Fuel dilution

Abstract

A diluted fuel includes the addition to a base fuel of a volume increasing, non-reactive, inert gas as a diluter. A fuel tank, a tank of diluter and a tank of combustion enhancing additive are arranged to feed their respective products through control valves into an intermediate mixing tank. The mixed fuel is then metered into a tank which includes an interior aluminum mesh to improve the suspension of the diluter within the fuel.

1 . A fuel mixture comprising:
 a combination of a fuel and a non-reactive diluter suspended in said fuel for increasing the volume thereof.   
     
     
         2 . The fuel mixture of  claim 1  wherein said diluter comprises an inert gas. 
     
     
         3 . The fuel mixture of  claim 2  wherein said fuel comprises propane and said diluter comprises neon gas. 
     
     
         4 . The fuel mixture of  claim 1  further comprising a combustion enhancing additive having a catalytic composition. 
     
     
         5 . The fuel mixture of  claim 4  wherein said diluter comprises an inert gas. 
     
     
         6 . The fuel mixture of  claim 5  wherein said fuel comprises propane and said diluter comprises neon gas. 
     
     
         7 . A tank of a fuel mixture comprising:
 a tank body;   a combination of a fuel and a non-reactive diluter within said tank, wherein said diluter is suspended in said fuel for increasing the volume thereof; and   a metallic mesh positioned within said tank body, wherein said mesh acts to improve the suspension of said diluter within said fuel.   
     
     
         8 . The tank of  claim 7  further comprising a combustion enhancing additive added to said combination of fuel and diluter, wherein said combustion enhancing additive comprises a catalytic composition. 
     
     
         9 . The tank of  claim 8  wherein said combustion enhancing additive comprises a metal oxide catalyst dispersed in an organic carrier. 
     
     
         10 . The tank of  claim 7  wherein said metallic mesh comprises packets of aluminum mesh. 
     
     
         11 . The tank of  claim 7  wherein said metallic mesh comprises one or more sheets of aluminum mesh rolled or folded to substantially fill the interior of said tank. 
     
     
         12 . The tank of  claim 11  wherein said diluter comprises an inert gas; and further comprising a combustion enhancing additive added to said combination of fuel and diluter, wherein said combustion enhancing additive comprises a metal oxide catalyst dispersed in an organic carrier. 
     
     
         13 . A method for preparing a tank with a diluted fuel mixture, comprising the steps of:
 injecting predetermined measured quantities of a non-reactive diluter and fuel into a tank, wherein said diluter is suspended in said fuel for increasing the volume thereof.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising injecting a combustion enhancing additive into said tank. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said tank comprises a tank body having an aluminum mesh positioned therein. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14  wherein said diluter comprises an inert gas. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein said tank comprises a tank body having a metallic mesh positioned therein to improve the suspension of said diluter within said fuel. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising injecting a combustion enhancing additive into said tank. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein said wherein said combustion enhancing additive comprises a metal oxide catalyst dispersed in an organic carrier. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein said fuel is propane and said diluter is comprised of an inert gas.