WO1983002799A1

WO1983002799A1 - Internal combustion engine intake air moisturizer

Info

Publication number: WO1983002799A1
Application number: PCT/US1982/000856
Authority: WO
Inventors: John Manolis
Original assignee: John Manolis
Priority date: 1982-02-16
Filing date: 1982-07-01
Publication date: 1983-08-18
Also published as: EP0101442A1

Abstract

This apparatus for supplying moisturized air going into the combustion chambers of an internal combustion engine, having a conduit (37) connected to the lower section of the carburetor (21) and extending to the air filter (31), a valve (36) mounted on the conduit (37) is oriented to permit flow only from the air filter (31) into the lower section of the carburetor (21) and is operated by the vacuum created in the intake manifold (22) a water tank (30) mounted under the air filter (31) for moisturizing the air.

Description

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE INTAKE AIR MOISTURIZER REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The present patent application is a continuation-in-part of patent application Ser. No. 280,231, filed July 6, 1981, and patent application Serial No. 251,718, filed April 20, 1981. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It is now a well recognized phenomenon that when moisturized air is drawn into the combustion chamber and mixed with conventional hydrocarbon fuel, such as gasoline, diesel oil coal and the like, the engine's efficiency is increased to a high degree and the noxious products of combustion which pollute the atmosphere are eliminated.

Various proposals have been made heretofore for adding gaseous moisture to the air that is drawn into the carburetor of an internal combustion engine, particularly on automσt-iye vehicles.

The water injection system and the turbocharger employed in automobiles, trucks, buses, tractors and the like as well as for other drive purposes, likewise possess numerous drawbacks and disadvantages. The water injection system is highly inefficient; if the amount of water injected into the carburetor is large enough, the water can actually prevent the combustion process from happening at all, just like a fire hose puts out a fire. With the turbocharger installation is that in order for the system to be responsive, the turbine housings must be fairly small to react to low engine rpm demands. In such a situation, the small turbine sections become restrictions to free exhaust flow at high rpm, creating excessive exhaust backpressure. Therefore both systems possess drawbacks and- disadvintages.

Moisture added to the air is believed to reduce significantl the engine combustion temperature, and to avoid an excess of unburned hydrocarbons a leaner gas-air mixture may be used in order to bring the engine combustion temperature up to what is considered a desirable level. The net results of moisturizing the intake air and using a leaner fuel mixture are believed to be a slower rate of combustion, a reduction of carbon monoxide emissions, a reduction of carbon deposits in the engine, a reduction of engine vibration, and significantly improved gas mileage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a system for intro¬ ducing gaseous moisture into the combustion chambers of an internal combustion engine which includes a conduit connected to the lower section of the carburetor or the spacer plate of the carburetor and extending to an air-filter. Under the air-filter is mounted a water tank, for maintaining the air in close proximity to the water in the tank, means for generating moisturized vapor, which is drawn into the intake manifold and mixed with the air-fuel mixture to improve the performance of the engine.

A principal object of this invention is to provide a novel and improved humidifier or moisturizer for the air intake of an internal combustion engine, particularly an engine on an automotive vehicle.

Another object of this invention is to provide such a moisturizer which introduces gaseous moisture into the engine intake air in such a molecularly divided state as to provide reliable operation with a wide range of engines, - __

unnecessary to design the moisturizer for a particular engine.

A further object of this invention is to provide a new and improved air-intake system for supplying additional moisturized air into the combustion chambers of an internal combustion engine as it is. demanding.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment thereof, which is shown in the accompanying drawing. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a prime system embodying the present invention in which the moisturizer is connected to the lower section of the carburetor of the engine and extending to the air-filter system. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the drawings. Figure 1 therefor which illustrates a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the reference numeral 10 generally designates a moisturizer system comprizing: an air filter 20, a carburetor 21, an intake manifold 22, a spacer plate 23 of the carburetor 21, a conduit 37 connected to the spacer plate 23 and extending to the air filter 31, a control valve 36 mounted on the conduit 37, a filter holder or housing 32 mounted on the free end of conduit 37, the air filter 31 is mounted inside the housing 32, a_^water tank 30 mounted under the filter 31 on a holder 33.

