CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This international PCT Application claims the benefit of priority under 35

U.S.C. § 119(e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/955,657, filed March 19, 2014, entitled, "SHUTTLE VALVE ENABLED VARNISH REMOVAL SYSTEM AND METHODS THEREFORE", and of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/971,424, filed March 27, 2014, entitled, "SHUTTLE VALVE, PLASMA ENABLED VARNISH REMOVAL SYSTEM AND METHODS THEREFOR", and of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/059,854, filed October 4, 2014, entitled, "SHUTTLE VALVE, PLASMA ENABLED VARNISH REMOVAL SYSTEM AND METHODS THEREFOR", the disclosures of which are all incorporated here by reference in their entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The invention relates to utilization of alternative fuels for combustion while preventing, inhibiting, reducing, and removing harmful deposits from engine components.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Economically produced and distributed fuels typically contain constituents such as carbon, sulfur, silicon, phosphorous and other potential participants in combustion processes including harmful deposits on combustion chamber component surfaces. Deposits begin with precursor substances that are physically and chemically altered by energy received from ignition and/or combustion events. A certain amount of bonded residue is provided that grows in subsequent operating cycles to cause fouling of injection and ignition components, valves, pistons, seals, and other surfaces of the combustion chamber and co-production of electrolytes and acids degrades the motion of components throughout the entire engine. [0004] Long standing and difficult problems with alternative fuels - such natural gas and various landfill fuels and mixtures that may be derived from anaerobic processes such as thermal dissociation, endothermic reformation, and/or digestion of sewage, garbage, farm wastes and forest slash - include:

1) Physical property variability resulting in malfunctions of fuel metering systems;

2) Chemical property variability resulting in malfunctions of engine ignition systems;

3) Fuel heating value variability resulting in malfunctions of engine control systems;

4) Presence of condensates such as water - including acid and other highly corrosive electrolytes- resulting in corrosion of relative motion components; and

5) Presence of other contaminates - such as silane or siloxanes - resulting in engine deposits, hot spots, fouling, production of abrasives and failure of engine lubrication system.

[0005] These problems have compromised or defeated various past attempts to provide satisfactory power, operational control, drivability, consistency, and longevity in instances where alternative fuels have been substituted for gasoline or diesel fuel in internal combustion engines. Even when elaborate compensations are made to overcome the problems associated with physical and chemical property variability in alternative fuels, the condensates and other contaminants ultimately compromise or destroyed combustion chamber components including valves, valve seats, pistons, and seals along with fuel metering and/or ignition subsystems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The invention relates to the prevention, inhibition, reduction and removal of varnish and deposits on engine components. It is an object of the invention to process and utilize fuels containing deposit-generating substances and/or acids without generating deposits or contributing abrasive, corrosive, or acid-forming reagents to the engine's oil or engine components.

[0007] It is an object of the invention to provide systems and methods for preventing and inhibiting generation of deposits in combustion engines. It is an object of the invention to provide fuel injectors and head gasket assemblies useful to minimize, avoid, or eliminate harmful engine deposits. It is an object of the invention to provide electrodes, electrode configurations, and ion currents useful to minimize, avoid, or eliminate harmful engine deposits.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] FIGS. 1A to 1C schematically illustrate ionizing fuel injectors.

[0009] FIG. 2 depicts step-wise procedures to overcome deposition problems.

[0010] FIG. 3 A depicts a schematic of a fluid selector shuttle valve.

[0011] FIG. 3B depicts a system for transferring fluid fuel through a shuttle valve of

FIG. 3A.

[0012] FIG. 4 depicts combustion chamber comparison of component surfaces with conventional fluid cooling operations (high) with adaptive cooling operation (higher) versus combustion chamber gases (highest).

[0013] FIGS. 5A to FIG 5C depict head gasket assemblies which enable operation of an engine according to the present technology.

[0014] FIG 6A depicts an ion launch system.

[0015] FIG 6A-1 shows various flow directors, electrodes.

[0016] FIGS 6B to FIG 6D depict electrode assembly configurations for production of ion patterns.

[0017] FIG 6E shows a helical configuration of electrodes.

[0018] FIG 6F shows ion current between helical electrodes [0019] FIGS 6G to 6N show an ion current between a helical electrode pair traveling as a result of Lorentz thrust along a helical path.

[0020] FIGS 7A-7B depicts ion generation and launch systems.

[0021] FIGS 7C to 7E depict helical electrode configurations.

[0022] FIG 7F depicts an ion generation and launch system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] The problems addressed in, for example, Besmann US Patent No. 8,631,770 are more or less the same in instances where un-refined natural gas, industrial waste gas and other fuels having great potential applications are used. In many instances such fuels could be used in an engine converted to operation with the present technology to produce motive power while reducing or eliminating toxicity and/or greenhouse gas impact. Examples include, forest and other crop wastes that can be gasified including use of heat by partial combustion such as with natural gas to produce increased and worthwhile fuel values along with potentially damaging substances. Valuable fuel applications also potentially include operation of engines on sulfur rich fuels such as sour gas for the purpose of developing motive power in which the exhaust can be used for industrial purposes and/or to supply sulfur nutrients and/or soil conditioners for improved farm productivity.

[0024] It is an object of the invention for fuels containing substances that source harmful deposits and/or acids to be processed through the combustion chamber without generating deposits or contributing abrasive, corrosive, or acid forming reagents to the engine's oil or other objectionable places. This can be accomplished by any one or combination of operational options including:

1) Operation of combustion engines with unthrottled oxidant or air intake to maximize volumetric efficiency benefits. ) Operation of the combustion chamber surfaces at an adaptively controlled higher temperature than previously provided by conventional engine operations.

) Operation of the combustion chamber surfaces at an adaptively controlled higher temperature than provided by conventional engine operations in which occasional coolant fluid is introduced into the combustion chamber to provide cooling from within as such coolant removes heat that is transferred to the ambient atmosphere through the exhaust system of the engine.

) Operation of the combustion chamber surfaces at an adaptively controlled temperature by one or more occasionally introduced coolant ingredients that remove deposits by surface active agents and/or thermal shock due to coolant phase change inducement and/or due to thermal expansion and/or contraction stresses that cause release and/or removal of such deposits.

) Operation of the combustion chamber surfaces with excess combustion air wherein excess air is in contact with combustion chamber surfaces at times that fuel substances and/or potential deposit forming derivatives of such fuel substances are introduced into the combustion chamber.

) Conversion of fuel substances with potential deposit forming derivatives into new fuel species by thermochemical production of fluid fuels such as hydrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, etc., including chemical modifications to prevent subsequent deposition and/or trapping of deposit forming precipitates such as hydrocarbons, carbon, silica, alumina, and various other compounds.

) Introduction of fuel as a stratified charge within excess air and providing adaptively controlled ignition to accelerate initiation and completion of combustion.

) Cold and Hot Shot Operation: Separation of hydrogen from fuels (such as natural gas, carbon monoxide, fuel alcohols, formic acid, formaldehyde, methanol, ammonia, gasoline, jet, or diesel fuels) and arranging to cool and inject such fuels along with substances made from such fuels before top dead center and arranging to heat such hydrogen and to inject such hydrogen as a hot gas at a high pressure to produce the greatest expansive heating after TDC.

[0025] Shown in FIG. 1A is a fuel injector 100 for ionization followed by direct introduction of fuel into the combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine including two- and four-stroke piston engines. FIG. 1A schematically illustrates an ionizing injector with an optional igniter according to a representative embodiment. Ion- injector-igniter 100 includes an injector body or housing 106 with a valve seat 110 disposed therein. In this embodiment, valve seat 110 comprises a solid dielectric material. A valve 120 is slideably disposed in the housing 106 and is normally closed against valve seat 110 and opens in response to operation by valve actuator 152 and suitable linkage 154 to 120 for control of the flow of fuel (fluid 102) into a combustion chamber 116. In operation, valve 120 moves bi- directionally along an axial path as represented by a distance that may be varied up to gap 126 as shown.

[0026] FIG. IB shows a system that is particularly suited for applications that require thermal and/or electrical isolation of the actuator and/or amplification of the unidirectional motions of an actuator such as an electromagnetic solenoid, pneumatic, hydraulic, magnetostrictive or piezoelectric valve actuator assembly 170. Thermal and/or electrical isolation is provided by mounting assembly 170 on or in conjunction with insulator member 172 and/or body 106. Actuator motion exerted by push-pull pin 174 produces valve 120 actuation-travel 126 through linkage 184, bearing 182, bar 180 and fulcrum bearing 178. Motion amplification can be provided by selection of the distances between bearings 176 and 178 along with 178 and 182 to develop motion of magnitude that is adequate to produce suitable motion of valve 124 and/or to reduce or eliminate the effect of pressure and/or thermal expansion or contraction by various components of the assembly shown in FIG. IB.

[0027] FIG. 1C shows incorporation of control computer 171 with a thermally and electrically insulated valve actuator such as an electromagnetic solenoid, hydraulic, pneumatic or piezoelectric driver assembly 170 for operation of an outward opening fuel control valve 125. Fiber optics 127 at locations including valve portion electrode 122 and array 129 shown in partial cut-away view provide and/or connect various sensors in electrode 122 to computer 171 for monitoring surfaces of the combustion chamber for initiation of deposit formation, prevention, or removal, measurement of combustion chamber component surface temperature and/or to provide operating information such as piston position and acceleration for adaptive control of engine operations. Suitable materials such as sapphire, quartz, glass, etc., and routing of fiber optics 127 to computer 171 is provided with protection against abrasion and fretting along with accommodation to prevent stress beyond the fatigue endurance limit within valve assembly portions 122, 124, and along, through or parallel to linkages 184, 180, and 174. Additional information may be delivered to computer 171 by wireless communication and/or conductive or optical cables such as provided by temperature sensors located within the cooling jacket passageways (not shown) and/or a new head gasket assembly as shown in FIGS. 5A to 5C, which integrates sensors for temperature, pressure and detection of other combustion chamber component events including presence or generation of combustion chamber deposits.

[0028] In addition to injection of fuel, assembly 100 also provides the options for occasional administration of an additional oxidant, coolant fluid and/or ignition to combust the injected fuel. Injector 100 includes conductors 104 electrically isolated (108) from housing 106. The assembly also prepares fuel for clean combustion by various adaptively determined measures. In instances in which a cryogenic or cold fuel is selectively entered through port 105, 105B, or 107, it may be used to present a cold shock to dislodge deposits in interior passageways of assembly 100 and/or on combustion chamber component surfaces. In other instances in which it is desired to utilize fuel that may cause detectable deposits, energy conversion events are conducted by assembly 100 to ionize, acoustically accelerate, heat or otherwise energize such fuel to provide accelerated initiation and/or completion of combustion within surplus air to prevent deposits.

[0029] The present technology can help reduce or overcome long standing problems of prechamber designs for combustion of fuel including overheating of prechamber structures, production of undesirable emissions, and/or sacrifice of heat generated by transfer of combustion generated heat to the engine coolant. Present embodiments provide production of oxidant and/or fuel ions and injection of patterns of such ions into the combustion chamber to provide combustion in lean fuel-air mixtures or combustion within surplus air. In some embodiments, fuel may be delivered at selected times along with or into such ion patterns. Accordingly, more of the heat produced by such ion pattern stimulated combustion can be converted into useful work in comparison with operation with combustion in prechamber structures. Commensurate advantages include, for example, use of ions and radicals that are produced and thrust as injected patterns to accelerate ignition and/or combustion within the combustion chamber whereby combustion is completed with reduced exhaust emissions. Further benefits may be produced by corona ignition in the pattern of injected ions to accelerate ignition and/or completion of combustion. Present embodiments provide production of oxidant and/or fuel ions and injection of such ions into the combustion chamber to impinge on deposits present on combustion chamber component surfaces to facilitate deposit removal. Injected ions may be positive (+) or negative (-). In a preferred embodiment positive ions are injected to impinge on negatively charged deposits; in a preferred embodiment the injected ions have a charge that is opposite that of the charge of a deposit.

[0030] Included in assembly 100 are resistive, inductive and/or plasma production components 109 to produce patterns of projected ions and/or thermal and/or electrical energy conversion events. In certain embodiments valve 120 includes a conductive valve head 124 electrically connected to electrode 104. Such conduction may be accomplished by a suitable contact brush, spring or bellows (not shown) or a sliding contact as shown. A suitable power supply (not shown) occasionally applies voltage through conductor 104 to charge a tip portion 122 of conductive valve head 124. In some embodiments, the charge applied to the tip is sufficient to cause a sufficient initial current between an edge or tips 1 19 and electrode 122 to effectively reduce the impedance to continued or to a larger ion current arc across the gap 121 between a conductive portion of housing 106 and remaining tip portion 122, thereby providing Lorentz thrusting of the electrically generated ions and/or ions produced by ignition of fuel and oxidant that may be present to launch a pattern of ions to ignite fuel that may be present in combustion chamber 116. Lorentz thrusting of ions (e.g., fuel ions and/or oxidant ions) may be used to accelerate ions towards deposits to impinge on deposits so as to scrub deposits from combustion chamber component surfaces. In some embodiments, reversing the Lorentz field back and forth (e.g., high frequency Lorentz reversals) will permit regulation of ions back and forth to scrub deposits from combustion chamber component surfaces.

[0031] Selected features such as ion initiation electrode 122, tips 119 and/or 123 may include inserts or coatings or be made of heat resisting and/or reduced work force materials such as tungsten, tantalum, molybdenum, molybdenum disilicide (M0S1 ₂ ), platinum, zirconium or zirconium carbide ZrC, silicon carbide, graphite, selected diamond like carbon (DLC) and/or a tantalum compound such as Ta _x C. The power supply may also power or charge other devices, such as capacitor 130 along with optical, resistive, inductive and/or plasma production components 109 to produce heat and/or electrical energy conversion events.

[0032] Illustratively, the temperature, electrical status including ion population, and/or heat content of fuels that are injected by assembly 100 can be provided, maintained or sufficiently elevated to produce ignition upon injection into air that is heated by suitable methods such as the compression event of engine operation. In another mode of operation the temperature, electrical status including ion population, and/or heat content of fuels that are injected by assembly 100 can be maintained or adjusted to provide satisfactory ignition by one or more heaters 129, surface catalysts, and/or glow plugs that serve the combustion chamber. In another mode of operation the temperature, electrical status including ion population, and/or surface temperature and/or heat content of local oxidant and/or fuels that are injected by assembly 100 can be maintained or sufficiently elevated at zones such as 121 and/or 129 to produce ignition upon injection into air and/or by a spark or plasma that is administered by electrodes such as 1 19, 122, 123 and/or 129 or by the electrodes of another device such as a spark plug or corona generation system that serves the combustion chamber such as injection and/or ignition devices incorporated in embodiment 500A, 500B and/or 500C in FIGS. 5A-5C.

[0033] With reference again to FIG. 1A, fluid such as fuel and/or coolant 102 is delivered through port 105A and/or 105B which can located between one or more supporting heat isolator structures 156 and/or 107 and may in some embodiments be used to provide electrical isolation (e.g., insulation or high electrical resistance) between electrically charged conductors 104 and 106 . It should be understood that the term fluid as used in the present application refers to liquid and gaseous fluids including mixtures with particles that flow as fluids. Heat isolation provisions allow maintenance of cold conditions or production of warm or hot conditions in fluid that is metered and injected but enable valve actuator 152 to be selected from lower operating temperature choices such as hydraulic, pneumatic, piezoelectric, magnetostrictive or solenoids of various electromagnetic types. Such heat control may be further provided by isolation of fasteners such as 158 by insulators 160 and 162. Assembly 152 may also include an electric or electronic controller for receiving instrumentation signals and providing the operations described herein.

[0034] For example, fluid 102 may be a liquid fluid such as gasoline or cryogenic methane or a gaseous fluid, such as compressed natural gas (CNG), water or various landfill fuels including methane, carbon monoxide/carbon dioxide, hydrogen and various other constituents which in this case one or more of such fluids may be the fuel supply and/or the combustion chamber coolant that is occasionally supplied through the injector. Using a dielectric fluid as the insulator in applications such as injector-igniter 100 has the additional benefit of conforming to and filling voids or cracks 1 14 within thermal and/or electrical dam 112 and other components or assembly devices. This conformal nature of a dielectric fluid may be enhanced by increasing the pressure of the dielectric fluid such as heating a fluid to increase pressure and/or by delivering the dielectric fluid at elevated pressure through a port such as 105A, 105B or 107.

