Method and apparatus for membrane separation of air into nitrogen and oxygen elements for use in internal combustion engines
First Claim
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1. Apparatus for the operation of an internal combustion engine comprising:
- means for providing oxygen-enriched air and fuel to a combustion chamber;
means for initiating combustion of the oxygen-enriched air and fuel in said combustion chamber; and
means for providing, separately from the oxygen-enriched air, a predefined volume of nitrogen-enriched air to the combustion chamber following a predefined time delay for use of the nitrogen-enriched air during the remainder of combustion within said combustion chamber;
wherein the predefined time delay is based upon at least one of burn rate of the fuel, combustion chamber gas composition, and engine speed.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for reducing the emissions and improving the performance of an internal combustion engine (40). An input air stream is separated into an oxygen-enriched air stream and a nitrogen-enriched air stream. The nitrogen-enriched air stream is received by a holding chamber (35). The oxygen-enriched air and a combustible fuel are provided to a combustion chamber (45) of the internal combustion engine (40) and a combustion process is initiated. After a predefined time delay, a volume of nitrogen-enriched air is provided from the holding chamber (35) to the combustion chamber (45) to be used during the rest of the combustion process.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. Apparatus for the operation of an internal combustion engine comprising:
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means for providing oxygen-enriched air and fuel to a combustion chamber; means for initiating combustion of the oxygen-enriched air and fuel in said combustion chamber; and means for providing, separately from the oxygen-enriched air, a predefined volume of nitrogen-enriched air to the combustion chamber following a predefined time delay for use of the nitrogen-enriched air during the remainder of combustion within said combustion chamber; wherein the predefined time delay is based upon at least one of burn rate of the fuel, combustion chamber gas composition, and engine speed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for the operation of an internal combustion engine having a combustion chamber, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing means for separating an input air stream to produce oxygen-enriched air and nitrogen-enriched air;
receiving an input air stream in said separating means and producing oxygen-enriched air and nitrogen-enriched air therefrom;receiving the nitrogen-enriched air from said separation means in a first chamber adapted for flow communication with said combustion chamber;
receiving the oxygen-enriched air from said separation means within said combustion chamber in combination with a combustible fuel for combustion therein; andselectively discharging said nitrogen-enriched air from said first chamber into said combustion chamber after a predefined time delay relative to initial combustion therein for use of said nitrogen-enriched air during the remainder of the combustion, wherein the predefined time delay is based upon at least one of burn rate of the combustible fuel, combustion chamber gas composition, and engine speed. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method for the separation of air into nitrogen-enriched and oxygen-enriched air streams and subsequent use in an internal combustion engine for improving the efficiency thereof in reducing the amount of particulate matter therefrom, the method comprising the steps of:
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exposing the input air stream to a membrane adapted for separating the input air into an oxygen-enriched air stream and a nitrogen-enriched air stream and the segregation thereof; injecting the oxygen-enriched air stream into a combustion chamber with fuel; initiating combustion of the oxygen-enriched air and the fuel within said combustion chamber; and injecting the nitrogen-enriched air stream into said combustion chamber subsequent to the initiation of combustion therein, wherein the injecting of the nitrogen-enriched air stream into the combustion chamber is performed after a predefined time delay, said predefined time delay is based upon at least one of burn rate of the fuel, combustion chamber gas composition, and engine speed. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification