Abstract:
An apparatus including a mixing chamber is installed between the base of a standard carburator and the intake manifold of a gasoline engine. The mixing chamber includes an air inlet port for admitting a controlled amount of outside air into the mixing chamber and a gasoline vapor port for admitting gasoline vaporized externally of the carburator into the mixing chamber, a carburator inlet port for receiving a mixture of air and partially vaporized gasoline from the throat of the carburator, and an outlet port through which a mixture of all the gases is exhausted into the intake manifold. The carburator includes a first throttle valve for controlling the amount of air and partially vaporized gasoline that passes into the mixing chamber. A second throttle valve is disposed to control the amount of mixed gas drawn through the outlet port of the mixing chamber into the intake manifold. A linkage connected to the accelerator cable of the automobile causes the second throttle to be opened in response to initial displacement of the accelerator. As the engine loading conditions increase and the accelerator is depressed further, the second throttle valve opens further and the linkage causes the first throttle valve to partially open, admitting a normal charge of air and partially vaporized gasoline into the mixing chamber along with the air and gasoline vapor admitted through the two ports thereof.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application &#34;CAVITATION-PRODUCING CARBURATION APPARATUS AND METHOD&#34;, Ser. No. 588,910, filed Mar. 12, 1984, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,562,820, issued Jan. 7, 1986. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     A number of carburation devices are known which provide various techniques for improving the fuel efficiency of internal combustion gasoline engines. Conventional carburation devices produce a combustible fuel and air mixture by causing air to be drawn through a venturi into which liquid gasoline is fed. However, the fuel and air mixture, which includes an air stream containing a mist of small liquid gasoline droplets and gasoline vapor resulting from evaporation of the droplets, is not an ideal mixture. It has long been known that the efficiency of the engine is partially dependent upon the degree to which the liquid gasoline is vaporized. The lack of complete vaporization by conventional carburators leads to disadvantages, such as carbon build-up in the engine due to too rich of an air-fuel mixture being burned in certain engine cylinders and too lean of a fuel-air proportion at other points resulting from inertia of un-vaporized droplets of liquid gasoline that in turn causes centrifugal separation of some of the liquid droplets from the air and vapor flow at bends within the intake manifold. Hot air injection into the intake manifold to improve vaporization, and thereby improve combustion and hence fuel efficiency, and also to reduce pollutants has been utilized, but this involves a decrease in the thermodynamic efficiency of the engine. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,943,900, 4,137,875, and 4,167,166 disclose mixing chambers positioned between a conventional carburator and the engine&#39;s intake manifold to mix additional air with the fuel-air mixture produced by the carburator to accomplish increased vaporization. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,062,334, 2,446,034, 2,351,250, and 2,075,330 disclose multiple, sequential carburation systems to improve vaporization of the liquid gasoline. U.S. Pat. No. 4,175,525 discloses a chamber which vaporizes liquid gasoline by bubbling air through gasoline, producing a gasoline vapor in a container, drawing the gasoline vapor into the region between the throttle plate and the intake manifold, and providing a check valve to prevent explosions due to backfiring. The device disclosed draws only several ounces of liquid gasoline from each gallon of gasoline consumed by the carburator, vaporizes it by bubbling air through the several ounce quantity, and injects fully vaporized gasoline downstream from the main carburator. This is alleged to allow the main carburator to be adjusted to produce a leaner mixture. However, the air-fuel mixture produced by the venturi action of the carburator nevertheless includes a substantial amount of unvaporized liquid gasoline in the form of droplets which cause the above-mentioned problems. 
     Thus, there remains an unmet need for an improved carburation system which greatly reduces the amount of unvaporized gasoline in the form of a gasoline mist entering the intake manifold of an engine. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an apparatus and technique for efficiently vaporizing liquid gasoline to improve the efficiency of an internal combustion engine and reduce the level of pollutants emitted by the engine. 
     It is another object of the invention to provide an improved carburation system for a gasoline engine which provides essentially completely vaporized gasoline in a suitable air-to-fuel ratio for engine operation under low and medium engine load conditions, and is also able to provide adequate fuel and air to allow operation of the engine under high load conditions. 