[0035] Dielectric fluid contained or transported through a circuit is used in some embodiments and/or on selected occasions to help insulate variously incorporated and located electrical or thermo-electrical devices, such as integrated circuits or discrete devices such as inductors, resistors, photo-optic components, thermoelectric generators and/or capacitors such as capacitor 130 which is disposed on or to deliver energy through valve 120 or electrode 123 or 129. This is particularly effective in providing energy harvesting and/or for intermittent energy storage in capacitor 130 and/or to enable certain functions such as rapid loading or delivery of electrical potential energy. [0036] In other instances the fluid 102 in the circuit may include agents that assist with detection and/or removal of undesirable deposits. In other embodiments, the dynamic flow of dielectric fluid 102 through the valve seat 1 10 insulates electrode 106 from coaxial surfaces of tip portion 122, thereby inhibiting ionization of fluid 102 across gap 121, which consequently forces ignition such as by corona discharge 132 at a distance into the lower dielectric strength substances present in the combustion chamber 116.

[0037] In other embodiments, electrodes such as 123 and/or 122 may include permanent or electromagnets, straight or curved fins, or other features to impart swirl to fluids that are injected. Illustratively, an embodiment that deflects or accelerates fluid by electromagnetic field shaping and/or swirl inducing suitably dimensioned and shaped fins 11 1 is shown in FIG. 1A.

[0038] Impurity substances such as may contain sulfur, silicon, phosphorous, carbon, and various other problematic industrial wastes including semiconductor wastes typically present the potential to inhibit current development or spark across gap 121 along with providing chemical or physical changes that can assist with production of desirable stratified patterns for efficient ignition such as corona discharge 132 within combustion chamber 1 16. Illustratively production of corona ignition events 132 in the stratified pattern of fuel and air mixtures and spark travel in a pathway 121 between electrodes 122 and 123 can be prevented by sufficiently rapid (e.g., about 7 nanoseconds to 70 nanoseconds) application by electrode 122 of a sufficiently high potential (e.g., 10 KV to 100 KV) electrical field. Chemical and/or physical changes for such advantages can include formation of radicals or ions along with other minute particles that can produce desired optical properties including ultraviolet radiation generation to accelerate ignition of fuel-oxidant mixtures and/or stratified charge combustion processes. Delivering the electrical potential energy as heat and/or corona ionization, which can be supplemental or utilized instead of an ion current or spark that traverses gaps in annular zone 121, can reduce or eliminate spark erosion of electrodes 122 and surface 123 of housing electrode 106.

[0039] In many types of fuel injection systems and combustion chamber designs it is desirable to operate one or more varnish and debris cleaning cycles before fuel introduction events. Illustratively, cleaning cycles may be performed during the intake or compression strokes. Cleaning cycles may be performed during the power or exhaust strokes. Cleaning cycles may be performed following any of the intake, compression, power or exhaust strokes. Such preemptive cleaning (preceding fuel introduction) assures clean fuel injector operations and prevents deposits that may cause-hot-spot preignition difficulties. Additional and/or more intense cleaning operations may be produced upon indication or detection of varnish or other fouling deposits. Cleaning cycle intensity may be increased such as by adaptive application of additional ion current in the various embodiments that are disclosed herein.

[0040] In instances that detection by instrumentation 127 and/or 150 of adverse substance collection within assembly 100 or on or within the combustion chamber a fluid cleaning operation may be provided individually or as part of a combustion chamber cooling event. Illustratively a fluid selected to clean the inside zones or surfaces within assembly 100 or the combustion chamber may be administered through port 105 A or 107 and or 105B as indicated for the most desirable degree of cleaning.

[0041] Aspects of the disclosed technology are described in McAlister US Patent No.

8,673,084, entitled "METHODS FOR VARNISH REMOVAL AND PREVENTION IN AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE," the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0042] FIG. 2 shows a system of process procedures that overcome the problems stated by the following steps: 1) Initially filtering alternative fuel selections to remove condensates and particles of objectionable dimensions (202).

2) Further heating and/or filtration of remaining alternative fuel as necessary to provide sufficient heat content and temperature to assure delivery by metering such fuel into the combustion chamber without precipitation or separation of condensates or other contaminants (204).

3) Operation of engine with cooling of combustion chamber components provided by occasional introduction of cooling fluid to maintain relatively warmer combustion chamber surfaces as heat is transferred to the atmosphere through the exhaust system to thereby reverse the flow of heat compared to conventional systems for cooling engines by heat removal to a circulated cooling fluid in a water or coolant jacket or fin zones surrounding the combustion chamber (206).

4) Igniting a stratified mixture of alternative fuel within surplus air to produce stratified heat release and reduction or prevention of contact with combustion chamber walls by alternative fuel or products of alternative fuel at temperatures, pressures, and motions that would otherwise cause deposits (208).

[0043] FIG. 3 A shows an embodiment in which a suitable valve such as the assembly of shuttle valve 348 in case 350 provides rapid selection of fluids with particular performance properties such as to provide or improve combustion characteristics, dielectric strength, cooling capacity, Joule-Thomson expansive cooling, Joule-Thomson expansive heating, and cleaning capacities. Such rapid selection of oxidant and/or fuel characteristics or special property fluids allows new outcomes including maintenance of favorably warmer combustion chamber component surfaces than practical with conventional engine cooling systems. Combustion chamber component surfaces may also be improved with heat control head gaskets, inserts and/or coatings that block heat loss to improve combustion chamber efficiency and turbocharger performance with warmer exhaust gases that are produced. Increasing the temperature of combustion chamber component surfaces is enabled by direct injection of fuel before, at or after top dead center (TDC) according to adaptive adjustment of injection timing including timing that avoids pre-ignition knock.

[0044] Illustratively, fluid selector valve 348 may provide passage of oxygen rich fluids by a suitable air separation system and/or from a compound such as an oxygen and/or halogen containing compound such as an oxide of carbon, or water by electrochemical processes such as disclosed in U.S. Patents 3,959,094; 4,609,441; 8,592,633 and the references cited thereby all of which are incorporated herein by reference. This provides enhanced oxygen content and/or oxidant activation that is present in the combustion chamber or presented in ion launch chambers such as 121, 606A, 606B, and 706B (as further disclosed regarding embodiments 600A, 600B, 700A and 700B). Such oxygen enrichment and/or oxidant activation reduces the ignition energy required for compression, hot spot, ion pattern induction, spark or plasma generation systems. In addition, oxygen enrichment and/or oxidant ionization and activation also beneficially accelerate combustion events after ignition. Such oxidant activation and/or oxygen separation from feedstocks, such as water or air, provides beneficial use of energy (H-3) that may be provided by regenerative sources such as braking or suspension systems.

[0045] In the embodiment of system 300 of FIG. 3B, one or more fuels such as a gaseous substance and/or a liquid substance are added to tank 304 through one or more suitable fill ports 302. Liquid fuels such as liquid natural gas (LNG), ethane, propane, butane, fuel alcohols, formic acid, ammonia, gasoline or diesel fuel can be pressurized by the gaseous fuel addition and/or by energy addition to produce vaporization of the liquid fuel. Fuel pressure may be initially provided by addition of a pressurized gas such as 2,000 to 10,000 PSI hydrogen, methane or natural gas. Fuel heating or pressurization may be provided by engine coolant heat (H-1) that is directly or indirectly circulated through heat exchanger 318. Additional heat (H-2) transfer from engine exhaust gases may be provided by heat exchanger 316. Further heating may be provided by heater 320 to supply heat (H-3) using suitable sources such as off-peak or spin-down energy and/or regenerative heat from brakes or suspension components.

[0046] Fuel selector valve 308 delivers pressurized fuel through conduit 310 to selector valve 312 for conveyance to one or more heat exchanger reactors 315A, 315B, and 315C each of which may have a hydrogen separator membrane tube 317A, 317B, and 317C as shown. In certain applications cylinder 317D provides the same functions as tubes 317A- C in other instances it may be utilized to collect a pressurized gas such as an oxide of carbon or nitrogen from 317A-C for increasing the efficiency of expander 374 and/or to flush or increase the efficiency of heat exchangers 360A-B or 362A-B or applications of such gases in applications connected through 352. In certain embodiments such hydrogen separator membranes are assembled between permeable electrodes to enable proton transport and separated hydrogen delivered through valves 328, 330, and 332 to be galvanically pressurized for storage in accumulator 326. Alternatively hydrogen may be directly transferred through valve 324 to valve 322 to heat exchanger 360A which may further heat the hydrogen by heat transfer H-3 and/or H-4 from 360B for greater expansive heating benefit upon being directed through passageway 344 of shuttle valve 348 through passageway 352 to a suitable fluid injection system such as 100, 510, 600A or 600B for delivery into a combustion chamber such as 1 16 starting before, at, or after TDC of the engine.

[0047] Fuel may be further pressurized after pulse loading of one or more selected reactors 315A, 315B, or 315C from tank 304 through filter 306 or filter and/or pump 314 to valve 308. The pulse loaded fuel flows through flow control valves 319A, 319B, 319C, and/or 319D along with control valves 321A, 321B, 321C, and/or 321D, is heated and reacted to produce greater pressure by reactions. Illustratively, such pressurization can include heat additions to provide vaporization of water and/or an alcohol such as ethanol or wet ethanol or methanol or wet methanol yielding carbon dioxide and hydrogen for delivery through valves 328, 330, 332 and/or 334 as shown and summarized in Equations 1, 2, and 3:

C ₂ H ₅ OH + H ₂ 0 + (H-l, H-2 and/or H-3) 2CO + 4H ₂ Equation 1

CH ₃ OH (H-l, H-2 and/or H-3) CO + 2H ₂ Equation 2

CH ₃ OH + H ₂ 0 + (H-l, H-2 and/or H-3) C0 ₂ + 3H ₂ Equation 3

[0048] In instances that hydrogen is separated and removed by transfer through galvanic pressurization membrane 317A, 317B and/or 317C the reaction can be favorably shifted for greater reaction rate and more efficient production of hydrogen. Residual wet methanol in a reactor is depressurized as fuel vapors and carbon monoxide or dioxide are transferred through valves 321A, 321B, and/or 321C through line 338 to accumulator 340 and/or to passageway 346 to shuttle valve 348 for cooling by heat exchanger 362 for occasional cooling events by injection into the engine to and/or to another subsystem such as a turbocharger 374 through valve 372. Cooling in heat exchangers 360A and/or 362 A can be by heat transfer to incoming liquid fuel in 360B and/or 362B such as one or more fuel alcohol selections, LNG, ethane, propane, butane, etc. Reactors 315A, 315B, and 315C can be sequentially repressurized by pulse loading of additional fuel from tank 304.

[0049] Combustion chamber component temperatures can be adaptively controlled to be higher in surface regions because of the higher cooling efficiency provided by cooling from within the combustion chamber with cooling fluids that are cyclically introduced to remove heat that is contributed to the exhaust system instead of a radiator and/or cooling fins. Higher surface temperatures 402 as depicted in FIG. 4 reduces the nucleation or development of fouling deposits, enable more efficient surface active or detergent action, enable thermal shock and/or thermal expansion mismatch stress induced removal of deposits, and improve the thermal efficiency of the engine. In comparison, conventional water-jacket and/or fin cooling temperature 404 reduces or inhibits these beneficial operational characteristics. Illustratively the relative temperatures can vary from below about 90°C or lower to about 140°C or higher.

[0050] Certain embodiments provide adaptive cooling by occasional administration of injected cooling fluid in response to optical, thermocouple or thermistor sensors in subsurface regions of components such as pistons, cylinder liners, and engine heads. In many engine conversion instances such instrumentation can be provided by new head gasket assemblies and/or added through cooling jacket passageways. As a representative example, heat management to maintain temperature profile 402 as shown in FIG. 4 is adaptively provided in response to such instrumentation in which temperatures of approximately 140°C (285°F) or considerably warmer are maintained compared to the approximately 90° to 99°C (194° to 210°F) range typical of operation 404 with circulation of liquid coolant through the water jacket.

[0051] FIG. 5A shows a portion of head gasket embodiment 500A that enables operation of an engine according to the present technology. Head gasket 500A provides sealing of a combustion chamber 506 and/or other chambers of multi-cylinder engines. Head gasket 500A may reduce, maintain, or increase the compression ratio of an engine. In some embodiments, an insert is provided in the chamber to surround the accompanying piston or a substitute piston is used to provide improved flow dynamics and/or to enhance or alter the expansion pattern of ions that are launched into the combustion chamber and/or the patterns that may be multiplied or initiated by subsequent ion generation events sourced by embodiment 500A. In certain instances the thickness and/or the inside diameter of gasket 500A may be selected to provide the same, greater, or reduced compression ratio. [0052] Gasket assembly 500A is comprised of materials such as one or more ceramic fiber paper layers such as composited mica, silicon carbide fibers bonded by silicon-nitride and/or silicon oxide or other materials, graphite-steel, and carbon-graphite composites are suitable for operation of combustion chamber component surfaces at higher temperature and/or with deposit prevention and/or removal thermal cycles. In embodiments using such gaskets, the internal surface of the gasket wall exposed to combustion events is considered to be a combustion chamber component surface. Such materials can accommodate integration of devices such as fluid injection and/or ignition devices 503 at one or more equispaced intervals or other suitable positions and/or locations and/or fiber optics 502 and/or insulated conductor connected instrumentation assemblies 508 for monitoring and measuring the temperature, pressure, fuel injection projections and patterns, various combustion events and patterns within the combustion chamber along with component positions and accelerations. Assembly 500A may also incorporate additional components such as fluid dispensing circuits 510 at one or more suitable positions and/or locations for administering fluids for cooling, cleaning, or participation in ignition such as microwave and/or acoustic stimulation or acceleration and/or other combustion events within the combustion chamber.

[0053] Illustratively, water and/or other condensates such as may be provided for stationery engines and/or collected from the exhaust of engines particularly including transportation engines may be occasionally sprayed into the combustion chamber through suitably located fluid circuits 510 to produce cooling, cleaning or boosting of exhaust gas production of work in a subsequent engine such as a turbo expander driving a compressor and/or generator. In some embodiments, circuits 510 provide low to high pressure sprays of fluid and/or ionized fluid to improve corona discharge ignition efficiency and may be adaptively used in one or more than one combustion chamber - in one embodiment a subset of combustion chambers are selected for combustion while a different subset are not selected for combustion during requirements for part-load engine operation.

[0054] In some embodiments, ignition is provided by direct current pulse generated electric fields that induce corona ignition of stratified fuel and air mixture patterns in a combustion chamber. FIG. 5B shows such arrangements in embodiment 500B in which a suitable voltage generator and controller 522, which may be integrated into gasket assembly 504 or located nearby, selects suitably located field projection antennae 526A, 526B, and/or 526C for initiating and/or accelerating combustion in combustion chamber 505. Similarly, voltage generator and controller 522 selects field projection of suitably located antennae 526D, 526E, and/or 526F along with instrumentation 508 such as fiber optic systems for initiating and/or accelerating combustion in combustion chamber 506 and so forth for each combustion chamber of an engine.

[0055] Field projection antenna 526A-526F may be located at selected locations such as at equispaced intervals for each combustion chamber that is served by head gasket assembly 504. Similarly, field projection antenna or wave guides 526N-S may be located at selected locations such as at equispaced intervals or between or at other positions for each combustion chamber that is served by head gasket assembly 504. Instrumentation data collection and communication may include sensors at selected locations such equispaced positions or as shown for a representative sensor array 530 for communication to and from controller 522 and/or other controllers or computers.

[0056] In some embodiments, such as 500C shown in FIG. 5C, similar arrangements provide for ultra violet UV and/or radio frequency (RF) field induced ignition such as corona ignition of stratified fuel and air mixture patterns in a combustion chamber. In such instances power supply and controller 540 which may be the same as 522 or a separate unit selects field projection antennae 526N, 5260, and/or 526P for initiating and/or accelerating combustion in combustion chamber 505 and so forth for each combustion chamber of an engine (such as chamber 506 with antennae 526Q, 526R, and/or 526S) that is served by head gasket assembly 504. Instrumentation data collection and communication may include sensors at selected locations such as shown for a representative sensor array 544 for connection to controller 540 and/or other component such as computer 630.

