Method and apparatus for cleaning deposits and residue from internal combustion engines

• US 5,287,834 A
• Filed: 10/05/1992
• Issued: 02/22/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert E. Flynn
• Original Assignee: Robert E. Flynn
• Inventors: Flynn, Robert E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamen, Noah P.
• Application Number:
  US07/956,596
• Time in Patent Office: 505 Days
• Field of Search: 123/1 A, 123/198 A, 134/169 A
• US Class Current: 123/198.00A
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 3/06 with compression ignition compression ignition engines using air or gas for blowing fuel into compressed air in cylinder F02B13/02
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 77/04 Cleaning of, preventing corrosion or erosion in, or preventing unwanted deposits in, combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 65/007 Cleaning

Abstract

A method and apparatus for removing internal carbon deposits and related residue and contaminants from fuel injected and carbureted internal combustion engine systems by delivering fuel to the inlet of the engine fuel pump while the engine is cranked by battery power to start the engine and then delivering an engine conditioning fuel, which is a mixture of normal engine fuel and a carbon cleaning agent, to the fuel pump inlet so that the conditioning fuel passes through and removes carbon deposits from the engine fuel injectors or carburetor, as the case may be, and is then combusted in the engine cylinders to power the engine. The effectiveness of the carbon cleaning operation is determined by monitoring the flow rate of normal engine fuel to the engine.

Claims

1. Engine conditioning apparatus for use with an internal combustion engine system including an internal combustion engine having combustion chamber means, a fuel tank for containing normal engine fuel, fuel input means for introducing fuel into said combustion chamber means, and an engine fuel pump driven by said engine having an inlet normally connected to said fuel tank and an outlet connected to said fuel input means for pumping fuel to said fuel input means, said conditioning apparatus comprising:

fuel handling means for containing an engine conditioning fuel formed by mixing normal engine fuel and a carbon removing agent, and wherein

said apparatus fuel handling means comprises a conditioning fuel tank, a priming pump having an inlet connected to said conditioning fuel tank and an outlet, fuel transfer means for conducting normal engine fuel to said conditioning fuel tank, and means for introducing said carbon removing agent into said conditioning fuel tank for mixing therein with normal engine fuel to form said conditioning fuel, and

said fuel handling means is operable to supply one of said fuels to the engine during cranking of said engine to start the engine and thereafter supply said conditioning fuel to said engine.

2. Engine conditioning apparatus for use with an internal combustion engine system including an internal combustion engine having combustion chamber means, a fuel tank for containing normal engine fuel, fuel input means for introducing fuel into said combustion chamber means, an engine fuel pump driven by said engine for pumping fuel to said fuel input means, said fuel pump having an inlet normally connected to said fuel tank, an outlet connected to said fuel input means, and a pumping rate which exceeds the fuel flow rate through said fuel input means into said combustion chamber means, whereby a portion of the engine fuel pump output constitutes excess fuel, and said engine system includes an excess fuel return line through which said excess fuel is recycled back to the engine during normal engine operation, said conditioning apparatus comprising;

fuel handling means for containing an engine conditioning fuel formed by mixing normal engine fuel and a carbon removing agent, and wherein

said apparatus fuel handling means comprises a conditioning fuel tank, a priming pump having an inlet communicating to said conditioning fuel tank and an outlet, fuel transfer means including a fuel transfer line for conducting normal engine fuel to said conditioning fuel tank, means for introducing said carbon removing agent into said conditioning fuel tank for mixing therein with normal engine fuel to form said conditioning fuel, fuel return means including a fuel return line communicating to said conditioning fuel tank for receiving said excess fuel and conducting said excess fuel to said conditioning fuel tank,

said fuel transfer means and said fuel return means include a valve having inlets connected to said apparatus fuel lines, respectively, and an outlet connected to said conditioning fuel tank for selectively connecting said apparatus fuel lines to said conditioning fuel tank, and

said fuel handling means is operable to supply one of said fuels to the engine fuel pump during cranking of said engine to start the engine and thereafter supply said conditioning fuel to said engine fuel pump.

3. In combination:

an internal combustion engine system including an internal combustion engine having combustion chamber means, a fuel tank for containing normal engine fuel, fuel input means for introducing fuel into said combustion chamber means, and an engine fuel pump driven by said engine having an inlet normally connected to said fuel tank and an outlet connected to said fuel input means for pumping fuel to said fuel input means,

engine conditioning apparatus comprising fuel handling means for containing an engine conditioning fuel formed by mixing normal engine fuel and a carbon removing agent and including means for connecting said fuel handling means to the inlet of said engine fuel pump for fuel flow from said fuel handling means to said fuel pump inlet, and a priming pump for pumping one of said fuels from said fuel handling means to the inlet of said engine fuel pump during cranking of said engine to start the engine and thereby effect driving of said fuel pump by the engine to pump said conditioning fuel from said apparatus fuel handling means to said engine fuel input means, whereby said conditioning fuel passes through and cleans internal carbon deposits from said fuel input means and is then combusted in said combustion chamber means to power the engine, and wherein

said engine fuel pump has a pumping rate exceeding the fuel flow rate through said fuel input means into said combustion chamber means, whereby a portion of the fuel pump output constitutes excess fuel, and said engine system includes an excess fuel return line for recycling said excess fuel back to said engine, said apparatus fuel handing means comprises a conditioning fuel tank for holding said conditioning fuel,

said apparatus fuel handling means includes a fuel return line communicating to said conditioning fuel tank, and means connecting said apparatus fuel return line to said engine system fuel return line for returning said excess fuel to said conditioning fuel tank,

said priming pump has an inlet communicating to said conditioning fuel tank,

said apparatus fuel handing means includes fuel transfer means for conducting normal engine fuel to said conditioning fuel tank from a normal engine fuel source, and means for introducing said carbon removing agent into said conditioning fuel tank for mixing therein with normal engine fuel in the last mentioned tank to form said conditioning fuel, and

said fuel return means and said fuel means include an excess fuel return line, a fuel transfer line, and a valve having inlets connected to said fuel lines, respectively, and an outlet connected to said conditioning fuel tank for selectively connecting either fuel line to said conditioning fuel tank.

4. Engine conditioning apparatus for connection to an internal combustion engine having combustion chamber means, fuel input means for introducing fuel into said combustion chamber means to power the engine, an engine fuel pump having an inlet for receiving engine fuel and an outlet connected to said fuel input means for pumping fuel to said fuel input means at a pumping rate which exceeds the rate at which fuel enters said combustion chamber means through said fuel input means, and wherein a portion of the fuel output from said engine fuel pump is introduced into said combustion chamber means and the remainder of the fuel output from said fuel pump is excess fuel which cools and lubricates said fuel input means and is then recycled back to the engine during normal engine operation, said conditioning apparatus comprising:

fuel handling means including an excess fuel return line for receiving said excess fuel, a fuel transfer line for receiving normal engine fuel, a fuel discharge line for connection to the inlet of said engine fuel pump, an apparatus fuel pump having an outlet connected to said discharge line and an inlet connected to both said excess fuel return line and said fuel transfer line, and fuel handling means defining passage means extending through said fuel lines and said apparatus fuel pump through which fuel flow occurs during operation of said conditioning apparatus,

metering means connected to said fuel handling means for metering a carbon removing agent into said fuel to form a combustible carbon removing engine conditioning fuel which is discharged from said apparatus pump through said fuel discharge line, and wherein

said apparatus is operable to perform at least one of the following functions;

(a) supply normal engine fuel to said engine during cranking of the engine to start the engine, and (b) supply conditioning fuel to the running engine for removing carbon from the engine.

5. Engine conditioning apparatus according to claim 4, including:

means for measuring the inflow rate of normal engine fuel through said fuel transfer line to determine the effectiveness of the carbon removing operation.

6. Engine conditioning apparatus according to claim 4, wherein:

said passage means includes an excess fuel passage extending through said excess fuel return line, a normal fuel passage extending through said fuel transfer line, an additional fuel passage connecting said excess fuel passage and said normal fuel passage to said apparatus pump inlet, and a fuel discharge passage extending through said fuel discharge line, whereby excess fuel flowing through said excess fuel return line and normal engine fuel flowing through said fuel transfer line mix within said additional fuel passage and flow to said apparatus pump inlet, and

said metering means meters said carbon cleaning agent into one of said fuel passages.

7. Engine conditioning apparatus according to claim 6, wherein:

said one fuel passage is said excess fuel passage.

8. Engine conditioning apparatus according to claim 4, wherein:

said apparatus fuel handling means includes a manifold connected to said apparatus excess fuel return line, and said passage means includes a chamber within said manifold through which excess fuel flows to said apparatus pump inlet, and

said metering means is mounted on said manifold to meter said carbon removing agent into said chamber.

9. Engine conditioning apparatus according to claim 8, wherein:

said passage means includes a normal fuel passage extending through said fuel transfer line, and a manifold passage which extends through said manifold and connects said chamber and said normal fuel passage to said apparatus pump inlet.

10. Engine conditioning apparatus according to claim 9, wherein:

said metering means comprises a vessel mounted on said manifold for containing said carbon removing agent and dispensing said agent into said chamber, and

said engine conditioning apparatus includes means for measuring the inflow rate of normal engine fuel through said fuel transfer line to determine the effectiveness of the carbon removing operation.

11. Engine conditioning apparatus according to claim 4, wherein:

said fuel handling means includes a manifold, and said passage means includes an excess fuel passage extending through said excess fuel return line, a normal fuel passage extending through said fuel transfer line, and a manifold passage extending through said manifold and connecting said excess fuel passage and said normal fuel passage to said apparatus pump inlet, and

12. Engine conditioning apparatus for connection to an internal combustion engine having combustion chamber means, fuel input means for introducing fuel into said combustion chamber means to power the engine, a fuel pump for pumping fuel to said fuel input means at a pumping rate which exceeds the rate at which fuel enters said combustion chamber means through said fuel input means, and wherein a portion of the fuel output from said engine fuel pump is introduced into said combustion chamber means and the remainder of the fuel output from said fuel pump is excess fuel which cools and lubricates said fuel input means and is then recycled back to the engine during normal engine operation, said conditioning apparatus comprising:

a conditioning fuel tank,

a fuel return line for receiving said excess fuel,

a fuel transfer lien for receiving normal engine fuel,

a valve having a first inlet connected to said fuel return line, a second inlet connected to said fuel transfer line, an outlet connected to said conditioning fuel tank, and means for selectively connecting either valve inlet to said valve outlet, means for introducing a carbon removing agent into said tank for mixing therein with fuel entering the tank through said fuel lines to form a combustible carbon removing engine conditioning fuel,

a fuel discharge line for connection to the inlet of said engine fuel pump,

an apparatus fuel pump having an inlet connected to said conditioning fuel tank and an outlet connected to said fuel discharge line for pumping fuel from said conditioning fuel tank through said fuel discharge line, and wherein

said apparatus is operable to perform at least one of the following functions;

(a) supply normal engine fuel to said engine during cranking of the engine to start the engine, and (b) supply conditioning fuel to the running engine for removing carbon from the engine.

13. In combination:

an internal combustion engine system including an internal combustion engine having combustion chamber means, an engine fuel tank for containing normal engine fuel, fuel input means which introduce fuel into said combustion chamber means and are cooled and lubricated by said fuel, and an engine fuel pump having an inlet which is connected to said fuel tank during normal engine system operation and an outlet connected to said fuel input means,

engine conditioning apparatus for supplying said engine with at least one of the following fuels (a) normal engine fuel, (b) combustible carbon removing engine conditioning fuel for removing carbon from said fuel input means, and wherein

said engine fuel pump outputs fuel to said engine fuel input means at a rate exceeding the rate of introduction of the fuel into said engine combustion chamber means, a portion of the fuel output from said pump is introduced into said combustion chamber means to power the engine, and the remainder of the fuel output from said pump is excess fuel which cools and lubricates said fuel input means and is then recycled from said fuel input means back to the engine,

said engine system includes an excess fuel return line through which said excess fuel exits said fuel input means after cooling and lubricating said fuel input means,

said conditioning apparatus comprises an apparatus fuel pump having an inlet and an outlet, connecting means connecting said apparatus pump inlet to said engine excess fuel return line and connecting means connecting said apparatus pump outlet to said engine fuel pump inlet in such a way as to form a fuel flow path which by-passes said engine fuel tank and passes through said engine fuel pump, said engine fuel input means, and said engine excess fuel return line back to said apparatus fuel pump, and means for providing at least one of said fuels (a), (b) in said flow path, and

said apparatus is operable to perform at least one of the following functions (1) supply said fuel (a) to said engine during cranking of the engine to prime the engine, (2) supply said fuel (b) to the running engine to remove carbon from said fuel input means.

14. The combination according to claim 13 wherein:

each said connecting means comprises separable coupling means, whereby said conditioning apparatus may be disconnected from said engine system.

15. The combination according to claim 13 wherein:

said means for providing at least one of said fuels (a), (b) in said flow path comprises at least one of the following means;

(1) means for conducting normal engine fuel from said engine fuel tank into said flow path, (2) means for introducing said fuel (b) into said flow path, (3) means for conducting normal engine fuel from said engine fuel tank into said flow path and separately metering carbon removing agent into said flow path in such a way that the normal engine fuel from said engine fuel tank and the carbon removing agent mix to form said fuel (b).

16. The combination according to claim 13 wherein:

said means for providing at least one of said fuels (a), (b) in said flow path comprises at least one of the following means;

(1) means for introducing said fuel (a) into said flow path, (2) means for introducing said fuel (b) into said flow path, (3) means for introducing said fuel (a) and a carbon removing agent into said flow path separately in such a way that said fuel (a) and said carbon removing agent mix to form said fuel (b).

17. The combination according to claim 13 wherein:

said means for providing at least one of said fuels (a), (b) in said flow path comprise a tank in said flow path for receiving at least one of the following;

(1) fuel (a), (2) fuel (b), (3) fuel (a) and a carbon removing agent which mix to form said fuel (b).

18. In combination:

an internal combustion engine having combustion chamber means, an engine fuel pump for pumping fuel to said fuel input means at a pumping rate which exceeds the fuel flow rate through said fuel input means into said combustion chamber means, an engine excess fuel return line, and wherein a portion of the fuel output from the engine fuel pump is introduced into said combustion chamber means to power the engine and the remainder of the fuel output from said fuel pump constitutes excess fuel which cools and lubricates said fuel input means and is then recycled back to the engine through said excess fuel return line during normal engine operation, and

engine conditioning apparatus comprising a fuel transfer line for receiving normal engine fuel, an apparatus excess fuel return line connected to said engine excess fuel return line, a fuel discharge line connected to said engine fuel pump inlet, an apparatus fuel pump having an outlet connected to said discharge line, and an inlet connected to both said excess fuel return line and said fuel transfer line for receiving excess fuel through said fuel return line and normal engine fuel through said fuel transfer line, metering means connected with the apparatus fuel pump for metering a carbon removing agent into said fuel to form a combustible carbon removing engine conditioning fuel which is discharged from said apparatus pump through said fuel discharge line, and wherein said apparatus is operable to perform at least one of the following functions;

(a) supply normal engine fuel to said engine during cranking of the engine to start the engine, and (b) supply conditioning fuel to the running engine for removing carbon from the engine.

19. The combination according to claim 18, including:

means for measuring the inflow rate of normal engine fuel through said fuel transfer line to determine the effectiveness of the carbon removing operation.

20. The combination according to claim 18, wherein:

said apparatus excess fuel line forms an excess fuel flow path, said fuel transfer line forms a normal fuel flow path, and said flow paths merge in such a way that excess fuel and normal engine fuel flowing along said paths mix and flow together along a third flow path to said apparatus pump inlet, and

said metering means meters said carbon cleaning agent into one of said flow paths.

21. The combination according to claim 20, wherein:

said one flow path is said excess fuel flow path.

22. The combination according to claim 18, wherein:

said apparatus includes a manifold connected to said apparatus fuel return line and containing a chamber through which excess fuel flows to said apparatus pump inlet, and

said metering means meters said carbon removing agent into said chamber.

23. The combination according to claim 22, wherein:

said manifold includes a fuel passage connecting said fuel transfer line and said chamber to said apparatus pump inlet.

24. The combination according to claim 23, wherein:

said metering means comprises a vessel mounted on said manifold for containing said carbon removing agent and dispensing said agent into said chamber, and

said engine conditioning apparatus includes means for measuring the inflow rate of normal engine fuel through said fuel transfer line to determine the effectiveness of the carbon removing operation.

25. The combination according to claim 18, including:

a manifold containing a fuel passage connecting said fuel transfer line and said apparatus excess fuel return line to said apparatus pump inlet, and

said metering means meters said carbon removing agent into said manifold fuel passage.

26. In combination:

an internal combustion engine having combustion chamber means, a fuel pump for pumping fuel to said fuel input means at a pumping rate which exceeds the fuel flow rate through said fuel input means into said combustion chamber means, an excess fuel return line, and wherein a portion of the fuel output from the engine fuel pump is introduced into said combustion chamber means to power the engine and the remainder of the fuel output from said fuel pump constitutes excess fuel which cools and lubricates said fuel input means and is then recycled back to the engine through said excess fuel return line during normal engine operation,

engine conditioning apparatus comprising a fuel tank, a valve having a first inlet connected to said fuel return line, a second inlet for connection to a source of normal engine fuel, an outlet connected to said fuel tank, and means for selectively connecting either valve inlet to said valve outlet, means for introducing a carbon removing agent into said tank for mixing therein with fuel entering the tank through said fuel lines to form a combustible carbon removing engine conditioning fuel, a fuel pump outside said flow paths and having an inlet connected to said conditioning fuel tank and an outlet connected to said engine fuel pump inlet for pumping fuel from said conditioning fuel tank to said engine fuel pump, and wherein

said apparatus is operable to perform at least one of the following function;

(a) supply normal engine fuel to said engine during cranking of the engine to start the engine, and (b) supply conditioning fuel to the running engine for removing carbon from the engine.