Internal-combustion engines – Charge forming device – Diverse fuel supply
Patent
1990-10-01
1992-06-02
Nelli, Raymond A.
Internal-combustion engines
Charge forming device
Diverse fuel supply
F02B 1300
Patent
active
051178001
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to improvements in the oxygen enrichment of fuels, and particularly, but not exclusively, fuels for diesel engines. Thus, the invention is equally applicable to both diesel and spark ignition engines.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The possibility of oxygen enrichment of diesel and spark ignition engines has been the subject of research consideration, for example, in Ghojel J, Hilliard J. C. and Levendis J. A. "Effect of oxygen enrichment on the performance and emissions of IDI diesel engines." (SAE paper 830245, 1983), and Quader A. A. "Exhaust emissions and performance of a spark ignition engine using oxygen enriched air." (Combustion Science and Technology Vol. 19, pp 81-86, 1978). These researchers found that adding oxygen to enrich the fuel used resulted in decreased exhaust hydrocarbons emissions and higher exhaust nitric oxide emissions. More importantly, the results obtained indicated that fuel consumption was not improved and in fact was poorer leading to the conclusion that oxygen enrichment was not of any significant benefit.
It is the object of the present invention to provide certain improvements in oxygen enrichment procedures by means of which material improvements may be obtained.
Heavy fuel oils are traditionally not suitable for use in most high speed diesel engines, other than marine diesel engines. The difficulty is that such fuels ignite too slowly but when ignition occurs, it burns very rapidly and therefore can seriously damage the engine. For example, fuels such as residual or heavy fuel oils, alcohol and alcohol blends, seed oils and blends of light gas oil and heavy fuel oil or coal based fuels have not been able to be used for combustion in these engines.
It is therefore another object of the present invention to provide a method and system by means of which such fuels may be used in combustion engines.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In its broadest aspect, the invention provides a method of operating a diesel or spark ignition engine, comprising the steps of enriching the combustion air supply with oxygen while at the same time adjusting the fuel injection or ignition timing of the engine sufficiently to compensate for the earlier (and improved) combustion caused by the increased oxygen content in the combustion air.
In a more specific aspect, the invention provides a system for improving fuel combustion comprising an air inlet leading to a turbocharger having a compressor, oxygen producing means connected to said compressor, and preferably to the inlet means thereof, and to the air/fuel inlet of an engine, characterized in that said oxygen producing means replaces or significantly reduces the size of the intercooler normally installed between the turbocharger and the air/fuel inlet to the engine.
Research consideration of such an arrangement has shown that fuel consumption is significantly improved by the oxygen enrichment while additional economic improvement is achieved by the removal or reduction in size of an intercooler. The findings of our research have been directly contrary to the research referred to above on the question of fuel consumption and this is believed to be due to the recognition of the need to adjust the timing of commencement of combustion of the fuel to compensate for the oxygen enrichment of the fuel.
In a preferred form of the invention, the oxygen producing means is arranged to increase the oxygen concentration of the combustion air to between about 22% and 40%, with the preferred range lying between about 24% and 28%.
The advantage of removing the intercooler lies not only in the economic consideration referred to above, but almost as importantly, in the reduction of the system volume between the compressor of the turbo charger and the engine. This leads to better transient response to demand for increased power (or torque) because there is less system volume to fill at the increased pressure and as a result the engine is far more responsive and produces less transient smoke emission.
In another aspect of th
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patent: 3961609 (1976-06-01), Gerry
patent: 4513727 (1985-04-01), Lagano et al.
patent: 4535728 (1985-08-01), Batchelor
patent: 4603662 (1986-08-01), Norton et al.
patent: 4865001 (1989-09-01), Jensen
Ghojel et al, "Effect of Oxygen Enrichment on the Performance of IDI Diesel Engines", SAE Paper No. 83024 (1983).
Quader, Combustion Science and Technology, "Exhaust Emissions and Performance of a Spark Ignition Engine Using Oxygen Enriched Intake Air", 1981 (1978).
Milkins Eric E.
Rigby Geoffrey R.
Watson Harry C.
Nelli Raymond A.
The Broken Hill Proprietary Company Limited
The University of Melbourne
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