Fuel vaporization systems for vaporizing liquid fuel

Abstract

One aspect of the present invention is a system for vaporizing liquid fuel. The system includes a misting nozzle for generating liquid fuel droplets having an inlet for receiving liquid fuel and an outlet for exiting liquid fuel droplets and a vacuum pump having an inlet for receiving liquid fuel droplets and being connected to the misting nozzle in an outlet for exiting vaporized fuel. The vacuum pump is capable of vaporizing the liquid fuel droplets to obtain vaporized fuel which exits the outlet of the vacuum pump.

1 . A system for vaporizing liquid fuel, the system comprising: 
 a fuel delivery system for delivering liquid fuel;    a vaporization system for vaporizing liquid fuel delivered by the fuel delivery system, the vaporization system providing a vaporized fuel temperature of at least about 5 degrees cooler than the ambient temperature of air adjacent to the vaporization system,    wherein the vaporization system is comprised of:    a misting nozzle for generating liquid fuel droplets having an inlet for receiving liquid fuel and an outlet for exiting liquid fuel droplets; and    a vacuum pump having an inlet for receiving liquid fuel droplets being connected to the misting nozzle and an outlet for exiting vaporized fuel, the vacuum pump being capable of vaporizing the liquid fuel droplets to obtain vaporized fuel which exits the outlet of the vacuum pump.    
   
   
       2 . The fuel vaporization system of  claim 1 , wherein the misting nozzle is capable of generating liquid fuel droplets with a diameter in the range of about 1 micron to about 5 microns.  
   
   
       3 . The fuel vaporization system of  claim 1 , wherein the vacuum pump is comprised of an oil-less vacuum pump.  
   
   
       4 . The fuel vaporization system of  claim 3 , wherein the oil-less vacuum pump is capable of a vacuum in the range of about 25 inches Hg to about 29.9 inches Hg.  
   
   
       5 . The fuel vaporization system of  claim 1 , further comprising an infrared energy source for adding thermal energy to the liquid fuel droplets.  
   
   
       6 . The fuel vaporization system of  claim 1 , further comprising a fuel mixing system for mixing the vaporized fuel with air to produce a mixed vaporized fuel, the mixed vaporized fuel being introduced into a combustion system; and a control system for controlling an at least one engine system parameter.  
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the fuel vaporization system is comprised of a cold plasma system.  
   
   
       8 . A system for vaporizing liquid fuel, the system comprising: 
 a misting nozzle for generating liquid fuel droplets having an inlet for receiving liquid fuel and an outlet for exiting liquid fuel droplets; and    a vacuum pump having an inlet for receiving liquid fuel droplets being connected to the misting nozzle and an outlet for exiting vaporized fuel, the vacuum pump being capable of vaporizing the liquid fuel droplets to obtain vaporized fuel which exits the outlet of the vacuum pump.    
   
   
       9 . The fuel vaporization system of  claim 8 , wherein the misting nozzle is capable of generating liquid fuel droplets with a diameter in the range of about 1 micron to about 5 microns.  
   
   
       10 . The fuel vaporization system of  claim 8 , wherein the vacuum pump is comprised of an oil-less vacuum pump.  
   
   
       11 . The fuel vaporization system of  claim 10 , wherein the oil-less vacuum pump is capable of a vacuum in the range of about 25 inches Hg to about 29.9 inches Hg.  
   
   
       12 . The fuel vaporization system of  claim 8 , further comprising an infrared energy source for adding thermal energy to the liquid fuel droplets.  
   
   
       13 . A method for vaporizing liquid fuel, the method comprising: 
 generating liquid fuel droplets within a misting nozzle having an inlet for receiving liquid fuel and an outlet for exiting liquid fuel droplets;    receiving the liquid fuel droplets from the misting nozzle into a vacuum pump having an inlet and an outlet for existing vaporized fuel; and    vaporizing the liquid fuel droplets within the vacuum pump to obtain vaporized fuel which exits the outlet of the vacuum pump.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the misting nozzle is capable of generating liquid fuel droplets with a diameter in the range of about 1 micron to about 5 microns.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the vacuum pump is comprised of an oil-less vacuum pump.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the oil-less vacuum pump is capable of a vacuum in the range of about 25 inches Hg to about 29.9 inches Hg.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising adding thermal energy to the liquid fuel droplets.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the adding step includes adding thermal energy to the liquid fuel droplets via an infrared energy source.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising mixing the vaporized fuel with air to produce a mixed vaporized fuel.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising introducing the mixed vaporized fuel into a combustion system.