Abstract:
An apparatus for producing a highly combustible fuel comprising a reactor chamber maintained under negative pressure, a nozzle for spraying an atomized fuel under pressure into the reactor chamber forming atomized droplets, a nozzle for introducing air into the reactor chamber to mix in a reactor zone with the atomized fuel for supplying a high voltage electrical potential differential, including at least one electrode located in the reaction zone, for providing an electrical charge to the atomized droplets, and means for passing the resulting atomized fuel and air to the manifold of an internal combustion engine.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a continuation application of PCT/CA98/00454, filed May 8, 1998, in which the United States of America was designated and elected, and which remains pending in the International phase until Nov. 9, 1999, which in turn claims priority from U.S. application Ser. No. 60/046,049, filed May 9, 1997, and the benefit of 35 U.S.C. 119(e). 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a molecular reactor for fuel induction, and more specifically, to a method and apparatus for processing fuel and air for injection into an internal combustion engine. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Reference is made to copending PCT application PCT/CA98/00367 filed Apr. 16, 1998 for a FUEL AND PROCESS FOR FUEL PRODUCTION by the applicants. In that application the process and fuel is described. Thus, a process of producing a combustible fuel is described, comprising exposing a gaseous hydrocarbon fuel to an electrical field or plasma to produce a fuel of improved combustibility as compared with the hydrocarbon fuel. 
     The prior art, including U.S. Pat. No. 3,266,783, Knight, issued Aug. 16, 1966, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,347,825, Suzuki et al, issued Sep. 7, 1982, proposes charging the mixture of air and fuel with an electrical charge. In the case of Knight, the electrostatically charged droplets are said to disintegrate into submicron size. The charged particles will tend to repel each other and disperse themselves evenly in the volume of gas. An electromagnetic field is also required in order to control the direction and movement of the mixture of air and fuel in the carburetor. Suzuki et al proposes the charging of droplets to prevent the collection of fuel on the walls of the conduit downstream of the fuel nozzle. 
     Both of these examples require the use of an electrical current which can be detrimental to the process as it will more than likely create arcing, which is what is especially aimed to be avoided. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention seeks to provide a highly combustible fuel for motor driven vehicles, more efficient and exhibiting lower levels of exhaust pollutants than conventional mixtures of gasoline and air. 
     It is a further aim of the present invention to provide a reactor for reprocessing fuel and a gaseous, oxygeneous fluid in order to have more complete burning of the fuel in an internal combustion engine and to reduce the emissions thereof. 
     An apparatus in accordance with the present invention comprises a reactor chamber maintained under negative pressure, means for spraying fuel under negative pressure into the reactor chamber, means for introducing air under negative pressure into the reactor chamber to mix in a reactor zone with the fuel, a pair of electrodes in the reactor chamber, in the reaction zone, and means for producing a high voltage, low current charge between the electrodes for charging the fuel droplets. 
     In a more specific embodiment, means are provided for passing the resulting gases to a second reactor chamber whereby the second chamber defines a second reaction zone, means for introducing steam into the reaction zone with the gases from the first chamber, means for applying heat and negative pressure to the second reactor chamber, a pair of electrodes, and means for introducing the resultant fuel from the second reactor chamber into the manifold of an internal combustion engine. 
     In a still more specific embodiment the apparatus includes means for applying heat into the first reaction zone. 
     A method in accordance with the more specific embodiment of the present invention comprises the steps of spraying liquid fuel into a chamber under negative pressure, introducing air into the chamber, applying a negative electron discharge into the chamber for producing an intermediate fuel, introducing the intermediate fuel into a second reaction chamber, introducing steam into the second reaction chamber with the intermediate fuel, removing unwanted electrons from the second chamber for producing a final fuel, and introducing the final fuel into the manifold of an internal combustion engine. 
     In the process of the invention, a gaseous hydrocarbon fuel is exposed to an electrical field or plasma, more especially an electrical ionization potential difference, or to ultraviolet radiation, microwave radiation or laser. 
     The exposure may be carried out in the presence of a gaseous carrier fluid, for example, an oxygeneous fluid such as oxygen and/or air, or a mixture of oxygen and/or air and steam or gaseous water vapor. Other gaseous carrier fluids include nitrogen and the inert gases, for example, argon and helium. 
