Method and apparatus for vaporizing fuel

Abstract

A method and apparatus is provided for the vaporization of liquid hydrocarbon fuel in a closed system prior to its entry into an internal combustion engine's combustion chambers in amounts proportional to the acceleration level of the engine. The apparatus is a fuel vaporizer interposed between an engine's fuel injection system and combustion chambers and forms a canister housing. Liquid fuel enters via an inlet in the housing, is vaporized by heating it to boiling and is drawn out of the canister via an outlet under a partial vacuum to the combustion chambers of the engine. The system is closed except for a vacuum connection with the engine's combustion chambers. Heating means are provided to heat the fuel to boiling without heating it to its flash point, thus avoiding its pre-ignition.

1 . A fuel vaporizer for use in an internal combustion engine comprising, 
 a housing constructed of a block of material having a plurality of individual passageways extending from a top surface to a bottom surface, a first end cap on the top of the block having connective passageways linking the individual passageways through the block to other passageways though the block, a second end cap on the bottom of the block having connective passageways linking passageways through the block to other passageways through the block, such that a serpentine pathway is created in the housing,    a fuel injector for injecting fuel into the passageways in the housing, an air intake hole with a one way air intake valve for introducing air into the passageways, and an outlet through which fuel exits the housing,    a heater in the housing for heating the block such that fuel traveling through the passageways will be vaporized    
   
   
       2 . A fuel vaporizer for use in an internal combustion engine as in  claim 1  wherein, 
 the heater is an electric resistance heater in block of material.    
   
   
       3 . A fuel vaporizer for use in an internal combustion engine as in  claim 2  wherein, 
 an electronic control means controls the temperature of the heater.    
   
   
       4 . A fuel vaporizer for use in an internal combustion engine as in  claim 1  wherein, 
 the air intake passes through the first end cap to access the passageways near the beginning of the serpentine path.    
   
   
       5 . A fuel vaporizer for use in an internal combustion engine as in  claim 1  wherein, 
 the fuel injector passes through the first end cap to access the passageways near the beginning of the serpentine path.    
   
   
       6 . A fuel vaporizer for use in an internal combustion engine as in  claim 1  wherein, 
 the outlet passes through the first end cap from the passageways near the end of the serpentine path.    
   
   
       7 . A fuel vaporizer for use in an internal combustion engine as in  claim 1  wherein, 
 the outlet passes through the second end cap from the passageways near the end of the serpentine path.    
   
   
       8 . A fuel vaporizer for use in an internal combustion engine as in  claim 1  wherein, 
 a preheating means disposed in a fuel line connected to the fuel injector, comprising a fuel line heater with an electronic temperature controller attached thereto.    
   
   
       9 . A fuel vaporizer for use in an internal combustion engine as in  claim 3  wherein, 
 the air intake passes through the first end cap to access the passageways near the beginning of the serpentine path.    
   
   
       10 . A fuel vaporizer for use in an internal combustion engine as in  claim 9  wherein, 
 the fuel injector passes through the first end cap to access the passageways near the beginning of the serpentine path.    
   
   
       11 . A fuel vaporizer for use in an internal combustion engine as in  claim 10  wherein, 
 the outlet passes through the first end cap from the passageways near the end of the serpentine path.    
   
   
       12 . A fuel vaporizer for use in an internal combustion engine as in  claim 10  wherein, 
 the outlet passes through the second end cap from the passageways near the end of the serpentine path.    
   
   
       13 . A fuel vaporizer for use in an internal combustion engine as in  claim 1  wherein, 
 a preheating means disposed in a fuel line connected to the fuel injector, comprising a fuel line heater with an electronic temperature controller attached thereto.    
   
   
       14 . A fuel vaporizer for use in an internal combustion engine as in  claim 12  wherein, 
 a preheating means disposed in a fuel line connected to the fuel injector, comprising a fuel line heater with an electronic temperature controller attached thereto.    
   
   
       15 . A fuel vaporizer for use in an internal combustion engine, comprising: 
 housing means constructed of a material having high thermal conductivity and defining an interior chamber, the housing means further defining an inlet connected to a fuel injector at which a fuel is injected into the chamber as required by the engine, an air intake hole comprising a one-way air intake valve, and an outlet through which the fuel exits the chamber;    heating means to heat at least one surface of the interior chamber sufficiently to boil the liquid fuel upon contact with the at least one surface, the heating means comprising at least one resistance heating element mounted exterior to the interior chamber and proximate to the at least one surface of the chamber, and, an electronic control means to control the temperature of the at least one resistance heating element, the electronic control means comprising a thermostatic temperature control connected to the heating means; and,    the housing means having a flow path from the fuel injector to the outlet straight though the housing means such that the vaporized fuel, air and any unvaporized fuel exit the outlet and are transported to the engine's combustion chamber.    
   
   
       16 . A fuel vaporizer for use in an internal combustion engine, as in  claim 15  having 
 a pre-heating means disposed in a fuel line connected to the fuel injector, comprising a fuel line heater with an electronic temperature controller attached thereto.    
   
   
       17 . A fuel vaporizer for use in an internal combustion engine, comprising: 
 housing means constructed of a material having high thermal conductivity and defining an interior chamber, the housing means further defining an inlet connected to a fuel injector at which a fuel is injected into the chamber as required by the engine, an air intake hole comprising a one-way air intake valve, and an outlet through which the fuel exits the chamber;    heating means to heat at least one surface of the interior chamber sufficiently to boil the liquid fuel upon contact with the at least one surface, the heating means comprising at least one resistance heating element mounted exterior to the interior chamber and proximate to the at least one surface of the chamber, and, an electronic control means to control the temperature of the at least one resistance heating element, the electronic control means comprising a thermostatic temperature control connected to the heating means; and,    the housing means having a serpentine flow path interior chamber where the chamber is a block having straight paths therethrough with redirection paths in caps on either end of the blocks to connect the paths thus extending the path length of the fuel in the chamber to ensure full vaporization by prolonged heating time.    
   
   
       18 . A fuel vaporizer for use in an internal combustion engine, as in  claim 17  having 
 a pre-heating means disposed in a fuel line connected to the fuel injector, comprising a fuel line heater with an electronic temperature controller attached thereto.