Air amplifier for nitrous oxide injection application

• US 6,240,911 B1
• Filed: 09/15/1999
• Issued: 06/05/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Competition Cams Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Competition Cams Incorporated
• Inventors: Patrick, Matthew R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamen, Noah P.
• Application Number:
  US09/396,411
• Time in Patent Office: 629 Days
• Field of Search: 123/585, 123/559.1, 417/197
• US Class Current: 123/585
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 43/10 Engines or plants characterised by use of other specific gases, e.g. acetylene, oxyhydrogen
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 25/10 adding acetylene, non-waterborne hydrogen, non-airborne oxygen, or ozone
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/30 Use of alternative fuels, e.g. biofuels

Abstract

An air amplifier and method and system for using a source of compressed oxygen enhancer, such as nitrous oxide, to increase air flow into an internal combustion engine, providing increased power gain for the engine over the power gain provided by the addition of the oxygen enhancer alone. A source of compressed gas is fed into an air amplifier positioned in the air intake tube for the engine, such as a hose or other conduit which leads to, for example, the throttle body for the fuel injector system. The compressed gas, which includes or is made up of an oxygen enhancer, such as nitrous oxide, is fed into the air amplifier near the inner edge of the air intake tube, producing a Coanda effect, such that air intake into the engine is greatly increased. The device is useful in conjunction with oxygen enhancer systems, such as nitrous oxide kits for feeding nitrous oxide into the throttle body for fuel injected internal combustion engines.

Claims

1. An air amplifier in combination with an internal combustion engine, comprising:

the internal combustion engine, the internal combustion engine having an air input, the air input comprising an air input conduit, wherein an air flow is conductible through the air input conduit;

a source of pressurized fluid, the source of pressurized fluid producing a flow of the pressurized fluid;

the air amplifier, the air amplifier being positionable such that the air flow is conductible through the air amplifier, the air amplifier comprising;

an air amplifier body, the air amplifier body being coupleable with the air input conduit;

a central opening in the air amplifier body, wherein the air flow is conductible through the central opening of the coupled air amplifier body, and wherein the central opening has an outer edge; and

a circumferential passage about the central opening in the air amplifier body, the circumferential passage for transmitting the flow of the pressurized fluid, wherein the transmitted flow of the pressurized fluid is directable along the outer edge of the central opening circumferentially flowing about the air flow;

wherein the transmitted flow of the pressurized fluid produces a Coanda effect, increasing the air flow through the central opening; and

wherein the pressurized fluid is an oxygen enhancer.

2. The air amplifier in combination with the internal combustion engine of claim 1, wherein the oxygen enhancer is nitrous oxide.

3. The air amplifier in combination with the internal combustion engine of claim 1, further comprising a first orifice communicating with the circumferential passage, the first orifice receiving the flow of the pressurized fluid.

4. The air amplifier in combination with the internal combustion engine of claim 3, wherein the first orifice comprises a coupling for connecting the air amplifier to a source for the flow of the pressurized fluid.

5. The air amplifier in combination with the internal combustion engine of claim 3, further comprising a second orifice communicating with the circumferential passage.

6. The air amplifier in combination with the internal combustion engine of claim 5, wherein the second orifice comprises a coupling for a reference pressure determination.

7. The air amplifier in combination with the internal combustion engine of claim 1, wherein the air amplifier body comprises a first main body and a second main body.

8. The air amplifier in combination with the internal combustion engine of claim 7, wherein the first main body is pressibly fittable to the second main body to form the air amplifier body.

9. The air amplifier in combination with the internal combustion engine of claim 7, wherein the first main body comprises a first main body central opening and a first main body curved inner surface, the first main body curved inner surface circumferentially surrounding the first main body central opening.

10. The air amplifier in combination with the internal combustion engine of claim 9, wherein the second main body comprises a second main body central opening and a second main body curved inner surface, the second main body curved inner surface circumferentially surrounding the second main body central opening.

11. The air amplifier in combination with the internal combustion engine of claim 10, wherein the central opening comprises the first main body central opening and the second main body central opening, and wherein the outer edge of the central opening comprises the first main body curved inner surface and the second main body curved inner surface.

12. The air amplifier in combination with the internal combustion engine of claim 7, wherein the first main body comprises a lip, and wherein the lip deflects the flow of the fluid from the narrow passage about the central opening.

13. The air amplifier in combination with the internal combustion engine of claim 1, wherein the narrow passage has a width between about 0.006 and 0.012 inches.

14. The air amplifier in combination with the internal combustion engine of claim 1, wherein the narrow passage communicates with a channel within the air amplifier body, the channel circumferentially surrounding a portion of the central opening, and the central channel communicating with the central opening via the narrow passage.

15. The air amplifier in combination with the internal combustion engine of claim 1, wherein the air input conduit comprises an air intake tube.

16. The air amplifier in combination with the internal combustion engine of claim 1, wherein the air input conduit comprises an air filter.

17. The air amplifier in combination with the internal combustion engine of claim 1, wherein the internal combustion engine comprises a fuel injection system having a throttle body, and wherein the air input conduit includes the throttle body.

18. The air amplifier in combination with the internal combustion engine of claim 1, wherein the internal combustion engine comprises a carburetor, and wherein the air input conduit includes the carburetor.

19. A method for increasing air flow to an internal combustion engine using an air amplifier and a source of pressurized fluid, wherein the engine has an air input, the air input comprising an air input conduit having an inner edge, wherein an air flow having an air flow volume is conductible through the air input conduit, and wherein the air amplifier is positioned within the air input conduit, the method comprising:

providing the air flow through the air input conduit;

feeding the pressurized fluid from the source of pressurized fluid to the air amplifier; and

the air amplifier feeding a flow of the pressurized fluid into the air input conduit at the inner edge;

wherein the air flow volume to the internal combustion engine is increased by virtue of a Coanda effect;

wherein the pressurized fluid is nitrous oxide.

20. An air amplifier in combination with an internal combustion engine, the air amplifier for increasing air flow to the internal combustion engine, the air amplifier in combination with the internal combustion engine comprising:

the internal combustion engine, the internal combustion engine having an air input, the air input comprising an air input conduit, wherein the engine has an attachable source of compressed oxygen enhancer;

the air amplifier, the air amplifier being positionable such that the air flow is conductible through the air amplifier, the air amplifier comprising;

a first main body, the first main body including;

an outer surface having an end section;

an inner opening having a first main body circumferential curved surface;

the first main body circumferential curved surface connecting a first inner opening end and a second inner opening end, and wherein the air flow is channeled by the first main body circumferential curved surface from the first inner opening end to the second inner opening end; and

a first main body lip extending from the first main body circumferential curved surface at the second inner opening end; and

a second main body, the second main body including;

a cylindrical portion having an inner circular circumferential edge and a first end and a second end;

an inner circumferential lip at the second end of the cylindrical portion;

a second portion attached to the cylindrical portion at the second end of the cylindrical portion, the second portion including;

a central opening in the second portion, wherein the central opening has a second main body circumferential curved surface;

wherein the second main body circumferential curved surface connects a first central opening end and a second central opening end, and wherein the air flow is channeled by the second main body circumferential curved surface from the first inner opening end to the second inner opening end;

a recessed edge within the second portion at the first end of the second main body circumferential curved surface;

a channel within the second portion, the channel adjacent the recessed edge and circumferentially surrounding the central opening, wherein the channel has three walled sides and an open side opening at the first side of the second portion; and

an orifice connected to the channel;

wherein the first main body is slidably fittable into the second main body, such that the outer surface of the first main body frictionally contacts the inner surface of the cylindrical portion of the second main body, such that the end section of the first main body contacts the inner circumferential lip of the second main body, and such that a narrow passage is formed between the recessed edge of the second portion of the second main body and the end section of the first main body and between the first main body lip and a portion of the second main body circumferential curved surface;

wherein the source of compressed oxygen enhancer is connected to the air amplifier via the orifice such that a feed of compressed oxygen enhancer is fed via the channel and via the formed narrow passage into the central opening such that the air flow through the air enhancer and through the air input conduit to the engine is increased using the Coanda effect.

21. The air amplifier in combination with the internal combustion engine of claim 20, wherein the first inner opening end has a first inner opening end diameter, and wherein the second inner opening end has a second inner opening end diameter, the first inner opening end diameter being greater than the second inner opening end diameter;

and wherein the first central opening end has a first central opening end diameter, and wherein the second central opening end has a second central opening end diameter, the first central opening end diameter being greater than the second central opening end diameter.