This invention relates to internal combustion engines and, more particularly, to a novel fuel pretreater apparatus and method for making it possible for an internal combustion engine to utilize as a fuel a combustible material not otherwise considered suitable as a fuel such as crude oil, used cleaning solvents, recycled oil, used paint thinners, and the like.

The Prior Art

The internal combustion engine has been in existence for over 100 years and has been the subject of numerous patents relating to various aspects of its design, operation, etc. A significant proportion of these patents relate to the fuel system particularly as to the handling, vaporization, and distribution of the fuel into the respective combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine. In light of the extreme sophistication of the current trend in internal combustion engines, not only for fuel economy but also for reduction in the emitted pollutants, great care is taken in the selection of the fuel grade particularly as to its guality prior to its introduction into the internal combustion engine.

The internal combustion engine is a preferred source of mechanical energy due to its portability, its relatively compact size, and the amount of mechanical energy it produces versus its total weight. However, there are numerous sources of potential fuel for the internal combustion engine that are either essentially wasted through inappropriate utilization or simply ignored as a fuel source due to the nature of the material. For example, conventionally, one does not consider crude oil or recycled materials such as motor oil, cleaning solvents, paint thinner, alcohol, and the like, as a suitable fuel source for an internal combustion engine.

In view of the foregoing, it would be an advancement in the art to provide a fuel pretreater apparatus and method for enabling an internal combustion engine to utilize as a fuel an alternate fuel such as crude oil or recycled materials such as motor oils, cleaning solvents, paint thinners, alcohols, and the

like. An even further advancement in the art would be to provide a fuel pretreater apparatus and method whereby a portion of the exhaust from the internal combustion engine is recycled into the intake of the internal combustion engine along with the pretreated alternate fuel. Such a novel fuel pretreater apparatus and method for an internal combustion engine is disclosed and claimed herein.

Brief Summary and Objects of the Invention The present invention is a novel fuel pretreater apparatus and method for an internal combustion engine. This novel fuel pretreater enables the internal combustion engine to utilize as fuels combustible products selected from materials such as crude oil or recycled materials such as motor oils, paint thinners, solvents, alcohols, and the like. This alternate fuel is introduced as a liquid into a volatilization chamber heated by thermal energy of the exhaust in the exhaust conduit of the internal combustion engine. A portion of the exhaust is bubbled through the liquid to assist in the volatilization of the alternate fuel. The fuel vapor thus produced is drawn through a thermal pretreater mounted concentrically inside the exhaust conduit. The thermal pretreater serves as a reactor and is configured as a reactor tube having a reactor rod mounted concentrically therein with a reduced annular space surrounding the rod. The volatilized alternate fuel passes through this annular space where it is subjected to thermal pretreat ent prior to being introduced into the intake system of the internal combustion engine.

It is, therefore, a primary object of this invention to provide improvements in fuel pretreaters for internal combustion engines.

Another object of this invention is to provide improvements in the method of pretreating a fuel for an internal combustion engine.

Another object of this invention is to provide a fuel pretreater for an internal combustion engine whereby the fuel can be selected from a group of materials such as crude oil and

recycled materials such as used motor oil, solvents, paint thinners, alcohols, and the like.

Another object of this invention is to provide a fuel pretreater having a volatilization chamber for the alternate fuel, the volatilization chamber being heated by the exhaust from the internal combustion engine.

Another object of this invention is to provide a fuel pretreater whereby a portion of the exhaust stream is recycled into the internal combustion engine along with volatilized alternate fuel from the volatilization chamber.

Another object of this invention is to provide a fuel pretreater wherein the incoming alternate fuel to the internal combustion engine is subjected to a high temperature environment.

These and other objects and features of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the following description with its accompanying drawing and the appended claims.

Brief Description of the Drawing Figure 1 is a schematic flow diagram of the novel fuel pretreater apparatus of this invention shown in the environment of an internal combustion engine; and

Figure 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a schematic of the reactor portion of the fuel pretreater of Figure 1.

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment The invention is best understood from the following description and the appended claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein like parts are designed by like numerals throughout.

General Discussion The present invention is a unique apparatus and method for pretreating fuel for an internal combustion engine, the pretreatment making it possible for the internal combustion engine to utilize as its fuel source fuels that are generally considered as not being suitable fuels for an internal combustion

engine. These alternate fuels include almost any liquid hydrocarbon such as crude oil or recycled materials such as motor oil, solvents, paint thinners, and various alcohols, to name several. Importantly, the alternate fuel is volatilized and then subjected to a high temperature environment prior to its being introduced into the intake system of the internal combustion engine. Currently, it is not known precisely what happens to the volatilized alternate fuel in this high temperature environment although one speculation is that the larger molecules are broken down into smaller molecular subunits of the heavy molecules.

