Internal-combustion engines – Charge forming device – Auxiliary air or oxygen added to combustible mixture
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-15
2001-06-05
Kamen, Noah P. (Department: 3747)
Internal-combustion engines
Charge forming device
Auxiliary air or oxygen added to combustible mixture
C417S197000, C123S559100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06240911
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an air amplifier for use in conjunction with an internal combustion engine, and in particular to an air amplifier for enhancing air flow to an internal combustion engine using a pressurized nitrous oxide source.
BACKGROUND
It is known in the art to enhance air flow, such as in industrial applications, using an air amplifier. A typical air amplifier works in conjunction with a flow of air through, for example, a pipe or tube. The air amplifier functions by providing a flow of compressed air around the circumference of the inner portion of the tube in the direction of the air flow through the tube. The additional compressed air flow excites the flow of air in the tube by removing the frictional resistance that air at the edges of the tube would otherwise provide. In addition, the spray of additional small amounts of compressed air adds energy to the air flow, increasing the overall air flow.
This phenomenon occurs as a result of the Coanda effect. The Coanda effect is the tendency of a gas or liquid exiting a jet adjacent to a wall contour to travel close to the wall contour even if the wall's direction of curvature is away from the axis of the jet.
A typical air amplifier for use, for example, for ventilation, exhaust, cooling, drying, and cleaning applications, is described and sold by the Exair Corporation of Cincinnati, Ohio A typical example of the Exair air amplifier. As shown on this web page, the amplifier described by Exair includes an inlet into an annular chamber for receiving compressed air. The compressed air is then throttled through a small ring nozzle at high velocity. The compressed air flow, following a Coanda profile, proceeds in a desired flow direction in a conduit, such as a ventilation shaft. A low pressure area at the center of the conduit is created by the compressed air flow, inducing a high volume flow of surrounding air through the conduit. A high volume, high velocity air flow through the conduit from the surrounding air and the compressed air flow is thus produced.
Such air amplifiers are particularly useful in applications, such as ventilating explosive gases, in which any spark or other ignition potential for the device must be avoided.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,806,039 to Mocarski discloses one nozzle that uses the Coanda effect. In the nozzle of Mocarski, pressurized fluid is directed via a slot and a spoked washer. U.S. Pat. No. 5,402,938 to Sweeney provides a similar nozzle to Mocarski for use with air flow in, for example, pneumatic control systems, using a specialized shim to provide suitable flow over a range of pressures and flow rates.
It is also known in the art to provide a flow of an oxygen enhancer, such as nitrous oxide, from a compressed source to an internal combustion engine. The nitrous oxide provides additional oxygen for increasing engine output by increasing the amount of fuel that is burnable with the oxygen from the nitrous oxide and from the oxygen from the air flow for the engine.
Accordingly, there is a need for a device, method, and system for further increasing oxygen provided to an internal combustion engine having an oxygen enhancer feed. Specifically, there is a need for a device, method, and system for using compressed nitrous oxide to enhance air flow to an internal combustion engine. There is a further need to enhance performance using energy inherent in the compressed oxygen enhancer.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an advantage of the present invention to meet these needs, and others, by providing an air amplifier specially designed to use flow of a compressed fluid, such as nitrous oxide gas, to enhance air flow to an internal combustion engine.
It is a further advantage of the present invention to provide an air amplifier designed for use with an existing engine air intake tube and a compressed source of nitrous oxide to enhance oxygen feed to the engine.
The present invention uses a source of compressed fluid, such as nitrous oxide, to increase air flow into an internal combustion engine, providing an additional method for gaining horsepower in conjunction with nitrous oxide injection. Nitrous oxide systems typically gain horsepower through nitrous oxide injection by utilizing the nitrous oxide as a chemical source of oxygen, and by using the intercooling effect produced by nitrous oxide gas. The present invention provides a third source for power gain by using the energy inherent in a compressed gas to provide additional horsepower to the engine via an air amplifier.
In one embodiment of the present invention, fluid from a source of compressed gas is fed into the air intake tube or conduit for the engine, and then to, for example, the throttle body for the fuel injector system. The compressed gas, in this embodiment, comprises an oxygen enhancer, such as nitrous oxide. When the compressed gas is fed into the air amplifier within the air intake near the inner edges of the air amplifier, a Coanda effect occurs, such that air intake into the engine via, for example, the throttle body, a carburetor, or other type of fuel mixture, metering, or other feeding device, greatly increases.
One example embodiment of the present invention is designed for use in conjunction with the nitrous oxide fuel injection kit that is the subject of applicant's U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/096,342 titled “SYSTEM, METHOD AND DEVICE FOR NITROUS OXIDE INJECTION” filed Jun. 12, 1998, and continuation thereof, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/325,840 filed Jun. 4, 1999, both of which are hereby incorporated by reference. The present invention is not intended to be limited to use with the nitrous oxide fuel injector kit of applicant's prior application.
To achieve the stated and other advantages of the present invention, as embodied and described below, the invention includes an air amplifier for use with an internal combustion engine having an air input and a flow of pressurized fluid, the air input comprising an air input conduit, wherein an air flow is conductible through the air input conduit, and wherein the air amplifier is positionable such that the air flow is conductible through the air amplifier, the air amplifier comprising: an air amplifier body, the air amplifier body being coupleable with the air input conduit; a central opening in the air amplifier body, wherein the air flow is conductible through the central opening of the coupled air amplifier body, and wherein the central opening has an outer edge; and a circumferential passage about the central opening in the air amplifier body, the circumferential passage for transmitting the flow of the pressurized fluid, wherein the transmitted flow of the pressurized fluid is directable along the outer edge of the central opening circumferentially flowing about the air flow; wherein the transmitted flow of the pressurized fluid produces a Coanda effect, increasing the air flow through the central opening.
To achieve the stated and other advantages of the present invention, as embodied and described below, the invention further includes a method for increasing air flow to an internal combustion engine using an air amplifier and a source of pressurized fluid, wherein the engine has an air input, the air input comprising an air input conduit having an inner edge, wherein an air flow having an air flow volume is conductible through the air input conduit, and wherein the air amplifier is positioned within the air input conduit, the method comprising: providing the air flow through the air input conduit; feeding the pressurized fluid from the source of pressurized fluid to the air amplifier; and the air amplifier feeding a flow of the pressurized fluid into the air input conduit at the inner edge; wherein the air flow volume to the internal combustion engine is increased by virtue of a Coanda effect.
To achieve the stated and other advantages of the present invention, as embodied and described below, the invention further includes an air amplifier for increasing air flow to an internal combustion engine having an air input, th
Chesser, Esq. Wilburn L.
Competition Cams, Inc.
Kamen Noah P.
Piper Marbury Rudnick & Wolfe LLP
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