     While not wishing to be bound by any particular theory as to the mechanism of combustible fuel production, it is postulated in one theory that the electrical ionization potential difference or the radiation activates the gaseous hydrocarbon fuel to a high energy state; more especially the hydrocarbon molecules or ions of the fuel are thought to be electronically excited to a state in which they are more reactive or more susceptible to combustion than the hydrocarbon fuel in the non-excited state. 
     Another theory is that the process generates an extremely finely divided aerosol having a particle size far smaller than that achieved with a normal carburetor or fuel injector equipped system. Under the conditions of formation, the droplet particles are initially formed in a strongly, electrically charged condition. This is a metastable condition, leading immediately to the disruption of the highly charged droplets by internal coulombic repulsion and the formation of much more finely divided droplets, each of which carries a portion of the charge initially held by the original droplet. These second generation droplets may then rapidly and similarly undergo further disruption and dispersion and so on until the fuel-air mixture enters the combustion chambers and is ignited. Mutual electrostatic repulsion between these fuel particles prevents them from coalescing back to larger droplets. Furthermore, the droplets enter the combustion chambers relatively more finely divided than in a normal carburetor or fuel injector equipped system. Since burning of the fuel in the combustion chambers occurs at the fuel particle surface, its rate is therefore dependent upon the surface area. Burning at high engine speeds is incomplete before normally sized droplets in the normal carburetor or fuel injector equipped systems are ejected as exhaust, and therefore completeness of combustion is compromised if the droplet size is large. On the other hand, an extremely finely divided dispersion provides a huge increase in the surface area for burning and leads to much more complete combustion with the resulting decrease in carbon monoxide and unburnt hydrocarbon emissions which are observed with this invention. 
     The presence of the charge on the droplets of the aerosol likely enhances the ease with which the fuel dispersion is combusted, especially when the droplets are negatively charged, since the negatively charged droplets would have an increased affinity for oxygen adduction. 
     It is also possible, but not confirmed, that this excited state or charged droplets of the hydrocarbon molecules or ions may become bound to the gaseous carrier fluid, especially when the carrier fluid is an oxygeneous fluid, such as by forming an adduct between the oxygeneous fluid and the charged droplets. 
     In a particular process within the aforementioned general process, a gaseous, oxygeneous fluid is introduced into an atmosphere of gaseous hydrocarbon fuel maintained under vacuum. 
     The gaseous, oxygeneous fluid is suitably oxygen and/or air, or a mixture of oxygen and/or air and steam or gaseous water vapor. 
     The hydrocarbon fuel is suitably gasoline by which is to be understood the various grades of gasoline motor fuel; hydrocarbon fuel may also be diesel oil, natural gas or propane. 
     Conveniently the atmosphere of gaseous hydrocarbon fuel is formed by vaporizing a liquid hydrocarbon fuel, for example, gasoline, under vacuum or a slight pressure in a chamber. The use of a vacuum facilitates formation of the gaseous atmosphere from the liquid hydrocarbon fuel. Conveniently the vacuum corresponds to a negative pressure of 3 to 28 (7.62 cm to 71.12 cm), preferably 10 to 28 inches (25.4 cm to 71.12 cm) of mercury. When the vaporization is carried out at a slight pressure, this is suitably 15 to 16 psi (1.0206 atm to 1.08864 atm) and the atmosphere is formed at a temperature, relative to the pressure, of up to but not to exceed the fuel flash point. Test temperature can be increased up to the flash point of hydrocarbon fuel, but not exceeding it or explosion of said fuel can occur, resulting in personal injury to the experimenter. 
     Suitably the vaporization is carried out at an elevated temperature, which conveniently is 250° F. to 450° F. (121° C. to 232° C.), more especially 350° F. to 410° F. (177° C. to 210° C.). The pressure extending from vacuum through partial vacuum to a slight positive pressure may be considered to be 0-16 psi (1.08864 atm). 
     The gaseous, oxygeneous fluid is conveniently introduced continuously into the hot atmosphere in the chamber, and the formed combustible fuel is continuously withdrawn from the chamber and delivered to the cylinders of an internal combustion engine, preferably within 5 minutes of its formation, and more preferably within milliseconds of formation. 
