Method and system for providing fuel to internal combustion engines

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system and method for providing fuel to internal combustion engines including fuel activation prior to injection. The method carried out by the system comprises dissolving a mixture of gasses providing improved fuel dispersing after fuel injection into a combustion chamber. Dissolved gasses desorption is stimulated from a unsaturated fuel solution. Full control of fuel flows with dissolved gas/gasses to and from injectors and FET technology based on Henry's law (dissolving gasses in the liquids) and Kelvin principle (vapor pressure over droplet surface). The system consists of compact components, including exhaust gasses recirculation system which can be easily added to existing diesel and gasoline engine fuel supply systems. The method and system were tested with four different types of engines and provides fuel economy in 12-20% decrease of emissions and up to 25% at variable engine loads and significantly at engine cold start.

1 . A method for providing liquid fuel to internal combustion engines including additional steps of a fuel activation prior to injection and combustion in a combustion chamber; the steps comprising:
 (a) dissolving a gas/gasses in the fuel thus transfer the liquid fuel flow into a state of unsaturated fuel solution without any free gas phase; providing the “liquid fuel/gas” solution to a main fuel pump, and (b) changing the state of the abovementioned “liquid fuel/gas” solution to a boundary state of oversaturated solution in such way as to minimize free gas bubbles flashing out of the fuel solution flow at the inlet of the main fuel pump.   
     
     
         2 . A method for providing fuel to internal combustion engines according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of gas dissolving in the liquid fuel flow and transferring liquid fuel to the “fuel/gas” unsaturated solution is performed at high gas pressure, and highly developed contact surface between liquid and gaseous phases, and, preferably, at lower temperatures. 
     
     
         3 . A method for providing fuel to internal combustion engines according to  claim 1 , wherein the first step of liquid fuel activation—transfer to the state of “fuel/gas” unsaturated solution—is performed in a special device, an absorber, with feeding it with liquid fuel and a mixture of gasses such as exhaust gasses and oxygen-enriched air having partial pressure of oxygen up to 35%, and “fuel/gasses” ratio by weight of, preferably, 1:0.055, based on carbon dioxide and oxygen-enriched air content, and gas mixture pressure up to 100 bar. 
     
     
         4 . A method for providing fuel to internal combustion engines according to  claim 3 , wherein at the second step of the fuel flow activation the state of “fuel/gas” fuel solution is changed for a short period of time to the boundary state of oversaturated solution, preferably, before the fuel solution enters an inlet port of the first-stage of the main fuel pump, e.g., by decreasing liquid fuel flow pressure. 
     
     
         5 . A method for providing fuel to internal combustion engines according to  claim 4 , wherein the step of changing the state of “fuel/gas” fuel solution to the boundary state of oversaturated solution before the main fuel pump is performed by a high-frequency ultrasound treatment of the fuel solution flow in a hermetical vessel that comprises a special vibrating element having high-frequency oscillations and forming local pressure reliefs thus destroying at least partially sorption links between liquid fuel and gas molecules. 
     
     
         6 . A method for providing fuel to internal combustion engines according to  claim 4 , wherein return lines are provided to recycle unused fuel from the main fuel pump and common rail after injection; both return flows are merged, and common return flow is guided for separating free gas phase and fuel vapour phase from the liquid fuel flow; the liquid fuel flow is then cooled down, preferably, below 50° C. and guided to the “fuel/gas” oversaturated fuel solution supply line connected to the inlet port of the main fuel pump. 
     
     
         7 . A method for providing fuel to internal combustion lines having fuel distribution pump according to  claim 6 , wherein the separated gaseous and vapour flow is guided from the fuel separator to the absorber using a liquid jet pump. The return fuel solution flow from the mail fuel pump is guided to the jet pump nozzle. 
     
     
         8 . A method for providing fuel to internal combustion engines according to  claim 6 , wherein a jet pump is provided for merging and guiding the return flows to the absorber; the return flow under high pressure from the common rail is guided to a nozzle of the jet pump whereas the return flow with lower pressure after the first stage of the main fuel pump is sucked in a mixing chamber of the jet pump thus increasing the pressure for supplying the merged fuel solution flow to the absorber and decreasing the backpressure to remove drainage before the second stage of the main fuel pump. 
     
     
         9 . A method for providing fuel to internal combustion engines according to  claim 3 , wherein the gaseous mixture is formed in a hermetical vessel by compressing and cooling the exhaust gases and simultaneously compressing the air and guided it to a membrane filter providing the oxygen enriched air; the pressure of the gasses inside the vessel is maintained by a pressure sensor having two set pressure limits: when the pressure decreases to a lower pressure limit the compressors are switched on, and when the pressure raises to an upper pressure limit the compressors are switched off; differential pressure regulators for both gas flows have common control base line providing optimal supply and mixing of gaseous components.