Injection Adaptor for Gaseous Fuel Additives

Field of the invention

[01] The invention relates to combustion reactant mixing apparatus for combustion engines, and in particular to homogenously mixing SMAE fuel additive with air in an air intake manifold.

Background of the invention

[02] Combustion engines draw atmospheric air via an air intake manifold for use as the oxidant in the combustion of a fuel such as, but not limited to, gasoline or diesel. Both gasoline and diesel fuels are stored in liquid form and have to be atomized for mixing with air before being delivered to a piston chamber as part of a combustion mixture with atmospheric air.

[03] An increase in fuel efficiency is desired. Gaseous additives may be added to the combustion mixture to improve fuel efficiency of a combustion engine.

[04] There is a need to provide methods and apparatus for mixing gaseous additive with a combustion mixture before delivery of the combustion mixture to a combustion chamber.

Summary of the invention

[05] In accordance with a broad aspect of the present invention, there is provided A SMAE injection system for a combustion engine comprising: a SMAE gas generator for generating a flow of SMAE gas; an injection adapter having a flow bore and an outlet from the flow bore, the injection adapter installed with its outlet positioned in an inner diameter of an air intake manifold of the combustion engine; and a SMAE gas conduit extending from the SMAE gas generator to the injection adapter, the injection adapter configured to disperse the SMAE gas from the outlet generally centrally into the inner diameter of the air intake manifold.

[06] In accordance with another broad aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for injecting SMAE gas into an internal combustion engine of a vehicle, the internal combustion engine including an air intake manifold and an engine combustion chamber, the

method comprising: providing a gas injection adapter including a flow bore and an outlet from the flow bore; installing the gas injection adapter with its outlet in an inner diameter of the air intake manifold; and providing a flow of SMAE gas and passing the flow of SMAE gas through the outlet into the air intake manifold, the SMAE gas being introduced into a central region of the air intake manifold's inner diameter.

[07] It is to be understood that other aspects of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, wherein various embodiments of the invention are shown and described by way of illustration. As will be realized, the invention is capable for other and different embodiments and its several details are capable of modification in various other respects, all without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly the drawings and detailed description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.

Brief description of the drawings

[08] Referring to the drawings wherein like reference numerals indicate similar parts throughout the several views, several aspects of the present invention are illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in detail in the figures, wherein:

[09] FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an injection adapter in accordance with an embodiment of the invention;

[10] FIG. 2 is an elevation side view of the injection adapter shown in FIG. 1;

[11] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of an injection adapter flare;

[12] FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the injection adapter flare; and

[13] FIG. 5 is a schematic view of an injection adapter installed in a vehicle system.

Detailed description of the embodiments

[14] The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of various embodiments of the present invention and is not intended to represent the only embodiments contemplated by the inventor. The detailed description includes specific details for the purpose of providing a comprehensive understanding of the

present invention. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details.

[15] In accordance with an embodiment of the invention shown in Fig.s 1 and 5, an injection adapter 100 may be employed to dispense an additive gas arrows G, such as, but not limited to, SMAE gas (i.e. gas generated from a solid membrane alkaline electrolyzing system 50) into an air intake manifold 52 of a combustion engine. SMAE gas may include a mixture of H ₂ and O ₂ such as may be generated from passing an electrical current through an aqueous electrolyte solution 56 using a pair of electrodes immersed in the electrolyte. While the injection adapter 100 may be installed in the air intake manifold of the combustion engine, the invention is not limited to mixing gaseous SMAE additive with aspired atmospheric air, and may include mixing gaseous SMAE with a combustion mixture including atmospheric air and fuel either in gaseous, vapor, and droplet form before the combined mixture is conveyed to the combustion engine.

[16] An air intake manifold system 52 includes an inlet 52a, and a passageway 52b leading to the one or more engine combustion chambers 58, only a portion of which is shown but is well understood.

[17] There is a need to homogenize the mixture of SMAE additive gas and the aspired air or combustion mixture. In accordance with one implementation of the embodiment of the invention, the injection adapter 100 may be installed as far upstream from the engine's combustion chamber(s) 58 as possible. In one embodiment, for example, the adapter 100 may be installed closer to inlet 52a than to combustion chamber 58. Installing the injection adapter 100 in the air intake manifold as far upstream as possible ensures additive gas diffusion in the aspired air or combustion mixture and reduces the possibility of laminar additive gas flow persistence which would otherwise limit mixture homogenization.

[18] In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, the injection adapter 100 may further include an injection adapter flare 110. The flare 110 may be supplied with SMAE additive gas, via an injection adapter tube 102. The injection adapter 100 may also include an injection adapter bar 104.

[19] In accordance with the embodiment of the invention, the injection adapter flare 110 may be configure to dispense the gaseous additive, arrows G, substantially in the middle of the air intake manifold passageway 52b inner diameter D to ensure excellent entrainment in

the intake airflow, arrows A, and even distribution of the gaseous additive in the intake airflow, thereby leading to a homogenous mixture arrows AG within a shorter distance of air flow within the air intake manifold. In one embodiment, for example the adapter flare is positioned to dispense the gaseous additive through an outlet in the adapter, the outlet being positioned within the center 20% of the passageway inner diameter. The injection adapter flare 110 may further or alternately be configured to dispense the gaseous additive in a direction substantially transverse to the direction of intake airflow through passageway 52b, with is generally along the long axis of the air intake manifold passageway at that injection point. For this purpose, the injector adapter flare 110 may have a generally linear, tubular shape, with an internal bore 112 opening at an end tip 113 of the flare.

[20] The injector adapter 100 may be installed as by threaded installation in a wall of the manifold passageway, which is a pipe. Attachment means for the injector adapter flare 110 may include an injector adapter mounting thread 114. To facilitate injector adapter flare attachment, the injector adapter flare 110 may further include a faceted portion 116 which may be engaged by a driver such as a wrench, etc. A faceted portion 116 having a hexagonal cross-section is shown without limiting the invention thereto. An additional thread 118 may be used to assist with mounting and assembly, if desired.

[21] SMAE gaseous additive may be dispensed into the air intake manifold via aperture 120 of the injector adapter flare 110. In accordance with an implementation of the embodiment of the invention, the injector adapter flare 110 may be chamfered at tip 113 about the aperture 120.

[22] In accordance with an implementation of the embodiment of the invention, the injector adapter flare 110 may include brass. The invention is not limited to a brass injector adapter flare 110, certainly a stainless steel injector adapter flare 110 may also be employed.

[23] In accordance with an implementation of the embodiment of the invention, the injector adapter tube 102 may include copper. The invention is not limited to a copper injector adapter tube 102, certainly a stainless steel or plastic injector adapter tube 102 may also be employed. Employing a copper injector adapter tube 102 with a brass injector adapter flare 110 may provide improved compatibility therebetween, while a stainless steel injector adapter tube 102 may provide improved compatibility when employed with a stainless steel injector adapter flare 110. The use of stainless steel injector adapter flare 110 and tube 102

may reduce manufacturing costs. For retrofit applications however, a copper injector adapter tube 102 may be employed allowing for custom on-site bending of the injector adapter tube 102 in routing thereof about existing combustion engine components. Care is to be exercised in forming the injector adapter tube 102 of the chosen material so as not to kink the injector adapter tube 102 to prevent SMAE additive gas cut-off and possibly breakage.

[24] The injection adapter tube 102 may be connected to the injector adapter flare 110 via friction fit engagement therebetween, threading engagement therebetween, brazing or soldering.

[25] In accordance with an implementation of the embodiment of the invention, the injector adapter bar 104 may include brass. The invention is not limited to a brass injector adapter bar 104, certainly a stainless steel injector adapter bar 104 may also be employed.

Employing a brass injector adapter bar 104 with a brass injector adapter flare 110 may provide improved compatibility therebetween, while a stainless steel injector adapter bar 104 may provide improved compatibility when employed with a stainless steel injector adapter flare 110. Employing a brass injector adapter bar 104 is preferred for easy brazing/soldering thereof to copper and brass injector adapter components.

[26] In accordance with the embodiment of the invention, the injector adapter 100 may sealingly engage the air intake manifold. In accordance with an implementation of embodiment of the invention, a gasket may be employed on the injector adapter bar 104 around the injector adapter flare 110. The gasket may include Ethylene Propylene Diene Monomer (EPDM).

[27] Although various aspects of the present invention have been described herein including for example an injection adapter flare, an injection adapter tube, and an injection adapter bar, it is to be understood that each of these features may be used independently or in various combinations, as desired, in an injection adapter.

[28] The previous description of the disclosed embodiments is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the present invention. Various modifications to those embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the full scope consistent with the claims,

wherein reference to an element in the singular, such as by use of the article "a" or "an" is not intended to mean "one and only one" unless specifically so stated, but rather "one or more". AU structural and functional equivalents to the elements of the various embodiments described throughout the disclosure that are known or later come to be known to those of ordinary skill in the art are intended to be encompassed by the elements of the claims. Moreover, nothing disclosed herein is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether such disclosure is explicitly recited in the claims. No claim element is to be construed under the provisions of 35 USC 112, sixth paragraph, unless the element is expressly recited using the phrase "means for" or "step for".

[29] The embodiments presented herein are exemplary only, and persons skilled in the art would appreciate that variations to the embodiments may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. The scope of the invention is solely defined by the appended claims.