     It is another object of the invention to provide such an apparatus which is easily retrofitted to a conventional carburation system of an automobile engine. 
     Briefly described, and in accordance with one embodiment thereof, the invention provides a carburation system including an apparatus for efficiently vaporizing a relatively large quantity of liquid gasoline adequate for low and medium load operation of an engine, a mixing chamber having a carburator inlet port for receiving a mixture of air and partially vaporized gasoline from a conventional carburator of the engine, an inlet port for receiving controlled amounts of completely vaporized gasoline vapor from the vaporizing apparatus, an inlet port for receiving controlled amounts of outside air for mixture in a predetermined ratio with the completely vaporized gasoline received from the other inlet port, in order to promote thorough mixing of the gasoline vapors and the air drawn in through the outside air inlet port, and also includes an outlet connected through a first throttle valve to the inlet of an intake manifold of the engine. The conventional carburator includes a second throttle valve. A linkage connecting the accelerator cable of the automobile to the first throttle valve allows the first throttle valve to be opened to a predetermined degree adequate for low and medium engine load conditions while the second throttle valve remains substantially closed, so that only relatively minute amounts of the air-fuel mixture passing through the conventional carburator reach the mixing chamber. Low and medium engine load conditions result in consumption of essentially completely vaporized gasoline from the vapor inlet port. When the accelerator is actuated to produce high engine loading conditions, the linkage further opens the first throttle valve, and also opens the second throttle valve, allowing large, controlled amounts of air and partially vaporized gasoline to be drawn through the conventional carburator in the normal fashion, adding this fuel-air mixture to the mixture already in the mixing chamber. 
     FIG. 1 is a diagram of a centrifugal cavitation vaporizing system useful in practicing the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is another diagram useful in further explaining the operation of the system of FIG. 1 and also discloses another embodiment of the invention. 
     FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the carburator, mixing chamber and two throttle valves of the invention in more detail than shown in FIG. 2. 
     FIG. 3A is a section view taken along section lines 3--3 of FIG. 3. 
     FIGS. 4A-4C are a sequence of diagrams illustrating operation of a linkage coupling the accelerator to the two throttle valves shown in FIG. 3. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to FIG. 1, a presently preferred embodiment of the invention, designated by reference numeral 1, will be described. 
     Gasoline tank 2 is the fuel tank of a typical automobile, and engine 3 is the gasoline engine of that automobile. Engine 3 has an exhaust pipe 4. 
     A cap 5 seals the fuel inlet 6 of gasoline tank 2. Gasoline tank 2 is only partially filled with liquid gasoline 7, so that there is a large empty region 8 above the surface of the liquid gasoline 7 in tank 2. 
     In accordance with the present invention, a fuel line or tube 8 communicates with the lower portion of tank 7, and cold, liquid gasoline moves through tube 8 in the direction of arrow 9. Preferably, tube 8 is composed of copper tubing. A typical size for the copper tubing would be one-half inch in diameter. The cold, liquid gasoline flowing in tube 8 can be preheated while it is in tube 8, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. If this is done, one way of preheating the fuel is to use the heat from exhaust pipe 4 by wrapping tube 8 around exhaust pipe 4, as indicated by reference numeral 8A. The number of turns of the tubing 8 around exhaust pipe 4 depends on how close to the exhaust manifold the turns are. The preheated liquid gasoline then flows through a check valve 10 before passing into an inlet of centrifugal pump 11. Check valve 10 can be any common check valve of the kind that can be purchased at most hardware stores. 
     Centrifugal pumps can be used, as long as their impellers are driven fast enough to cause cavitation. It has an internal rotor or impeller (not shown) which subjects the preheated gasoline to very high acceleration. This acceleration produces cavitation. Cavitation in pumps is ordinarily highly undesirable, as it leads to loss in pumping efficiency. However, in accordance with the present invention, the cavitation which is formed with the liquid gasoline undergoes a sufficient amount of acceleration to cause &#34;voids&#34; to form in the liquid. The near vacuum condition in these voids causes very rapid vaporization of the liquid gasoline, especially if it is preheated. More specifically, preheating of the gasoline increases the rate of vaporization of the liquid gasoline in these voids so that, in essence, it &#34;boils&#34; into them at a very rapid rate. Therefore, in accordance with the present invention, the cavitation process is an advantage, rather than a disadvantage, as is usually the case when cavitation occurs in a pump. 
