Internal-combustion engines – Charge forming device – Charge-mixing device in intake
Patent
1996-06-06
1998-06-23
Solis, Erick R.
Internal-combustion engines
Charge forming device
Charge-mixing device in intake
123592, F02M 2902
Patent
active
057690626
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to improving the combustion efficiency of internal combustion engines and more particularly relates to means for improving the mixing of fuel and oxygen containing gas.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
In recent years there has been increasing concern over the problems of atmospheric pollution caused by exhaust gases from vehicles and of improving the fuel economy of petrol engines. Any reduction of urban pollution can yield benefits, for example, in the reduction of associated health problems such as asthma and any improvement in vehicle fuel economy can produce significant savings in fuel costs and assist the achievement of more stringent emission requirements.
The depression or vacuum in the intake or inlet manifold of petrol fueled internal combustion engines can increase significantly under certain conditions. These conditions can be decelerative operational modes as well as engine standby modes such as idling when the engine is turning over but the vehicle that it powers is at rest. Under these conditions excess petrol tends to be drawn from the carburettor or fuel injection system into the intake manifold. This excess fuel is, for the most part, passed through the engine without combustion and emerges as unburnt hydrocarbon pollutants in the exhaust emissions. The economic and environmental ramifications of this are readily appreciable.
The use of vacuum relief devices is known for reducing the high depression levels in the intake manifolds of petrol engines. Some devices use piped connections with tapping plugs attached to the walls of the intake manifolds and other devices can also be attached to existing vacuum lines which are themselves attached to the intake manifold. These devices can have certain disadvantages such as propensity to leak before the desired or design depression levels have been reached. Also engines can be damaged by failure of the devices. Also some devices suffer from an inadequate response to changing vacuum levels in the inlet manifold during, for example, stop-start driving conditions especially during urban driving.
The problem of incomplete combustion is also present in other modes of engine operation when the depression levels in the inlet manifold may be at moderate levels or at levels that are consistent with steady operating conditions for the engine. This can be due to incomplete mixing of the fuel and air mixture passed through the inlet manifold into the engine. The present invention is intended to improve engine operating conditions for example by eliminating or alleviating one or more of the foregoing disadvantages.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Thus, according to the present invention there is provided a device suitable for mixing combustion gases in an internal combustion engine, the device comprising a vortex generator adapted to mix fuel and oxygen containing gas.
In certain applications the injection/mixing device does not require an injection mode and can be used solely as a mixing device. However, the invention preferably comprises a means for allowing passage of ambient atmosphere into the inlet section of the internal combustion engine which most preferably is in the form of an integral injection/mixing device.
The means for fitting the device to the inlet manifold of the internal combustion engine may be for example a screw thread or bayonet fitting.
The vortex generator is preferably one or more plates of lenticular, truncated conical or deltoid configuration. They may be in the form of discs and may be arranged in a parallel array, the plane of the plates being preferably parallel to the gas flow.
The term lenticular is intended to include a lens like or equivalent configuration and may, for example, be in the form of an equi-convex lens, a bi-convex lens or a concave/convex lens.
The device preferably has means for rotating the vortex generator and the means may be, for example, a turbine associated with the vortex generator or an external prime mover such as a motor.
The device may have an int
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