WO2004027248A1

WO2004027248A1 - Method of increasing efficiency and decreasing the fuel consumption of an internal combustion engine

Info

Publication number: WO2004027248A1
Application number: PCT/IN2002/000187
Authority: WO
Inventors: Venkatakrishnavadhani Lakshmi Keshavamurthy Halli Mysore
Original assignee: Shetty, Mahesh, Goplakrishna
Priority date: 2002-09-18
Filing date: 2002-09-18
Publication date: 2004-04-01
Also published as: AU2002337603A1

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a method of increasing the fuel efficiency and decresing the fuel consumption of an international combustion engine by pre-heating the fuel and a device for carrying out the said method.

Description

ECO FRIENDLY METHOD OF DECREASING FUEL CONSUMPTION OR INCREASING FUEL EFFCIENCY OF AN LC. ENGINE AND DEVICE THEREOF.

This invention relates to a method and a device for decreasing fuel consumption and/or increasing the fuel efficiency of an international combustion engine.

It is known to add additives to reduce the fuel consumption of internal combustion engines, e.g. U.S. Patent No. 5632785 and 6,419,477.

US Patent No.5, 483,934 describes a method and system for reducing fuel consumption in an internal combustion engine and to meet optimal exhaust emissions values, by controlling the air intake cross section in the particular operating range, improved adaptation of the air number lambda to the desired value of lambda=l is attained, and by the additional re- circulation of exhaust gas in the ensuing operating range, with an air intake cross section that is set to be essentially constant, consumption-reducing lean operation is achieved, with low pollutant emissions, particularly with respect to NO_x development.

Through various methods and devices are there to reduce fuel consumption and to increase fuel efficiency of an Internal combustion engine, there is no simple, cost effective and eco- friendly method and device available at present.

Accordingly it is an object of the present invention to provide a simple, cost effective and eco-fiiendly method and a device to improve the fuel efficiency as well as to reduce the fuel consumption of the Internal combustion engines.

It is known that Internal combustion engines have been used in a variety of applications such as four wheelers, two wheelers, air crafts, generators, marine or ship engine and in many more applications. The present invention proposes to improve the fuel efficiency by making use of waste thermal energy going out through exhaust system or silencer.

In practice, energy converted by the combustion of fuel in the engine is used for motive power. During combustion, part of energy is converted into heat energy, which is wasted and discharged through the exhaust system provided for it. Due to the hot gases coming out at high pressure, noise or harsh sound is produced creating sound Pollution. The hot gases also heat up the environment. Many inventions are appearing with the objective of reducing noise and heat. Our invention aims at reducing smoke and contributing to cooler, environment with less of noise pollution through more efficient functioning of LC. engines in respect of fuel utilization.

The device and method of the present invention make use of the heat discharge through exhaust or radiator to preheat the fuel near to its boiling point and feed it to the engine chamber. As the fuel is heated before passing through the atomizer/carburetor, into the combustion chamber, the fuel particles get evaporated and occupy a large volume so that only a minimum requisite amount of fuel is received by the combustion chamber, thus effecting the economy in fuel combustion. Moreover, since the fuel enters the combustion chamber only in gaseous form, already preheated, the combustion happens to be more completed when liquid fuel particles are atomized or carbureted into the combustion as in conventional process.

Heat exchange can be achieved through the following ways:

1. Through radiator,

2. Exhaust system,

3. Other external agency to heat the fuel before entering into engine Chamber.

This invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig 1 represents a schematic view of the conventional spark ignition engine;

Fig 2 represents a schematic view of the spark ignition engine modified according to the present invention;

Fig 3 represents a schematic view of the conventional compression ignition engine; and

Fig 4 represents a schematic view of the compression ignition engine modified according to the present invention.

Brief description of the invention with respect to the drawings.

In a known spark ignition engine, fuel from tank (C) passes through the carburetor (B) to the combustion chamber (A). The carbureted particles get combustion. After combustion the gases come out through the exhaust pipe (E) with high pipe pressure & sound and passes out through muffler (D). In the modified system the fuel is passing through a heat exchanger (H) and gets evaporated with high pressure. This pressure is to be minimized before entering carburetor B). Hence to reduce the pressure, a system (F) is introduced. The said system is an evaporator or any known system, which reduces the pressure. The hot and gaseous form fuel enters the combustion chamber with minimum quantity. Now the fuel particles in the combustion chamber burns with high velocity releases the power.

