Apparatus and method for generating hydrogen gas for use as a fuel additive in diesel engines

Claim 2

Method for improving the fuel economy and emission quality of a diesel engine comprising the steps of: (a) delivering water from a pressurized water source to the water inlet of a heat exchanger at a controlled rate determined responsive to the delivery of diesel fuel to said diesel engine; (b) collecting the hot exhaust gases from said diesel engine and delivering them to the exhaust gas inlet of said heat exchanger; (c) separating said exhaust gases into a plurality of tubes or pipes extending through said heat exchanger and having heat conducting walls; (d) spraying water through said water inlet onto the surface of the heat conducting walls at such a rate as to reform the atomized water droplets into hydrogen gas, oxygen gas, and water vapor; (e) the ratio of water delivered to the heat exchanger relative to diesel fuel delivered to the combustion chamber of said diesel engine being substantially in the range of 1:10 to 1:20; (f) delivering said hydrogen gas, oxygen gas, and water vapor to the air intake of said diesel engine where it is mixed with air, introduced into the combustion chamber, and compressed prior to the introduction of said diesel fuel for combustion.

Claim 3

The method according to claim 1 wherein the process is controlled to such an extent that the amount of hydrogen gas in said mixture of said hydrogen gas, oxygen gas, and water vapor is in the range of substantially 2.8% to 3.0%.

Claim 4

The method according to claim 2 wherein the temperature of said water spray is elevated to the range of 800°-900° F.

Claim 5

The method according to claim 1 wherein said diesel fuel is preheated by passing it in heat exchange relation to said heat exchanger prior to delivery to the fuel manifold of said diesel engine.

Claim 6

The method according to claim 1 wherein said mixture of hydrogen gas, oxygen gas, and water vapor is delivered from said heat exchanger to the air intake manifold by establishing an air flow path from the outlet side of the engine turbosupercharger to the heat exchanger where the hydrogen, oxygen, and water vapor mixture is picked up and delivered back to the air intake manifold.

Claim 7

The method according to claim 1 wherein said water is filtered prior to introduction to said heat exchanger.

Claim 8

The method according to claim 1 wherein said water is preheated prior to the introduction to said heat exchanger.

Claim 9

Apparatus for generating and delivering a mixture of hydrogen gas, oxygen gas, and steam for mixture with diesel fuel in the combustion chamber of a diesel engine comprising: (a) a pressurized source of water; (b) a heat exchanger having means associated therewith for receiving water from said water source and exhaust gases from said diesel engine in non-contacting, heat exchange relation to each other; (c) means for controlling the flow of water to said heat exchanger responsive to the delivery rate of diesel fuel to the combustion chamber of said diesel engine; (d) said heat exchanger comprising: (i) an exhaust gas receiving manifold for receiving said exhaust gases from the combustion chambers of said diesel engine and a heat exchange compartment separated therefrom by a wall; (ii) a bank of heat exchange tubes formed of a heat conducting material extending through said heat exchange compartment, said tubes being arranged in a bank including a plurality of rows and columns with spaces therebetween; (iii) a spray nozzle mounted on the top wall of said heat exchange compartment above said bank of heat exchange tubes and connected to said pressurized source of water; (e) means connecting the interior of said heat exchange compartment with said combustion chamber for circulating air through said heat exchange compartment and on to said combustion chamber whereby hydrogen gas, oxygen gas, and steam are delivered thereto.

Claim 10

Apparatus for generating and delivering a mixture of hydrogen gas, oxygen gas, and steam for mixture with diesel fuel in the combustion chamber of a diesel engine comprising: (a) a pressurized source of water; (b) a heat exchanger having means associated therewith for receiving water from said water source and exhaust gases from said diesel engine in non-contacting, heat exchange relation to each other; (c) means for controlling the flow of water to said heat exchanger responsive to the delivery rate of diesel fuel to the combustion chamber of said diesel engine; (d) said heat exchanger comprising: (i) an exhaust gas receiving manifold for receiving said exhaust gases from the combustion chambers of said diesel engine and a heat exchange compartment separated therefrom by a wall; (ii) a bank of heat exchange tubes formed of a heat conducting material extending through said heat exchange compartment, said tubes being arranged in a bank including a plurality of rows and columns with spaces therebetween; (iii) a spray nozzle mounted on the top wall of said heat exchange compartment above said bank of heat exchange tubes and connected to said pressurized source of water; (e) means connecting the interior of said heat exchange compartment with said combustion chamber for circulating air through said heat exchange compartment and on to said combustion chamber whereby hydrogen gas, oxygen gas, and steam are delivered thereto.

Claim 11

The apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the means for controlling the flow of water to said heat exchanger comprises a control valve in the bottom of said water tank mechanically connected to and operated by a solenoid, a limit switch associated with the accelerator of said diesel engine and activated thereby to transmit an electrical signal to said solenoid for the operation of said control valve.

Claim 12

The apparatus according to claim 8 and further including a fuel line extending between the diesel fuel tank for said diesel engine and the fuel intake manifold thereof and a means for transferring heat from said heat exchanger to said fuel line.

Claim 13

The apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said control valve is of such size and so constructed as to deliver substantially 0.8 gallons per hour and said spray valve is so constructed as to generate a spray having an angle of divergence of 80°.

Claim 14

The apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said diesel engine includes an air intake manifold and said heat exchange compartment is connected to said air intake manifold of said diesel engine by a flexible conduit through which said mixture of hydrogen gas, oxygen gas, and steam are delivered thereto; said diesel engine further including a turbosupercharger and said heat exchange compartment being further connected to the outlet side of said turbosupercharger for receiving a flow of air thereinto, which air picks up said mixture of hydrogen gas, oxygen gas, and steam and delivers it to said air intake manifold.

Claim 15

The apparatus according to claim 8 and further including an exhaust conduit connecting the exhaust manifold of said diesel engine to an exhaust gas receiving compartment of said heat exchanger.

Claim 16

The apparatus according to claim 8 and further including means for preheating said water prior to delivery of said heat exchange compartment.

Claim 17

The apparatus according to claim 8 and further comprising means for filtering said water from said water source prior to delivery to said heat exchange compartment.