초록 ▼

A method of operating a combustion apparatus such as an internal combustion engine is described, in which the apparatus includes at least one combustion chamber with an inlet port for primary combustion air, an apparatus to introduce into the combustion chamber primary fuel for combustion with the p

A method of operating a combustion apparatus such as an internal combustion engine is described, in which the apparatus includes at least one combustion chamber with an inlet port for primary combustion air, an apparatus to introduce into the combustion chamber primary fuel for combustion with the primary air, an exhaust port for combustion products, and an exhaust system for exhausting the combustion products to atmosphere, the method including introducing into the exhaust system secondary air, mechanically acting upon the secondary air and products of combustion in the exhaust system in the presence of a catalyst, to produce a reformed fuel, introducing the reformed fuel into the combustion chamber for combustion with primary fuel and primary air.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A method of operating a combustion apparatus which includes at least one combustion chamber with an inlet port for primary combustion air, apparatus for introducing into the combustion chamber primary fuel for combustion with the primary air, an exhaust port for combustion products, and an exhaus

1. A method of operating a combustion apparatus which includes at least one combustion chamber with an inlet port for primary combustion air, apparatus for introducing into the combustion chamber primary fuel for combustion with the primary air, an exhaust port for combustion products, and an exhaust system for exhausting the combustion products to atmosphere, the method including introducing into the exhaust system secondary air, mechanically acting upon the secondary air and products of combustion in the exhaust system in the presence of a catalyst, to produce a reformed fuel, and introducing the reformed fuel into the combustion chamber for combustion with primary fuel and primary air. 2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the reformed fuel is introduced in the combustion chamber via the exhaust port. 3. A method according to claim 1 wherein the combustion apparatus is an internal combustion engine and secondary air is introduced into the exhaust system via an exhaust aspirator which draws air into the exhaust system during low pressure or partial vacuum conditions occurring during the cycle of pressure changes which occur in the exhaust system during normal operation of the engine. 4. A method according to claim 3 wherein the exhaust aspirator is tuned to draw air into the exhaust system and mechanically to act upon the secondary air and products of combustion by means of pressure pulses, in a manner to optimize reformed fuel production. 5. A method according to claim 3 wherein the aspirator includes a valve with a spring biased valve member, the force of the spring acting to urge the valve member into engagement with a valve seat to close the valve, and the force of the spring being overcome when sufficiently low pressure is developed in the exhaust system, to allow the secondary air to be drawn in through the valve and the aspirator being tuned by adjusting the spring pressure so that the valve responds to a desired low pressure or partial vacuum at an appropriate time during the engine cycle, and in a manner to produce strong pressure pulses in the exhaust system adequate mechanically to act upon the combustion products and secondary air present in the exhaust system in the presence of the catalyst, to produce reformed fuel. 6. A method according to claim 1 wherein the reformed fuel includes one or both of methanol and hydrogen gas. 7. A method according to claim 3 wherein the catalyst is provided by materials from which the aspirator is at least partly made. 8. A method according to claim 1 wherein the combustion apparatus is a reciprocating piston engine and the reformed fuel is introduced into the or each combustion chamber of the engine as a result of a partial vacuum being established at the exhaust port at the end of an exhaust stroke of a piston thereof as the piston commences its next induction stroke, before the exhaust port is completely closed by one of an exhaust outlet valve and the piston. 9. A method according to claim 1 wherein the combustion apparatus has a plurality of combustion chambers each having an exhaust port, the exhaust ports each opening to an exhaust manifold, where the apparatus for introducing secondary air into the exhaust system is located. 10. A method according to claim 1 wherein the method includes introducing reformed fuel obtained by mechanically acting upon drawn in secondary air and products of combustion in the exhaust system, into an inlet manifold from where air is introduced into the combustion chamber for combustion with the primary fuel. 11. A method according to claim 1 wherein the method of the invention includes introducing into the combustion chamber of the apparatus, a vaporized secondary hydrocarbon based high calorific value fuel, obtained by one of heating a mineral oil electrically and by heat exchange with hot exhaust gases produced by the apparatus to vaporize the oil. 12. A method according to claim 11 and wherein the combustion apparatus is a spark ignition engine and the primary fuel is one of induced and injected into the combustion chamber together with the vaporized secondary hydrocarbon based high calorific value fuel. 13. A method according to claim 11 wherein the combustion apparatus is an engine is of the kind in which the primary fuel is introduced by an injection apparatus, and vaporized secondary hydrocarbon based high calorific value fuel is introduced with the induced air. 14. A method of adapting a combustion apparatus having at least one combustion chamber an inlet port for primary combustion air, an apparatus for introducing into the combustion chamber primary fuel for combustion with the primary air, an exhaust port for combustion products, and an exhaust system for exhausting the combustion products to atmosphere for operation by a method including introducing into the exhaust system secondary air, mechanically acting upon the secondary air and products of combustion in the exhaust system in the presence of a catalyst, to produce a reformed fuel, and introducing the reformed fuel into the combustion chamber for combustion with primary fuel and primary air, the method of adaptation including providing the combustion apparatus with an apparatus to introduce into the exhaust system secondary air, providing a device mechanically to act upon the secondary air and products of combustion in the exhaust system in the presence of a catalyst, to produce the reformed fuel, and apparatus to introduce the secondary fuel into the combustion chamber via the exhaust port for combustion with primary fuel and primary air. 15. A method according to claim 14 wherein the combustion apparatus is an engine of a vehicle, the vehicle engine of which is to be adapted includes a catalytic converter already and an engine management system thereof is provided with an input from a sensor associated with the catalytic converter which affects engine control, the method including one of disabling the sensor of the catalytic converter and re-programming the engine management system.