     Not all of the liquid gasoline injected into centrifugal pump 11 is vaporized, however. A &#34;foam&#34; consisting of a larger amount of vaporized gasoline and also a significant amount of liquid usually moves through tube 12 in the direction of arrows 13 and flows back into the upper empty region 8 of fuel tank 7. The liquid portion of the foam quickly recombines with the liquid gasoline 7 in the lower portion of tank 2, but the region 8 becomes filled with a large supply of vaporized gasoline, which is ideal for combustion in the pistons of engine 3 when mixed with an appropriate amount of fresh air. 
     In some instances, it is necessary for air to be drawn into the upper region 8 of tank 2 through tube 14, for example, to prevent a vacuum condition from occuring in tank region 8 under certain conditions. A check valve 15 is provided to prevent any of the gasoline vapor foam in tube 12 from passing out through tube 14. 
     The impeller of the centrifugal pump 11 can be operated by an electric motor 16, mechanically connected to the impeller by a mechanical means designated by reference numeral 17. The speed of motor 16 can be controlled to produce the desired level of cavitation in centrifugal pump 11. 
     Further in accordance with the present invention, a tube 17 leads from upper region 8 of the tank to a suitable carburation device 18 in the direction indicated by arrows 19. This vaporized gasoline moving through tube 17 passes through a one-way check valve 20, which can be easily constructed or readily obtained at hardware stores. This check valve is needed to prevent possible ignition, for example, when the engine backfires, of the fumes in region 8 of tank 2. The details of carburation 18 are generally indicated in FIG. 2, subsequently described. As with any carburation devices, its main function is to mix a suitable amount of air with the vaporized gasoline to achieve complete and adequate combustion. 
     In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a turbine device 21 is interposed in the path of vapor tube 17. Gasoline vapor will be sucked through tube 17 by the carburation device 18 as a result of vacuum created in the intake manifold of engine 3. A rotor of turbine 21 can be utilized to produce some or all of the power needed to either turn the impeller of centrifugal pump 11 or aid in turning it as indicated by mechanical connection 22. 
     More work needs to be done on the development of a practical and efficient carburation system, and I am conducting more experimentation in this area. However, in the past, I have devised an experimental carburation device that worked fairly well, as subsequently explained. The device was installed on a 1974 Ford Torino Sedan with a 400 cubic inch V8 engine, and excellent fuel economy was obtained for a system generally similar to the one shown in FIG. 2. Before further discussing the results of these experiments, it will be helpful to first describe the structure shown in FIG. 2. 
     In FIG. 2, reference numeral 2 again designates the gasoline tank of the vehicle. Reference numeral 11 again designates a centrifugal pump that was included in the device that I built. Liquid gasoline was drawn through inlet tube 8 in the direction of arrow 9. Cavitation was produced by the impeller of pump 11 within its housing, and gasoline foam, including a large amount of pure gasoline vapor, was fed back into the upper portion 8 of tank 2 throuugh tube 12, as indicated by arrow 13. A vapor tube 17 in communication with the upper region 8 of gasoline tank 6 conducted gasoline vapor in the direction of arrows 19 through a one way check valve 20 to the carburation apparatus 18. Reference numeral 24 designates a conventional liquid fuel tank line running from the lower portion of gasoline tank 7 into the original equipment carburator system 15 of the automobile. Reference numeral 26 designates the conventional air filter of the automobile. 
