System And Method For Operating An Engine With Reduced NOx Emissions

Abstract

A method for reducing NOx emissions during operation of an internal combustion engine in commerce which, when burning hydrocarbon fuel as a primary fuel, in the absence of any secondary fuel, has a characteristic stoichiometric ratio. The method includes: in the absence of electrolytic activity, providing and entraining a quenching species in a gaseous medium; and then interacting the quenching species with constituents present during oxidation of the primary fuel in a combustion chamber of the engine.

1 . A method for reducing NOx emissions during operation of an internal combustion engine in commerce which, when burning liquid hydrocarbon fuel as a primary fuel, in the absence of any secondary fuel, has a characteristic stoichiometric ratio, the method comprising:
 providing a free nitrogen quenching species for interaction with constituents present during oxidation of the primary fuel in a combustion chamber of the engine while operating the engine at an air-to-fuel ratio greater than the characteristic stoichiometric ratio.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  where the primary fuel predominantly comprises petrodiesel fuel and the air-to-fuel ratio range is greater than 14.9. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  where the primary fuel predominantly comprises petrodiesel fuel and the air-to-fuel ratio ranges between 15-25. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  where the NOx emissions are controlled as a function of engine loading by varying a parameter taken from the group consisting of AFR, rate of injecting a secondary gas comprising the quenching species, cam phasing, crank position relative to cam shaft, fuel rail pressure, injection pulse width, mixture of air and exhaust gas based on EGR valve settings, and electrolytic bath temperature for secondary gas generation. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  where the free nitrogen quenching species is carried into the combustion chamber in an adduct. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  where the free nitrogen quenching species is an electron donor species selected from the group consisting of OH—, amines (R 3 N where R═H, CH 3  or C 2 H 5 ), and quaternary ammonium hydroxide (R 4 NOH where R═CH 3  or C 2 H 5 , etc.) or the free nitrogen quenching species is a reactive nitrogen chelating metal (M), where M is a Group IA metal, or is selected from the group consisting of Mg, Be, Zn, Cd, B, Al, Ga, In, Zr, Ti, Sn, Li and Na. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  where the free nitrogen quenching species is a hydroxyl radical carried into the combustion chamber in an adduct. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  where the hydroxyl radical is provided by entrainment in air passing through an aqueous solution comprising KOH, NaOH or NH 4 OH. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  where the quenching species is entrained in a secondary gas passing through an air intake manifold and into the combustion chamber. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  where the secondary gas is emitted from an aqueous solution. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  where the quenching species is placed in solution with water and is entrained as a constituent of the secondary gas as a gas passes through the aqueous solution. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  where the quenching species is placed in an aqueous solution and entrained in a secondary gas by passing air through the solution in the absence of electrolytic activity that produces Reactive Hydrogen from water molecules. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  wherein the secondary gas comprises air, water vapor and OH − . 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9  where the secondary gas comprises a secondary fuel which is oxidized with the primary fuel in the combustion chamber. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  where the secondary fuel being provided to the combustion chamber comprises Reactive Hydrogen which is formed in an electrolytic cell while the engine is operating. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the free nitrogen quenching species is provided by entraining a moiety, obtained from an aqueous hydroxide species, in a gaseous medium comprising oxygen. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1  where the free nitrogen quenching species is a hydroxide derived from an inorganic source. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  where the hydroxide species comprises a Group 1 metal or a Group 2 metal. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17  where the hydroxide species is introduced as an alkaline solution of sodium aluminate (a.k.a., Bayer liquors). 
     
     
         20 - 40 . (canceled)