[0057] Adaptive timing of injection and ignition events to improve engine performance, fuel economy and to extend engine life including reduction or elimination of fouling varnish or other deposits is provided by controller 522, 540, and/or computers such as 630 or microprocessors 171 in fuel injector assemblies. Selected wave guides or projection antenna as may be designated by controller 522, 540 and/or computer 630 or other computers may utilize one or more power supplies. In operation, primary and secondary power supplies are connected with appropriate ignition stimulation antenna or wave guides in each combustion chamber for adaptively timed initiation and/or acceleration of combustion events.

[0058] FIG. 6A shows a system for using a chemical activation and/or ion launch chamber 606A for receiving compressed oxidant, such as air, during the intake and/or compression stroke and subsequently injecting and igniting a fluid fuel. Alternative electrode assembly configurations for production of ion patterns are shown in FIGS. 6B to 6D and provide relatively open ion launch chambers at 606B. Suitable fuel selections include, for example, hydrocarbons, ammonia, ammonia and fuel alcohol selections or blends which may include dissolved urea, formic acid etc., from storage in a conventional fuel tank or from pressure rated tank 304 and/or hydrogen from a conventional cryogenic or pressurized gas storage tank and/or hydrogen that may be produced and/or pressurized as disclosed by system 300 shown in FIG. 3B.

[0059] Fuel selections, including types that are difficult to ignite by conventional compression or spark ignition, are ignited by providing activated oxidant that is produced and presented in an ion launch chamber to assure ignition and/or to accelerate the combustion process. Ion launch chambers such as vented type 606A-F and relatively open type 606B are provided with suitable ion generating circuits at 611 and 612 to produce ionizing electrical fields and/or various magnitudes of plasma in oxidant such as air or other oxidants that enter such ion launch chambers during intake and/or compression strokes of cyclic operation. Illustratively, such activation of air with typical moisture content produces radicals and ions that may include O3, O ^" , OH ^" , N2O, NO, NO2, etc., that are substantially retained in the ion launch chamber to remove debris and/or to improve the rate of ignition and/or to accelerate combustion of fuel that is subsequently introduced by injection through one or more suitably shaped orifices of electrode 602 and/or by compression into the ion launch chamber from previously delivered fuel into the combustion chamber 636. Concentration of oxygen and/or activated oxidant in an ion launch chamber produces local pressurization and improves the initial ignition and subsequent projection of ionized oxidant, fuel, and/or combustion product patterns to accelerate ignition and/or combustion events in the combustion chamber that is served.

[0060] Production of chemically activated fluid, ions and/or radicals in ion launch chambers such as provided in chamber zones 51 1A, 51 IB, and/or 511C which may be suitably positioned in gasket assembly 504 in FIG. 5 A and/or 606A and/or 606B and utilize ion production by the same methods that produce ions in chambers 121, 606A, and 606B including direct current (DC), pulsed DC, alternating current (AC) of low, medium, or high frequency electric field generation at voltage magnitudes ranging from a few hundred volts (V) to more than one hundred kilovolts (KV). The polarity of electrode 602 may be constant or reversed as may be the polarity of electrode 601 and/or 640. Ion currents that are produced may be a few amps to hundreds or thousands of amps during periods of time that range from nanoseconds to seconds. [0061] Injection and/or ignition systems 600A through 600D are provided for operation of engines with homogeneous or stratified combustion using throttled or unthrottled intake of oxidant such as air. An electrically conductive case 601 such as a suitable steel alloy provides suitable attachment and provisions for forming a seal with the combustion chamber (e.g., by threaded engagement 603 or by a compression clamp) to withstand combustion chamber pressure. The size, shape, mounting and sealing configuration of case 601 is provided as a substitute for the spark plug of a low compression engine or as the diesel fuel injector of a diesel engine. Ceramic insulator body 605 provides electrical insulation and in some embodiments containment of pressurized fuel that is conveyed from supply conduit 607 through electrode 602 in one or more passageways 609 to injection spray interface of electrode 602.

[0062] In some embodiments the inside diameter of ceramic body 605 is metalized or otherwise activated for braze assembly with the inlet and electrode fitting 602 to provide a permanent assembly. Suitable metallization and braze materials include silver alloys or electrodeless plating preparations such as nickel and copper on electrode fitting 602 for assembly with ceramic body 605 as shown. Ceramic body 605 also electrically insulates the ion launch chamber 606A and provides a spark gap from suitable features of electrode 602 to features of counter electrode 608A, 608B, and/or 608C.

[0063] In some embodiments electrodes 608A, 608B, and/or 608C in selected patterns within the ion initiation chamber insulated by the lower portion of ceramic 605 are provided with catalysts. Illustratively electrodes 608A and/or 608B may include porous structures such as compacted wires (e.g., wool-like forms of silicon carbide, molybdenum disilicide and/or platinum metal group filaments), powder metallurgy forms and/or one or more layers of wire screens of selected weave designs including embodiments that present one or more catalysts. Additional selections of suitable catalysts and/or catalyst supports include di-aluminum tri-oxide, silicon di-oxide, various refractory and transition metals such as tungsten, molybdenum, tantalum, zirconium, titanium, tungsten carbide, molybdenum carbide, tantalum carbide, zirconium carbide, titanium carbide, and/or nitrides and/or oxy- nitrides of such metals. Such catalysts or catalysts on support holders may be presented before, within, or after pattern forming features such as windows or orifices 608B-1, 608B-2, 608C-1, 608C-2, 608D-1, 608D-2, 608E-1, 608E-2, 608F-1, and 608F-2 as depicted in FIG. 6A-1 or by the shape of the opening into the combustion chamber by chamber 606B regarding catalytic surface zone 645.

[0064] Such catalysts have been found to more rapidly produce ions by promoting reactions between oxidants such as air or oxygen, and feedstocks such as (C _x H _y ), fuel alcohols and various compounds containing nitrogen in conjunction with ionization initiation by electrical impetus including sparks and corona. In illustrative operation a piston engine may be operated with pressurized feedstock injection and ignition timing before, at, or after TDC by combining electrical ionization initiation and catalytic reaction ionization impetus and/or operation with reduced pressurization of the feedstock for lower velocity injection and ignition earlier before TDC without electrical ionization initiation. In most combustion chamber designs greater fuel efficiency and engine performance is achieved with injection and ignition at or after TDC as may be achieved with greater electrically induced ionization or with combined catalytic and electrically induced ionization at lower electrical power or by providing greater catalytic surface areas at 645 such as filling considerably more of the space within the ion generation chamber such as 606B with porous materials to present catalytic surfaces. Thus in such embodiments engine satisfactory operation may be provided by loading oxidant such as air and/or supplemental oxygen and/or oxidant containing products of combustion into the chamber 121, 606A within insulator 605, 511A, 51 1B, 511C, or 606B or 706B, during exhaust, intake, and/or compression strokes and subsequently adding one or more feedstocks such as selected C _x H _y , alcohols, and/or nitrogen containing substances to produce ions by catalytic and/or electrical impetus that are directly launched into combustion chambers such as 116, 505, 506, 636, or 736 in suitable patterns by such chemical activation and/or ion generating chambers. Accordingly engine operation is assured even in case of electrical ignition system malfunction to provide fail-safe benefits.

[0065] FIG. 6A-1 show various alternative flow directors and/or electrodes for applications with ion launch chambers in embodiments that are incorporated in fluid injection and/or ignition systems such as 600A, 600B and/or similar systems in gasket assemblies such as 500A, 500B or 500C. Illustratively spiral or other shaped slots or orifices formed or otherwise presented in embodiments 608B-1, 608B-2, 608C-1, 608C-2, 608D-1, 608D-2, 608E-1, 608E-2, 608F-1, and/or 608F-2 show a wide range of fluid flow director options for improving operation throughout the operating conditions produced within various combustion chamber designs and power requirements.