     A mixing chamber device 27 was disposed between the intake opening of intake manifold 28. Mixing chamber 27 has an inlet to which tube 17 was connected, so that the gasoline vapor passes into the mixing chamber. An air inlet tube 29 is connected to another inlet of mixing chamber 27. A control valve 30 was connected in series communication with tube 29, and an auxiliary air filter 31 filtered air passing through tube 29 and control valve 30. Control valve 30 performed the function of adjusting the amount of air mixed with gasoline vapor entering mixing chamber 27 via tube 17 in accordance with the operating condition of the engine. Reference numeral 32 indicates the controlled flow of air through tube 29 into mixing chamber 27. Beneath mixing chamber 27 is a housing 33 which is open at its top and bottom to provide a path of flow for properly mixed gasoline vapor and air in the direction of arrows 34. A butterfly valve 35 was connected by a linkage 36 to the accelerator pedal 37 of the automobile. A further linkage 38 was connected to the throttle lever 39 of standard carburator 25. 
     During normal economy operation, the linkage 38 causes the throttle of carburator 25 to be completely closed, so essentially no air flows through air filter 26 and carburator 25 into the upper open end of mixing chamber 27. During normal &#34;economy&#34; operation, only gasoline vapor injected into mixing chamber 27 via tube 17 from the upper portion 8 of gasoline tank 2 is fed into the carburation system, and only air from filter 31 and control valve 30 is drawn into the mixing chamber 27 and mixed with the gasoline vapor. Maximum economy of operation occurs in this mode of operation. 
     My experiments have shown, at least for the embodiments of the invention that I have built so far, that acceleration is quite poor. Therefore, the above-described mode of operation is suitable for fairly level highway driving. However, when more power is needed for acceleration or climbing a steep hill, the throttle linkages 36 and 38 cooperate to open the throttle of carburator 25 when accelerator pedal 37 is pushed more than half way to the floor. Then, liquid gasoline is drawn through line 24 into carburator 25 and supplemental air is drawn through filter 26, and a mixture of that air and partially vaporized gasoline is also conducted into the carburation system. This mixture of air and partially vaporized gasoline supplements that enter mixing chamber 27 through tubes 17 and 29, resulting in a temporary loss of economical operation, and a temporary increase of power. 
     The carburator 25, mixing chamber 27, and throttle valve 35 and 39 are shown in more detail in FIGS. 3 and 3A, wherein reference numeral 25 designates the standard, original equipment carburator of the automobile engine. It includes a throttle 39 which is normally coupled by a suitable linkage to the accelerator peddle, controlling the amount of air 61 drawn through the throat of the carburator. Reference numeral 27 again designates the mixing chamber of the present invention which is disposed between the base of carburator 25 and the inlet of input manifold 28. Outside air drawn into mixing chamber 27, as a result of suction from input manifold 28, through filter 31 and control valve 30 (FIG. 2) and flows through tube 29 into the interior of mixing chamber 27. Tube 17 brings completely vaporized gasoline from the vaporization mechanism (which can be the cavitation pump 11 of FIGS. 1 and 2 or other suitable vaporization devices) and the interior 8 of fuel reservoir 2, through the check valve 20 into the interior of mixing chamber 27, wherein the outside air and the completely vaporized gasoline are mixed, if a second lower throttle valve 35 is open. If lower throttle valve 35 is open, it allows suction in the intake manifold to draw air through tube 29 and to draw gasoline vapor through tube 17. The mixing of the outside air from tube 29 and the gasoline vapor from the tube 17 is indicated by the arrows in the interior 27A of mixing chamber 27 in FIG. 3A. The mixing chamber and/or the carburator can be heated by means of hot exhaust fed through a tube such as 63 in FIG. 1 to a heating passage 64 in the mixing chamber 27. 
     In accordance with the present invention, normally the carburator throttle valve 39 is closed, allowing only a minute amount of air and partially vaporized gasoline, including a mist of liquid gasoline droplets, to enter into the upper opening of mixing chamber 27. The original linkage between carburator throttle valve 39 and the accelerator peddle 37 (FIG. 2) of the automobile is interrupted by the linkage shown in FIGS. 4A-4C, which initially causes only throttle valve 35 to open in response to intial depression of accelerator peddle 37, and allows carburator throttle valve 39 to remain closed. 
