Ionizing fluid flow enhancer for combustion engines

Abstract

An ionizing fluid flow enhancer for a fluid conduit of a combustion engine includes a housing having an inlet configured to receive an inlet flow of fluid; at least one fluid modification element, disposed along the housing, configured to chemically alter the flowing fluid; and a spiral vane assembly, configured to produce an outer helical flow of the fluid and an inner helical flow of the fluid within the housing. The spiral vane assembly includes a plurality of outer vanes, disposed around an outer periphery of the housing, configured to produce an outer helical flow of the fluid; a plurality of inner vanes, disposed within a central portion of the housing, configured to produce an inner helical flow of the fluid, the inner helical flow having a higher velocity than the outer helical flow; and a flow separator, disposed between the inner vanes and the outer vanes, configured to separate the fluid flow into outer flow that flows past the outer vanes, and inner flow that flows past the inner vanes.

1 . An ionizing fluid flow enhancer for a fluid conduit of a combustion engine, comprising: 
 a) a housing having an inlet configured to receive an inlet flow of fluid;    b) at least one fluid modification element, disposed along the housing, configured to chemically alter the flowing fluid; and    c) a spiral vane assembly, configured to produce an outer helical flow of the fluid and an inner helical flow of the fluid within the housing, the spiral vane assembly including 
 i) a plurality of outer vanes, disposed around an outer periphery of the housing, configured to produce an outer helical flow of the fluid;  
 ii) a plurality of inner vanes, disposed within a central portion of the housing, configured to produce an inner helical flow of the fluid, the inner helical flow having a higher velocity than the outer helical flow; and  
 iii) a flow separator, disposed between the inner vanes and the outer vanes, configured to separate the fluid flow into outer flow that flows past the outer vanes, and inner flow that flows past the inner vanes.  
   
   
   
       2 . An ionizing fluid flow enhancer in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the fluid is substantially a gas, and further comprising a plasma chamber, disposed within the housing, including a plurality of electrodes, configured to produce an electrical discharge to chemically alter the flowing fluid.  
   
   
       3 . An ionizing fluid flow enhancer in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of electrodes are selected from the group consisting of automotive spark plugs, and separate anode/cathode pairs arranged to produce an electrical discharge therebetween.  
   
   
       4 . An ionizing fluid flow enhancer in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of electrodes comprise from four to eight electrodes.  
   
   
       5 . An ionizing fluid flow enhancer in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of electrodes are disposed in a substantially circular configuration about a perimeter of a cross-section of the plasma chamber region.  
   
   
       6 . An ionizing fluid flow enhancer in accordance with  claim 2 , wherein the inlet conduit interconnects an intercooler of a turbocharger system with an air intake of a combustion engine.  
   
   
       7 . An ionizing fluid flow enhancer in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the fluid is a liquid motor fuel.  
   
   
       8 . An ionizing fluid flow enhancer in accordance with  claim 1 , wherein the fluid modification element is selected from the group consisting of a water injector configured to inject water vapor into the fluid flow, a plasma electrode configured to produce an electrical discharge in the fluid flow, an ultrasonic transducer configured to mechanically vibrate within the fluid flow, a helical electric coil disposed around an outside of the housing, a torroid electric coil disposed around the outside of the housing, a photonic device configured to expose the flowing fluid to light energy, and a gas plasma chamber configured to produce a gas plasma in contact with a region of the outside of the housing.  
   
   
       9 . An ionizing fluid flow enhancer in accordance with  claim 8 , wherein the water injector is disposed in a restricted flow region adjacent to the inlet, and is.  
   
   
       10 . An ionizing fluid flow enhancer in accordance with  claim 8 , wherein the photonic device is selected from the group consisting of a UV lamp and a UV laser.  
   
   
       11 . An ionizing fluid flow enhancer in accordance with  claim 8 , wherein the gas plasma chamber comprises an annular jacket surrounding the housing in a region adjacent to the spiral vane assembly.  
   
   
       12 . An ionizing fluid flow enhancer for a liquid, comprising: 
 a) a housing, configured to receive a flow of fluid, having an inlet, a diverging section, a central section of substantially constant cross-section, and a converging section;    b) at least one fluid modification element, disposed along the central section of the housing, configured to chemically alter the flowing fluid; and    c) a spiral vane assembly, configured to produce an outer helical flow of the fluid and an inner helical flow of the fluid within the housing, the spiral vane assembly including 
 i) a plurality of outer vanes, disposed around an outer periphery of the housing, configured to produce an outer helical flow of the fluid;  
 ii) a plurality of inner vanes, disposed within a central portion of the housing, configured to produce an inner helical flow of the fluid, the inner helical flow having a higher velocity than the outer helical flow; and  
 iii) a flow separator, disposed between the inner vanes and the outer vanes, configured to separate the fluid flow into outer flow that flows past the outer vanes, and inner flow that flows past the inner vanes  
   
   
   
       13 . An ionizing fluid flow enhancer in accordance with  claim 12 , wherein the fluid modification element is selected from the group consisting of an ultrasonic transducer configured to mechanically vibrate within the fluid flow, a helical electric coil disposed around an outside of the housing, a torroid electric coil disposed around the outside of the housing, a photonic device configured to expose the flowing fluid to light energy, and a gas plasma chamber configured to produce a gas plasma in contact with a region of the outside of the housing.  
   
   
       14 . An ionizing fluid flow enhancer in accordance with  claim 12 , wherein the photonic device is selected from the group consisting of a UV lamp and a UV laser.  
   
   
       15 . An ionizing fluid flow enhancer in accordance with  claim 12 , wherein the gas plasma chamber comprises an annular jacket surrounding the housing in a region adjacent to the spiral vane assembly.  
   
   
       16 . An ionizing fluid flow enhancer in accordance with  claim 12 , wherein the spiral vane assembly is disposed toward the converging section.  
   
   
       17 . A combustion engine system, comprising: 
 a combustion engine, having an intake manifold for receiving combustion air, and a fuel intake system for receiving fuel;    an air intake conduit, in fluid communication between the intake manifold and atmosphere, having an ionizing gas flow enhancer, comprising:    a) a housing having an inlet configured to receive an inlet flow of fluid;    b) at least one fluid modification element, disposed along the housing, configured to chemically alter the flowing fluid; and    c) a spiral vane assembly, configured to produce an outer helical flow of the fluid and an inner helical flow of the fluid within the housing, , the spiral vane assembly including 
 i. a plurality of outer vanes, disposed around an outer periphery of the housing, configured to produce an outer helical flow of the fluid;  
 ii. a plurality of inner vanes, disposed within a central portion of the housing, configured to produce an inner helical flow of the fluid, the inner helical flow having a higher velocity than the outer helical flow; and  
 iii. a flow separator, disposed between the inner vanes and the outer vanes, configured to separate the fluid flow into outer flow that flows past the outer vanes, and inner flow that flows past the inner vanes; and  
   a fuel line, in fluid communication between a liquid fuel source and the fuel intake system, having an ionizing liquid flow enhancer, comprising:    a) a housing, configured to receive a flow of fluid from the fuel source, having an inlet, a diverging section, a central section of substantially constant cross-section, a converging section, and an outlet leading to the fuel intake system;    b) at least one fluid modification element, disposed along the central section of the housing, configured to chemically alter the flowing fluid; and    c) a spiral vane assembly, configured to produce an outer helical flow of the fluid and an inner helical flow of the fluid within the housing, the spiral vane assembly including 
 i) a plurality of outer vanes, disposed around an outer periphery of the housing, configured to produce an outer helical flow of the fluid;  
 ii) a plurality of inner vanes, disposed within a central portion of the housing, configured to produce an inner helical flow of the fluid, the inner helical flow having a higher velocity than the outer helical flow; and  
 iii) a flow separator, disposed between the inner vanes and the outer vanes, configured to separate the fluid flow into outer flow that flows past the outer vanes, and inner flow that flows past the inner vanes.  
   
   
   
       18 . A combustion engine system in accordance with  claim 17 , further comprising: 
 a first diverter valve, disposed in the ionizing gas flow enhancer, configured to divert at least a portion of flow from the gas flow enhancer to a mixer;    a second diverter valve, disposed in the ionizing liquid flow enhancer, configured to divert at least a portion of flow from the liquid flow enhancer to a mixer; and    a mixer, in fluid communication with the intake manifold, configured to receive the diverted flows from the first and second diverter valves, and to produce an air/fuel mixture and introduce the air/fuel mixture to the intake manifold.    
   
   
       19 . A combustion engine system in accordance with  claim 17 , wherein the fluid modification element of the gas flow enhancer and of the liquid flow enhancer is selected from the group consisting of a water injector configured to inject water vapor into the fluid flow, a plasma electrode configured to produce an electrical discharge in the fluid flow, an ultrasonic transducer configured to mechanically vibrate within the fluid flow, a helical electric coil disposed around an outside of the housing, a torroid electric coil disposed around the outside of the housing, a photonic device configured to expose the flowing fluid to light energy, and a gas plasma chamber configured to produce a gas plasma in contact with a region of the outside of the housing.  
   
   
       20 . A combustion engine system in accordance with  claim 17 , wherein the gas flow enhancer is disposed downstream of an intercooler of a turbocharger system associated with the combustion engine.