Internal-combustion engines – Combined devices – Generating plants
Patent
1980-08-28
1985-06-04
Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
Internal-combustion engines
Combined devices
Generating plants
123180R, 123DIG12, 123180E, F02M 2702, F02M 3108
Patent
active
045207640
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a starter for an engine using alcohol, such as methanol, ethanol or the like, as its fuel.
BACKGROUND ART
In the recent years, alcohol has been considered as a prospective substitute for gasoline as fuel for automotive vehicles. However, alcohol has a higher boiling point than gasoline, as for example 64.5.degree. C. in methanol. Consequently, a problem has developed in starting an alcohol fueled engine.
Accordingly, several proposals for solving the starting problems have been suggested. One such proposal is to store gasoline as an auxiliary fuel besides the alcohol and to use the gasoline at the starting time and to switch to alcohol after a certain warm up driving time i.e. when the temperature rises up to an extent sufficient for easy evaporation of the alcohol. Another proposal is to evaporate the alcohol by warming up the manifold by an electric heating wire at the starting time.
However, the former proposal has the disadvantage that the auxiliary fuel should be carried separately from the gasoline and the latter proposal has the disadvantage that a longer time is required for starting.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
In view of the aforementioned situation, the present invention has as its object to provide a starter for an alcohol engine which is able to start an alcohol engine as easily as a conventional gasoline engine.
In accordance with the above object, in the present invention, a part of the fuel alcohol is reformed into a gaseous fuel containing hydrogen and carbon monoxide as the main components during operation of the engine and is stored and thus stored gaseous fuel is supplied to the engine when starting the engine so as to obtain an easy ignition thereof.
The invention will now be explained by referring to the drawings.
BRIEF EXPLANATION OF DRAWING
FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration showing one embodiment of the present invention; and
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an essential part of a modified embodiment thereof.
BEST MODE OF CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
In FIG. 1, 1 is an air cleaner, 2 is a carburetor, 3 is an intake tube, 4 is a combustion chamber of the engine body, 5 is an exhaust tube, and 6 is a fuel tank for storing the fuel alcohol. The alcohol is supplied to the carburetor 2 via a main fuel passageway 7.
As the starter according to the present invention, a passageway 8 leading from the fuel tank 6 to the carburetor 2 is provided separately from the main fuel passageway 7. In this passageway 8, an electromagnetic valve 9, an evaporator 10, an electromagnetic valve 11, a reformer 12, and an electromagnetic valve 13 are inserted in the above order starting from the fuel tank side. A passageway 14 branched from the exhaust tube 5 at comparatively upstream point thereof is provided via an insertion of an electromagnetic valve 15. Passageway 14 extends to the reformer 12 and to the evaporator 10 in such a manner that these components are supplied with heat from the exhaust gas. This passageway 14 is thereafter connected at relatively downstream position of the exhaust tube 5 via an intervention of an electromagnetic valve 16. The aforementioned reformer 12 has a catalyst bed which is filled up with a reforming catalyst at the inside.
17 and 18 are sensors for detecting the pressure and the temperature, respectively, in the reformer 12, 19 is a sensor for exhaust gas temperature, and 20 is a control unit operating by signals sent from these sensors 17, 18 and 19 and a signal sent from a starter switch 21 and for controlling the electromagnetic valves 9, 11, 13, 15 and 16.
This control unit 20 acts to open the electromagnetic valves 9, 11, 15 and 16 when the pressure in the reformer 12 detected by the pressure sensor 17 is lower than a previously settled value (this settled value is compensated by a temperature detecting signal sent from the temperature sensor 18) and also when the exhaust gas temperature detected by an exhaust gas temperature sensor 19 is higher than a previously settled value and it also acts to ope
REFERENCES:
patent: 3933130 (1976-01-01), Csicsery
patent: 3963000 (1976-06-01), Kosaka et al.
patent: 3986350 (1976-10-01), Schmidt
patent: 4226213 (1980-10-01), Bernauer
patent: 4230072 (1980-10-01), Noguchi et al.
Combustion and Emission of Gaseous Fuel from Reformed Methanol in Automotive Engine, Tokuichi Inagaki et al. pp. 1-13.
Hirota Toshio
Ozawa Masuo
Cuchlinski Jr. William A.
Nissan Motor Co,. Ltd.
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