—Emulsifying
    • B01F23/411—Emulsifying using electrical or magnetic fields, heat or vibrations
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01F—MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING
    • B01F25/00—Flow mixers; Mixers for falling materials, e.g. solid particles
    • B01F25/30—Injector mixers
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01F—MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING
    • B01F33/00—Other mixers; Mixing plants; Combinations of mixers
    • B01F33/05—Mixers using radiation, e.g. magnetic fields or microwaves to mix the material
    • B01F33/055—Mixers using radiation, e.g. magnetic fields or microwaves to mix the material the energy being particle radiation working on the ingredients or compositions for or during mixing them
    • B01F5/04—
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
    • C10L—FUELS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NATURAL GAS; SYNTHETIC NATURAL GAS OBTAINED BY PROCESSES NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C10G, C10K; LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS; ADDING MATERIALS TO FUELS OR FIRES TO REDUCE SMOKE OR UNDESIRABLE DEPOSITS OR TO FACILITATE SOOT REMOVAL; FIRELIGHTERS
    • C10L1/00—Liquid carbonaceous fuels
    • C10L1/10—Liquid carbonaceous fuels containing additives
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
    • C10L—FUELS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NATURAL GAS; SYNTHETIC NATURAL GAS OBTAINED BY PROCESSES NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C10G, C10K; LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS; ADDING MATERIALS TO FUELS OR FIRES TO REDUCE SMOKE OR UNDESIRABLE DEPOSITS OR TO FACILITATE SOOT REMOVAL; FIRELIGHTERS
    • C10L3/00—Gaseous fuels; Natural gas; Synthetic natural gas obtained by processes not covered by subclass C10G, C10K; Liquefied petroleum gas
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
    • C10L—FUELS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NATURAL GAS; SYNTHETIC NATURAL GAS OBTAINED BY PROCESSES NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C10G, C10K; LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS; ADDING MATERIALS TO FUELS OR FIRES TO REDUCE SMOKE OR UNDESIRABLE DEPOSITS OR TO FACILITATE SOOT REMOVAL; FIRELIGHTERS
    • C10L3/00—Gaseous fuels; Natural gas; Synthetic natural gas obtained by processes not covered by subclass C10G, C10K; Liquefied petroleum gas
    • C10L3/06—Natural gas; Synthetic natural gas obtained by processes not covered by C10G, C10K3/02 or C10K3/04
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
    • C10L—FUELS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NATURAL GAS; SYNTHETIC NATURAL GAS OBTAINED BY PROCESSES NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C10G, C10K; LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS; ADDING MATERIALS TO FUELS OR FIRES TO REDUCE SMOKE OR UNDESIRABLE DEPOSITS OR TO FACILITATE SOOT REMOVAL; FIRELIGHTERS
    • C10L2200/00—Components of fuel compositions
    • C10L2200/02—Inorganic or organic compounds containing atoms other than C, H or O, e.g. organic compounds containing heteroatoms or metal organic complexes
    • C10L2200/0259—Nitrogen containing compounds
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
    • C10L—FUELS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NATURAL GAS; SYNTHETIC NATURAL GAS OBTAINED BY PROCESSES NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C10G, C10K; LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS; ADDING MATERIALS TO FUELS OR FIRES TO REDUCE SMOKE OR UNDESIRABLE DEPOSITS OR TO FACILITATE SOOT REMOVAL; FIRELIGHTERS
    • C10L2250/00—Structural features of fuel components or fuel compositions, either in solid, liquid or gaseous state
    • C10L2250/08—Emulsion details
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
    • C10L—FUELS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NATURAL GAS; SYNTHETIC NATURAL GAS OBTAINED BY PROCESSES NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C10G, C10K; LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS; ADDING MATERIALS TO FUELS OR FIRES TO REDUCE SMOKE OR UNDESIRABLE DEPOSITS OR TO FACILITATE SOOT REMOVAL; FIRELIGHTERS
    • C10L2270/00—Specifically adapted fuels
    • C10L2270/02—Specifically adapted fuels for internal combustion engines
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
    • C10L—FUELS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NATURAL GAS; SYNTHETIC NATURAL GAS OBTAINED BY PROCESSES NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C10G, C10K; LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS; ADDING MATERIALS TO FUELS OR FIRES TO REDUCE SMOKE OR UNDESIRABLE DEPOSITS OR TO FACILITATE SOOT REMOVAL; FIRELIGHTERS
    • C10L2290/00—Fuel preparation or upgrading, processes or apparatus therefore, comprising specific process steps or apparatus units
    • C10L2290/14—Injection, e.g. in a reactor or a fuel stream during fuel production
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
    • C10L—FUELS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NATURAL GAS; SYNTHETIC NATURAL GAS OBTAINED BY PROCESSES NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C10G, C10K; LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS; ADDING MATERIALS TO FUELS OR FIRES TO REDUCE SMOKE OR UNDESIRABLE DEPOSITS OR TO FACILITATE SOOT REMOVAL; FIRELIGHTERS
    • C10L2290/00—Fuel preparation or upgrading, processes or apparatus therefore, comprising specific process steps or apparatus units
    • C10L2290/24—Mixing, stirring of fuel components
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
    • C10L—FUELS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NATURAL GAS; SYNTHETIC NATURAL GAS OBTAINED BY PROCESSES NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C10G, C10K; LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS; ADDING MATERIALS TO FUELS OR FIRES TO REDUCE SMOKE OR UNDESIRABLE DEPOSITS OR TO FACILITATE SOOT REMOVAL; FIRELIGHTERS
    • C10L2290/00—Fuel preparation or upgrading, processes or apparatus therefore, comprising specific process steps or apparatus units
    • C10L2290/36—Applying radiation such as microwave, IR, UV