The burnt gas coming out through E) with high pressure and temperature exchanges the heat & pressure by the heat exchanger

(H), and discharge through muffler D). Hence temperature, sound & pressure reduced.

Figure 3 & 4 describes about the CI. engine with modifications. Here no evaporator (F) is required because diesel fuel have high boiling point than petrol as in S.I. engines. The injector pipe I is connected to the Jacket (J) provided so as to enable heating of the fuel before it is sent to the combustion chamber (A). Return Pipe (G) is connected to the main injector pipe (I). Since the fuel entering into the injector (I) is at high temperature and pressure receives the fuel well in advance to get more pressure to enter in to the combustion chamber (A). The discharged gases passing through the exhaust (E) have less pressure and temperature as in S.I. engine.

The overall results achieved by the above-modified systems are (1) high fuel efficiency less incombustible gases with high degree of combustion. (2) Eco friendly due to the emissions of sound and unburnt hydrocarbons. PROCEDURE:

a) For Diesel Engines:

Make a jacket of M.S on the exhaust system as per the drawing No. (1). The jacket diameter is 1.2 times diameter of the exhaust pipe, connect the return fuel tube with a ⁴T' joint at the entrance of main fuel pipe before entering to the jacket. Now, adjust the inflow of the fuel in such a way that the discharge of fuel to the system should be equal to approximately 80% -85% of the rated flow i.e. if the engine is rated (the fuel consumption) at 10 liters/hour, the adjustment of the discharge is made to be 8-8.5 liters/hour. Now start the engine. The pre-heated fuel started to flow through the injector to the combustion chamber. The fuel is freely atomized and get energized more efficiently than in conventional system. It is observed that the fuel consumption is reducing slowly and engine is irjnning smoothly. Further the sound emitted through the exhaust system is also less. The temperature as well as smoke emitting out through the system is substantially reduced.

It is observed when the same system is adapted to the mobile vehicles like trucks and cars, the vehicle gives 1.3 to 1.5 times more mileage compared to the conventional system on a given condition.

Hence it is claimed that in an LC engines this system is more efficient and contributes good cost saving and is eco-friendly. (

(B) For Petrol Engines and blended of petrol with aromatic compounds:

Both the above fuels can be successfully made use in Si. engines to get more efficient results. Make the jacket as shown in the figures, like in diesel engines or

CI. Engines. Since no return of fuel is provided it is not necessary to connect any return pipe to the main fuel supply.

As the fuel is getting heat from the exhaust system and the boiling point is very much less, the fuel becomes vapor or gaseous stage immediately. This leads to the formation of high vapor pressure before entering into carburetor. Hence it is very much necessary and important to reduce vapor pressure before entering to the combustion chamber or carburetor. This can be achieved through a vaporizer. The drawing clearly shows the installation of vaporizer. The fuel when it is in gaseous form develops more energy compare to the liquid fuel carburetion. A vaporizer/evaporator has been connected in between the carburetor and heat exchanger in a petrol car, (Premier Padmini) and found a mileage of 10 miles/liter in place of 7 miles/liter in a given condition and load. The system is tested several times for efficiency of fuel consumption and smoke emission and found very much satisfied as per the chart given. In the same above system (refer Fig. 2) the vaporizer/evaporator is connected between carburetor and main pipe of heat exchanger, hi this system the fuel is heated by the hot water produced in the radiator. The vaporizer has a heat exchange arrangement. In the vaporizer/evaporator, fuel is passing through the hot water in separate pipe and heat is absorbed, and converted into partial gaseous form with less pressure. In this system the fuel is heated below the boiling point of water and hence the pressure developed in the fuel system is less compared to the first system.

The fuel used in the system above is selected from aliphatic hydrocarbons like petrol and diesel or aromatic hydrocarbons like benzene, toluene, etc or a mixture of both.

