Hydrogen engine and method of fueling same

Claim 3

A method in accordance with claim 1 including the step of inducing the flow of said hydrogen into said chamber at substantially ambient atmospheric pressure through paths of flow separated from paths for air flow to said chamber.

Claim 4

A method in accordance with claim 1 including the further step of raising the pressure of hydrogen to provide an increase flow rate for said hyDrogen in response to an increased demand for power of speed.

Claim 5

A method in accordance with claim 1 including the further step of controlling the flow of hydrogen to each chamber by opening and closing valves formed from the motion of the valve train for said engine.

Claim 6

A method in accordance with claim 1 including the step of adding water, water vapor, or carbon dioxide to said hydrogen-fuel mixture to lower the temperature of the burning and thereby reduce the nitric oxide emissions from the engine exhaust.

Claim 7

A method in accordance with claim 1 including the further step of generating a hydrogen containing gas and passing any gaseous by-products from said hydrogen generating step including carbon dioxide gas through said hydrogen burning engine.

Claim 8

An internal combustion engine for burning a hydrogen air fuel mixture, said engine comprising in combination: a plurality of combustion chambers for receiving a homogeneous mixture of air and hydrogen therein, a piston movable in each of said combustion chambers during an intake of hydrogen-air, a compression of the hydrogen and air, a burning of the hydrogen-air fuel mixture, and exhaust of the resultant products of burning, means for burning said air fuel mixture in said combustion chamber during said compression and expansion strokes, an intake conduit means extending to each of said combustion chambers and for conducting the flow of said fuel mixture by induction on said intake strokes of said pistons, a supply means containing hydrogen connected to said intake conduit means to supply hydrogen to said intake conduit means, and control means for selectively regulating the flow of hydrogen from said supply means to said intake conduit means to vary the speed and power output of said engine, said varying of said hydrogen flow by said control means causing an inversely proportional change in the percentage of air in said fuel mixture and resulting in a substantially constant volume charge to said cylinders.

Claim 9

An internal combustion engine for burning a hydrogen air fuel mixture, said engine comprising in combination: a plurality of combustion chambers for receiving a homogeneous mixture of air and hydrogen therein, a piston movable in each of said combustion chambers during an intake of hydrogen-air, a compression of the hydrogen and air, a burning of the hydrogen-air fuel mixture, and exhaust of the resultant products of burning, means for burning said air fuel mixture in said combustion chamber during said compression and expansion strokes, an intake conduit means extending to each of said combustion chambers and for conducting the flow of said fuel mixture by induction on said intake strokes of said pistons, a supply means containing hydrogen connected to said intake conduit means to supply hydrogen to said intake conduit means, and control means for selectively regulating the flow of hydrogen from said supply means to said intake conduit means to vary the speed and power output of said engine, said varying of said hydrogen flow by said control means causing an inversely proportional change in the percentage of air in said fuel mixture and resulting in a substantially constant volume charge to said cylinders.

Claim 10

An internal combustion engine in accordance with claim 7 in which said hydrogen supply means stores hydrogen gas at a pressure above a predetermined level, and in which said control means includes a pressure regulator for reducing the pressure of hydrogen from said supply means to said intake conduit means.

Claim 11

An internal combustion engine in accordance with claim 8 in which said pressure regulating means provides hydrogen to said intake conduit means at a first pressure substantially equal to ambient atmospheric pressure and in which said control means further comprises means for providing an increase in pressure for the hydrogen gas flowing through said intake conduit means to provide a fast response for a demand for an increase in power or speed for said engine.

Claim 12

An internal combustion engine in accordance with claim 7 in which said intake conduit means comprises hydrogen intake tubes projecting to said combustion chambers and air intake pipes extending to said combustion chambers, said hydrogen intake tubes and said air intake pipes being separate and discrete from each other.

Claim 13

An internal combustion engine in accordance with claim 10 in which said air intake pipes each have a substantially smooth continuous wall defining a passageway extending from adjacent said cylinders to an open end thereby alleviating inefficiencies due to flow about sharp corners.

Claim 14

An internal combustion engine in accordance with claim 7 in which said intake conduit means comprises a first set of intake tubes for conveying hydrogen for light power and speed demands to said combustion chambers and a second set of intake tubes for conveying hydrogen to said combustion chambers for heavier power and speed demands.

Claim 15

An internal combustion engine in accordance with claim 7 in which said intake conduit means comprises a set of intake tubes for conveying hydrogen and distribution adjusting means are provided for regulating the flow and distribution of hydrogen through the respective ones of said tubes.

Claim 16

An internal combustion engine in accordance with claim 7 including a valve train means operatively associated with said combustion chambers, valves in said valve train associated with each of said combustion chambers to move between an open position allowing flow of hydrogen gas into its associated combustion chamber and a closed position preventing flow of hydrogen gas into its associated combustion chamber, and means in said valve train for opening and closing said valves in timed relationship to each other.