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a system and a method for generating emulsified fuels for improved fuel efficiency in a combustion device to enhance its performance with reduced specific fuel consumption rate and emissions, comprising at least a continuous phase fuel, a dispersed phase component, and an infrared radiation source that spans at least a portion of 3-16 ⁇ m (micrometers) wavelength spectrum.
  • the continuous phase fuel and/or dispersed phase component are exposed to said infrared before or during emulsification process.
  • the continuous phase fuel may be selected from fossil fuels, biofuels, alcohol fuels, vegetable oils, or any combustible liquid fuels, while the dispersed phase component may be oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, carbon monoxide, methane, propane, butane, any other petroleum gas, hydrogen peroxide, or water.
  • emulsified fuels can be used in combustion devices such as internal combustion engines, boilers, burners, or gas turbines.
  • emulsions are made up of a dispersed and a continuous phase.
  • the dispersed phase exhibits a surface and is covered by a different surface of continuous phase; the boundary between these phases is called the interface.
  • the dispersed particles are assumed to be statistically distributed in the continuous phase.
  • energy input through homogenizing process is needed to initially form an emulsion. This energy can be applied through shaking, stirring, vibrating, or by the use of high-speed propelling, ultrasonic, or high pressure means. Nonetheless, emulsions are unstable and, over time, tend to revert to the stable state of the phases comprising the emulsion.
  • the difficulty in making a useful emulsion of hydrocarbon fuel is on its high interfacial tension with the dispersed phase.
  • increasing temperature of the fuel through fuel delivery system of a combustion device, may accelerate destabilization.
  • Surface active substances can increase the kinetic stability of emulsions greatly so that they may be added to the mixture for making and maintaining the emulsion.
  • surfactants emulsifier, emulsifying agent, or emulgent
  • these additives are expensive and may add unwanted pollutants to the emissions during combustion, which would be better off to avoid, if possible.
  • Photoexciting hydrocarbons with infrared photons shorter than 20 ⁇ m (micrometers) in wavelengths has been described theoretically and experimentally in Organic Chemistry textbook. When a photon is absorbed by a molecule, it ceases to exist and its energy is transferred to the molecule in one of vibrational, rotational, electronic, and translational forms. Numerous organic compounds, such as hydrocarbons, are known to be infrared-active and absorb infrared photons in 3-16 ⁇ m wavelengths to cause molecular vibrations in stretching and/or bending movement. Thus, exciting hydrocarbons with infrared in said wavelengths can increase the internal energy of hydrocarbon molecules and improve reaction rate for better fuel efficiency in engines.
  • emulsion purposely adding various gaseous or liquid components to fossil or alternative fuels for a more efficient fuel admixture.
  • an emulsion is a mixture of two or more immiscible liquids, the term emulsion is extended to dispersing gaseous component in liquid fuel throughout this invention.
  • the present inventor found that after exciting the fuels or oils with infrared emitted from the ceramics as described in aforementioned U.S. patents by the present inventor, they become relatively susceptible to dispersion of gaseous or liquid components, such as water, air, or hydrogen. This is believed that the molecules in the continuous phase fuel or oil are excited by absorbing infrared in 3-16 ⁇ m. The excited molecules tend to break away from forming large clusters or aggregates, resulting in reduced interfacial tension with the dispersed phase and helping homogenizing the mixture.
  • gaseous or liquid components such as water, air, or hydrogen.
  • infrared assisted emulsion is short haul, only lasting for about 3-5 minutes before the majority of infrared photons have escaped from the system, it is suitable for “emulsion-on-demand” applications, in which it only takes a few seconds for the emulsified fuel from being made to being burned in a combustion device.
  • the prior art failed to teach the use of IR-excitation in the making of fuel emulsions to improve fuel efficiency of the emulsified fuel in a combustion device for increased performance with reduced specific fuel consumption rate and emissions.
  • one object of this invention is to provide a system and method for generating emulsified fuels to be used in combustion devices for improved performance with reduced specific fuel consumption rate and emissions;
  • Another object of the present invention is to provide a simple, cost-effective fuel emulsion system and method that will work on nearly all combustion devices, no change in specifications required.
  • one object of the present invention is to provide a simple, cost-effective fuel emulsion system that will work on all fossil fuels or alternative fuels with no or minimal amount of stabilizing agents.
  • a system and method of the present invention comprising at least a dispersed phase component, a continuous phase fuel, and an infrared radiation source, which spans at least a portion of 3-16 ⁇ m wavelength spectrum, so that said dispersed phase component and continuous phase fuel will be exposed to and excited by said infrared prior to or during emulsification process.
  • FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration showing one embodiment of the present invention with the infrared radiation source being disposed in a mixing chamber, in which dispersed phase component is injected into continuous phase fuel for the making of emulsion before the emulsified fuel enters a combustion device for combustion.
  • Continuous Phase fuel supply 12 Continuous Phase fuel means 21 Disperse Phase component supply 22 Pumping means means 23 Injection means 24 Disperse Phase component 31 Infrared radiation source 41 Fuel delivery means 42 Mixing chamber
  • a system and method for generating emulsified fuel to enhance fuel efficiency of a combustion device comprising at least a continuous phase fuel, a dispersed phase component, and an infrared radiation source that spans at least a portion of 3-16 ⁇ m wavelength spectrum, in which the continuous phase fuel and/or dispersed phase component is exposed to said infrared before or during emulsification.
  • the continuous phase fuel may be selected from fossil fuels, biofuels, alcohol fuels, vegetable oils, or any combustible liquid fuels
  • the dispersed phase component may be oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, carbon monoxide, methane, propane, butane, any petroleum gas, hydrogen peroxide, or water.
  • Such emulsified fuels may be used in combustion devices including internal combustion engines, boilers, burners, or gas turbines.
  • FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of the present invention with the infrared radiation source 31 being disposed in the continuous phase fuel 12 in a mixing chamber 42 .
  • the continuous phase fuel 12 is provided from a supply means 11 through a delivery means 41 .
  • the fuel supply means 11 may be a tank, equipped with a fuel pump, and the delivery means 41 a fuel line.
  • the continuous phase fuel may be selected from fossil fuels, biofuels, alcohol fuels, vegetable oils, or any combustible liquid fuels.
  • the dispersed phase component supply means 21 may be, but not limited to, a storing means such as cylinder or tank that stores and supplies said dispersed phase component, which may be natural gas, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, carbon monoxide, methane, propane, butane, any petroleum gas, hydrogen peroxide, or water.
  • the dispersed phase component supply means 21 may further be a complicated production-on-demand device, such as water-electrolysis for hydrogen generation in the applications that hydrogen is used as dispersed phase component.
  • a pump 22 and an high pressure injector 23 may be needed to provide homogenizing energy for emulsification so that the dispersed phase component 24 can be injected into continuous phase fuel 12 , under the influence of infrared radiation source 31 , before the emulsified fuel enters combustion device for combustion.
  • the combustion device not shown in FIG. 1 , may be internal combustion engine, boiler, burner, or gas turbine.
  • the infrared radiation source 31 may consist of at least one IR-emitting ceramic composite whose infrared radiation spans at least a portion of 3-16 ⁇ m wavelength spectrum.
  • This IR-emitting ceramic composite may be, but not limited to, one of the devices described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,026,788, 6,082,339 & 7,617,815 by the present inventor.
  • the IR radiation source 31 of the present invention may take any shapes, forms, styles, patterns, and in any dimensions allowed by practical deployments.
  • the IR radiation source 31 can be disposed on anywhere along the fuel system of the combustion device, including fuel tanks, lines, pumps, filters, injectors, or any add on retrofits, and the like.
  • the IR radiation source 31 can be arranged in any way, either in direct contact with continuous phase fuel 12 or at proximity of the continuous phase fuel 12 without direct contact, provided that infrared will penetrate the media.
  • the infrared at said wavelengths can penetrate any nonmetal materials.
  • the infrared-emitting ceramic of the IR radiation source 31 can absorb radiation heat from ambience to emit IR photons in said wavelengths.
  • the molecules in the continuous phase fuel 12 can absorb a number of IR photons at assorted wavelengths, in said wavelength spectrum, that match its fundamental and combination vibrational modes to cause molecular vibrations, known as the molecular multiphoton process (MMP).
  • MMP molecular multiphoton process
  • the constituent electrons can climb up the ladder of vibrational states and reach excited states.
  • IR-excited fuel molecules become vibrant, reducing the probability of forming large aggregates that allows better distribution of the dispersed phase component 24 in the continuous phase fuel 12 . This provides a theoretical ground for the present invention.
  • a system and method for generating emulsified fuels to achieve a better efficiency in combustion devices comprises at least a continuous phase fuel, a dispersed phase component, and an infrared radiation source whose infrared spans at least a portion of 3-16 ⁇ m wavelength spectrum.

Landscapes

  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Oil, Petroleum & Natural Gas (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Feeding And Controlling Fuel (AREA)
  • Liquid Carbonaceous Fuels (AREA)

Abstract

This invention relates to a system and a method for generating emulsified fuels for improved fuel efficiency of combustion devices with reduced specific fuel consumption rate and emissions, comprising at least a continuous phase fuel, a dispersed phase component, and an infrared radiation source whose infrared radiation spans at least a portion of 3-16 micrometers wavelength spectrum. In said system the continuous phase fuel and/or dispersed phase component are exposed to said infrared before or during emulsification. The continuous phase fuel may be selected from fossil fuels, biofuels, alcohol fuels, vegetable oils, or any combustible liquid fuels, while the dispersed phase component may be oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, carbon monoxide, methane, propane, butane, any petroleum gas, hydrogen peroxide, or water. The emulsified fuels can be used in combustion devices such as internal combustion engines, boilers, burners, or gas turbines.

Description

    Background
  • 1. Field of Invention
  • This invention relates to a system and a method for generating emulsified fuels for improved fuel efficiency in a combustion device to enhance its performance with reduced specific fuel consumption rate and emissions, comprising at least a continuous phase fuel, a dispersed phase component, and an infrared radiation source that spans at least a portion of 3-16 μm (micrometers) wavelength spectrum. In said system and method the continuous phase fuel and/or dispersed phase component are exposed to said infrared before or during emulsification process. The continuous phase fuel may be selected from fossil fuels, biofuels, alcohol fuels, vegetable oils, or any combustible liquid fuels, while the dispersed phase component may be oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, carbon monoxide, methane, propane, butane, any other petroleum gas, hydrogen peroxide, or water. Such emulsified fuels can be used in combustion devices such as internal combustion engines, boilers, burners, or gas turbines.
  • 2. Description of Prior Art
  • The Clean Air Act of 1963, and later amendments, mandates the reduction of airborne contaminants, smog and air pollution in general from both stationary and mobile sources. Numerous techniques were attempted to address these requirements, including the use of emulsified fuels with a hope to improve combustion efficiency of hydrocarbon fuel blends. For examples, water-in-hydrocarbon emulsions have been extensively studied and shown some success in reducing targeted emissions from diesel engines, but unfortunately not without facing serious technical problems due to the stability of emulsions and the pollutants produced by the burning of emulsifying agent. Inventions in this field may be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,388,893, 5,997,590, 6,800,154, 7,041,145, and 7,704,288, to name a few. In spite of the theoretical potential of emulsified systems, aforementioned problems casted a shadow over the feasibility of commercial applications of such techniques.
  • In theory, emulsions are made up of a dispersed and a continuous phase. The dispersed phase exhibits a surface and is covered by a different surface of continuous phase; the boundary between these phases is called the interface. It is a common belief that the dispersed particles are assumed to be statistically distributed in the continuous phase. As such, energy input through homogenizing process is needed to initially form an emulsion. This energy can be applied through shaking, stirring, vibrating, or by the use of high-speed propelling, ultrasonic, or high pressure means. Nonetheless, emulsions are unstable and, over time, tend to revert to the stable state of the phases comprising the emulsion.
  • In practical applications, the difficulty in making a useful emulsion of hydrocarbon fuel is on its high interfacial tension with the dispersed phase. Furthermore, increasing temperature of the fuel, through fuel delivery system of a combustion device, may accelerate destabilization. Surface active substances (called surfactants, emulsifier, emulsifying agent, or emulgent) can increase the kinetic stability of emulsions greatly so that they may be added to the mixture for making and maintaining the emulsion. However, these additives are expensive and may add unwanted pollutants to the emissions during combustion, which would be better off to avoid, if possible.
  • Accordingly, one main challenge remains in the industry is to develop a stable and sustainable emulsion system without the need for relatively large amount of stabilizing agents. It is one of the objects of the present invention to address and meet this need.
  • After years of research the present inventor had discovered the use of infrared radiation in the 3-16 μm wavelength spectrum, defined as “mid-infrared” by U.S. NASA but “far infrared” in Japanese convention, for enhancing combustion efficiency of hydrocarbon fuels in internal combustion engines. It resulted in the inventions of the fuel combustion enhancement devices disclosed in the U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,026,788, 6,082,339 and 7,617,815.
  • Photoexciting hydrocarbons with infrared photons shorter than 20 μm (micrometers) in wavelengths has been described theoretically and experimentally in Organic Chemistry textbook. When a photon is absorbed by a molecule, it ceases to exist and its energy is transferred to the molecule in one of vibrational, rotational, electronic, and translational forms. Numerous organic compounds, such as hydrocarbons, are known to be infrared-active and absorb infrared photons in 3-16 μm wavelengths to cause molecular vibrations in stretching and/or bending movement. Thus, exciting hydrocarbons with infrared in said wavelengths can increase the internal energy of hydrocarbon molecules and improve reaction rate for better fuel efficiency in engines. The present inventor has proven the underlining science of infrared-excitation effect on hydrocarbon fuels and the results were published by the SAE International (Paper No. 2010-01-1953) entitled “Infrared-excitation for Improved Hydrocarbon Fuels' Combustion Efficiency—Concept and Demonstration.”
  • Moreover, the present inventor was also trying to explore new IR-related technologies that further improve fuel efficiency in different research fronts. Among them, one is fuel emulsion, purposely adding various gaseous or liquid components to fossil or alternative fuels for a more efficient fuel admixture. Although by definition an emulsion is a mixture of two or more immiscible liquids, the term emulsion is extended to dispersing gaseous component in liquid fuel throughout this invention.
  • In preliminary lab experiments with diesel fuels and vegetable oils, the present inventor found that after exciting the fuels or oils with infrared emitted from the ceramics as described in aforementioned U.S. patents by the present inventor, they become relatively susceptible to dispersion of gaseous or liquid components, such as water, air, or hydrogen. This is believed that the molecules in the continuous phase fuel or oil are excited by absorbing infrared in 3-16 μm. The excited molecules tend to break away from forming large clusters or aggregates, resulting in reduced interfacial tension with the dispersed phase and helping homogenizing the mixture. Though such infrared assisted emulsion is short haul, only lasting for about 3-5 minutes before the majority of infrared photons have escaped from the system, it is suitable for “emulsion-on-demand” applications, in which it only takes a few seconds for the emulsified fuel from being made to being burned in a combustion device.
  • As described above, the prior art failed to teach the use of IR-excitation in the making of fuel emulsions to improve fuel efficiency of the emulsified fuel in a combustion device for increased performance with reduced specific fuel consumption rate and emissions.
    • OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES
  • Accordingly, one object of this invention is to provide a system and method for generating emulsified fuels to be used in combustion devices for improved performance with reduced specific fuel consumption rate and emissions;
  • Another object of the present invention is to provide a simple, cost-effective fuel emulsion system and method that will work on nearly all combustion devices, no change in specifications required.
  • Also, one object of the present invention is to provide a simple, cost-effective fuel emulsion system that will work on all fossil fuels or alternative fuels with no or minimal amount of stabilizing agents.
  • These objectives are achieved by a system and method of the present invention comprising at least a dispersed phase component, a continuous phase fuel, and an infrared radiation source, which spans at least a portion of 3-16 μm wavelength spectrum, so that said dispersed phase component and continuous phase fuel will be exposed to and excited by said infrared prior to or during emulsification process.
  • Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will hereinafter become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description.
    • DRAWING FIGURES
  • FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration showing one embodiment of the present invention with the infrared radiation source being disposed in a mixing chamber, in which dispersed phase component is injected into continuous phase fuel for the making of emulsion before the emulsified fuel enters a combustion device for combustion.
    •  REFERENCE NUMERALS IN DRAWINGS
  • 11 Continuous Phase fuel supply 12 Continuous Phase fuel
    means
    21 Disperse Phase component supply 22 Pumping means
    means
    23 Injection means 24 Disperse Phase component
    31 Infrared radiation source 41 Fuel delivery means
    42 Mixing chamber
    • SUMMARY
  • In accordance with the present invention a system and method for generating emulsified fuel to enhance fuel efficiency of a combustion device, comprising at least a continuous phase fuel, a dispersed phase component, and an infrared radiation source that spans at least a portion of 3-16 μm wavelength spectrum, in which the continuous phase fuel and/or dispersed phase component is exposed to said infrared before or during emulsification. The continuous phase fuel may be selected from fossil fuels, biofuels, alcohol fuels, vegetable oils, or any combustible liquid fuels, while the dispersed phase component may be oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, carbon monoxide, methane, propane, butane, any petroleum gas, hydrogen peroxide, or water. Such emulsified fuels may be used in combustion devices including internal combustion engines, boilers, burners, or gas turbines.
    • DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
  • FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of the present invention with the infrared radiation source 31 being disposed in the continuous phase fuel 12 in a mixing chamber 42. The continuous phase fuel 12 is provided from a supply means 11 through a delivery means 41. The fuel supply means 11 may be a tank, equipped with a fuel pump, and the delivery means 41 a fuel line. The continuous phase fuel may be selected from fossil fuels, biofuels, alcohol fuels, vegetable oils, or any combustible liquid fuels.
  • The dispersed phase component supply means 21 may be, but not limited to, a storing means such as cylinder or tank that stores and supplies said dispersed phase component, which may be natural gas, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, carbon monoxide, methane, propane, butane, any petroleum gas, hydrogen peroxide, or water. The dispersed phase component supply means 21 may further be a complicated production-on-demand device, such as water-electrolysis for hydrogen generation in the applications that hydrogen is used as dispersed phase component. A pump 22 and an high pressure injector 23 may be needed to provide homogenizing energy for emulsification so that the dispersed phase component 24 can be injected into continuous phase fuel 12, under the influence of infrared radiation source 31, before the emulsified fuel enters combustion device for combustion. The combustion device, not shown in FIG. 1, may be internal combustion engine, boiler, burner, or gas turbine.
  • The infrared radiation source 31 may consist of at least one IR-emitting ceramic composite whose infrared radiation spans at least a portion of 3-16 μm wavelength spectrum. This IR-emitting ceramic composite may be, but not limited to, one of the devices described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,026,788, 6,082,339 & 7,617,815 by the present inventor. The IR radiation source 31 of the present invention may take any shapes, forms, styles, patterns, and in any dimensions allowed by practical deployments. The IR radiation source 31 can be disposed on anywhere along the fuel system of the combustion device, including fuel tanks, lines, pumps, filters, injectors, or any add on retrofits, and the like. The IR radiation source 31 can be arranged in any way, either in direct contact with continuous phase fuel 12 or at proximity of the continuous phase fuel 12 without direct contact, provided that infrared will penetrate the media. The infrared at said wavelengths can penetrate any nonmetal materials.
  • When retrofitted to the fuel system of a combustion device, the infrared-emitting ceramic of the IR radiation source 31 can absorb radiation heat from ambience to emit IR photons in said wavelengths. The molecules in the continuous phase fuel 12 can absorb a number of IR photons at assorted wavelengths, in said wavelength spectrum, that match its fundamental and combination vibrational modes to cause molecular vibrations, known as the molecular multiphoton process (MMP). The constituent electrons can climb up the ladder of vibrational states and reach excited states. As a result, IR-excited fuel molecules become vibrant, reducing the probability of forming large aggregates that allows better distribution of the dispersed phase component 24 in the continuous phase fuel 12. This provides a theoretical ground for the present invention.
  • Although only one exemplary embodiment of the present invention is presented herein for illustrating the concept, there are numerous ways of deployment may be chosen depending on the applications.
    • CONCLUSION, RAMIFICATIONS, AND SCOPE
  • According to the present invention a system and method for generating emulsified fuels to achieve a better efficiency in combustion devices comprises at least a continuous phase fuel, a dispersed phase component, and an infrared radiation source whose infrared spans at least a portion of 3-16 μm wavelength spectrum.
  • The invention has been described above. Obviously, numerous modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.