In both the above systems, fuel consumption, sound and smoke emitted are very much limited and satisfactory. In both the cases the results are very much close and equal, to the theoretical valves.

Both the systems have been tested in a premier padmini car and results are recorded in chart 'A'.

The diameter of pipe and of the inlet and outlet of jacket is not an important factor but should be lesser than the diameter of the orifice of the carburetor fuel inlet by 20-35%.

EXPERIMENT HAS BEEN CONDUCTED ON THE

FOLLOWING VEHICLES:

1. Two Wheelers, such as Scooty of T.V.S Company, Kinetic Honda and Yamaha RXZ.

2. Four Wheelers, such as Premier Padmini (fiat) both petrol and diesel driven, Canter (Eicher Company) and Maruthi

800.

3. Stationery Engines, such as Kirloskar Cummins 125 KVA Generator Set and Domestic generators (upto 2 kwh).

4. TRUCKS, such as Tata and Ashok Leyland. 5. Toyota Qualis.

6. Skoda.

7. Maruthi Brand Vehicles.

The Following are the advantages of the invention.

1. The method of utilizing heat energy during input of the fuels in any LC engines (either SI. or CI) increases the overall efficiency of the engine and increases the fuel efficiency by 30-50%.

2. The method of utilizing heat energy during input of the fuels in any I. C. engines (either SI or C. I) decreases emission of heat, sound as well as smoke to the environment.

3. The method of utilizing heat energy during input of the fuels in any LC engines (either SI or C. I) decreases the carbon formation or deposition at the tip of the spark plug or injector nozzle or in any part of the combustion chamber compared to the conventional system of furl injection.

4. Since the fuel is hotter than conventional feeding, the atomization or spray is smoother and faster, which increases pick up and pulling power.

5. Warming of atmosphere decreases due to heat absorbed by the heat exchanger at the heat exchange system, provided at exhaust system. 6. The combustion being more efficient with the present innovation, less smoke is emitted and also exhaust gases produce less sound.

7. This method is more effective with the fuels like aliphatic and aromatic compounds individually as well as blending with each other.

8. The efficiency with the above modification has been increased by a minimum of 30% to a maximum of 70%.

9. The sound pollution and the air pollution is reduced to a great extent.

CHART A

EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS

π. ON PREMIER PETROL ENGINE

HI. ON PREMIER DEISEL ENGINE

IV. TRUCKS TATA MODEL NO. 135 BHP/95

V. TRUCKS -ASHOK LEYLAND MAKE MODEL 0. 110 BHP/94

VI. GENSETS:

MAKE -KIRLOSKAR CUMINS GENSET 125 KVA-2SETS ON LOAD

TEST

Consumption of Fuel per hour on connected full load.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A method of increasing the fuel efficiency and decreasing the fuel consumption of an internal combustion engine, the said method comprising heating the fuel before input to the combustion chamber and adjusting the discharge of fuel to the system to approximately 80 to 85% of the rated flow.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fuel is heated by drawing the heat energy from the radiator of the Internal combustion engine.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fuel is heated by drawing the heat from a heat exchanger provided at the exhaust system of an Internal combustion engine.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fuel is heated by drawing the heat from an external source such as solar or electric heater.

5. _r A method as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the fuel used is selected from aliphatic hydrocarbons like petrol and diesel, or aromatic hydrocarbons like benzene and toluene or a mixture of both.

6. A device for increasing the fuel efficiency and decreasing the fuel consumption of an internal combustion engine comprising of a means to heat the fuel supply and means for passing the fuel through the said heating means and means for adjusting the discharge of fuel to the system to approximately 80 to 85% of the rated flow.

7. A device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the heating means is selected from a heat exchanger provided in the exhaust system or the radiator of the internal combustion engine or an external source such as an electric or solar heater.

8. A device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the heating means is a jacket provided around the exhaust pipe.

9. A device as claimed in claim 8, wherein the diameter of the jacket is 1.2 times the diameter of the exhaust pipe.

10. A device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the heating means is a solar or an electric heater.

11. A device as claimed in any one of claims 7 to 10, wherein the fuel used is selected from aliphatic hydrocarbons like petrol and diesel, or aromatic hydrocarbons like benzene and toluene or a mixture of both.