[0066] FIGS. 6C and 6D show selected components in a quarter section view of the lower portion of another chemical activation and/or ion launch chamber embodiment 600C in which case 601C is an electrically insulating material such as compositions containing silicon nitride (S1 ₃ N ₄ ), partially stabilized zirconia (ZrC^), alumina (AI ₂ O ₃ ), quartz, or sapphire. Electrode fitting 602 housed in insulator 605 along with one or more electrodes 644 and 646 that are connected respectively to conductor 650 and 652 is supported and separated from electrode fitting 602 and from each other such as by parallel spirals as shown. Suitable ceramic insulator materials 605 include boron nitride, porcelain, alumina or glass-ceramic compositions with high dielectric strength. Case 601C may be of suitable size and shape ranging from 14mm or 18mm threaded spark plug shapes to larger embodiments for applications in larger combustion chamber ports such as designs for serving rail locomotives and heavy marine propulsion engines. [0067] Controlled polarity and voltage is applied by a suitable controller that may include circuits such as 61 1 with suitable components including typical power supply 614 inductor 616 or transformer 617, switch 619, and/or other components and/or circuit 612 with suitable components including power supply 621, switch 625, inductor 627 and/or transformer 664, capacitor 623 and/or other components for connection to electrode fitting 602 via electrode 629 through diodes 632 and/or 633 to connection collar 631 and fitting 613 to nut 635 to produce selected ionization outcomes. An initial higher voltage is provided to generate a small ion current by a suitable circuit selection depicted as 611. This causes the impedance to drop and allow another suitable circuit depicted as 612 to provide a much larger current at a lower voltage. In illustrative ion production operations an initial current can be produced between electrodes such as 602 and electrode 644 and/or 646 or between 644 and 646 according to management of the voltage gradients across such electrodes by a suitable computer such as 171 or 630 and circuits such as 611 and/or 612. Subsequently the voltage gradient between electrodes 644 and 646 is managed by a selected circuit to reduce, maintain, or increase the ion current between electrodes 644 and 646 as the ion current 653 is thrust along the resulting helical path between helical electrodes by magnetic impetus of one or more suitably placed permanent or electromagnets and/or the Lorentz force that is produced by the current. In the representative embodiment of FIG. 6C, the angular velocity of the Lorentz thrust ion current may be adjusted to produce the desired included angle 660 of the conical surface pattern of injected oxidant and/or fuel ions that enter combustion chamber 636.

[0068] FIG. 6D provides a three-dimensional view of fluid delivery circuit 609, instrumentation and/or communication links such as insulated conductor fibers and/or fiber optic assembly 624, electrode pair 644 and 646. [0069] FIG. 6E shows a helical configuration of electrodes 646 and 644. FIG. 6F shows an ion current 653 between helical electrodes 644 and 646. FIG. 6G shows an ion current 653 - between electrode pair 644 and 646, starting at electrode 602 - traveling as a result of Lorentz thrust along a helical path between helical electrode pair 644 and 646. FIGS. 6H to 6M show the helical travel path of ion current 653 as it is thrust by magnets and/or the Lorentz force that is produced. Each of FIGS. 6G-6N depicts the helical electrode configuration in front view (top figure in each) and bottom view (bottom figure in each). The current may be built as a result of the computer controlled applied voltage across electrode pair 644 and 646 to produce a launch current of several hundred peak amps or more. The constantly changing location of the ion current enables long electrode life because the heat generated is dissipated over a large area and because of cyclic cooling by fuel that passes over the electrodes.

[0070] Adaptive adjustment of fuel pressure delivered from passageways 609 along with the angular velocity of the swirling Lorentz thrust ion current provides further expansion or contraction of the pattern of injected ions to accommodate each application situation such as the fuel selection, operating temperature, combustion chamber design, condition of engine seals, use of supercharging, and piston speed. Illustratively, during operation at engine idle conditions, the included angle of fuel entry may range from about 10° to 20° for the minimum fuel delivery rate. During lightly loaded and cruise operations the rate of fuel and/or oxidant ion pattern penetration is increased along with the included angle that may range from about 20° to 90°. For peak torque or full power operation at an increased fuel and/or oxidant ion pattern penetration rate, the included angle may range from about 90° to 160°. This provides improved air-use efficiency in which the air supplies oxidant for ignition and combustion within surrounding excess air. The surrounding excess air performs supplemental work within the surrounding air that insulates the combustion chamber component surfaces against heat losses to the engine coolant.

[0071] In instances that oxidant, such as oxygen, enters chamber 606B from passageway 609 and/or from combustion chamber 636 before fuel enters chamber 606B, activated oxidant can be produced with radicals and/or ions that may include 0 ₃ , O ^" , OH ^" , 2O, NO, NO ₂ , etc., to oxidize, effectively scrub and clean the surfaces of chamber 606B. Subsequent delivery of fluid such as fuel from passageway 609 and/or combustion chamber 636 rapidly participates in production of additional ions including contributions by partial oxidation with the activated oxidant radicals and ions. Additional ions may continue to be contributed by electrical ionization, particularly of fuel delivered through passageway 609 as sufficiently high voltage is applied between electrodes 602 and 644 and/or 646 or between 644 and 646 including operations that produce considerably larger currents as the ion current is thrust along the helical path by one or more than one magnetic force and/or Lorentz force that is produced on the current between electrodes such as 644 and 646.

[0072] Fuel emitted from the passageway between electrode 602 and insulator 605 can be varied from subsonic to supersonic velocity by control of the fuel delivery pressure and/or by the subsequent Lorentz force acceleration that is produced by control of the applied electric field strength on the ion current. This provides control of the pattern, penetration, and rate that ions are thrust into combustion chamber 636.

[0073] The selected fuel is conveyed through fuel injector and ion generator 601 also referred to herein as an igniter) by passage through one or more passageways such as one or more pathways such as helical channels 609 around the outside diameter of fitting and electrode 602 to cool and regulate the temperature of ceramic insulator body 605 and thus overcome tendencies to overheat and damage components of conventional prechamber combustion systems. This feature includes selection between cool fluids (e.g., fuels and/or cooling fluids) and heated fluid fuels which can be enabled by operation of individual flow control valves or a suitable selector valve such as 348 to regulate fluid temperature and fiber optic cable assembly 624, microprocessor 626 or computer 630, insulator 605, and other components of ion launch chamber 606A-B.

[0074] The present embodiments 600A, 600B, 600C and 600D provide adaptive improvement of the life and performance of the ion generation, ignition and/or plasma thrusting system for launching the activated reactants and/or combusting contents from ion launch chambers 606A or 606B into the main combustion chamber such as 116 or 636. Adaptive selection of spark with a few amps of current during a short time or continuing plasma with ignition by current of hundreds or thousands of peak amps are provided to meet a wide variation of circumstances and needs. Illustratively hydrogen and hydrogen- characterized fuel injection through electrode 602 requires a relatively low amount of ion or spark ignition energy compared to much larger energy requirements for methane, fuels that are injected as mixed liquid and gaseous phases, and larger molecular weight substances such as typical fuel hydrocarbons.

[0075] In some embodiments, oxidant that enters chamber 606A or 606B from suitable sources such as through pathway 609 and/or from combustion chamber 636 becomes ionized before fuel is introduced from suitable sources such as through pathway 609 and/or combustion chamber 636. Thus, activated oxidant cleans incipient deposits of varnish and other fouling agents including production of chemical radicals and ions and provides improved oxidation and ion generation in continuing reactions with fuel that may be introduced. Such fuel may be ionized by an AC, DC or pulsed DC electric field of varying intensity to produce one or more Lorentz thrust patterns of ion current that are launched into combustion chamber 636. Initial ionization and/or heat and pressure produced by combustion including partial combustion and/or further magnetic and/or Lorentz ionization in chamber 606B provides ions, radicals and other products of combustion that are expanded into the desired penetration pattern into combustion chamber 636.