In any event, I have found that I am able to satisfactorily operate an internal combustion engine using as my fuel source materials generally considered to be totally unsuitable as fuels for an internal combustion engine. For example, in one experimental run I was able to successfully operate an internal combustion engine using recycled motor oil. In another experimental run I was able to operate the internal combustion engine using crude oil as my sole fuel source.

However, I should state at this point that in order to generate sufficient thermal energy necessary to volatilize the alternate fuel in the volatilization chamber, it is necessary to operate the internal combustion engine initially using ordinary gasoline. This step is necessary since, absent my unique pretreatment process, it is impossible to operate an internal combustion engine with the alternate fuels that I am using. Accordingly, the internal combustion engine is started and operated for an initial period until sufficient thermal energy has been generated in order to initiate the volatilization and thermal pretreatment processes. Once these processes are self sustaining, the fuel system is switched over from the gasoline system to the alternate fuel system. The internal combustion engine continues to operate for as long as the alternate fuel is supplied or until the internal combustion engine is switched off.

Detailed Description Referring now to Figure l, the novel fuel pretreater apparatus of this invention is shown generally at 10 and includes

a volatilization chamber 12 and a fuel pretreater section 14 incorporated into an exhaust conduit 16. Volatilization chamber 12 is enclosed in an exhaust plenum 17 through which a stream of exhaust 18 passes. Exhaust 18 is produced by an internal combustion engine 20 which can be any suitable internal combustion engine ranging in size from a small, one-cylinder internal combustion engine to a large, multicylinder internal combustion engine. Internal combustion engine 20 is shown herein schematically particularly since no claim is made to an internal combustion engine, per se, only to the novel fuel pretreater apparatus 10 shown and claimed herein.

Internal combustion engine 20 includes a fuel tank 22 which supplies a starting fuel 24 and has a valve 26 for controlling the flow of fuel 24 through a fuel line 28 into an intake manifold 29. Fuel 24 enters internal combustion engine 20 through an intake manifold 29 either through carburetion or fuel injection (not shown) , both of which are conventional systems for introducing fuel 24 into internal combustion engine 20 and are, therefore, not shown herein but only indicated schematically through the depiction of intake manifold 29. Fuel 24 is ordinary gasoline and provides the necessary starting fuel for internal combustion engine 20 until sufficient thermal energy has been produced in order to sustain the operation of volatilization chamber 12 and pretreater section 14. Thereafter, valve 26 is closed and internal combustion engine 20 is operated as will be discussed more fully hereinafter. Internal combustion engine 20 produces exhaust 18 which is collected from internal combustion engine 20 by an exhaust manifold 30. Exhaust 18 is then directed through exhaust conduit 16 into fuel pretreater 10 where it provides the necessary thermal energy for the operation of fuel pretreater 10.

Exhaust 18b represents a portion of exhaust 18 and passes through plenum chamber 17 surrounding volatilization chamber 12 prior to exiting exhaust conduit 16. Exhaust 18b represents the residual portion of exhaust 18 since a bypass 40 diverts a portion of exhaust 18 (shown as exhaust 18a) into volatilization chamber 12. Plenum chamber 17 acts as a heat exchanger for

transferring thermal energy from exhaust 18b to volatilization chamber 12. A valve 42 controls the amount of exhaust 18a diverted into volatilization chamber 12.

Volatilization chamber 12 receives a quantity of alternate fuel 60 through a fuel line 62 from an alternate fuel source 63 with the flow thereof being controlled by a valve 64. Alternate fuel 60 accumulates as a pool of alternate fuel 60 in the bottom of volatilization chamber 12. Bypass 40 directs exhaust 18a into the bottom of the pool of alternate fuel 60 where a bubble plate 44 disperses exhaust 18a upwardly into the pool of alternate fuel 60 in order to assist in the volatilization of alternate fuel 60. However, the primary source of thermal energy for the volatilization of alternate fuel 60 is supplied by exhaust 18b as it passes through plenum chamber 17. The volatilized alternate fuel 60 is shown as volatilized fuel 66 which passes into an inlet 51 which is the end of reactor tube 52 extending upwardly into volatilization chamber 12.

Referring also to Figure 2, an enlarged segment of pretreater section 14 is shown generally as a reactor 50 which includes a reactor tube 52 located concentrically inside exhaust conduit 16. A reactor rod 54 is mounted concentrically in spaced relationship inside reactor tube 52 to provide an annular space or reaction chamber 56. As shown, exhaust 18 passes through an annular space 51 surrounding reactor tube 52 where it transfers a portion of its thermal energy to reactor tube 52. Volatilized fuel 66 passes countercurrently through the annular space of reaction chamber 56. The turbulent mixing of volatilized fuel 66 as it passes through reactor 50 in combination with the thermal energy imparted to it from exhaust 18 along with what is believed to be a catalytic reaction therein initiated by reactor rod 54 produces a pretreated fuel 68. Pretreated fuel 68 is then directed through an intake line 53 (which is an extension of reactor tube 52) into intake manifold 28. A valve 57 in intake line 53 controls the flow of pretreated fuel 68 into intake manifold 28. Supplemental air 80 is introduced into pretreated fuel 68 through an air intake 82 with the flow of supplemental air 80 being controlled by a valve 84.