     The electrical ionization potential established across the atmosphere of the hydrocarbon fuel containing the oxygeneous fluid is suitably 200-8000 volts, more usually 600-5000 volts. This is achieved by a pair of spaced-apart electrodes disposed so as to be within the aforementioned atmosphere. The spacing of the electrodes is such that any current flow resulting from the potential difference applied across the electrodes is minimal, typically of the order of 0.2 to 0.8 microamps. An average of 0.5 microamps was measured in the test set-up described herein. It should be noted that electrode area and configuration will affect the current flow. Arcing must not occur between electrodes or against any part of the set-up. 
     In reactors employed for carrying out the invention, one electrode is disposed within the reactor and the other electrode may be defined by the wall of the reactor. 
     In one particular embodiment, the hydrocarbon fuel is sprayed into a chamber from a spray nozzle and the oxygeneous fluid is introduced separately into the chamber, and a potential difference is established between the spray nozzle and a wall of the chamber particularly so as to produce negatively charged fuel droplets. In this embodiment, the spray nozzle functions as an electrode. 
     In the preferred embodiment in which air is employed as the gaseous, oxygeneous fluid, the air and the gaseous hydrocarbon fuel are suitably employed in a volume ratio of air to gaseous hydrocarbon fuel of 10 to 30:1, preferably 12 to 17:1. 
     The combustible fuel may be fed directly to the cylinders of an internal combustion engine. No carburetor, choke or injection system is employed. A condensate of the combustible fuel may also be formed, by subjecting the fuel to condensing conditions such as by cooling. 
     The combustible fuel in gaseous form does not require long term stability as it is normally formed as required and is burned continuously as it is produced, usually within a few milliseconds. The gaseous combustible fuel reverts to a liquid after about 10 minutes. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Having thus generally described the nature of the invention, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, showing by way of illustration a preferred embodiment thereof, and in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-section taken along a transverse plane of an embodiment of the apparatus; 
     FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-section thereof; 
     FIG. 3 is a horizontal cross-section taken along line  3 — 3  of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 a  is a diagram showing a detail of the present invention; 
     FIG. 4 b  is a diagram showing a further embodiment of a detail shown in FIG. 4 a;    
     FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a further detail of the present invention; 
     FIG. 6 is a diagram showing yet a further detail of the present invention; 
     FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a further detail of the present invention; 
     FIG. 8 is a fragmentary top view of a detail of the present invention; 
     FIG. 9 is a schematic representation of a reactor assembly incorporating a further embodiment of the reactor of the present invention; 
     FIG. 10 is a schematic representation of a reactor assembly incorporating a still further embodiment of the present invention; and 
     FIG. 11 is a schematic representation of a reactor assembly incorporating a still further embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring now to the drawings, and particularly FIGS. 1 to  3 , there is shown a reactor  10  having a housing  12  having end caps  14 ,  16  and a cylindrical core reactor chamber  18 . Within this cylindrical chamber  18  is a reaction zone  20 . From one end of the housing  12  and directed longitudinally into the core chamber  18  is a fuel nozzle  22  having a micron filter  24  and connected to a nozzle coupler  26  with a fuel line  28  coming from a tank  30  and a high pressure pump  32 . 
     Extending from an opposite longitudinal direction to the housing  12  is an air inlet  34 . The air is filtered through the air filter  36  and is injected into the reactor zone  20  directly opposite a fuel nozzle  22 . A pair of copper electrodes  38  and  40  are insulated with Viton insulation  42  from the housing  12  of the reactor  10 . The electrodes  38  and  40  are identically charged and, in this example, are both negative. 
     The Viton insulation  42  and electrodes  38  and  40  are connected through the leads to power supply  43 , which is shown in FIG.  4 . Alternatively, power can be provided by a variable power supply which can provide between −1,000 to −10,000 volts D.C. to the electrodes. 