[0076] Another type of electrode assembly configuration to produce such ion patterns and operations is shown as FIGS. 6B to 6D for providing relatively open ion launch chambers such as 606B. FIGS. 6B to 6D show the lower portion of an ion launch chamber 606B according to a representative embodiment for production of ions by any selection and sequence of several suitable methods. In an embodiment, oxidant such as air is cyclically compressed into the ion launch chamber and feedstock fuel, such as ammonia, urea, natural gas, propane, ethane, methane, hydrogen or hydrogen-characterized selections, is injected before, at, or after TDC and ignited by a relatively small ion current or spark or plasma current 642 between 640 and 602 to produce a pattern of ions or ion current that is launched into combustion chamber 636. In some embodiments, much higher launch velocity and/or larger current plasma may be used for fuels that are difficult to ignite including solids in suspension with fluids including gases and liquids and/or fuels that may be diluted with relatively inert substances. This is generally depicted for small and large currents by the ion production plasma within or across ion launch zone 606B. Ignition current is developed between suitable features on electrode 602 and electrode features presented by suitably configured insert 640 such as heat resisting and/or reduced work function selections such as tungsten, molybdenum, molybdenum disilicide (M0S1 ₂ ), silicon carbide, tantalum carbide (Ta _x C), zirconium carbide (ZrC), graphite, amorphous or diamond like carbon (DLC) coatings on selected substrates. Amorphous carbon may be various mixtures of carbon bonds of sp ³ , sp ² , or sp ¹ , with hydrogen. DLC mixtures include diamond-like (sp ³ ) bonds and may be deposited such as at room temperature without catalyst or surface pretreatment and the resulting electrode properties can be tuned by variation of the sp ³ content, organization of sp ² sites and hydrogen content, and/or by doping. Hydrogen content may be varied during use by hydrogen injection and/or by production of activated hydrogen during injection, ignition and combustion events. DLC coatings may host or be deposited on conductive wires such as carbon nanotube wires, nanostructures, particles of other electrode materials such as ZrC to provide heterogeneous electrode functions including reduced work functions, oxidation resistance and improved thermal stability.

[0077] Thermal conduction barrier 643 is utilized in embodiments that block heat loss for purposes such as maintaining ceramic insulator 605 at an elevated temperature suitable for the present process events and/or to improve the performance of one or more zones 645 that can present catalyst substances on selected surfaces that define chamber 606B. Regulation of the temperature at the chamber surface of ceramic insulator 605 is provided by cyclic entry of compression heated oxidant, ion generation, ignition, and/or combustion heating, and cooling by fuel and/or by Joule-Thomson expansive cooling or heating of fluid that passes through chamber 606B. Inserts, such as insert 640, can be of any suitable shape and may be used in ion and/or thrust pattern generators such as 606A or 606B and/or 608 A and 608B at any suitable location and of any suitable thickness and may be recessed, flush, or protruded into the ion launch chamber and may present one or more blunt or sharp features such as edges or peaks depending upon fuel selections, the combustion chamber design, compression ratio, and duty cycle. Electrode surfaces of electrode-fluid conduit 602 can include one or more blunt or sharp features such as edges or peaks depending upon the fuel selection, combustion chamber design, compression ratio, duty cycle, and desired electrode gap for initial ion current development and/or subsequent Lorentz thrust ion current and pattern of entry into combustion chamber 636.

[0078] In another mode of operation one or more fuel injection events before or after bottom dead center (BDC) produce a suitable mixture of fuel such as methane or other hydrocarbons and air. A small portion of the mixture is compressed into chamber 606B for spark or plasma ignition and expansive expulsion into the larger portion of mixed fuel and air for accelerated combustion. In some embodiments, hydrogen or hydrogen characterized fuel is injected before, at, or after TDC to provide improved ignition and acceleration of combustion.

[0079] Hydrogen and hydrogen-characterized fuels can be readily ionized and/or ignited in ion launch chamber 606A-B throughout a large range of instantaneous fuel-air ratios (5 to 75% fuel to air ratio) by a very small spark current. This enables a very large ignition timing window for ignition at or near the beginning, during or at the end of each fuel injection event. Suitable spark generation for such hydrogen or hydrogen-characterized fuel combustion is supplied by circuit 611 and/or by a sequence starting with circuit 61 1 and additional energy may be applied by one or more circuits such as 612 as may be needed if acceleration of the fuel combustion is needed. More difficult fuel ignition situations including methane and diesel fuel selections are met by much larger plasma current ignition using one or more circuits such as 612. Operational details of such circuits are provided in U.S. Patents 4,774,914; 4,369,756; 4, 122,816 which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0080] Various improvements to such circuits including process microcontrollers, solid state relays, power supplies, and diodes are known to those skilled in the art and are included herein as variations that may reduce the cost and/or improve the performance provided by such circuits including new systems for generation of such plasma and/or corona events. Suitable connections of such circuit selections include connector collar 631 which can be securely held in place under nut 635.

[0081] Following an injection and ignition event, heated combustion gases including ions thrust from pattern generator 608B and coaxial passages 608A such as suitably angled fins or slots 608 A provide a projected combustion pattern 638 that may be launched at subsonic to supersonic velocities including the sonic velocity of hydrogen which is about 3.7 times higher than air in the combustion chamber for achieving improved air-use efficiency in the combustion process. The hydrogen shock wave produced by the pattern of hydrogen injection along with swept ions and radicals induces ignition and/or accelerates combustion along with providing the option of creating a pattern for more efficiently produced corona and/or microwave stimulated ignition. In addition hydrogen provides heating on Joule- Thomson expansion to further improve the combustion rate and thermal efficiency. The rapidly expanding pattern of ignition ions improves the efficiency of corona plasma production in such patterns to provide ignition and/or acceleration of combustion. Such corona can be induced by operation of gasket subsystems of embodiments 500A, 500B and/or 500C and/or other corona generation systems. Such rapid hydrogen characterized combustion options enables injection and ignition after TDC to further improve brake mean effective pressure (BMEP), torque, drivability, and fuel efficiency.

[0082] Fiber optic assembly 624 includes sensors for detecting adherence or deposits of potential varnish or other fouling components to initiate cleaning operations such as switching from circuit 61 1 to 612, production of activated oxidant plasma during intake or compression periods before fuel injection, and/or use of a cooling fluid to dislodge and expel deposited material. Microprocessor 626 may communicate and coordinate with controller 630 to provide control of such cleaning, fuel injection and ignition operations and/or to consolidate and process engine operations data to enable adaptive improvements including use of energy such as regenerative energy to provide or produce fuel such as hydrogen and oxidants such as oxygen, adjustment of oxidant delivery and/or fuel injection pressure, timing of injection events, timing of debris cleaning events, timing of oxidant activation and/or timing of primary or complementary ignition or combustion acceleration events, including detection of favorable or adverse emissions etc. [0083] In operation a chemical combustion system of selected embodiments is provided for feedstocks that require a first range of feedstock to oxidant proportions for ignition and self-propagated combustion in which the first range requires attenuation of the oxidant availability as the feedstock is attenuated to provide ignition and self-propagated combustion. The system provides separation of the feedstock into at least a first chemical constituent and a second chemical constituent whereby the first or the second constituent is selected to provide a range of selected constituent to oxidant proportions that sufficiently exceeds the first range of feedstock to oxidant proportions to provide for ignition and self- propagated combustion of the selected constituent without requiring attenuation of the oxidant. This is particularly suitable for feedstocks that contain hydrogen. In instances that the feedstock also contains carbon (C _x H _y ), it is advantageous to utilize the separated hydrogen for combustion with unthrottled oxidant such as air and to use the carbon for non- combustion purposes (production of durable goods). Ignition may be by suitable methods including hot spot (a glow-plug), and/or by pressure and/or electrically induced ionization and/or catalytic oxidation and/or by a selected spectrum of radiation induced oxidation. Combustion may be by homogeneous charge or stratified charge mixtures of the feedstock or the selected constituent with throttled (attenuated) or unthrottled (not attenuated) oxidant such as air. Combustion may include mixtures of feedstock and the selected constituent and/or mixtures of feedstock and the selected constituent and/or the other constituent.

[0084] In one embodiment activated oxidant ions and/or radicals are injected into the combustion chamber in a pattern that is intercepted by fuel such as a selected feedstock or a derivative or constituent of the feedstock and/or ions or radicals of the feedstock or derivative or constituent. Such interception may be a result of fuel velocity and/or mobility that exceeds the velocity of particles in the activated oxidant as a result of pressurized entry into the combustion chamber and/or acceleration due to electrical impetus such as ionization or heating or combustion or partial combustion of the fuel that enters the combustion chamber.

[0085] In another embodiment a relatively slow entry pattern of such fuel into the combustion chamber precedes a faster entry of fuel and/or ions or radicals that initiate combustion and intercept the slow entry pattern. Such combustion may be supported by oxidant and/or activated oxidant including ions and/or radicals. Similarly as provided in U.S. Application Serial No. 13/843,976 (reference 69545-8323-USl), chemical plasma generating agents such as dimethylether, diethylether, acetaldehyde, cyclohexane, metal carbonyls such as iron carbonyl, and other vaporous or gaseous ignition and/or combustion completion accelerants can be utilized to produce combustion events at a distance away from fuel injection components to overcome fouling in addition to increased fuel efficiency and greater brake mean effective pressure BMEP production.

[0086] In certain applications the feedstock (e.g., ammonia, urea, methane, ethane, propane, butane, fuel alcohols or C _x H _y including polymers) contains hydrogen. Illustratively natural gas contains carbon and hydrogen and may be used as a feedstock that is combusted by injection into the pattern of activated oxidant or natural gas may be partially activated by electrical, thermal, radiant (X-ray, UV, microwave) energy to produce ions and or radicals such as CH ₃ , CH ₂ , CH, H, H ₂ , H ₃ etc., to induce ignition and combustion upon penetration into oxidant in the combustion chamber. In other applications the feedstock that contains hydrogen is dissociated or separated into hydrogen and other constituents such as nitrogen, carbon, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, etc., and the hydrogen or hydrogen characterized constituents are injected into the pattern of activated oxidant to induce accelerate ignition and/or completion of combustion. In other embodiments such hydrogen or hydrogen characterized constituents are partially activated to produce ions and/or radicals that are injected as a pattern into oxidant in the combustion chamber to accelerate imitation and/or completion of combustion.

[0087] FIG. 7A shows ion generation and launch system embodiment 700A side view

(top figure) and bottom view (bottom figure). One or more electrodes 764A, 764B, 764C and 764D in any suitable pattern are extended from electrode 702 to create ion currents in the gaps between adjacent electrodes 762A, 762B, 762C and 762D that are attached to conductive or semiconductive case 701. One or more ion currents are generated between adjacent electrodes at times that controller such as computer 630 activates suitable circuits for DC, pulsed DC, AC or RF voltage gradients across such electrode pairs. Such electrode pairs may be of any suitable shape and configuration including curvilinear forms and helical spirals.

[0088] A current initiation edge, point, or low work function material 768A, 768B at any suitable location and/or at other locations 768C, 768D (not shown) may be provided on one or both of the electrodes of each pair to produce a relatively small current that greatly reduces the impedance to allow current maintenance with reduced voltage or much larger currents to be produced and thrust by Lorentz forces that develop upon continued application of voltage across each gap. In certain embodiments the shape of such electrode pairs (e.g., 762A-764A and 762B-764B and 762C-764C and 762D-764D etc.) provide Lorentz thrust launch vectors that direct ion patterns to specific zones or that are complementary or counter to swirl and/or tumble flows in the combustion chamber.

[0089] Ceramic insulator body 705 provides electrical insulation and in some embodiments containment of pressurized fuel that is conveyed from supply conduit through one or more passageways 709 to injection spray interface 706A. Instrumentation and/or communication links such as insulated conductor fibers and/or fiber optic assembly shown at 724. [0090] In other embodiments, such as 700B of FIG. 7B, one or more separate electrodes such as 744 and 746 of any suitable shape and configuration are supported and/or attached to insulator 705 within insulator case 701C. In an exemplary embodiment electrodes 744 and 746 are formed into separate spirals or helical shapes and are connected to suitable control and activation circuits such as 630, 61 1, and 612 through connectors 750 and 752. Electrodes such as 764A and 764B which are attached to electrode 702 and are shaped to form separated electrode pairs with electrodes 744 and 746. This arrangement enables various timing sequences, applied voltage controls, and outcomes such as development of Lorentz force toward electrode 702 by one pair such as 744 and 764A and away from electrode 702 by another pair 746 and 764B to produce ion circulation, multiplication, and/or current manipulation by ion launch chamber 706B for control of various launch patterns 738 into combustion chamber 736. Similarly, currents may be established between portions of 744 and 746 and/or between 744-764A and 746-764B pairs to form two helical thrust pathways to launch ions toward combustion chamber 736.

[0091] As shown in FIGS. 7C-7E, electrodes 764A and 764B form pairs with certain portions of electrodes 744 and 746 such as the lower portions to provide for initial ion currents to be produced between adjacent electrodes 744 and 746 and subsequently for ion currents to be formed between 744 and 764A and/or between 746 and 764B as shown in FIG. 7D. This provides additional ion generation impetus by embodiments that include catalytic surface agents in or on ceramic insulator 705 in the zones near such electrodes. In some instances a larger portion of electrode 744 forms a pair with electrode 764A as does 746 form a pair with electrode 764B as shown in FIG. 7E to launch one or more ion currents into combustion chamber 736.

[0092] Another embodiment 770 shown in FIG. 7F initiates a small current across one or more electrode pairs such as 772A-774A and/or 772B-774B at a narrowed gap and/or a reduced work function material or coating such as a selection from Table 1 at a location relatively near the fuel injector and electrical conductor tube 702.

TABLE 1 : REPORTED WORK FUNCTIONS OF SELECTED COMPOUNDS

[0093] In certain embodiments with electrical insulator 771 one or more combustion chamber gaps between electrode segments 780A-782A and/or 780B-782B can be provided in addition to the current initiation in the gap between segments 776A-778A and/or 776B-778B. Upon initiating such currents the impedance is dramatically reduced to allow a lower voltage current source such as a suitable circuit including components such as a transformer, capacitor, inductor and/or battery to controllably produce a larger current as it is thrust by Lorentz force toward the combustion chamber 736.

[0094] The avalanche current of ions produced serve as ignition initiators for fuel- oxidant mixtures in the ion launch chamber 706C within dielectric 705 and subsequently ignite homogeneous or stratified fuel-oxidant mixtures in combustion chamber 736. Oxidant that enters ion launch chamber 706C such as inflow during intake or compression strokes may be ionized during a cleaning cycle and launched into combustion chamber 736 to initiate combustion of fuel that is present or that is subsequently delivered. The launch velocity of ions and combustants that are injected into combustion chamber 736 depends upon the fuel type and pressure along with the Lorentz electrode geometry and thrust force that is produced.

[0095] Some aspects of the technology described herein may take the form of or make use of computer-executable instructions, including routines executed by a programmable computer or controller. Those skilled in the relevant art will appreciate that aspects of the technology can be practiced on computer systems other than those described herein. Aspects of the technology can be embodied in a special-purpose computer or data processor, such as an engine control unit (ECU), engine control module (ECM), fuel system controller, ignition controller, or the like, that is specifically programmed, configured, or constructed to perform one or more computer-executable instructions consistent with the technology described herein. Accordingly, the term "computer," "processor," or "controller," as may be used herein, refers to any data processor and can include ECUs, ECMs, and modules, as well as Internet appliances and hand-held devices (including diagnostic devices, palm-top computers, wearable computers, cellular or mobile phones, multi-processor systems, processor-based or programmable consumer electronics, network computers, mini computers, and the like). Information handled by these computers can be presented on any suitable display medium, including a CRT display, LCD, or dedicated display device or mechanism (e.g., a gauge).

[0096] The technology can also be practiced in distributed environments, where tasks or modules are performed by remote processing devices that are linked through a communications network. In a distributed computing environment, program modules or subroutines may be located in local and remote memory storage devices. Aspects of the technology described herein may be stored or distributed on computer-readable media, including magnetic or optically readable or removable computer disks, as well as distributed electronically over networks. Such networks may include, for example and without limitation, Controller Area Networks (CAN), Local Interconnect Networks (LIN), and the like. In particular embodiments, data structures and transmissions of data particular to aspects of the technology are also encompassed within the scope of the technology. [0097] From the foregoing it will be appreciated that, although specific embodiments of the technology have been described herein for purposes of illustration, various modifications may be made without deviating from the spirit and scope of the technology. Further, certain aspects of the new technology described in the context of particular embodiments may be combined or eliminated in other embodiments. Moreover, while advantages associated with certain embodiments of the technology have been described in the context of those embodiments, other embodiments may also exhibit such advantages, and not all embodiments need necessarily exhibit such advantages to fall within the scope of the technology. Accordingly, the disclosure and associated technology can encompass other embodiments not expressly shown or described herein.

[0098] Having now fully described the subject alloys and methods it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the same can be performed within equivalent ranges of conditions, formulations and other parameters without affecting their scope or any embodiment thereof. All cited patents, patent applications and publications are fully incorporated by reference in their entirety.