Method and apparatus for reducing emissions and/or reducing friction in an internal combustion engine

Abstract

A method and apparatus for reducing at least one of HC, CO, and NO x emissions from an operating internal combustion engine fueled by hydrocarbon or similar fuels, such as alcohols, wherein a portion of the internal combustion chamber has aluminum and/or titanium containing surfaces coated with a titanium dioxide coating further comprising a dopant in and/or on the adherent titanium dioxide coating.

1 . A method to reduce emissions from an apparatus comprising an operating internal combustion engine, said internal combustion engine comprising a combustion chamber, an air-intake valve and an exhaust gas valve; the method comprising depositing a chemically adherent titanium dioxide containing coating on a portion of aluminum surfaces of at least one of:
 a portion of surfaces defining the combustion chamber;   an internal surface of an air-intake passage in communication with the combustion chamber via an air-intake port that is opened and dosed by the intake valve;   an internal surface of an exhaust emission passage in communication with the combustion chamber via an exhaust gas valve through an exhaust gas port;   the air-intake valve;   the exhaust gas valve; and   an exhaust manifold in communication with the exhaust emission passage;   
       such that, during operation of said engine, intake air, fuel/air mixture and/or exhaust gas contact said coating thereby increasing decomposition rate of HC, CO or NO x  and/or reducing formation rate of CO or NO x  emissions resulting from combustion in the combustion chamber. 
     
     
         2 . A method to reduce emissions from an operating internal combustion engine, comprising the steps of:
 determining a state of an engine operating parameter corresponding to an emission value of at least one of HC, CO and NO x  emitted from a combustion chamber of an operating internal combustion engine,   determining a target reduction in concentration of at least one of HC, CO and NO x  in exhaust gas discharged from the operating internal combustion engine corresponding to the state of the engine operating parameter corresponding to the emission value of at least one of HC, CO and NO x  emitted from the combustion chamber of the operating internal combustion engine,   
       wherein the concentration of the at least one of HC, CO and NO x  is measured at a selected location in a path of the exhaust gas that is downstream from the combustion chamber; and
 depositing a chemically adherent titanium dioxide containing coating on a portion of surfaces of 
 a. the combustion chamber; 
 b. an air-intake passage in communication with the combustion chamber; 
 c. an exhaust passage in communication with the combustion chamber; 
 d. Intake and/or exhaust valves; and/or 
 e. an exhaust manifold in communication with the exhaust passage; 
 
       to effect said target reduction in concentration of at least one of HC, CO and NO x  in exhaust gas discharged from the operating internal combustion engine. 
     
     
         3 .- 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . An internal combustion engine comprising:
 external surfaces and internal surfaces, said internal surfaces comprising a group of internal surfaces located on at least one of a combustion chamber, an air intake passage, an exhaust passage, an exhaust manifold, a valve and combinations thereof; at least a portion of said group of internal surfaces being metal selected from aluminum, aluminum alloy, titanium or titanium alloy; and at least some portions of the metal being coated metal surfaces having a chemically adherent coating comprising TiO 2 , said coated metal surfaces positioned such that, during operation of said engine, intake air, fuel/air mixture and/or exhaust gas contact said chemically adherent coating thereby increasing decomposition rate of HC, CO or NO x  and/or reducing formation rate of CO or NO x  emissions resulting from combustion in the combustion chamber.   
     
     
         14 . The engine of  claim 13  further comprising an exhaust system extending from the exhaust manifold to an exhaust pipe wherein at least a portion of internal surfaces of the exhaust system being aluminum, aluminum alloy, titanium or titanium alloy coated with said chemically adherent coating. 
     
     
         15 .- 18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 1 , comprising applying the coating to at least one of a bowl surface of a piston, a crown surface of a piston. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 1 , comprising applying the coating to top surfaces of the intake and exhaust valves. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 1 , comprising applying the coating to a surface of a cylinder head exposed to the combustion chamber. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 1 , comprising applying the coating to a surface of walls of a cylinder and/or a cylinder liner. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising a dopant in and/or on the chemically adherent titanium dioxide containing coating. 
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein determining a state of an engine operating parameter corresponding to an emission value of at least one of HC, CO and NO x  emitted from a combustion chamber of an operating internal combustion engine, comprises determining engine speed of the internal combustion engine operating at steady state engine temperature. 
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein determining a state of an engine operating parameter corresponding to an emission value of at least one of HC, CO and NO x  emitted from a combustion chamber of an operating internal combustion engine, comprises determining engine exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) values of the internal combustion engine operating at steady state engine temperature. 
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein determining a state of an engine operating parameter corresponding to an emission value of at least one of HC, CO and NO x  emitted from a combustion chamber of an operating internal combustion engine, comprises determining engine load or torque of the internal combustion engine operating at steady state engine temperature. 
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein determining a state of an engine operating parameter corresponding to an emission value of at least one of HC, CO and NO x  emitted from a combustion chamber of an operating internal combustion engine, comprises determining engine indicated mean effective pressure (IMEP) of the internal combustion engine operating at steady state engine temperature. 
     
     
         28 . The engine according to  claim 13  comprising a combustion chamber having at least one aluminum, aluminum alloy, titanium or titanium alloy surface, at least a portion of said surface having deposited thereon a coating comprising at least 25 wt % TiO 2  in a layer thickness such that during operation of said engine exhaust gas emissions of HC, CO and/or NO x  from the combustion chamber are less than said emissions from a like engine having no titanium dioxide coating on combustion chamber surfaces. 
     
     
         29 . The engine according to  claim 13 , wherein the coated metal surfaces having a chemically adherent coating comprising TiO 2  are polished surfaces having an Ra of 0.01 to 1.0 micron. 
     
     
         30 . The engine according to  claim 13 , further comprising a dopant in and/or on the chemically adherent coating comprising TiO 2 .