Combustion enhancement system
First Claim
1. A device for enhancing the efficiency of a combustion process in which a hydrocarbon fuel is consumed in a combustion zone in order to diminish the emission therefrom of undesirable compounds including carbon monoxide and incompletely oxidized hydrocarbons, comprising:
- means for storing a preselected combustion enhancing substance in its solid state selected for its stability to significantly enhance said combustion process at ppb-range concentrations and for its convertibility into a highly dispersed, gas-transportable state;
means for variably converting at a controllable rate said combustion enhancing substance directly from its solid state into its highly dispersed, gas-transportable state; and
means for transporting said converted substance, substantially immediately upon its conversion, to said combustion zone.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method for enhancing the efficiency of a combustion process and thereby reducing undesirable emissions in which a solid combustion enhancing substance is converted into a highly dispersed, gas-transportable state at a controlled rate and is subsequently conveyed into the zone of combustion. The use of a substance in its solid state eases handling and avails highly effective materials for combustion and enhancement while the necessary conversion of the substance from one state to another enables a high degree of control as to its rate of addition to the combustion process. The substance'"'"'s highly dispersed state when it enters the combustion process maximizes its effect.
32 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A device for enhancing the efficiency of a combustion process in which a hydrocarbon fuel is consumed in a combustion zone in order to diminish the emission therefrom of undesirable compounds including carbon monoxide and incompletely oxidized hydrocarbons, comprising:
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means for storing a preselected combustion enhancing substance in its solid state selected for its stability to significantly enhance said combustion process at ppb-range concentrations and for its convertibility into a highly dispersed, gas-transportable state; means for variably converting at a controllable rate said combustion enhancing substance directly from its solid state into its highly dispersed, gas-transportable state; and means for transporting said converted substance, substantially immediately upon its conversion, to said combustion zone. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A device for enhancing the efficiency of an internal combustion engine in which hydrocarbon fuel is consumed in a combustion chamber in order to diminish the emission of undesirable exhaust constituents including carbon monoxide and incompletely oxidized hydrocarbons, comprising:
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a container for storing a selected combustion enhancing substance in its solid state, said substance selected for its ability to enhance the combustion process at ppb-range concentrations and further selected for its convertibility into a highly dispersed, gas-transportable state upon heating; a heated surface maintainable at a preselected temperatures; a positive displacement pump for transferring a preselected quantity of said substance onto said heated surface; a variable speed motor for controlling the transfer rate of said pump; and a gas stream for transporting said substance converted into its highly dispersed, gas-transportable state into the engine'"'"'s combustion chamber. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method for enhancing the efficiency of a combustion process in which a hydrocarbon fuel is consumed in a combustion zone in order to diminish emission therefrom of undesirable compounds including carbon monoxide and incompletely oxidized hydrocarbons, comprising the steps of:
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selecting a combustion enhancing substance that is in its solid phase at ambient conditions said substance having the ability to significantly enhance said combustion process at ppb-range concentrations and further being convertible into a highly dispersed, gas-transportable state; storing said substance in its solid state; variably converting said solid substance at a controllable rate into its highly dispersed, gas-transportable state; and transporting said converted substance, substantially immediately upon its conversion, to said combustion zone. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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Specification