The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1921-11-20
AUTO ENGINEERS
FIND HEAT SOLVES
BAD FUEL PROBLEM
Heavier Gasolines Add to
Difficulties of Vap-
orizing.
USE 3 METHODS
Saving of 20 Per Cent in
Mileage Would Mean
S225, 100000 a Year.
USE 3 METHODS
~ C.. .. KEGERRIs,


1t was about ten years ago when
FIRST the ill-effects Of burning COM
mercial gasoline were noticed. In
the refining of gasolines, higher
boiling fractions were added, thus
making the fuel heavier and more
difficult to vaporize. At that time
fuel could b obtained that was 70
volatile that after passing through
the carouretor. into the manifold,
no liquid remained In the mixture
to cause much trouble.
FROM this time on the fuel grew
heavier by small increments. To
obtain the performance to which
we were then accustomed, the wet
manifold was introduced. The wet
manifold was merely a smaller type
giving higher velocities In this
manner the unvaporized portions of
the fuel were thrown into the air
stream and carried in to the cylin.
der where they were quickly vapor-
lied.
Great Changes In Fuel Weight.
The last few years have brought
about greater changes in fuel
weight. The great demand for
cars, trucks and tractors necessi-
tated vast expansion in the oil
industry. To maintain a high stan
dard of fuel, the supply would now
be insufficient. In addition, there
would be super-abundance OF
Kerosene and heavier fractions from
the distillation Even with the
present consumption, the estimat ted
unmined supply will not be ade-
quate for this generation. For these
reasons the fuel has become con-
tinuously heavier until now better
equipment and more thorough
knowledge of operation is required
The wet manifold has now become
Anticipated. II no longer completely
serves the purpose for which it was
intended. 1t decreases the volu-
metric efficiency. which. in turn. de-
creases the power, and in addition
does not give the efficiency that
should be obtained. This tends to
increase the piston displacement
per horsepower, which means a
heavier engine for same rating,
than when using the larger mani
fold.
Various schemes have been tried
to overcome the deficiencies. some
OF which are: Carburetor atomiza-
ton. different types OF manifolding
and turbulence. Some advance has
been made in all these lines but
none will satisfactorily fulfil the
requirements.
fuel in three principle ways: %
Almost every engineer agrees
that one Acknowledgement COM
pletely solves the problem
Heat Solves Problem.
Heat may be applied to vaporize
Heating the fuel, (2) heating the
intake air to the carburetor, (3)
heating the resulting air-fuel mix
ture
Heating the fuel is OF little avail.
In vaporizing liquid. ii must first
be brought to its boiling point and
then more heat applied cheat
equivalent OF vaporiation). to
transform It into a gas. The large
transfer of heat which is the heat
equivalent of vaporization takes
place once the boiling point is at
tanned. To apply this method in
carburetion II would mean that
only a small amount could be added
for, once the boiling point is at
tanned, the metering is impaired.
As all gasolines are composed OF
various fractions whose boiling
points are from 80 degrees to $50
degrees F., 1t can be seen that only
a small amount of heat could be
used. which would benefit little.
Heating the intake air is a simple
means of improving engine opera
tion. The air need not be heated
to a high degree to give good per-
Torrance. A dry mixture is OBJ
tanned at $50 degrees F. with COM
mercial gasoline when using a mix
ture ratio giving high power. The
minimum air temperature required.
as has been shown by extensive
series of tests. is $50 degrees F.
This does not mean that the engine
will not operate at the lower air
temperature, but II does signify
that IL any temperature lower
than this is used the distribution