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US4425876A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Alcohol dissociation and waste heat recovery process for automobiles

Assignee: Consolidation Coal Co
•
Filing: 1982-09-03
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Granted: 1984-01-17
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Expires: 2002-09-03
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Abstract

Abstract A method of fuel treatment and distribution for an internal combustion engine including the steps as follows: (a) operating an adiabatic reactor without a substantial amount of exhaust heat within an operational temperature range, the catalyst bed reactor including a partial combustion catalyst and a dissociation catalyst; (b) providing a substantial amount of engine exhaust heat to an endothermic reactor having an endothermic dissociation catalyst therein, (c) vaporizing liquid alcohol to form alcohol vapor; (d) mixing the alcohol vapor with air to form a partial combustion mixture; (e) contacting the partial combustion mixture and the partial combustion catalyst whereby a dissociation mixture is formed and heat is evolved; (f) contacting the dissociation mixture and the dissociation catalyst to form a hydrogen rich fuel; (g) contacting the hydrogen-rich fuel and the endothermic dissociation catalyst to form a fuel product whereby at least a portion of any residual undissociated alcohol in the hydrogen-rich fuel is dissociated to hydrogen and carbon monoxide using the engine waste heat provided by the exhaust gas.

Inventors

  • 👤 Gerald D. Rutledge
  • 👤 Heeyoung Yoon

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-27 21:45
CPC Classifications
F; F02; F02B; F02B1/00; F02B1/02; F02G; F02G5/00; F02M; F02M27/00; F02M27/02; Y; Y02; Y02T; Y02T10/00; Y02T10/10; Y02T10/12; Y10; Y10S; Y10S123/00; Y10S123/12

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 4
Claim 1
Independent Claim 169 words
A method of fuel treatment and distribution for an automobile internal combustion engine comprising the steps as follows: (a) operating an adiabatic reactor without a substantial amount of exhaust heat within an operational temperature range said catalyst bed reactor comprising a partial combustion catalyst and a dissociation catalyst; (b) providing a substantial amount of engine exhaust heat to an endothermic reactor having an endothermic dissociation catalyst therein, (c) vaporizing liquid alcohol to form alcohol vapor; (d) mixing said alcohol vapor with air to form a partial combustion mixture; (e) contacting said partial combustion mixture and said partial combustion catalyst whereby a dissociation mixture is formed and heat is evolved; (f) contacting said dissociation mixture and said dissociation catalyst to form a hydrogen-rich fuel; (g) contacting said hydrogen-rich fuel and said endothermic dissociation catalyst to form a fuel product whereby at least a portion of any residual undissociated alcohol in said hydrogen-rich fuel is dissociated to hydrogen and carbon monoxide using the engine waste heat provided by the exhaust gas.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 169 words
A method of fuel treatment and distribution for an automobile internal combustion engine comprising the steps as follows: (a) operating an adiabatic reactor without a substantial amount of exhaust heat within an operational temperature range said catalyst bed reactor comprising a partial combustion catalyst and a dissociation catalyst; (b) providing a substantial amount of engine exhaust heat to an endothermic reactor having an endothermic dissociation catalyst therein, (c) vaporizing liquid alcohol to form alcohol vapor; (d) mixing said alcohol vapor with air to form a partial combustion mixture; (e) contacting said partial combustion mixture and said partial combustion catalyst whereby a dissociation mixture is formed and heat is evolved; (f) contacting said dissociation mixture and said dissociation catalyst to form a hydrogen-rich fuel; (g) contacting said hydrogen-rich fuel and said endothermic dissociation catalyst to form a fuel product whereby at least a portion of any residual undissociated alcohol in said hydrogen-rich fuel is dissociated to hydrogen and carbon monoxide using the engine waste heat provided by the exhaust gas.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 23 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said partial combustion catalyst is Cu/Ni and said dissociation catalyst and said endothermic dissociation catalyst are Cu/Zn.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 30 words
The method of claim 1 further comprising mixing said fuel product and air to form a total combustion mixture; and burning said total combustion mixture in an internal combustion engine.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3828736A Cited
US4021370A Cited
US4028067A Cited
US4086877A Cited
US4046522A Cited
US4091086A Cited
US4366782A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1987-01-16 1987-07-18 1988-01-17 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1991-01-16 1991-07-18 1992-01-17 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1995-01-16 1995-07-18 1996-01-17 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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