Device and process for improving fuel consumption and reducing emissions upon fuel combustion

• US 6,386,187 B1
• Filed: 10/06/2000
• Issued: 05/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Performance Health Systems, LLC
• Original Assignee: Performance Health Systems, LLC
• Inventors: Phykitt, Howard P.
• Primary Examiner(s): MCMAHON, MARGUERITE J
• Application Number:
  US09/680,717
• Time in Patent Office: 585 Days
• Field of Search: 123/538, 123/537, 123/536, 210/222, 210/695
• US Class Current: 123/538
• 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: F02M 27/02 by catalysts
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 27/045 by permanent magnets

Abstract

A device and process is provided for treatment of a hydrocarbon or fossil fuel which is to be combusted in a combustion chamber to improve combustion of the fuel in the combustion chamber by turbulently treating the fuel with a plurality of fields of magnetic flux and subjecting the fuel to a field of differing standard electrochemical reduction potentials. The device is adapted to be connected in-line in a fuel supply line of the combustion chamber and comprises:

a non-magnetic, elongate hollow tubular housing having a longitudinal axis, opposing inlet and outlet ends, a generally centrally located inlet aperture in said inlet end for receiving fuel and a generally centrally located outlet aperture in said outlet end for dispensing treated fuel;

a plurality of longitudinally elongated magnets located in the housing on opposing sides of the longitudinal axis providing a series of differing or alternating fields of magnetic flux along the longitudinal axis and providing opposing, facing pole faces of the magnets for contact with the fuel; and

optionally, but preferably, at least two large surface area non-ferrous metal wool or screen materials of differing standard electrochemical reduction potentials in the housing, the metals being located along the longitudinal axis of the housing and between the magnets of the plurality of magnets and establishing a field of standard electrochemical reduction potential differential in the housing through which the fuel must flow.

The device may also comprise axially spaced, radially extending, apertured flow controllers for directly turbulent flow of fuel through the screen materials and the series of alternating field of magnetic flux.

Claims

1. A device for treatment of a hydrocarbon or fossil fuel which is to be combusted in a combustion chamber to improve combustion of the fuel in the combustion chamber by turbulently treating the fuel with a plurality of fields of alternating magnetic flux and subjecting the fuel to a field of differing standard electrochemical reduction potentials, said device being adapted to be connected inline in a fuel supply line of the combustion chamber and comprising:

a non-magnetic, elongate hollow tubular housing having a longitudinal axis, opposing inlet and outlet ends, a generally centrally located inlet aperture in said inlet end for receiving fuel and a generally centrally located outlet aperture in said outlet end for dispensing treated fuel;

a longitudinally extending first plurality of magnets located inside said housing and parallel to a first side of the longitudinal axis, a longitudinally extending second plurality of magnets located inside said housing and parallel to and latitudinally spaced apart from the first set of magnets and located on a second and opposite side of the longitudinal axis, each magnet of said first and second plurality of magnets having a longitudinal pole face facing the longitudinal axis for contact with the fuel to be treated and each having a magnetic polarity, and the magnetic polarity of the longitudinal pole face of each magnet of the first and second plurality of magnets being of alternating polarity with the magnetic polarity of the longitudinal pole of longitudinally adjacent magnets in the respective first and second longitudinal plurality of magnets; and

at least two large surface area non-ferrous metal wool or screen materials of differing standard electrochemical reduction potential extending longitudinally along the axis of the housing and between the spaced apart first and second plurality of magnets establishing a field of standard electrochemical reduction potential differential in said housing through which fuel must flow.

2. A device according to claim 1 in which the elongate hollow tubular housing is rectangular in shape.

3. A device according to claim 1 additionally comprising a first elongate longitudinal strip of ferromagnetic material overlaying the first plurality of magnets between the first plurality of magnets and an adjacent wall of the tubular housing, and a second elongate longitudinal strip of carbon steel overlaying the second plurality of magnets between the second plurality of magnets and the adjacent wall of the tubular housing.

4. A device according to claim 1 wherein the large surface area non-ferrous metal wool or screen materials comprises alternating layers of two different metal screens.

5. A device according to claim 4 wherein the alternating layers of two different metal screens comprise alternating layers of copper and aluminum screens.

6. A device according to claim 4 wherein the elongate hollow tubular housing is rectangular in shape and the device additionally comprising a first elongate longitudinal strip of carbon steel overlaying the first plurality of magnets between the first plurality of magnets and an adjacent wall of the tubular housing, and a second elongate longitudinal strip of carbon steel overlaying the second plurality of magnets between the second plurality of magnets and the adjacent wall of the tubular housing.

7. A device according to claim 6 wherein the alternating layers of two different metal screens comprise alternating layers of copper and aluminum screens.

8. A device according to claim 1 wherein the magnetic polarity of the longitudinal pole face of each magnet of the first plurality of magnets is of a magnetic polarity opposite the magnetic polarity of the longitudinal pole face of an opposing facing longitudinal pole face of a magnet of the second plurality of magnets.

9. A device according to claim 8 wherein the first and second plurality of magnets provide a series of alternating fields of magnetic flux along the longitudinal axis providing at least 50 square inches of opposing, facing pole faces of the magnets along the longitudinal axis for contact with the fuel.

10. A device according to claim 1 wherein the first and second plurality of magnets provide a series of alternating fields of magnetic flux along the longitudinal axis providing at least 50 square inches of opposing, facing pole faces of the magnets along the longitudinal axis for contact with the fuel.

11. A device according to claim 10 wherein the device is sized and shaped to provide at least 0.5 seconds of residence time exposure of the fuel to the opposing magnetic pole faces of the magnets providing the series of alternating fields of magnetic flux along the longitudinal axis.

12. A device according to claim 8 wherein the elongate hollow tubular housing is rectangular in shape and the device additionally comprising a first elongate longitudinal strip of ferromagnetic material overlaying the first plurality of magnets between the first plurality of magnets and an adjacent wall of the tubular housing, and a second elongate longitudinal strip of carbon steel overlaying the second plurality of magnets between the second plurality of magnets and the adjacent wall of the tubular housing.

13. A device according to claim 12 wherein the first and second plurality of magnets provide a series of alternating fields of magnetic flux along the longitudinal axis providing at least 50 square inches of opposing, facing pole faces of the magnets long the longitudinal axis for contact with the fuel.

14. A device according to claim 13 wherein the device is sized and shaped to provide at least 0.5 seconds of residence time exposure of the fuel to the opposing magnetic pole faces of the magnets providing the series of alternating fields of magnetic flux along the longitudinal axis.

15. A device according to claim 1 comprising a plurality of axially spaced, radially extending flow controllers, each controller having a central aperture located essentially along the longitudinal axis of the housing for causing fuel flowing through the housing to flow through said central apertures of the flow controllers whereby fuel generally is caused to flow between the facing longitudinal pole faces of the opposing magnets of the first and second plurality of magnets and generally along the longitudinal axis of the housing.

16. A device according to claim 8 comprising a plurality of axially spaced, radially extending flow controllers, each controller having a central aperture located essentially along the longitudinal axis of the housing for causing fuel flowing through the housing to flow through said central apertures of the flow controllers whereby fuel generally is caused to flow between the facing longitudinal pole faces of the opposing magnets of the first and second plurality of magnets and generally along the longitudinal axis of the housing.

17. A device according to claim 1 wherein the magnets comprise magnets having strength of at least about 3800 gauss per magnet.

18. A device according to claim 14 wherein the magnets comprise magnets having strength of at least about 3800 gauss per magnet.

19. A device according to claim 8 wherein each of the first and second plurality of magnets comprise adjacent longitudinally parallel first and second rows of at least five magnets per row, the magnets of the adjacent longitudinally parallel first and second rows of each plurality of magnets being arranged such that the magnetic polarity of the magnetic pole face of each of the magnets along the longitudinal axis in the first row is of opposite polarity from the magnetic polarity of the magnetic pole face of each adjacent magnet along the longitudinal axis in the second row.

20. A device according to claim 12 wherein each of the first and second plurality of magnets comprise adjacent longitudinally parallel first and second rows of at least five magnets per row, the magnets of the adjacent longitudinally parallel first and second rows of each plurality of magnets being arranged such that the magnetic polarity of the magnetic pole face of each of the magnets along the longitudinal axis in the first row is of opposite polarity from the magnetic polarity of the magnetic pole face of each adjacent magnet along the longitudinal axis in the second row.

21. A device according to claim 14 wherein each of the first and second plurality of magnets comprise adjacent longitudinally parallel first and second rows of at least five magnets per row, the magnets of the adjacent longitudinally parallel first and second rows of each plurality of magnets being arranged such that the magnetic polarity of the magnetic pole face of each of the magnets along the longitudinal axis in the first row is of opposite polarity from the magnetic polarity of the magnetic pole face of each adjacent magnet along the longitudinal axis in the second row.

22. A device according to claim 1 additionally comprising a porous bronze filter in the tubular housing adjacent the outlet aperture through which the fuel must flow to exit the device.

23. A device according to claim 7 additionally comprising a porous bronze filter in the tubular housing adjacent the outlet aperture through which the fuel must flow to exit the device.

24. A device according to claim 12 additionally comprising a porous bronze filter in the tubular housing adjacent the outlet aperture through which the fuel must flow to exit the device.

25. A device for treatment of a hydrocarbon or fossil fuel which is to be combusted in a combustion chamber to improve combustion of the fuel in the combustion chamber by turbulently treating the fuel with a plurality of fields of differing magnetic flux and subjecting the fuel to a field of differing standard electrochemical reduction potentials, said device being adapted to be connected in-line in a fuel supply line of the combustion chamber and comprising:

a non-magnetic, elongate hollow tubular housing having a longitudinal axis, opposing inlet and outlet ends, a generally centrally located inlet aperture in said inlet end for receiving fuel and a generally centrally located outlet aperture in said outlet end for dispensing treated fuel;

a plurality of longitudinally elongated magnets located in the housing on opposing sides of the longitudinal axis for contact with the fuel to be treated and providing a series of alternating fields of magnetic flux along the longitudinal; and

at least two large surface area non-ferrous metal wool or screen materials of differing standard electrochemical reduction potentials in the housing, the metals being located along the longitudinal axis of the housing and between the magnets of the plurality of magnets and establishing a field of standard electrochemical reduction potential differential in the housing through which the fuel must flow.

26. A device according to claim 25 axis providing at least 50 square inches of opposing, facing pole faces of the magnets for contact with the fuel.

27. A device of claim 25 additionally comprising a plurality of centrally apertured, axially spaced flow control means in the housing which cause fuel to flow centrally through the flow control means, generally along the longitudinal axis, between opposing facing pole faces of the magnets and through the two large surface area non-ferrous metals.

28. The device according to claim 25 wherein the device is sized and shaped to provide at least 0.5 seconds of residence time exposure of the fuel to the opposing magnetic pole faces of the magnets providing the series of differing fields of magnetic flux along the longitudinal axis.

29. The device according to claim 26 wherein the device is sized and shaped to provide at least 0.5 seconds of residence time exposure of the fuel to the opposing magnetic pole faces of the magnets providing the series of differing fields of magnetic flux along the longitudinal axis.

30. A device for treatment of a hydrocarbon or fossil fuel which is to be combusted in a combustion chamber to improve combustion of the fuel in the combustion chamber by turbulently treating the fuel with a plurality of fields of alternating magnetic flux and subjecting the fuel to a field of differing standard electrochemical reduction potentials, said device being adapted to be connected in-line in a fuel supply line of the combustion chamber and comprising:

a non-magnetic, elongate hollow tubular housing having a longitudinal axis, opposing inlet and outlet ends, a generally centrally located inlet aperture in said inlet end for receiving fuel and a generally centrally located outlet aperture in said outlet end for dispensing treated fuel; and

a longitudinally extending first plurality of magnets located inside said housing and parallel to a first side of the longitudinal axis, a longitudinally extending second plurality of magnets located Inside said housing and parallel to and latitudinally spaced apart from the first set of magnets and located on a second and opposite side of the longitudinal axis, each magnet of said first and second plurality of magnets having a longitudinal pole face having a magnetic polarity for contact with the fuel to be treated; and

the magnetic polarity of the longitudinal pole face of each magnet of the first and second plurality of magnets being of different magnetic polarity to the magnetic polarity of adjacent magnets in the respective first and second longitudinal plurality of magnets.

31. The device of claim 30 wherein the magnetic polarity of the longitudinal pole face of each magnet of the first plurality of magnets is of a magnetic polarity opposite the magnetic polarity of the longitudinal pole face of an opposing facing magnet of the second plurality of magnets.

32. A process for treatment of a hydrocarbon or fossil fuel substantially immediately prior to introducing the fuel into a combustion chamber to improve the combustion of the fuel in the combustion chamber, the process comprising passing said hydrocarbon or fossil fuel into a non-magnetic elongated hollow tubular housing and turbulently passing said fuel:

(a) through a series of differing strong magnetic flux fields created by first and second longitudinal pluralities of spaced-apart opposing magnets within said housing, said magnets being oriented so that longitudinal pole face of each magnet of the first and second pluralities of magnets contact the fuel and is different from the magnetic polarity of the pole faces of adjacent magnets in the respective first and second pluralities of magnets, and

(b) into contact with at least two large surface area non-ferrous metal wool or screen materials of differing standard electrochemical reduction potentials located between the first and second pluralities of magnets;

whereby the fuel is subjected to alternating magnetic flux fields, a field of standard electrochemical reduction differential, and mechanical forces.

33. The process of claim 32 wherein opposing longitudinal pole faces of the magnets of the first and second plurality of magnets are of different magnetic polarity.

34. The process of claim 32 wherein (c) the fuel is additionally passed through fuel flow control means requiring generally centralized flow of fuel along a centrally located longitudinal axis of the housing between and in the magnetic flux fields between the opposing longitudinal pole faces of the opposing magnets of the first and second pluralities of magnets.

35. A process for treatment of a hydrocarbon or fossil fuel substantially immediately prior to introducing the fuel into a combustion chamber to break up negatively charged molecule clusters of the fuel and produce positively charged hydrocarbon units to improve combustion of the fuel, the process comprising passing the fuel into a non-magnetic elongated tubular housing having a longitudinal axis, an inlet at a first end, and an outlet at a second and opposite end of the longitudinal axis, and turbulently passing the fuel through the tubular housing in a manner such that the fuel is caused to:

(1) pass through a series of alternating fields of magnetic flux located along the longitudinal axis of the housing such that the fuel is exposed to at least 50 square inches of opposing, facing magnetic pole faces of magnets contacting the fuel and providing said series of alternating fields of magnetic flux; and

(2) contact and pass through at least two large surface area non-ferrous metal wool or screen materials of differing standard electrochemical reduction potentials in the housing;

whereby said fuel has at least 0.5 seconds of residence time of exposure to the opposing magnetic pole faces of the magnets providing the series of alternating fields of magnetic flux and the two large surface area non-ferrous metal materials.

36. The process of claim 35 wherein (3) the fuel is additionally caused contact a plurality of centrally aperture spaced flow control means in the housing which cause the fuel to flow centrally through the flow control means and generally along the longitudinal axis and between the opposing magnetic pole faces of the magnets.