Claims (17)

1-13. (canceled)
14. A system for generating emulsified fuel to be burned in a combustion device, comprising:
a mixing chamber including first and second inlets and an outlet; a continuous phase fuel supply in fluid communication with the first inlet; a dispersed phase component supply in fluid communication with the second inlet; an injector disposed between the dispersed phase component supply and the second inlet; and an infrared radiation source disposed upstream of the outlet, said source emitting infrared that spans at least a portion of 3-16 micrometers wavelength spectrum.
15. A system according to claim 14 wherein said infrared radiation source is disposed upstream of the mixing chamber.
16. A system according to claim 14 wherein said continuous phase fuel is fossil fuel, biofuel, alcohol fuel, or vegetable oil.
17. A system according to claim 14 wherein said dispersed phase component is natural gas, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen, or carbon monoxide.
18. A system according to claim 14 wherein said dispersed phase component is methane, propane, or butane.
19. A system according to claim 14 wherein said dispersed phase component is hydrogen peroxide or water.
20. A system according to claim 14 wherein said combustion device is internal combustion engine, boiler, burner, or gas turbine.
21. A system according to claim 14 wherein said infrared radiation source consists of at least one ceramic composite that emits infrared at said wavelengths.
22. A system according to claim 21 wherein said ceramic composite comprises pyroelectric material.
23. A system according to claim 14 wherein said infrared radiation source being disposed in direct contact with or at proximity of said continuous phase fuel and/or said dispersed phase component.
24. A system according to claim 14 wherein said infrared radiation source is placed at exterior of a nonmetal fuel line, module, or accessory of said combustion device.
25. A system according to claim 14 wherein said infrared radiation source is disposed at inside of an accessory or module in the fuel delivery system of said combustion device, said accessory being tank, pump, line, filter, injector, add-on retrofit, and the like.
26. The system according to claim 21, wherein said ceramic composite comprises a mixture of infrared metal oxides having a specific spectral luminance in said wavelength spectrum.
27. The system according to claim 22, wherein said pyroelectric material is tourmaline.
28. The system according to claim 14, wherein the injector is a high pressure injector, said injector providing homogenizing energy to emulsify at least a portion of the continuous phase fuel with at least a portion of the dispersed phase component.
29. A system for generating emulsified fuel to be burned in a combustion device, comprising:
a mixing chamber;
a continuous phase fuel supply in fluid communication with the mixing chamber;
a dispersed phase component supply in fluid communication with the mixing chamber;
an injector disposed between the dispersed phase component supply and the mixing chamber; and
an infrared radiation source, said infrared radiation source emitting infrared that spans at least a portion of 3-16 micrometers wavelength spectrum.
US14/973,379 2011-04-01 2015-12-17 Infrared Aided Fuel Emulsion Abandoned US20160101391A1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US14/973,379 US20160101391A1 (en) 2011-04-01 2015-12-17 Infrared Aided Fuel Emulsion

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US13/065,908 US9249369B2 (en) 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 Infrared aided fuel emulsion
US14/973,379 US20160101391A1 (en) 2011-04-01 2015-12-17 Infrared Aided Fuel Emulsion

Related Parent Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US13/065,908 Division US9249369B2 (en) 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 Infrared aided fuel emulsion

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US20160101391A1 true US20160101391A1 (en) 2016-04-14

Family

ID=46925384

Family Applications (2)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US13/065,908 Active 2032-07-29 US9249369B2 (en) 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 Infrared aided fuel emulsion
US14/973,379 Abandoned US20160101391A1 (en) 2011-04-01 2015-12-17 Infrared Aided Fuel Emulsion

Family Applications Before (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US13/065,908 Active 2032-07-29 US9249369B2 (en) 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 Infrared aided fuel emulsion

Country Status (1)

Country Link
US (2) US9249369B2 (en)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN105976684A (en) * 2016-05-23 2016-09-28 周维保 Combustion experiment device
CN109364807A (en) * 2018-11-30 2019-02-22 江苏大学 A kind of emulsification biodiesel preparing device
US10842744B1 (en) * 2018-01-30 2020-11-24 Jesse Windrix Performance product
RU2784229C1 (en) * 2021-10-12 2022-11-23 Михаил Владимирович Дьяков Method for producing composite fuel and unit for implementation thereof

Families Citing this family (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
KR20190132563A (en) 2012-02-27 2019-11-27 디이이씨 아이엔씨 Oxygen-rich plasma generators for boosting internal combustion engines
BR112018068006A2 (en) 2016-03-07 2019-01-15 Hytech Power Inc method for generating and distributing a second fuel to an internal combustion engine
US10371105B1 (en) * 2016-11-29 2019-08-06 Cameron Dynamics, LLC Fuel treatment module, system and method
US20190234348A1 (en) 2018-01-29 2019-08-01 Hytech Power, Llc Ultra Low HHO Injection
CN115370511A (en) * 2022-09-28 2022-11-22 郭玮玲 Oil-saving and oil-saving device

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20040054250A1 (en) * 2002-09-17 2004-03-18 Benincasa Persio Campos Constructive arrangement interoduced in a therapeutical device with electromagnetical features
US20120270034A1 (en) * 2008-08-13 2012-10-25 San-Teng Chueh Heat-dissipating structure