     A condenser and heat exchanger  46  is provided in the bottom of the chamber  18  while drains  48  direct liquid fuel condensed in the bottom of the reactor to a recirculation fuel tank  50 . The housing  12  includes a chrome hardened, nitronic treated shell enclosing an insulation made of ceramic wool. A heating element  52  may be provided in the chamber, or it may be a jacket surrounding the chamber housing  12  and attached by means of fasteners  54 . The temperature in chamber  18  is maintained at 250° F. (121.2° C.) in the present example. Positive lead  56  and negative lead  58  are connected through a thermostat  60  to the heating element  52 . 
     As seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, conduits  62 ,  64  communicate the primary reaction chamber  18  to the secondary reaction chamber  66 , as will be described. 
     The chamber zone  20  is kept under negative pressure by means of a vacuum created by the internal combustion engine (not shown) through a vacuum outlet  65 . 
     A power supply  43  is illustrated in FIG. 4 a  and is connected to the leads  39  and  41  in FIG.  2 . The power supply, as shown in FIG. 4 a , can generate up to −900 volts D.C. In one example, the voltage quadrupler shown in FIG. 4 b  has been substituted into the circuit of FIG. 4 a . The quadruplet increased the output voltage to −1,980 volts D.C. 
     In operation, when the ignition switch  68  is turned on, fuel from tank  30  is passed by means of pump  32  to the spray nozzle  22  directed into the reactor zone  20 . At the same time, air is passed through the air inlet  34  to confront the sprayed or atomized fuel in the reactor zone  20 . The negative electrons are removed from the reactor zone  20  by means of the electrodes  38  and  40  to create a new fuel mixture. The fuel to air ratio may be between 14:1 and 30:1, but more preferably 14.7:1. 
     The mixture is discharged through conduits  62 ,  64  to the secondary chamber  66 . 
     Not all of the fuel will have reacted in this chamber, and that fuel will be condensed by the condenser  46  to a liquid and passed through drains  48  into a recirculating tank  50 . 
     Tank  50  is provided with a level control device which includes a liquid stabilizer sector  70  so that the fuel level in the tank can be more accurately determined by means of infrared level indicators  72  and  74 . The infrared detector  72  determines the high level in the tank  50  while the detector  74  determines the low level. 
     The high level detector  72  is connected to a gated leveltrol  76 , as shown in FIG.  5 . In this case, the high level detector  72  communicates with a terminal S 1  in the diagram by means of a lead  78   a . The low level detector  79   a  is also communicated to the gated leveltrol system  76  through a lead  78   b  to the terminal S 2 . 
     As seen from the diagram, in order for the circuit to be active, terminal S 2  and detector  74  must detect liquid in the tank. When the liquid reaches the level of detector  72 , the liquid is drained. The tank  50  includes a drain with a valve and a conduit surrounded by a fuel cooling device  11 . When the valve is open, by the switch determined by the circuit in the gated leveltrol system  76 , fuel will pass by means of the return pump (not shown) to the tank  30 . 
     The details of terminals S 1  and S 2  on the gated leveltrol  76  are shown in FIG.  7 . As seen in FIG. 7, the liquid level sensors S 1  and S 2  may be manufactured by Honeywell and are a conventional design as shown in the diagram. 
     FIG. 6 shows a detail of a relay driver used on the gated controller modules, both in the leveltrol system  76 . 
     The secondary reactor  66  includes a cylindrical housing  80 . The discharge of the primary reactor  12  through the conduits  62 ,  64  passes through a vortex  82  into the secondary reactor  66 . Negative electrodes  84  and  86  are located in the secondary reactor  66  to remove negative electrons from the gaseous fuel in the secondary reactor  66 . The reactor chamber  81  is also maintained at an elevated temperature and at a negative pressure. In one example, the temperature was observed to be 135° F. (57.2° C.). 
     A steam generator  88  injects steam into the secondary reactor  66  so as to enhance a secondary reaction with the fuel and air composition. Connected to the steam generator  88  is a high pressure pump  89  and a control unit  90 . The high pressure pump  89  pumps distilled water from the distilled water container  92 . A check valve  94  is associated with the container  92 . A high pressure solenoid valve  96  allows distilled water to enter the steam generator  88  as determined by the electronic injection system. Methyl hydrate may be needed in the container  92  to prevent freezing when ambient temperature is below freezing. 
     An adapter base  98  is provided for the intake manifold and supports the recirculating fuel chamber  50 . An opening  99  in the adapter base  98  is illustrated in FIG. 8 as well as in FIG.  1 . 
     The discharge from the secondary reaction chamber  66  passes into an internal combustion engine manifold to be drawn into the combustion chambers of the engine. The actuator system (not shown) will determine the opening and closing of the throttle plate and the actuation of the reaction chambers to produce the fuel. 
     FIGS. 9 through 11 show various embodiments of the primary reactor as described in copending PCT application PCT/CA98/00367, filed Apr. 16, 1998. 
     With reference to FIG. 9, reactor assembly  100  comprises a reactor  102 . 
     Reactor  102  comprises a housing  110 , a fuel delivery pipe  112  which terminates in a spray nozzle  114  is mounted in an electrically insulating sleeve  116  in a port  118  in housing  110 . Reactor  102  includes an air inlet port  120  and a fuel outlet port  122 . 
     A heating element  124  surrounds housing  110  and a voltage source  126  is connected between a wall  128  of housing  110  and pipe  112  such that pipe  112  and wall  128  form spaced-apart electrodes across which a continuous ionizing direct current potential difference is established. 
     A vacuum gauge  130  monitors the vacuum in housing  110  and a thermocouple meter  132  monitors the temperature of reactor  102  established by heating element  124 . 
     Feed line  134  feeds air or oxygen to housing  110 , the flow being controlled by a metering valve  136 . 
     Fuel supply  104  from a fuel tank (not shown) communicates with fuel delivery pipe  112 . 
     Output fuel line  106  communicates with a secondary reactor, as shown in FIGS. 1 to  3 . 
     Reactor  102  further includes a drain line  160  to a recirculation tank, such as shown at  50  in FIGS. 1 and 2. 
     With further reference to FIG. 10, there is shown an assembly  200  having a reactor  202 . 
     Reactor  202  has a housing  210  and a spray nozzle  214  at the end of a delivery pipe  212  in an end wall  264  of housing  210 . An electrode  266  is mounted in an electrically insulating sleeve  268  extending through wall  228 . Other components of assembly  200  which correspond to those of assembly  100  in FIG. 9 have the same identifying integers increased by 100. In this case, a continuous ionizing direct current potential difference is established by voltage source  226  between electrode  266  and wall  228 . 
     With further reference to FIG. 11, there is shown an assembly  300  having a reactor  302 . 
     Reactor  302  has a housing  310  and a spray nozzle  314  at the end of a delivery pipe  312  in an end wall  364  of housing  310 . An elongate metal rod  366  extends within housing  310  being mounted in an electrically insulating sleeve  368  in wall  328  of housing  310 . An inner end  370  of rod  366  is in spaced apart relationship with spray nozzle  314  so that fuel sprayed into housing  310  from spray nozzle  314  flows about rod  366 . 
     Voltage source  326  is connected between rod  366  and housing wall  328 . In this case a continuous ionizing direct current potential difference is established by voltage source  326  between rod  366  and wall  328 . Other components of assembly  300  which correspond to those of assembly  100  in FIG. 9 have the same identifying integers increased by  200 . 
     In operation of reactor assembly  100  with reactor  102 ,  202  or  302 , fuel is pumped from a fuel tank to fuel delivery pipe  112 ,  212  or  312  and the fuel is delivered as a spray from spray nozzle  114 ,  214  or  314  into the interior of housing  110 ,  210  or  310 . 
     A d.c. high voltage potential difference typically about 3,000 volts is established by voltage source  126 ,  226  or  326 , and heating element  124 ,  224  or  324  establishes an elevated temperature typically about 400° F. (204° C.) within housing  110 ,  210  or  310 . 
     Air is introduced into housing  110 ,  210  or  310  from line  134 . 
     The high voltage potential difference and elevated temperature produce a fine dispersion of charged fuel droplets in housing  110 ,  210  or  310  which charged fuel droplets together with the air introduced by line  134  is drawn from housing  110 ,  210  or  310  by the vacuum pump  158  of motor  108 , via fuel outlet port  122 ,  222  or  322 , and the secondary reactor (not shown).