The holder 33 is supporting both the filter holder 32 and the water tank 30.

The moisturizer 37 is a cylindrical conduit having a valve 3 and extending an inlet between 35 and outlet 34. The moisturizer 37 is connected to the lower section 23_o_f_ the carburetor 21 and extending to an air filter 32 allowing communication between lower section 23 and filter 31. The valve 36 mounted on the conduit 37 is oriented to permit flow therethrough only from the inlet port 35 into the outlet port 34, means, the ambient air is flowing only from the filter 31 into the lower section of the carburetor 21. When the engine approaches full operation the vacuum in the intake manifold is increased and the valve 36 is forced to open, ambient air with moisturized vapor is flowing therethrough from the filter 31 into the intake manifold 22 where it is mixed with the air fuel mixture. This moisturizing or humidifying of the intake air-fuel mixture improves the engine performance in several respects, such as, reducing noxious emissions from the engine, reducing carbon deposits in the engine, and improving the engine efficiency.

Practical experience with the present moisturizer has shown that it can be used with different carburetors and engines without the necessity of tailoring it to a specific application, as was found to be the case with previous moisturizers which introduced droplets of water into the intake air. It is believed that this improved universality and adaptability of the present of the present moisturizer is due to the fact that it introduces moisturized vapor in a molecularly divided, gaseous state into the intake air, thus providing greater homogeneity of the moisturized air going into the carburetor.

The air-moisture which is produced by the present moisturizer is like a duplicated natural phenomenon, such as, the moisture- in the ambient air on a damp day, which is just enough to forestall detonation and pinging, allowing the engine to run better, smoother and with greater efficiency. It is believed that the present moisturizer may be used advantageously on diesel engine to reduce the smoke and other noxious emissions and to improve the engine efficiency.

The moisturizer will reduce the frequency of tune-ups. It can be used on carbureted engines, fuel injection engines, engines with side draft carburetor, marine engines, fixed engine generators and pumps.

The present moisturizer does not require a turbocharger or a water pump. The unit can be installed anywhere on the lower section of the carburetor or on the intake manifold.

The system is having no moving part or parts, it includes a hose, an air filter and a one-way valve. The present system can be used as a turbocharger and or as a water injector on any internal combustion engine.

Claims

-b-WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:

1. A moisturizer for supplying additional air into the combustion chamber or chambers of an internal combustion engine comprising: a conduit connected to the lower section of the carburetor and extending to an air filter, means for receiving additional ambient air and means for delivering said air into the lower section of the carburetor of said combustion engine, a valve is mounted on said conduit for controlling the flow through said conduit, means oriented to permit flow only from said air filter into said lower section of the said carbur¬ etor, means said valve is operated by the vacuum created in the intake manifold of said combustion engine, a water tank mounted under said filter, means for moisturizing said ambient air as it is flowing therethrough.

2. A moisturizer for supplying additional air into the combustion chamber or chambers of an internal combustion engine of claim 1 wherein said moisturizer having a conduit connected to the lower section of the carburetor and extending to said air filter, means additional ambient air is flowing therethrough from said filter into the lower section of said carburetor.

3. A moisturizer for supplying additional air into the combustion chamber or chambers of an internal combustion engine of claim 1 wherein said valve is mounted on said conduit, means for controlling the flow therethrough, means is oriented to permit flow only from the said air filter into said lower section of said carburetor, means said valve is operated by the vacuum created in the intake manifold of said engine.

4. A moisturizer for supplying additional air into the combustion chamber or chambers of an internal combustion engine of claim 1 wherein said water tank is mounted under said air

filter, means for moisturizing the drawn in air.

5. A moisturizer for supplying additional air into the combustion chamber or chambers of an internal combustion engine of claim 1 wherein said air filter is attached to the car under the hood, or at the front side of the car, means for drawing in cool air, and means supported by a holder or bracket.