Family Cites Families (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4388893A (en) 1980-08-04 1983-06-21 Cedco, Incorporated Diesel engine incorporating emulsified fuel supply system
US5997590A (en) 1996-11-13 1999-12-07 Quantum Energy Technologies Corp. Stabilized water nanocluster-fuel emulsions designed through quantum chemistry
US6082339A (en) * 1998-09-28 2000-07-04 Wey; Albert C. Combustion enhancement device
US6026788A (en) 1998-09-28 2000-02-22 Wey; Albert C. Noncontact fuel activating device
US6800154B1 (en) 1999-07-26 2004-10-05 The Lubrizol Corporation Emulsion compositions
US7276093B1 (en) 2000-05-05 2007-10-02 Inievep, S.A. Water in hydrocarbon emulsion useful as low emission fuel and method for forming same
DE60123139T2 (en) 2001-07-09 2007-09-13 Pirelli & C. Ambiente Eco Technology S.p.A., Pero A FUEL LIQUID HYDROCARBON EMULSION CONTAINING FUEL
US7617815B2 (en) 2007-11-13 2009-11-17 Albert Chin-Tang Wey Fuel activator using multiple infrared wavelengths
EP2691496A2 (en) * 2011-03-29 2014-02-05 Fuelina, Inc. Hybrid fuel and method of making the same

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20040054250A1 (en) * 2002-09-17 2004-03-18 Benincasa Persio Campos Constructive arrangement interoduced in a therapeutical device with electromagnetical features
US20120270034A1 (en) * 2008-08-13 2012-10-25 San-Teng Chueh Heat-dissipating structure

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN105976684A (en) * 2016-05-23 2016-09-28 周维保 Combustion experiment device
US10842744B1 (en) * 2018-01-30 2020-11-24 Jesse Windrix Performance product
US11510873B1 (en) 2018-01-30 2022-11-29 Jesse Windrix Performance product
CN109364807A (en) * 2018-11-30 2019-02-22 江苏大学 A kind of emulsification biodiesel preparing device
RU2784229C1 (en) * 2021-10-12 2022-11-23 Михаил Владимирович Дьяков Method for producing composite fuel and unit for implementation thereof

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
US20120247000A1 (en) 2012-10-04
US9249369B2 (en) 2016-02-02

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US20160101391A1 (en) Infrared Aided Fuel Emulsion
Hoang Experimental study on spray and emission characteristics of a diesel engine fueled with preheated bio-oils and diesel fuel
Anufriev Review of water/steam addition in liquid-fuel combustion systems for NOx reduction: Waste-to-energy trends
US8887697B2 (en) Efficient combustion of hydrocarbon fuels in engines
CN109973266B (en) Multistage-injection methanol engine cold start device and method
KR100638639B1 (en) A plasma reactor for vaporization and mixing of liquid fuel
Sudrajad et al. Experimental study of exhaust emissions of W/O emulsion fuel in DI single cylinder diesel engine
JP2008128509A (en) Gas turbine combustor and its operation method
CZ2002275A3 (en) Subcritical mixture of water and fuel mixture and combustion system
KR20100103925A (en) Combustion device using brown's gas for promoting combustion of the fuel gas and method for the same
CN201416492Y (en) Water-in-fuel emulsion and combustion device
KR101239981B1 (en) Homogeneous charged compressed ignition engine and method using brown gas
Watanabe et al. Performance and emissions of diesel engine fuelled with water-in-diesel emulsion
RU86280U1 (en) FUEL COMBUSTION DEVICE IN COMBUSTION CHAMBER
Vigneswaran et al. Experimental investigation of a diesel engine with diesel/water emulsion at various injection timing
JP2007285122A (en) Gas turbine engine
JP2014051901A (en) Fuel supply system
KR102515648B1 (en) Assembly type fuel ejector for combustion apparatus using water gas fule based on waste oil and combustion apparatus including the assembly type fuel ejector
KR101557991B1 (en) Combustion device using Brown's gas for promoting combustion of the fuel gas and method for the same
Silambarasan et al. Experimental Investigation of a Diesel Engine fueled by emulsified B20 biodiesel
JP6041664B2 (en) Oil fired boiler and fuel oil atomization method
JP3212777U (en) Electronically controlled gasoline vaporizer
KR20240019256A (en) Apparatus and method for processing purged alcohol-based fuel
KR20230174103A (en) Combustion catalyst supply method and system for inlet side for combustion promotion of internal combustion engine
CN106523130A (en) Diesel oil burning power system with diesel engine adopting alcohol ether fuel to burn

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
STCB Information on status: application discontinuation

Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO RESPOND TO AN OFFICE ACTION