Surfactant system for fuel catalyzer

An apparatus and method are disclosed for adding finely dispersed water and water vapor to the air intake stream of a fuel-air combustion system. A solution of bubble-enhancing surfactant in water partly fills a container. A jet of air bubbles is blown into the solution below its free surface so that a quantity of aqueous bubbles forms on the free surface. A part of the air intake stream is then drawn from this quantity of aqueous bubbles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
This invention relates to combustion of fuels and, in particular, more 
complete combustion assisted by the addition of water vapor. 
2. Prior Art 
Man first observed combustion in pre-history and has tried to control and 
improve combustion for several thousand years. It has long been known that 
the presence of a vapor, such as that of water, enhances the combustion 
process. There are some disagreements over the reasons for, and the extent 
of the improvement. 
It has been described as a catalyst. It has been explained as a cooling 
effect to reduce precombustion and detonation. Further, it has been 
suggested that the water vapor releases hydrogen to combine with the 
carbon in the fuel and that the liberated oxygen also combines with the 
carbon. 
It has also been suggested that the improvements are in more complete 
combustion, more efficient use of fuel, reduction of pollutants, and 
possibly increased heat output. 
Systems for adding water vapor have been known as steam injection and have 
also been disclosed by WENTWORTH in U.S. Pat. No. 3,862,819 and by ZINK in 
U.S. Pat. No. 3,814,567. 
Wentworth proposes an oil film on top of water in generating adequate 
vapor. Zink is concerned primarily in reducing the size of water bubbles 
as a step towards creating adequate vapor. Zink's system may be too 
expensive for the typical small homeowner. 
SUMMARY 
It is therefore an object of this invention to overcome the limitations and 
disadvantages in the fuel catalyzer system in the prior art and currently 
available in the market. 
One of the objects of the invention is to provide a fuel catalyzer system 
embodying improved principles of design and construction. 
An important object of the invention is to provide a fuel catalyzer system 
which is comprised of a number of durable parts and components which can 
be economically manufactured and readily assembled. 
A significant object of the invention is to provide a fuel catalyzer 
system, so designed and constructed that it can be readily installed to 
almost any typical fossil fuel combustion system now in use. 
Another object of the invention is to provide a fuel catalyzer system for 
improving combustion efficiency. 
A further object of the invention is to provide an improved system for 
producing water vapor for assisting combustion. 
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a means for producing 
water vapor from a quantity of large easy-to-burst bubbles. 
A method and apparatus for adding finely dispersed liquid water and water 
vapor to combustion air in a fuel-air-combustion system having a means for 
forced intake of a stream of combustion air; the method including 
generating a quantity of aqueous bubbles from a solution of 
bubble-enhancing surfactant in water, the solution having a lower surface 
tension than water, and entraining the aqueous bubbles at a controlled 
rate into the combustion air stream; and the apparatus including a closed 
container having a wall for holding a body of solution of bubble-enhancing 
surfactant in water, the solution having a lower surface tension than 
water, and the body having a free surface, a means for adding water, and 
the body having a free surface, a means for adding the solution so that 
the free surface remains at a substantially fixed level, a conduit through 
the wall of the container having an inlet located in the atmosphere and an 
outlet located at a point in the solution body beneath the free surface 
for passing atmospheric air from the inlet to the outlet, a tube through 
the wall of the container having first and second open ends, the first 
open end being located at a point above the free surface within the 
container and the second open end being joined in fluid conduction 
relation to the means for forced intake of combustion air, and means for 
controlling the portion of the forced intake stream of combustion air 
which is drawn from the tube so that a jet of air bubbles passing through 
the solution body and rising to the free surface will form a quantity of 
aqueous bubbles above the free surface which will be drawn into the 
combustion air stream. 
Further objects and advantages of this invention will appear more clearly 
from the following description of non-limiting illustrative embodiments 
and the accompanying drawings in which like numerals designate like parts 
thruout the several views.

DESCRIPTION OF TYPICAL EMBODIMENTS 
In the drawings a surfactant system for a fuel catalyzer embodying features 
of the invention is illustrated for facilitating the addition of water 
vapor to a fossil fuel mixture for burning in a combustion chamber 54 
having a forced air intake by means of a blower 48 generally used as a 
blower gun. 
The water vapor 66 which serves to enhance the combustion process is 
obtained by supplying water from a supply 62 via piping 30, provided with 
flow control means which may be a valve 32, to a container 11 for liquids 
13 into which a gas such as air 70 is injected via pipe 14, provided with 
flow control means which may be a valve 21 such as a damper, immersed 
below the surface 16 of the liquid. The gas such as air 70 exits end 17 of 
pipe 14 and forms bubbles 15 which rise to the free surface 16 of the 
liquid 13 as shown by bubble 18 soon to be liberated from the mass of the 
liquid and to float into the gaseous vapor region 23 in the upper part of 
the container 11 towards its exit 22 connected 42 to pipe 40 thru which 
the vapor mixed with air is drawn by blower 48 or forced by blower 60. 
The upper part 20 of the container 11 may be formed to more efficiently 
direct vapor flow towards exit 22 and may be provided with a closeable 28 
opening 24 for access to the container including the operation of adding 
surfactant 64 in liquid or solid form such as powder or tablets. 
Surfactant 64 may be in a gaseous state and may alternatively be added to 
entering gas via pipe 14. The desired surface active agent 64 may be any 
known agent such as an aerosol and must reduce surface tension of the 
liquid, which therefore contributes to more rapid and easier production of 
bubbles and vapor and to the instability of bubbles which burst more 
easily. 
The liquid 13 level 16 in the container 11 may be maintained by additions 
via pipe 30 controlled manually by valve 32 or automatically by valve 36 
which may be actuated by a float 34. 
Air 70 may be added to the liquid 13 to form bubbles via pipe 14 from free 
end 19 by the action of suction due to blower 48 or by positive pressure 
by blower 58 or 60 or by positive pressure via pipe 38 connected 52 to a 
suitable point on the volute casing of blower 48. 
Primary air 70 is drawn to the combustion process via pipe 40 from free end 
41, controlled by valves 44, 46 generally dampers, to the intake 50 of 
blower gun 48 which is usually of a centrifugal type, the outlet 53 of 
which is usually connected directly to the air 70 fuel 68 mixing chamber 
61 and into the combustion chamber 54. 
Alternatively, positive pressure supplied by blower 60 may be employed in 
either or both pipes 14, 43 to blow bubbles into the liquid 13 or to 
entrain the vapor in air flow in pipe 43 directly to the air fuel mixing 
chamber 61 at 56. 
Although there is considerable debate about the precise effect of water 
vapor, bubbles, and the size of the bubbles upon the combustion process, 
it does appear that the net effect is beneficial. 
The system described here can be readily applied even to the small heating 
plant in the average home. 
The system can be assembled or manufactured from available components and 
known materials by known methods. 
From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will be 
readily understood and further explanation is believed superfluous. 
The invention includes all novelty residing in the description and 
drawings. It is obvious to those skilled in the art that various minor 
changes can be made without departing from the concept of this invention 
and all such as fall within the reasonable scope of the appended claims 
are included.