Abstract:
The present invention is directed to a method and system for supplementing fuel for an internal combustion engine by applying a current across a cathode and an anode in an aqueous electrolyte solution to generate fuel gas such as hydrogen; directing the fuel gas to fill a collapsible bag; directing the fuel gas past the collapsible bag to the internal combustion engine when the collapsible bag is full; and allowing the fuel gas that filled the collapsible bag to be drawn into the engine when the engine requires a fuel boost.

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This patent application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/112,722 filed on 8 Nov. 2008, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to apparatus, method and system for generating supplemental fuel for an internal combustion engine. 
         [0004]    2. Description of Related Art 
         [0005]    As anyone can see with our economy the reserves of petroleum seem to be fading away and, at the same time, the need for petroleum around the world seems to be more in demand. Because of this, fuel prices, both gasoline and diesel have demanded that people invent alternative ways to fuel cars, trucks, buses, planes, etc. to allow our economy to offer more efficient and economical means of fueling. This endeavor has sparked much interest for inventions all over the world. An example of this would be a means of using water to form combustible gasses to use with petroleum fuel to create internal combustion. This invention is the generation of combustible gasses such as hydrogen obtained from water to supplement petroleum fuels for an internal combustion engine. Electricity which can be generated by the engine can be used to electrolyze water to capture some of the energy lost to the inefficiencies of the internal combustion engine. 
         [0006]    The idea of using water as a supplement fuel is not a new idea as shown by, 
         [0007]    U.S. Pat. No. 7,240,641 to Balan et al. 
         [0008]    U.S. Pat. No. 7,021,249 to Christison; 
         [0009]    U.S. Pub. No. 2005/0,217,991 Al to Dahlquist, Jr. 
         [0010]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,332,434 to De Souza et al. 
         [0011]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,311,648 to Lorocque; 
         [0012]    U.S. Pat. No. 6,257,175 to Mosher et al. 
         [0013]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,450,822 to Cunningham; 
         [0014]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,305,715 Nissly; 
         [0015]    U.S. Pat. No. 7,100,542 to Ehresman et al. 
         [0016]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,231,954 to Stowe; 
         [0017]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,178,118 to Nakamats; 
         [0018]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,442,801 to Glynn et al. 
         [0019]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,271,793 to Valdespino. 
         [0020]    Because petroleum reserves are shrinking and fuel costs are rising everywhere, people are searching for simple and easy to fuel automobiles. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0021]    The present invention is directed to a method for supplementing fuel for an internal combustion engine by applying a current across a cathode and an anode in an aqueous electrolyte solution to generate fuel gas; filling a collapsible bag with fuel gas when the collapsible bag is not substantially full; allowing the fuel gas to bypass the collapsible bag towards the internal combustion engine when the collapsible bag is full; and drawing fuel gas from the collapsible bag into the engine when the engine requires a fuel boost. 
         [0022]    The present invention is also directed to a system for providing fuel gas for an internal combustion engine comprising a tank containing an aqueous electrolytic solution; an electrolytic tank containing a cathode and an anode; a pump that circulates aqueous electrolyte solution from the tank into a cooler comprising a fan and a radiator and back to the tank; a spout that directs fuel gas to a collapsible bag that is connected to a turbo intake of the internal combustion engine. 
         [0023]    The present invention is also directed to an electrolytic tank comprising a spaced apart electrode array of a cathode and an anode, wherein the spaced-apart electrode array is secured by a positive bolt that passes through a positive bolt duct on each electrode and a negative bolt that passes through a negative bolt duct on each electrode, and wherein the negative bolt is isolated electrically from the cathode by a first rubber grommet and the positive bolt is isolated electrically from the anode by a second rubber grommet. 
         [0024]    The foregoing has outlined, rather broadly, the preferred feature of the present invention so that those skilled in the art may better understand the detailed description of the invention that follows. Additional features of the invention will be described hereinafter that form the subject of the claims of the invention. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that they can readily use the disclosed conception and specific embodiment as a basis for designing or modifying other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention and that such other structures do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention in its broadest form. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0025]    Other aspects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following detailed description, the appended claim, and the accompanying drawings in which similar elements are given similar reference numerals. 
