Fuel vaporizing system
First Claim
1. A fuel heater and vaporizing system comprising:
- a source of fuel;
a thermal source; and
a heat exchanger configured to thermally couple to the thermal source, said heat exchanger having a saddle shape and being configured to fit over said thermal source;
wherein said heat exchanger has an inlet for receiving fuel from said fuel source, an outlet for discharging fuel, and a hollow passageway extending between the inlet and the outlet;
wherein said heat exchanger has an open bottom to allow said heat exchanger to be placed over said thermal source.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A fuel heater and vaporizing system includes a source of fuel, a thermal source from an engine, and a heat exchanger for thermally contacting the source of heated fluid so as to heat fuel flowing through the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger has a saddle shape and fits over the thermal source of engine heat. The fuel heater and vaporizing system may also contain a catalyst for causing the heated fuel to crack prior to distribution to an end use device. In an alternative arrangement, the fuel heater and vaporizing system may also extract its heat from the engine'"'"'s other heated parts including a muffler or an exhaust pipe, exhaust manifold, valve cover, turbo housing, engine block, transmission and the like.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A fuel heater and vaporizing system comprising:
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a source of fuel; a thermal source; and a heat exchanger configured to thermally couple to the thermal source, said heat exchanger having a saddle shape and being configured to fit over said thermal source; wherein said heat exchanger has an inlet for receiving fuel from said fuel source, an outlet for discharging fuel, and a hollow passageway extending between the inlet and the outlet;
wherein said heat exchanger has an open bottom to allow said heat exchanger to be placed over said thermal source.- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A fuel heater and vaporizing system comprising:
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a heat exchanger for heating a fuel to be supplied to an end use device, wherein said heat exchanger has an open-bottom saddle shape formed by first and second spaced apart sidewalls and an intermediate arcuate shaped region in which the fuel to be heated flows; and a catalyst system for receiving fuel from the heat exchanger and for cracking the heated fuel. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A process for heating a fuel to be supplied to an end use device comprises the steps of:
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providing a heat exchanger having an inlet, an outlet, and an arcuate shaped intermediate region wherein said heat exchanger has an open-bottom saddle shape formed by first and second spaced apart sidewalls and said arcuate shaped intermediate region in which the fuel to be heated flows; placing said heat exchanger into thermally conductive contact with a source of heat; heating said fuel by flowing said fuel through said heat exchanger while said heat exchanger is in contact with said source of heat; and cracking said fuel. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification