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  Fuel utilizationUSPTO Application #: 20080032245Title: Fuel utilization Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a fuel supply system for combustion engines, whereby the temperatures of an oxidizer and fuel may be increased so that the temperatures approach but do not achieve an auto-ignition temperature for the fuel charge. The fuel charge may result in substantial improvements in fuel efficiency. (end of abstract) Agent: Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt, P.C. Pacwest Center, Suite 1900 - Portland, OR, US Inventors: Raymond Bryce Bushnell, Anthony Dean, Danny Robert Lewis, Marcus DeHaas USPTO Applicaton #: 20080032245 - Class: 431011000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Combustion, Process Of Combustion Or Burner Operation, Heating Feed The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20080032245. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] The present application is a non-provisional application of Provisional Application No. 60/947,623, filed on Jul. 2, 2007, and claims priority to said provisional application. The present application is also a continuation-in-part of Non-Provisional application Ser. No. 10/578,693, filed May 9, 2006, and claims priority to said application. application Ser. No. 10/578,693 is the U.S. National Entry of a PCT that claims priority to now issued U.S. Pat. No. 6,907,866, having a filing date of Nov. 11, 2003. The present application is also a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 11/817,785, filed Sep. 4, 2007, and claims priority to said application. application Ser. No. 11/817,785 is the U.S. National Entry of a PCT application that claims priority to now issued U.S. Pat. No. 7,028,675, with a filing date of Mar. 4, 2005, which is a continuation-in-part of now issued U.S. Pat. No. 6,907,866, having a filing date of Nov. 11, 2003. TECHNICAL FIELD [0002] Embodiments of the present invention relate to the field of providing vaporized or liquid fuel to engines, and more particularly to vapor and liquid fuel systems where various parameters of the fuel mixture may be varied to increase the efficiency of a given fuel charge. BACKGROUND AND BRIEF DESCRIPTION [0003] Vaporizing fuel prior to its entrance into the cylinder can lead to improved performance, particularly with respect to substantially improved fuel economy. Applicants have discussed the advantages and various inventions surrounding vapor fuel systems in many of their current patents and pending applications (See, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,681,749; 6,907,866; 6,966,308; 7,028,675; and application Ser. Nos. 11/465,792 and 11/421,698). While some of these patents and applications teach advantages of running an engine "lean" (i.e., at an air to fuel ratio of greater than about 15 to 1), they also teach improving fuel economy in conventional systems that are designed to operate at current stoichiometric conditions, such as an air to fuel ratio around 14.7 to 1. [0004] More recently, systems have been focused on increasing the temperature of a fuel charge once it enters the combustion chamber to a point where the mixture of air and fuel spontaneously ignite. The low end temperature at which typical grade gasoline begins to ignite, in such a manner, is around 500.degree. F. Most systems are achieving this necessary temperature through increased compression ratios. Examples of such systems include Controlled Auto Ignition (CAI) and Homogeneous Charge Combustion Ignition (HCCI). These systems have disadvantages and are not well suited for dealing with transients, such as periods of acceleration or deceleration. One of the disadvantages that may stem from the wide ranges and diversity of temperatures required for the spontaneous ignition of a given fuel charge (e.g. 500.degree.-1100.degree. F.). For example, these systems attempt to ignite the entire charge at one moment in time. Because of this, their temperatures are generally elevated towards the higher end of the temperature range. This wide range of ignition temperatures combined with elevated ignition temperatures may allow a fuel charge to prematurely ignite, for example before the piston reaches top dead center, and may result in a decrease in efficiency and possible engine damage. Conversely, ignition temperatures that are not elevated may contribute to an environment conducive to longer combustion durations, where components having lower ignition temperatures ignite first and then propagate, like a forest fire, through the components requiring higher ignition temperatures. [0005] Additionally, various ones of these systems may also require substantially steady state conditions to function efficiently. For example, in an HCCI mode, there is no sparking device to trigger the combustion event. Rather, combustion is dependent solely upon the conditions within the cylinder, i.e., temperature, pressure, air-to-fuel ratio ("AFR"), fuel state, and exhaust gas recirculation ("EGR"). These conditions are typically varied to control when auto-ignition, and consequently, combustion occurs. If there is a rapid change in any one of these conditions, for example during periods of rapidly increasing loads, then the combustion event becomes unpredictable. As an example, when an engine increases its revolutions per minute ("RPMs") there is less time for the fuel charge to change states within the cylinder. This effectively reduces the likelihood of matching the density of the fuel with the density of the induced air, thereby resulting in an AFR mismatch. This density mismatch may lead to premature ignition, possible engine damage, and unacceptable emissions. [0006] Applicants have developed techniques to improve combustion such that fuel economy may be improved in both vapor and liquid charged systems. In various embodiments, the fuel (liquid or vapor) and air may be independently heated and the densities of each controlled. Upon mixing the air and fuel, an air to fuel ratio of 14.7-1 may be maintained at elevated temperatures prior to entrance into a combustion chamber or within the combustion chamber. In various embodiments, elevating the pre-combustion temperature so that it approaches, but does not achieve, an auto-ignition temperature for a given fuel charge may result in more efficient combustion and a system that is better able to handle transitions. Such may be attributable to several factors including the homogeneity of the fuel charge, increased flame speed, increased in cylinder temperature, and/or the multiple flame fronts encountered. In further embodiments, fuel economy may be improved by altering various other parameters which allow for better control of the combustion of the fuel charge. Such parameters may improve efficiency by also increasing the flame speed and decreasing the combustion duration. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0007] Embodiments of the present invention will be readily understood by the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings. [0008] FIG. 1 illustrates a block diagram in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention; [0009] FIG. 2 illustrates a graphical representation of a relationship between diluting an amount of fuel and the need for improved combustion in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention; [0010] FIG. 3 illustrates graphical representations of the various combustion durations with respect to top dead center of various combustion events; [0011] FIG. 4 illustrates graphical representations of the in-cylinder pressures ("ICP") of the various combustion events illustrated in FIG. 3, respectively; [0012] FIG. 5 illustrates a flow diagram depicting a combustion operation in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention; and [0013] FIG. 6 illustrates a flow diagram depicting a combustion operation in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION [0014] In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof, and in which are shown by way of illustration embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural or logical changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the following detailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of embodiments in accordance with the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents. [0015] Various operations may be described as multiple discrete operations in turn, in a manner that may be helpful in understanding embodiments of the present invention; however, the order of description should not be construed to imply that these operations are order dependent. [0016] The description may use perspective-based descriptions such as up/down, back/front, and top/bottom. Such descriptions are merely used to facilitate the discussion and are not intended to restrict the application of embodiments of the present invention. [0017] The terms "coupled" and "connected," along with their derivatives, may be used. It should be understood that these terms are not intended as synonyms for each other. Rather, in particular embodiments, "connected" may be used to indicate that two or more elements are in direct physical or electrical contact with each other. "Coupled" may mean that two or more elements are in direct physical or electrical contact. However, "coupled" may also mean that two or more elements are not in direct contact with each other, but yet still cooperate or interact with each other. [0018] For the purposes of the description, a phrase in the form "A/B" means A or B. For the purposes of the description, a phrase in the form "A and/or B" means "(A), (B), or (A and B)". For the purposes of the description, a phrase in the form "at least one of A, B, and C" means "(A), (B), (C), (A and B), (A and C), (B and C), or (A, B and C)". For the purposes of the description, a phrase in the form "(A)B" means "(B) or (AB)" that is, A is an optional element. [0019] The description may use the phrases "in an embodiment," or "in embodiments," which may each refer to one or more of the same or different embodiments. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," "having," and the like, as used with respect to embodiments of the present invention, are synonymous. Continue reading... Full patent description for Fuel utilization Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Fuel utilization patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Fuel utilization or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Method and apparatus for forming crystalline portions of semiconductor film Next Patent Application: Premixing burner for generating an ignitable fuel/air mixture Industry Class: Combustion ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Fuel utilization patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 13.5344 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Daimler Chrysler , DirecTV , Exxonmobil Chemical Company , Goodyear , Intel , Kyocera Wireless , |
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