초록 ▼

An oxygen-enriched air intake control system for an internal combustion engine includes air directing apparatus to control the air flow into the intake of the engine. During normal operation of the engine, ambient air flowing from an air filter of the engine flows through the air directing apparatus

An oxygen-enriched air intake control system for an internal combustion engine includes air directing apparatus to control the air flow into the intake of the engine. During normal operation of the engine, ambient air flowing from an air filter of the engine flows through the air directing apparatus into the intake of the engine. In order to decrease the amount of carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrocarbon (HC) emissions that tend to be produced by the engine during a short period of time after the engine is started, the air directing apparatus diverts for a short period of time following the start up of the engine at least a portion of the ambient air from the air filter through a secondary path. The secondary path includes a selectively permeable membrane through which the diverted portion of the ambient air flows. The selectively permeable membrane separates nitrogen and oxygen from the diverted air so that oxygen enriched air containing from about 23% to 25% oxygen by volume is supplied to the intake of the engine.

대표청구항 ▼

An air control system for an internal combustion engine for supplying ambient air from an air inlet means and/or oxygen enriched air to an air intake of said engine so as to limit pollutants in exhaust gases emitted by said engine, said air control system comprising: a first air flow means through w

An air control system for an internal combustion engine for supplying ambient air from an air inlet means and/or oxygen enriched air to an air intake of said engine so as to limit pollutants in exhaust gases emitted by said engine, said air control system comprising: a first air flow means through which said ambient air is supplied to said air intake of said engine from said air inlet means; a second air flow means having an oxygen enrichment means for producing oxygen enriched air from said ambient air; and air directing means associated with said first and second air flow means for controlling the flow of air in said first and second air flow means, said air directing means having at least one state wherein said ambient air flows in said first air flow means to said air intake of said engine and having at least a second state wherein at least a portion of said ambient air is diverted from said first air flow means to said second air flow means through said oxygen enrichment means and into an air plenum wherein oxygen enriched air from said oxygen enrichment means is stored and from which oxygen enriched air is supplied to said air intake of said engine when said air directing means is in said second state.