US4541367A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Combustion and pollution control system
Assignee: OWEN WICKERSHAM AND ERICKSON PC
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Filing: 1983-07-14
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Granted: 1985-09-17
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Expires: 2003-07-14
Abstract
Abstract A controlled amount of a fluid (steam or water or a solution of water plus additives) is injected into an internal combustion engine to improve combustion, efficiency, and to reduce emissions. The amount of the fluid injected is controlled in response to engine need. The steam is generated by the heat produced by the engine. Combustion gas temperature is used to control the amount of steam produced by varying the fluid flow through one or more fixed or variable orifice control valves. The steam is injected in a piston engine to cool peak temperatures, to prevent detonation and pre-ignition, to smooth out hot spots, to prevent auto-ignition or dieseling, and to use the vapor energy in the expansion cycle to increase low speed torque and acceleration. The steam is used to cause full retard of the vacuum spark advance during acceleration at full load from low speed, and a large amount of steam is injected at this point in the cycle to prevent pre-ignition and detonation. Ultrasonic energy is added to the injected steam to produce better mixing and distribution. Hydrogen is also injected to permit better combustion with higher amounts of air. The hydrogen is produced by the interaction of a catalyst on the steam and fuel hydrocarbons and ultrasonic energy. At times exhaust gas and other additives, such as hydrogen peroxide, methyl alcohol and ammonia are injected.
Inventors
- 👤 John E. Lindberg
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 20:45
CPC Classifications
F; F02; F02B; F02B47/00; F02B47/02; F02B43/00; F02B43/08; F02B43/10; F02M; F02M25/00; F02B3/00; F02B3/06; F02B51/00; F02B51/04; F02B51/06; Y; Y02; Y02T; Y02T10/00; Y02T10/10; Y02T10/12; Y02T10/30
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 24
Claim 1
Independent Claim
76 words
A method for providing improved combustion and reduced emissions in an internal combustion engine, having a combustion zone and an exhaust, comprising at speeds above idle feeding both fuel and controlled amounts of an aqueous fluid into said combustion zone, and in addition feeding controlled amounts of hot exhaust gas and air into said combustion zone, and in response to engine needs, increasing the weight ratio of said aqueous fluid to said fuel during engine acceleration.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
76 words
A method for providing improved combustion and reduced emissions in an internal combustion engine, having a combustion zone and an exhaust, comprising at speeds above idle feeding both fuel and controlled amounts of an aqueous fluid into said combustion zone, and in addition feeding controlled amounts of hot exhaust gas and air into said combustion zone, and in response to engine needs, increasing the weight ratio of said aqueous fluid to said fuel during engine acceleration.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
90 words
A method for providing improved combustion and reduced emissions in an internal combustion engine, having a combustion zone and an exhaust, comprising at speeds above idle feeding both fuel and controlled amounts of an aqueous fluid into said combustion zone, and in addition feeding into said combustion zone controlled amounts of a compound chosen from the group consisting of hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ), methyl alcohol, and ammonia, and in response to engine needs, increasing the weight ratio of said aqueous fluid to said fuel during engine acceleration.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
90 words
A method for providing improved combustion and reduced emissions in an internal combustion engine, having a combustion zone and an exhaust, comprising at speeds above idle feeding both fuel and controlled amounts of an aqueous fluid into said combustion zone, and in addition feeding into said combustion zone controlled amounts of a compound chosen from the group consisting of hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ), methyl alcohol, and ammonia, and in response to engine needs, increasing the weight ratio of said aqueous fluid to said fuel during engine acceleration.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
91 words
A method for providing improved combustion and reduced emissions in an internal combustion engine, having a combustion zone, an exhaust, and a vacuum spark advance device, comprising at speeds above idle feeding both fuel and controlled amounts of an aqueous fluid into said combustion zone, and in response to engine needs, increasing the weight ratio of said aqueous fluid to said fuel during engine acceleration, and providing by means of the engine exhaust pressure controlling said spark advance device, instant very full vacuum retard when the engine goes to full throttle.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
91 words
A method for providing improved combustion and reduced emissions in an internal combustion engine, having a combustion zone, an exhaust, and a vacuum spark advance device, comprising at speeds above idle feeding both fuel and controlled amounts of an aqueous fluid into said combustion zone, and in response to engine needs, increasing the weight ratio of said aqueous fluid to said fuel during engine acceleration, and providing by means of the engine exhaust pressure controlling said spark advance device, instant very full vacuum retard when the engine goes to full throttle.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
78 words
A method for providing improved combustion and reduced emission in an internal combustion engine, having a combustion zone and an exhaust, comprising at speeds above idle feeding both fuel and controlled amounts of an aqueous fluid into said combustion zone, feeding into the combustion zone, simultaneously with feeding the fluid, controlled amounts of exhaust gas from the engine, and in response to engine needs, increasing the weight ratio of said aqueous fluid to said fuel during engine acceleration.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
78 words
A method for providing improved combustion and reduced emission in an internal combustion engine, having a combustion zone and an exhaust, comprising at speeds above idle feeding both fuel and controlled amounts of an aqueous fluid into said combustion zone, feeding into the combustion zone, simultaneously with feeding the fluid, controlled amounts of exhaust gas from the engine, and in response to engine needs, increasing the weight ratio of said aqueous fluid to said fuel during engine acceleration.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
65 words
A method for providing improved combustion and reduced emissions in an internal combustion engine, having a combustion zone and an exhaust, comprising simultaneously mixing controlled amounts of steam, exhaust gas, and air and, feeding them together with fuel in controlled amounts into said combustion zone, and in response to engine needs, increasing the weight ratio of said aqueous fluid to said fuel during engine acceleration.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
65 words
A method for providing improved combustion and reduced emissions in an internal combustion engine, having a combustion zone and an exhaust, comprising simultaneously mixing controlled amounts of steam, exhaust gas, and air and, feeding them together with fuel in controlled amounts into said combustion zone, and in response to engine needs, increasing the weight ratio of said aqueous fluid to said fuel during engine acceleration.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
161 words
A method for providing improved combustion and reduced emissions in an internal combustion engine, having a combustion zone and an exhaust, comprising at speeds above idle feeding both fuel and controlled amounts of said steam into said combustion zone, and in response to engine needs, increasing the weight ratio of said aqueous fluid to said fuel during engine acceleration, converting water to steam in a flash boiler by heat developed from the combustion by supplying water to the flash boiler from a water storage tank, interconnecting the water storage tank to the engine radiator by an overflow tank and check valves which permit water to flow from the radiator to the overflow tank on excess pressure in the radiator and to the radiator from the overflow tank on suction in the radiator and which permit water to flow from the water supply tank to the overflow tank on a difference in pressure head between the supply tank and the overflow tank.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
161 words
A method for providing improved combustion and reduced emissions in an internal combustion engine, having a combustion zone and an exhaust, comprising at speeds above idle feeding both fuel and controlled amounts of said steam into said combustion zone, and in response to engine needs, increasing the weight ratio of said aqueous fluid to said fuel during engine acceleration, converting water to steam in a flash boiler by heat developed from the combustion by supplying water to the flash boiler from a water storage tank, interconnecting the water storage tank to the engine radiator by an overflow tank and check valves which permit water to flow from the radiator to the overflow tank on excess pressure in the radiator and to the radiator from the overflow tank on suction in the radiator and which permit water to flow from the water supply tank to the overflow tank on a difference in pressure head between the supply tank and the overflow tank.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
83 words
Apparatus for providing improved combustion and reduced emissions in an internal combustion process engine comprising the combination of a combustion chamber, means for feeding fuel into said combustion chamber, means for injecting controlled amounts of an aqueous fluid into said combustion chamber, means for premixing hot exhaust gas and air with said fluid and injecting them into said combustion chamber together, and means in response to engine need for increasing the weight ratio of said aqueous fluid to said fuel during engine acceleration.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
83 words
Apparatus for providing improved combustion and reduced emissions in an internal combustion process engine comprising the combination of a combustion chamber, means for feeding fuel into said combustion chamber, means for injecting controlled amounts of an aqueous fluid into said combustion chamber, means for premixing hot exhaust gas and air with said fluid and injecting them into said combustion chamber together, and means in response to engine need for increasing the weight ratio of said aqueous fluid to said fuel during engine acceleration.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
84 words
Apparatus for providing improved combustion and reduced emissions in an internal combustion process engine comprising the combination of a combustion chamber, means for feeding fuel into said combustion chamber, means for injecting controlled amounts of an aqueous fluid into said combustion chamber, means for premixing with the fluid a chemical chosen from the group consisting of hydrogen peroxide, methyl alcohol and ammonia, and means in response to engine need for increasing the weight ratio of said aqueous fluid to said fuel during engine acceleration.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
84 words