Steady state operation of internal combustion engine 20 involves exhaust 18 contributing thermal energy to reactor 50. A portion of exhaust 18 is diverted as exhaust 18a and bubbled through the pool of alternate fuel 60 in the bottom of volatilization chamber 12. Exhaust 18a combines with the volatilized fuel from alternate fuel 60 to provide volatilized fuel 66. Volatilized fuel 66 is drawn into inlet 51 thence through reaction chamber 56 of reactor tube 52. The balance of exhaust 18b passes through plenum chamber 17 where a substantial portion of the balance of the thermal energy in exhaust 18b is transferred into alternate fuel 60 to assist in the volatilization of the same.

The Method

The method of this invention is practiced by starting internal combustion engine 20 using starting fuel 24 obtained from starting fuel tank 22. The flow of starting fuel 24 through fuel inlet line 28 is controlled by valve 26. Valve 84 is opened initially to allow the free flow of air 80 through air intake 82 during this starting phase of internal combustion engine 20. Internal combustion engine 20 generates exhaust 18 which is collected in exhaust manifold 30 where it is then directed into exhaust conduit 16. Exhaust 18 contains a significant amount of thermal energy resulting from the combustion of starting fuel 24 in internal combustion engine 20. A portion of the thermal energy in exhaust 18 is used to heat reactor 50 and then to volatilize alternate fuel 60. Specifically, exhaust 18a is diverted through exhaust bypass line 40 into volatilization chamber 12 where exhaust 18a is dispersed by bubble plate 44 into alternate fuel 60. Exhaust 18a transfers its thermal energy to alternate fuel 60 and also provides a carrier stream for the volatilized products of alternate fuel 60 so that this combination becomes volatilized alternate fuel 66 which is then drawn into intake 51. At this point it should be noted also that valve 84 is partially closed in order to create a partial vacuum in pretreated fuel line 53, which means that a partial vacuum will also be created in intake 51. Simultaneously, valves 42 and

57 are selectively controlled in order to suitably recirculate the flow of exhaust 18a and volatilized alternate fuel 66, respectively. In the meantime, the balance of exhaust 18 becomes exhaust 18b which passes through plenum chamber 17 where it transfers its thermal energy into volatilization chamber 12 and alternate fuel 60 therein. Accordingly, a major portion of the balance of thermal energy in exhaust 18 after exhaust 18 has passed through reactor 50 is transferred into alternate fuel 60 for the volatilization of the same. Volatilized alternate fuel 66 is directed into reaction chamber 56 where it is subjected to the pretreatment process of this invention by becoming reaction fuel 67 and then pretreated fuel 68. At the present time I am unable to state with any degree of certainty precisely what happens to reaction fuel 67 in reaction chamber 56. However, I have found that the larger molecules in volatilized fuel 66 are broken into fragments while some possible reaction occurs between these fragments and the portion of recycled exhaust 18a that is carried over in volatilized fuel 66. Specifically, I have found that a portion of the length of reactor 50 becomes quite hot, substantially hotter than could otherwise be accounted for from the thermal energy from exhaust 18 alone. This surplus thermal energy implies that some form of reaction is occurring in reaction fuel 67 as it is transformed into pretreated fuel 68. Pretreated fuel 68 is directed into intake manifold 29 where it becomes the fuel source for internal combustion engine 20.

The change over from starting fuel 24 to pretreated fuel 68 is accomplished by the careful adjustment of valves 26, 84, 57, and 42. In this manner, the operation of internal combustion engine 20 is smoothly transferred from sole reliance on starting fuel 24 to entirely on pretreated fuel 68. Using the novel teachings of this invention, I have run internal combustion engine 20 on alternate fuel 60 selected from materials generally considered to be totally unsuitable as a fuel for internal combustion engine 20. These alternate fuels have included crude oil and recycled materials such as motor oil, paint thinners, alcohols, and the like.

Accordingly, fuel pretreater 10 is a novel discovery in that is allows me to successfully operate internal combustion engine 20 using alternate fuels 60. As such, I am able to achieve several highly desirable goals, namely, the extraction of valuable mechanical energy from alternate fuel 60 while at the same time removing alternate fuel 60 from the waste stream; or, in the case of crude oil, using this material directly thereby eliminating the need to subject the same to the expensive and capital intensive refining processes. The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is: