Abstract:
A catalytic fuel igniter is compatible with internal combustion engines and other chemical fuel operated systems. The catalytic fuel igniter does not require electrical components typically required for such systems, thus reducing complexity. The catalytic fuel igniter includes a catalyst in a controlled environment which ignites the fuel and air at the proper time for engine operation. In one embodiment the fuel is a hydrogen fuel and the catalytic fuel igniter is a hydrogen fuel igniter.

Description:
[0001]    The present application claims the priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/738,051 filed Dec. 17, 2012, which application is incorporated in its entirety herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to the ignition of internal combustion engines and in particular to a catalytic ignition device for hydrogen fuel internal combustion engines. 
         [0003]    Fossil fuels pose environmental and health challenges. Also, environmental regulations which require companies to develop complex and expensive emission controls have not been effective in completely eliminating the build-up of carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide compounds in the atmosphere. 
         [0004]    Conventional combustion technologies require carbon based fuel and an oxidizer to be ignited by a spark plug or heating element (e.g., glow plug) utilizing a magnetic/electrical coil or electrical feed. Generally ignition systems are required to provide an electrical signal, and these ignition systems often fail. 
         [0005]    As an alternative to complex fossil fuels, hydrogen is gaining popularity in the world. Hydrogen is safe to use and abundant in nature. In a gaseous form, hydrogen chemically reacts with air to form water as the main product of an exothermic (energy releasing) reaction. The combustion of hydrogen and air delivers approximately 1.5 times more BTU than carbon fuel (e.g., gasoline). However, some form of efficient ignition is still required for hydrogen fueled internal combustion engines. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The present invention addresses the above and other needs by providing a catalytic fuel igniter which is compatible with internal combustion engines and other chemical fuel operated systems. The catalytic fuel igniter does not require electrical components typically required for such systems, thus reducing complexity. The catalytic fuel igniter includes a catalyst in a controlled environment which ignites the fuel and air at the proper time for engine operation. In one embodiment the fuel is a hydrogen fuel and the catalytic fuel igniter is a hydrogen fuel igniter. 
         [0007]    In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a catalytic fuel igniter which eliminates the need for an electrical ignition system for hydrogen fuel. The catalytic fuel igniter reduces the cost of materials used and increases the efficiency of the hydrogen combustion reaction thereby increasing the efficiency of the engine. 
         [0008]    In accordance with another of the invention, there is provided a catalytic fuel igniter including female fitting including a threaded passage therethrough, a male fitting having a male threaded portion cooperating with the threaded passage of the female fitting attachment of the male fitting of the top of the female fitting, a closed end of the threaded passage opposite the male fitting, the closed end including slits and sides containing orifices, a catalytic plug residing in the threaded passage at the closed end, a spring residing in the threaded passage above the catalytic plug, and a set screw residing in the threaded passage above the spring and threadedly cooperating with the threaded passage to advance and retreat the within the threaded passage by turning the set screw. 
         [0009]    In accordance with still another of the invention, there is provided a catalytic plug made using a method including washing porous white alumina with distilled water, drying the washed alumina with hydrogen gas flame, saturating the dried alumina with two drops of concentrated Chloroplatinic acid, reducing with excess 5-7 mL diluted Sodium Hydroxymethane Sulfinate solution heated to at least 78° Celsius to make platinized alumina, drying the platinized alumina using a hydrogen flame, placing one drop of concentrated Chloroplatinic acid on the platinized alumina, decomposing with hydrogen flame until visible silver platinum is deposited in the pores, and bringing the alumina catalyst to room temperature and introduce hydrogen gas to re-generate the catalyst. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
         [0010]    The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following more particular description thereof, presented in conjunction with the following drawings wherein: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1  is an internal combustion engine having a catalytic fuel igniter according to the present invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2A  is a side view of a male fitting of the catalytic fuel igniter according to the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 2B  is a bottom view of the male fitting of the catalytic fuel igniter according to the present invention. 
           [0014]      FIG. 2C  is a top view of the male fitting of the catalytic fuel igniter according to the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 3A  is a side view of a female fitting of the catalytic fuel igniter according to the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 3B  is a bottom view of the female fitting of the catalytic fuel igniter according to the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 3C  is a top view of the female fitting of the catalytic fuel igniter according to the present invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view of the female fitting according to the present invention, taken along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 3A . 
           [0019]      FIG. 5A  is an exploded view of the catalytic fuel igniter according to the present invention. 
           [0020]      FIG. 5B  is a cross-sectional view of the assembled catalytic fuel igniter according to the present invention. 
           [0021]      FIG. 6  is a bottom view of a spring element of the catalytic fuel igniter according to the present invention. 
           [0022]      FIG. 7  is another embodiment of a catalytic fuel igniter according to the present invention. 
           [0023]      FIG. 8  is a process for making a catalyst plug according to the present invention. 
       
