Fuel reforming process for internal combustion engines

Abstract

A fuel reforming system, process, and device including a catalytic chamber and a heating chamber. The catalytic chamber, further including a fluid fuel intake and a gaseous fluid exit port and at least one heat exchanger for distributing heat between the heating chamber and the catalytic chamber. The catalytic chamber further including a screen member having a surface, wherein the member includes a catalytic deposit made from a combination of platinum and rhodium alloy. A catalytic conversion of converting liquid fuel to gaseous fuel occurs within the catalytic chamber. Fuel exits the fuel reforming device through a gaseous fluid exit port.

1 . A process for reforming fuel using a catalytic converter comprising the steps of:
 providing a catalytic chamber having an intake and exit port;   providing fuel in a liquid phase in communication with the intake port;   providing fuel in a gaseous phase in communication with the exit port;   converting the fuel in liquid phase into a fuel of the same molecular composition, but in a gaseous phase within the catalytic chamber;   exiting the fuel in the gaseous phase from the exit port to a carburetor in an engine.   
   
   
       2 . The process for reforming fuel using a catalytic converter of  claim 1 , wherein the step of providing a catalytic chamber further includes the catalytic chamber in communication with heat sourced from an engine. 
   
   
       3 . The process for reforming fuel using a catalytic converter of  claim 2 , wherein the heat sourced from the engine is distributed via a heat exchanger adjacent the catalytic converter until a maximum temperature is attained. 
   
   
       4 . The process for reforming fuel using a catalytic converter of  claim 1 , wherein the step of converting is performed at ambient pressure. 
   
   
       5 . The process for reforming fuel using a catalytic converter of  claim 1 , wherein the step of providing a catalytic chamber includes an hermetically sealed catalytic chamber. 
   
   
       6 . A fuel reforming process for converting a liquid fuel into a gaseous fuel comprising the steps of:
 passing a liquid fuel into a catalytic chamber through a fluid fuel intake port;   heating the liquid fuel until a maximum temperature within the catalytic chamber is attained;   processing the liquid fuel by way of a catalytic conversion in the catalytic chamber into a gaseous fuel; and   dispensing the gaseous fuel from the catalytic chamber through a gaseous fuel exit port, wherein the step of processing the liquid fuel into the gaseous fuel does not alter the molecular composition of either the liquid or gaseous fuel.   
   
   
       7 . The fuel reforming process of  claim 6 , wherein the step of heating includes the maximum temperature substantially between 400 and 500 degrees Fahrenheit. 
   
   
       8 . The fuel reforming process of  claim 6 , wherein the step of heating further includes sourcing heat from an engine via a heat exchanger adjacent the catalytic converter. 
   
   
       9 . The fuel reforming process of  claim 6 , wherein the step of processing is performed at ambient pressure. 
   
   
       10 . The fuel reforming process of  claim 6 , wherein the step of passing further includes an hermetically sealed catalytic chamber. 
   
   
       11 . A method for fuel reforming comprising the steps of:
 providing a catalytic chamber for housing the conversion of liquid fuel into a gas without a change in molecular composition, wherein the catalytic chamber is in fuel communication between a fuel tank and an internal combustion engine;   passing the liquid fuel into the catalytic chamber;   heating the catalytic chamber for providing heat to facilitate the conversion of the liquid fuel from a liquid phase into a gaseous phase; and   passing the gas into a carburetion system of the internal combustion engine.   
   
   
       12 . The method for fuel reforming according to  claim 11 , wherein the step of heating further includes obtaining the heat from a running internal combustion engine using recycled hot gases from an exhaust system of the internal combustion engine. 
   
   
       13 . The method for fuel reforming according to  claim 11 , wherein the catalytic chamber is housed in heating communication with an exhaust manifold of the internal combustion engine. 
   
   
       14 . The method for fuel reforming according to  claim 11 , wherein the step of heating is performed at ambient pressure.