Apparatus for providing improved combustion and reduced emissions in an internal combustion process engine comprising the combination of a combustion chamber, means for feeding fuel into said combustion chamber, means for injecting controlled amounts of an aqueous fluid into said combustion chamber, means for premixing with the fluid a chemical chosen from the group consisting of hydrogen peroxide, methyl alcohol and ammonia, and means in response to engine need for increasing the weight ratio of said aqueous fluid to said fuel during engine acceleration.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
85 words
Apparatus for providing improved combustion and reduced emissions in an internal combustion process engine comprising the combination of a combustion chamber, an induction system having a carburetor and a port inflow stream immediately beyond the carburetor, means for premixing hot exhaust gas and air with an aqueous fluid, means for injecting them together into said port at speeds above idle, in controlled amounts, and means in response to engine need for increasing the weight ratio of said aqueous fluid to said fuel during engine acceleration.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
85 words
Apparatus for providing improved combustion and reduced emissions in an internal combustion process engine comprising the combination of a combustion chamber, an induction system having a carburetor and a port inflow stream immediately beyond the carburetor, means for premixing hot exhaust gas and air with an aqueous fluid, means for injecting them together into said port at speeds above idle, in controlled amounts, and means in response to engine need for increasing the weight ratio of said aqueous fluid to said fuel during engine acceleration.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
94 words
Apparatus for providing improved combustion and reduced emissions in an internal combustion process engine comprising the combination of a combustion chamber, an induction system having a carburetor and a port inflow stream immediately beyond the carburetor, means for premixing with an aqueous fluid a chemical chosen from the group consisting of hydrogen peroxide, methyl alcohol and ammonia, means for injecting at speeds above idle, controlled amounts of said fluid into said port, and means in response to engine need for increasing the weight ratio of said aqueous fluid to said fuel during engine acceleration.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
94 words
Apparatus for providing improved combustion and reduced emissions in an internal combustion process engine comprising the combination of a combustion chamber, an induction system having a carburetor and a port inflow stream immediately beyond the carburetor, means for premixing with an aqueous fluid a chemical chosen from the group consisting of hydrogen peroxide, methyl alcohol and ammonia, means for injecting at speeds above idle, controlled amounts of said fluid into said port, and means in response to engine need for increasing the weight ratio of said aqueous fluid to said fuel during engine acceleration.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
91 words
Apparatus for providing improved combustion and reduced emissions in an internal combustion process engine comprising the combination of a combustion chamber, a vacuum spark advance device controlled by the engine exhaust pressure, to provide very rapid full vacuum retard on going to full throttle, means for feeding fuel into said combustion chamber, means for injecting at speeds above idle, controlled amounts of an aqueous fluid into said combustion chamber, and means in response to engine need for increasing the weight ratio of said aqueous fluid to said fuel during engine acceleration.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
91 words
Apparatus for providing improved combustion and reduced emissions in an internal combustion process engine comprising the combination of a combustion chamber, a vacuum spark advance device controlled by the engine exhaust pressure, to provide very rapid full vacuum retard on going to full throttle, means for feeding fuel into said combustion chamber, means for injecting at speeds above idle, controlled amounts of an aqueous fluid into said combustion chamber, and means in response to engine need for increasing the weight ratio of said aqueous fluid to said fuel during engine acceleration.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
75 words
Apparatus for providing improved combustion and reduced emissions in an internal combustion process engine comprising the combination of a combustion chamber, means for feeding fuel into said combustion chamber, means for injecting controlled amounts of steam into said combustion chamber and including ultrasonic injector means for adding ultrasonic energy to the injected steam, and means in response to engine need for increasing the weight ratio of said aqueous fluid to said fuel during engine acceleration.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
75 words
Apparatus for providing improved combustion and reduced emissions in an internal combustion process engine comprising the combination of a combustion chamber, means for feeding fuel into said combustion chamber, means for injecting controlled amounts of steam into said combustion chamber and including ultrasonic injector means for adding ultrasonic energy to the injected steam, and means in response to engine need for increasing the weight ratio of said aqueous fluid to said fuel during engine acceleration.
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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) | 1988-09-16 | 1989-03-18 | 1989-09-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1992-09-16 | 1993-03-18 | 1993-09-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1996-09-16 | 1997-03-18 | 1997-09-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |