Patent ID: 8475569

Claim:
A method of repeatedly scavenging hydrocarbon from unburned fuel in the intake system of a hydrocarbon fueled engine and returning the hydrocarbon for combustion comprising: a) disposing in the aft intake of the engine a porous scavenger body comprising a resin bonded sorbent having an outside surface adjacent to an inner wall of the intake system that conforms to the air intake passage and an inner surface forming a passage for the flow of intake air without passing through the bulk of the body, wherein the porous scavenger body comprises a porous resin barrier ring disposed inside the body; b) adsorbing hydrocarbon molecules from the air intake system of the engine by binding the molecules to the sorbent when the engine is not running; c) purging the hydrocarbon molecules from the sorbent into the air intake system of the engine when the engine is running; and d) repeating the adsorbing and purging steps.