           [0026]      FIG. 1  is a diagram of an embodiment of a gas generator in accordance with the principles of the invention; 
           [0027]      FIG. 2  is a cross sectional view of an embodiment of an electrolytic tank in accordance with the principles of the invention; 
           [0028]      FIG. 3  is illustrates an embodiment of an electrode plate in accordance with the principles of the invention; 
           [0029]      FIG. 4  illustrates a notched neutral plate; 
           [0030]      FIG. 5  is a cross sectional view of a collapsible bag in accordance with the principles of the invention; 
           [0031]      FIG. 6  is an embodiment of an electrical diagram that shows the circuitry used in an embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0032]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0033]      FIG. 1  is a diagram of an embodiment of a gas generator  1  in accordance with the principles of the invention. Gas generator  1  contains holding tank  2  that contains an aqueous electrolyte solution  3 . Holding tank  2  is used to cool the electrolytic in tanks  39  which include electrodes that are submerged in an aqueous electrolyte solution  3 . Fuel gas is generated with a current delivered to electrodes in the electrolytic tanks  39  through electrode connectors  5  and  6 , where water from the solution is split into hydrogen and oxygen. As fuel gas, hydrogen and oxygen, accumulates, it drifts to gas spouts  8  where it is directed through tubing  18  past gas drier  19  towards an internal combustion engine  43 . 
         [0034]    Additional components of gas generator  1  include electrical panel  9 , tubing  10  that connects electrolytic tank  39  to pump  11 , tubing  12  that connects pump  11  to radiator  13  which is connected by tubing  14  to holding tank  2 . Radiator  13  and fan  15  together form cooling component  16 . As one can imagine, the gas generator may not operate if the temperature is below freezing. Accordingly, the circuit boards  50  are designed to prevent the electrolytic tanks  39  from operating until the tank and the tubes are warmed so that the electrolyte solution is liquid. Once the solution is liquid, circuit board  50  supplies current which flows to electrode connectors  5  and  6  to begin the electrolytic process to generate the fuel gas. Circuit board  50  controls the source power to heater fan  49 , heater core  51 , vehicle radiator fluid in hose  52 , vehicle radiator fluid out hose  53 , as well as fan  15 , pump  11 , electrolytic tank  39  and temperature sensor  38 . Heater operation is by hot radiator fluid in hose  52  entering heater core  51 , warming heater core to a temperature of between 108 and 210 degrees F., at which time heater fan  49  warms all components of gas generator  1 . Fluid continues to circulate back to vehicle radiator fluid out hose  53  and to the vehicle system. 
         [0035]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , there is shown a Block Diagram-System Controller for H20 Reformer  70 . The best way to describe System Controller Reformer  70  is to trace the steps performed by the controller starting with vehicle power source  72  and ending with microcontroller  71 . Initially, vehicle ignition  91  is provided, power supply  72  activates protection and power supply circuitry  73 . Variable voltage source  74  is engaged and voltage of up to 36V is fed to power controller  75 . Microcontroller  71 , which is connected to temperature sensor  38 , activates power controller  75  which feeds power to Electrolytic tank  39  ( FIG. 1 ). If temperature sensor  38  sends a signal to microcontroller  71  that the temperature is below 32 degrees F., solid state relay  79  will operate pre-heater  51  and  49  which can use up to 10 amps at 12 volts. Once microcontroller  71  receives information from thermostat sensor  38  that the temperature is above freezing, 32 degrees F., microcontroller  71  sends a signal to relay  79  for pre-heaters  51  and  49  to turn off and sends a signal to relay  78  to turn on circulation pump  11 , and relay  77  to turn on cooling fan  15 . Microcontroller  71  also receives information from water level sensor  81  which is in holding tank  2  to water level gauge  80  located in the dashboard of a vehicle. Lastly. microcontroller receives an input signal from the vehicle parking brake sensor  90  which will shut down the entire system should the parking brake be engaged. 
         [0036]    During operation of the gas generator, the electrolyte solution is cooled to minimize dew point. For example, when the ambient temperature is below freezing, the electrolyte solution is warmed to only one or two degrees above freezing. When the ambient temperature is relatively high, the solution temperature is cooled below the dew point. For example, the operable temperature when ambient temperature is freezing or just above freezing is about 33-36 degrees F. In warmer temperature, the solution is operable at about 69-73 degrees F. 
         [0037]      FIGS. 2 and 3  provide greater details of the electrolytic tank  39 . Electrolytic tank  39  includes an electrode array  20  that has two cathode plates  22 , two neutral plates  23 , and two anode plates  24 . A variety of arrays are contemplated, with the simplest being one cathode plate and one anode plate. The plates can be made from stainless steel and may degrade during the electrolytic process. After a certain amount of use, the electrolytic plates and/or tank can be replaced. 
