Patent US2731104A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US4170200A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4170200A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Internal combustion engine with reformed gas generator
Assignee: Denso Corp
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Filing: 1977-10-13
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Granted: 1979-10-09
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Expires: 1997-10-13
Abstract
Abstract The invention discloses an internal combustion engine of the type in which alcohol or alcohol-containing mixture and air undergo the thermal or catalytic reforming reaction, and the reformed gases containing hydrogen are directly charged or mixed with gasoline or the like and charged into the engine for combustion. The production of soot and tar during the thermal or catalytic reforming reaction may be minimized, and the emission of noxious combustion products may be also minimized.
Inventors
- 👤 Yukihisa Takeuchi
- 👤 Kouji Horie
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 02:27
CPC Classifications
F; F02; F02M; F02M27/00; F02M27/02; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S123/00; Y10S123/12
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
199 words
A process for reforming a gas in an internal combustion engine comprising: a combustion chamber; an intake pipe communicating with said combustion chamber; an exhaust gas chamber for receiving exhaust gases from said combustion chamber and leading the same to the atmosphere; a fuel reforming apparatus communicating with said intake pipe for supplying a reformed gas thereto; and, a reactor means having a catalyst therein for converting a mixture of an alcohol and air into a reformed gas containing hydrogen, said process employing both an alcohol fuel and a hydrocarbon fuel and being carried out without mixing the exhaust gas with the fuel, said process comprising: feeding an alcohol to said reactor means; feeding air to said reactor means at a rate of 10 to 15% by weight of the air required for stoichiometric combustion of the alcohol fed to said reactor means, thereby to assure partial oxidation of the alcohol in said reactor means and form said reformed gas containing hydrogen; feeding a hydrocarbon fuel to said intake pipe; feeding said reformed gas to said intake pipe; feeding air to said intake pipe; and feeding said mixture of hydrocarbon fuel, reformed gas and air to said combustion chamber.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
199 words
A process for reforming a gas in an internal combustion engine comprising: a combustion chamber; an intake pipe communicating with said combustion chamber; an exhaust gas chamber for receiving exhaust gases from said combustion chamber and leading the same to the atmosphere; a fuel reforming apparatus communicating with said intake pipe for supplying a reformed gas thereto; and, a reactor means having a catalyst therein for converting a mixture of an alcohol and air into a reformed gas containing hydrogen, said process employing both an alcohol fuel and a hydrocarbon fuel and being carried out without mixing the exhaust gas with the fuel, said process comprising: feeding an alcohol to said reactor means; feeding air to said reactor means at a rate of 10 to 15% by weight of the air required for stoichiometric combustion of the alcohol fed to said reactor means, thereby to assure partial oxidation of the alcohol in said reactor means and form said reformed gas containing hydrogen; feeding a hydrocarbon fuel to said intake pipe; feeding said reformed gas to said intake pipe; feeding air to said intake pipe; and feeding said mixture of hydrocarbon fuel, reformed gas and air to said combustion chamber.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
12 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the alcohol is methanol or ethanol.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
10 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the alcohol is methanol.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process of claim 1 wherein the alcohol is methanol or ethanol and the hydrocarbon fuel is a gasoline containing fuel.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
45 words
The process of claim 4 including the step of passing the reformed gas and the gasoline containing fuel through a heat exchanger prior to the intake pipe to lower the temperature of the reformed gas and facilitate the atomization and evaporation of the gasoline fuel.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
48 words
The process of claim 4 comprising adjusting the volumetric ratio of the reformed gas calculated in terms of methanol with respect to the gasoline fuel to from 1/8 to 5:1 and adjusting the air-fuel ratio of the mixture of the gasoline containing fuel and air to above 20.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
17 words
The process of claim 4 wherein the reformed gas contains at least 20.9% by volume of hydrogen.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
The process of claim 4 comprising feeding to said reactor means 1/3 to 1/15 of the total quantity of air charged into said combustion chamber.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
63 words
The process of claim 8 comprising employing methanol as the alcohol, adjusting the volumetric ratio of the reformed gas calculated in terms of methanol with respect to the gasoline fuel to from 1/8 to 5:1, adjusting the air-fuel ratio of the mixture of the gasoline containing fuel and air to above 20 and heating the reactor means by heat from the exhaust gases.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
36 words
The process of claim 1 wherein there is fed to said reactor means methanol or a mixture of methanol and water, the amount of water being not over 20% of the total of methanol and water.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1982-10-08 | 1983-04-09 | 1983-10-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1986-10-08 | 1987-04-09 | 1987-10-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1990-10-08 | 1991-04-09 | 1991-10-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |