Patent ID: 7281500
Filing Date: 2007-10-16
Classification: F02M,Y02T

Abstract:
1. The combination of a piston internal combustion engine with a supplementary slurry fuel atomizer and supply system: wherein said piston internal combustion engine comprises: a crankshaft; at least one piston and cylinder, each said piston and cylinder enclosing a cylinder gas volume; a common rail fuel injection system for injecting fuel into each said cylinder gas volume; an exhaust system for discharging burned exhaust gas from said cylinder gas volume; wherein said common rail fuel injection system comprises: a common rail; a common rail pump and driver; and control means for controlling said common rail pump, so that common rail pressure is maintained within the common rail of said common rail fuel injection system, by pumping fluid, from the inlet of said common rail pump, into said common rail; and further wherein said common rail pressure is essentially fully applied, along essentially the full length of the slurry fuel flow path, within said common rail up to said cylinder gas volume; wherein said supplementary slurry fuel atomizer and supply system comprises: a source of slurry fuel comprising non-gaseous fuel particles suspended in a continuous liquid water phase; a source of atomizing gas, at least some portions of which are at least moderately soluble, and preferably highly soluble, in liquid water; a contactor chamber for contacting slurry fuel with atomizing gas at contactor chamber pressure, and comprising an upper portion and a lower portion, these portions being flow connected together; slurry fuel pump and driver means for transferring slurry fuel, from said source of slurry fuel, into said contactor chamber, and into the upper portion of said contactor chamber; atomizing gas transfer means for transferring atomizing gas, from said source of atomizing gas into said contactor chamber, at contactor chamber pressure, and into a level within said contactor chamber well below the level at which slurry fuel is transferred into said contactor chamber; slurry transfer means for transferring slurry fuel from the lower portion of said contactor chamber, into the inlet of said common rail pump of said common rail fuel injection system; slurry fuel level sensor means for sensing the level of slurry fuel within said contactor chamber; slurry fuel pump and driver control means for controlling the rate of transfer of slurry fuel, from said source of slurry fuel, into said contactor chamber, responsive to said slurry fuel level sensor, and operative to; keep the lower portion of said contactor chamber full of slurry fuel, and, keep the level of slurry fuel below the upper portion of said contactor chamber; wherein said slurry level sensor means, and said slurry pump and driver control means, can be any one of the options: hand sensor and control means; automatic sensor and control means; and, a combination of hand and automatic sensor and control means; whereby slurry fuel flows from said source of slurry fuel, into and downward through said contactor chamber, and into said inlet of said common rail pump, and into said common rail of said common rail fuel injection system, and is injected therefrom into said cylinder gas volumes of said internal combustion engine; contactor chamber pressure sensor and control means for maintaining the gas pressure, in said contactor chamber, essentially constant about an average contactor chamber pressure, less than an upper set value of contactor chamber gas pressure, and greater than a lower set value of contactor chamber gas pressure, responsive to said contactor chamber pressure sensor, and operative to adjust the difference quantity of, the flow rate of atomizing gas into said contactor chamber, minus the flow rate of atomizing gas in gaseous form out of said contactor chamber, increasing said difference quantity when said sensed contactor pressure is less than said lower set value, and decreasing said difference quantity when said sensed contactor chamber pressure is greater than said upper set value; wherein said average contactor chamber pressure is less than, said common rail pressure, and is greater than, and preferably appreciably greater than, the pressure prevailing in said cylinder gas volume, of said internal combustion engine, during the time period when slurry fuel is being injected thereinto; wherein said common rail pressure is controlled to be sufficiently greater than the pressures prevailing in said cylinder gas volumes, of said internal combustion engine, as to assure adequate slurry fuel primary atomization, into slurry droplets, when injected into said cylinder gas volumes; wherein said contactor chamber pressure sensor and control means can be any one of the options: hand sensor and control means; automatic sensor and control means; and a combination of hand and automatic sensor and control means; whereby atomizing gas flows, from said source of atomizing gas, into said contactor chamber, countercurrent to said downward flow of slurry fuel therein and at least portions of said atomizing gas are dissolved into the water portion of said slurry fuel; and said dissolved portions of atomizing gas flow, with said slurry fuel, into the common rail of said common rail fuel injection system; and are injected with said slurry fuel into the cylinder gas volume of said internal combustion engine, where, at the lower pressures prevailing in said cylinder gas volume, said dissolved atomizing gas expands out of solution from said water portion, and separates the fuel particles, within each slurry fuel droplet, into separated fuel particles, thus increasing the fuel surface area available for fuel burning, and hence the rate and completeness of fuel combustion within each cylinder gas volume.