    
    
       [0024]    Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding components throughout the several views of the drawings. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0025]    The following description is of the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the invention. This description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of describing one or more preferred embodiments of the invention. The scope of the invention should be determined with reference to the claims. 
         [0026]    A catalytic ignition engine  10  having a catalytic fuel igniter  24  according to the present invention is shown in  FIG. 1 . The engine  10  includes an engine block  12 , a cylinder  14 , a head  16 , a valve cover  18 , exhaust  20 , and an air intake  22 . The engine  10  includes internal components including a crank shaft  11  residing in the engine block  12 , a connecting rod  13  connected to the crank shaft  11 , a piston  15  connected to the connecting rod  13 , and a combustion chamber  17  in the head  16  above the piston  15 . The engine  10  further includes other internal and external parts known to those skilled in the art and not described here. The catalytic fuel igniter  24  may be attached at the location otherwise used by a spark plug or glow plug, or in a location provided specifically for the catalytic fuel igniter  24 . 
         [0027]    A side view of a male fitting  24   a  of the catalytic fuel igniter  24  is shown in  FIG. 2A , a bottom view of the male fitting  24   a  is shown in  FIG. 2B , and a top view of the male fitting  24   a  is shown in  FIG. 2C . The male fitting  24   a  includes a male threaded portion  32  and a wrench attachment portion  34 . 
         [0028]    A side view of a female fitting  24   b  of the catalytic fuel igniter  24  is shown in  FIG. 3A , a bottom view of the female fitting  24   b  is shown in  FIG. 3B , a top view of the female fitting is shown in  FIG. 3C , and a cross-sectional view of the female fitting  24   b  taken along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 3A  is shown in  FIG. 4 . The female fitting  24   b  includes a threaded passage  31  substantially therethrough (i.e., reaching nearly the entire length of the female fitting  24   b ), having an open end  31   a  for threadedly receiving the male fitting  24   a , and an opposite closed end  32  having slits  33  and passages  37 . The female fitting  24   b  includes male threads  28  for attachment to the engine  10 , an unthreaded portion  30 , and a wrench attachment portion  26  for tightening to the engine  10 . The wrench attachment portions  26  and  34  may be for a common ⅝ inch wrench, and the male threads may be a common spark plug thread of 14.125 mm. 
         [0029]    An exploded view of the catalytic fuel igniter  24  is shown in  FIG. 5A  and an assembled view of the catalytic fuel igniter  24  is shown in  FIG. 5B . The catalytic fuel igniter  24  includes the female fitting  24   b  including the threaded passage  31  therethrough, the male fitting  24   a  attachable to the top of the female fitting  24   b , a catalytic plug  38  residing in the threaded passage  31  at the closed end  32 , a spring residing in the threaded passage  31  above the catalytic plug  38 , a set screw  35  residing in the threaded passage  31  above the spring  36  and threadedly cooperating with the threaded passage  31  to advance and retreat the within the threaded passage  31  by turning the set screw  35 , and a compressible gasket (or seal)  39  captured between the female fitting  24   b  and the male fitting  24   a . The spring  36  and set screw  35  allow adjustment of force exerted against the catalytic plug  38  to hold the catalytic plug  38  in place and avoid cracks or other damage to the catalytic plug  38 . The compressible gasket  39  fills the gap between the male and female fitting when the male fitting  24   a  is tightened against the set screw  35 . The set screw  35  is a hydrogen compatible material, for example, brass. The male fitting  24   a  tightens against the set screw  35  to prevent loosening the up from heat expansion. The orifices  37  is preferably aligned with the catalytic plug  38  to facilitate saturation of the catalytic plug  38  with hydrogen fuel, and some of the hydrogen fuel generally flows upward past the catalytic plug  38 , thus surrounding the catalytic plug  38 . 
         [0030]    A bottom view of the spring  36  is shown in  FIG. 6 . The spring  36  has an inward folded bottom coil  36   a  to rest against the catalytic plug  38 . 
         [0031]    Another embodiment of the catalytic fuel igniter  24 ′ is shown in  FIG. 7 . The catalytic fuel igniter  24 ′ includes a male fitting  24   a ′ and locking nut  40  for fixing the depth of the male fitting  24   a ′ in the interior passage  31  of the female fitting  24   b  to apply force to the catalytic plug  38 . 
         [0032]    A process for making a catalyst plug  38  according to the present invention is described in  FIG. 8 . The method includes washing porous white alumina with distilled water at step  100 , drying the washed alumina with hydrogen gas flame at step  102 , saturating the dried alumina with two drops of concentrated Chloroplatinic acid at step  104 , reducing with excess 5-7 mL diluted Sodium Hydroxymethane Sulfinate solution heated to at least 78° Celsius to make platinized alumina at step  106 , drying the platinized alumina using a hydrogen flame at step  108 , repeating steps  104 ,  106 , and  108  at least 3 times at step  109 , placing one drop of concentrated Chloroplatinic acid on the platinized alumina at step  110 , decomposing with hydrogen flame until visible silver platinum is deposited in the pores at step  112 , and bringing the alumina catalyst to room temperature and introduce hydrogen gas to re-generate the catalyst at step  114 . 
         [0033]    While alumina is a preferred material for making the catalyst plug  38 , alternative materials include other solid material porous which can be platinized. The catalytic fuel igniter  24  may also be used for starting jet engines and as an igniter for rocket engines. An igniter according to the present invention may further be used with methane, butane, and propane fuels with a modified catalyst. 
         [0034]    While other materials may be used, examples of suitable materials for the male fitting and female fitting are 303 stainless, 304 stainless and 314 stainless. 
         [0035]    While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means of specific embodiments and applications thereof, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention set forth in the claims.