Apparatus for promoting a vaporization of a fuel for an internal combustion engine

Claim 1

An apparatus for promoting vaporization of liquid fuel in an internal combustion engine comprising: an internal combustion engine having an intake manifold that includes a substantially vertical inlet portion turning sharply to a portion having an approximately level bottom surface where fuel tends to be condensed in a liquid film, a downdraft carburetor mounted on the intake manifold directly above the bottom surface for providing fuel and air mixture to the combustion chambers of the engine, at least one electrode disposed in the intake manifold of the internal combustion engine directly beneath the inlet section at a predetermined height above the bottom surface of the intake manifold, a conductive wire rod carrying said electrode at one end, insulating means surrounding the wire rod for attaching the rod to the intake manifold, a high voltage generator having one output terminal which is connected with the other end of said wire rod and another output terminal which is directly connected with the intake manifold, said high voltage generator forming an intensive electric field between said electrode and the interior of the intake manifold in the vicinity of said electrode for promoting vaporization of both the liquid fuel which floats as droplets in the fuel/air mixture passing through the intake manifold and the condensed film of liquid fuel that flows along the bottom surface of said intake manifold, a heating portion disposed on the underside of said bottom surface of the intake manifold, and means for transferring heat from said heating portion to the film of liquid fuel that flows along said bottom surface to enhance the vaporization of the fuel by the high voltage electrode.

Claim 2

An apparatus for promoting vaporization of liquid fuel in an internal combustion engine comprising: an internal combustion engine having an intake manifold that includes a substantially vertical inlet portion turning sharply to a portion having an approximately level bottom surface where fuel tends to be condensed in a liquid film, a downdraft carburetor mounted on the intake manifold directly above the bottom surface for providing fuel and air mixture to the combustion chambers of the engine, at least one electrode disposed in the intake manifold of the internal combustion engine directly beneath the inlet section at a predetermined height above the bottom surface of the intake manifold, a conductive wire rod carrying said electrode at one end, insulating means surrounding the wire rod for attaching the rod to the intake manifold, a high voltage generator having one output terminal which is connected with the other end of said wire rod and another output terminal which is directly connected with the intake manifold, said high voltage generator forming an intensive electric field between said electrode and the interior of the intake manifold in the vicinity of said electrode for promoting vaporization of both the liquid fuel which floats as droplets in the fuel/air mixture passing through the intake manifold and the condensed film of liquid fuel that flows along the bottom surface of said intake manifold, a heating portion disposed on the underside of said bottom surface of the intake manifold, and means for transferring heat from said heating portion to the film of liquid fuel that flows along said bottom surface to enhance the vaporization of the fuel by the high voltage electrode.