         [0038]    The electrode array shown is particularly stable because each electrode is secured by at least two conducting bolts  25  and  26  and corresponding nuts with the spaced-apart relationship created by rubber grommets  32  that separate the electrodes from each other. As shown, conducting bolt  25  is the positive bolt, while conducting bolt  26  is the negative bolt. However, the polarity of the bolts can be reversed. In the present embodiment, bolt  25  is connected by conductor  28  to electrode connector  5 , while bolt  26  is connected by conductor  29  to electrode connector  6 . As shown, the polarity of the electrode connectors is positive at  5  and negative at  6 . 
         [0039]    In an embodiment, an electrode plate has two ducts  26  and  25  for the conducting bolts. The plate shown can be a cathode or an anode depending on the electrical connection that is created with the conducting bolts. In the case of a neutral plate  23 , ( FIG. 4 ) the plate itself is notched so as not to touch either the anode or the cathode duct. 
         [0040]    Additional stability features are obtained by including two additional structural ducts  35  and  35  which pass through the array of plates  20  for receiving plastic or fiberglass nuts and bolts. Both ducts are insulated by rubber grommets  32 . The rubber grommets  32  provide sufficient thickness to separate and insulate the plate from the bolts, and also have sufficient thickness to separate adjacent plates in the array. 
         [0041]    Although fuel gas from the generator may be steadily generated and consumed when supplied directly to the engine, in an embodiment, a collapsible bag is used to store gas and provide a boost of fuel gas when the engine requires additional power.  FIG. 5  illustrates a collapsible bag assemblage  40  having a rigid shell  41  that contains a collapsible bag  42 . The shell is made from any rigid material known in the art such as PVC steel, etc., while the bag can be made from any number of flexible materials known in the art such as rubber or plastic such as a vinyl. Tubing  43  carries the fuel gas from the gas generator to the bag where it is attached to rigid tubing  44  that passes through both the rigid shell and the collapsible bag. When the rigid tubing has passed through the collapsible bag, it is attached to flexible tubing  60  which caries the fuel gas towards the engine. In the embodiment shown, a bubbler  45  is added to regulate the flow of fuel gas. The section of rigid tubing  44  that is located in region  46  has multiple fine pin holes to allow a portion of the fuel gas to collect in the flexible bag  42 , while another portion of the fuel gas continues to the engine. 
         [0042]    In operation, the bag serves as a fuel gas reservoir. While the consumption of fuel by an internal combustion engine is ideally steady, the consumption is, in reality, variable. When a vehicle is moving up an incline or is moving into a headwind, the engine requires more fuel. Without the bag, the gas generator supplies a steady flow of fuel gas to the engine regardless of the consumption needs of the engine at any particular time. With the bag, fuel gas is still steadily supplied when the engine does not require additional power. However, when the engine requires more fuel, a vacuum is created that taps into the fuel gas that is stored in the bag. When the additional fuel is no longer needed, a portion of the fuel gas is diverted to fill the bag while another portion is supplied to the engine. On some occasions the additional fuel consumption may completely deplete the reserves in the bag, in which case, only the flow generated will be available until consumption is reduced to the point that gas can be diverted to refill the bag. 
         [0043]    Numerous electrolyte solutions can be used with this invention. In an embodiment, the aqueous electrolyte solution  3  is about six gallons of water with about six ounces of baking soda in the system, about five gallons in holding tank  2  and one gallon circulating outside of the holding tank, primarily in the radiators. In another embodiment, the amount of baking soda used can be greater than or equal to about four ounces with about six gallons of water. In yet another embodiment, sea water can be used in place of the baking soda solution. 
         [0044]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the various component of an embodiment of the supplemental fuel system according to the principles of the invention, from gas generator  1  to the intake of the engine. In one embodiment, the intake is the turbo intake of the engine. The gas generated is about 6 liters per minute. The amount of fuel saved is about 50% while the horsepower is improved by 22.5%. The pressure increases before the turbo intake is up to about 2 pounds per square inch. Flexible tubing  60  which is securely joined to air fitting  61  allows gasses to travel into turbo inlet  62 . When gasses enter turbo  63 , they are pressurized from 5 to 45 pounds of pressure before being fed to the internal combustion engine manifold and thus to the cylinders for ignition. 
         [0045]    While the present invention has been described in considerable detail, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that alternations may be made in the described system, device or method without departing from the concept and scope of the present invention as described in the claims that are set forth herein.