     This arrangement allows the automobile to operate almost completely on entirely vaporized gasoline for low engine loading conditions, such as, traveling at a constant rate of speed on a relatively level highway. However, if a heavier engine loading condition occurs, for example if it is necessary to depress the accelerator further in order to cause the automobile to accelerate rapidly or to climb a steep hill, the further depression of the accelerator peddle 37 not only opens throttle valve 35 further, but also causes carburator throttle valve 39 to open, so that the mixture of outside air, partially vaporized gasoline, and a mist of gasoline droplets produced by carburator 27 also enters into the interior of mixing chamber 27 and is mixed with the gasoline vapor and air entering through tubes 17 and 29, respectively, and passes into the interior of intake manifold 28 and ultimately to the cylinders of the engine, providing a burst of power. 
     Although the advantages of providing only entirely vaporized gasoline into the intake manifold are lost during heavy engine loading conditions the high degree of engine responsiveness and high power that normally are achieved with ordinary carburation techniques are retained, while for low and medium engine loading conditions, the advantages associated with admitting only entirely vaporized gasoline into the intake manifold are obtained by the above-described arrangement. 
     Turning now to FIGS. 4A-4C, the linkage required for proper operation of throttle valves 39 and 35 is schematically indicated. In FIG. 4A, reference numeral 50 designates the housing of the accelerator cable, and reference numeral 49 designates the inner cable member of the accelerator cable assembly. When the accelerator peddle is depressed, the cable element 49 moves in the direction indicated by arrow 54, causing arm 45, which is rigidly attached to throttle valve 35, to cause rotation of throttle valve 35 in the direction indicated by arrow 56. Arm 51, or a functionally equivalent structure, also rotates, as indicated by arrow 57. An upper arm 52 moves in the direction indicated by arrow 55, and passes slidably through an aperture in arm 48, which is rigidly attached to throttle valve 39. An adjustable retaining nut 53 is provided on the left end of arm 52, so that if arm 51 rotates far enough in the direction of arrow 57, retaining nut 53 will engage arm 48, causing it to rotate as the accelerator peddle 47 is depressed further. Arm 47, which is rigidly attached to throttle valve 39, is connected to the upper end of a spring 46, the lower end of which is connected to the outer end of arm 45. 
     Referring now to FIG. 4B, the configuration of the throttle linkage is shown when the accelerator peddle 37 is depressed just far enough to open throttle valve 35 a predetermined amount, for example to a three-fourths open configuration. At this point, the upper throttle valve 39 is essentially closed, and retaining nut 53 abuts the upper end of arm 48. The lower end of spring 46 has been raised somewhat, as indicated by arrow 47, relieving the tension of spring 46 somewhat, making it easier for throttle valve 39 to be opened by further depression of accelerator peddle 37. 
     Referring now to FIG. 4C, further depression of the accelerator peddle 37 causes arm 51 to rotate further in the direction of arrow 57, which now causes arm 48 to rotate further, opening carburator throttle valve 39 and admitting a substantial charge of liquid and vaporized gasoline and outside air and producing a sudden increase in the power output of the engine. 
     My experiments indicate that the above described system should result in at least a 100% increase in the fuel economy under driving conditions in which the throttle of the conventional carburator remains closed. The amount of carbon monoxide produced in the exhaust is significantly reduced when only completely vaporized gasoline is mixed in the proper portion with fresh air, and the engine operating temperature is reduced somewhat. Although some thickening of the liquid gasoline in tank 2 occurs, since not all of the constituents of the liquid gasoline are vaporized at the same rate, this thickening normally does not cause any problem, since during acceleration and high load driving conditions, liquid gasoline is also used by the conventional carburator, even if it is slightly thickened. 
     While the invention has been described with reference to a particular embodiment thereof, those skilled in the art will be able to provide various modifications to the above-described apparatus and method without departing from the true spirit and scope of the claims. 
     For example, various other mechanical linkages can be readily devised that will perform essentially the same function as the linkage shown in FIGS. 5A-C.