Abstract: A combustion air management and emission control system injects supplemental air directly into combustion chambers of a diesel engine in order to reduce total particulates in exhaust gases being emitted from the engine. A portion of intake air flowing toward an intake manifold of the engine is diverted to a compressor so that controlled quantities of pressurized supplemental air can be injected directly into each of the combustion chambers while the piston within the combustion chamber is in its expansion and/or exhaust strokes. At least a portion of the diverted intake air can be directed through a selectively permeable membrane device so that oxygen-enriched air and nitrogen-enriched air are produced. At least a portion of the oxygen-enriched air can be supplied to the compressor so that the supplemental air being injected into the combustion chambers will contain a desired, elevated amount of oxygen.

Abstract: An emission control system for reducing total particulates and NO.sub.X emissions from the exhaust of a diesel engine includes an air supply system that supplies oxygen enriched air to an air intake of the engine. The air supply system may include a selectively permeable air separating membrane device for producing the oxygen enriched air. In order to effectively utilize the increase in the concentration level of oxygen in the intake air, the amount of fuel being supplied to the diesel engine also is increased at a minimum in proportion to the increased concentration level of oxygen in the intake air. The increase in the amount of such fuel being supplied to the diesel engine can be adjusted by an electronic fuel injection system used on such diesel engines. In addition, the electronic fuel injection system is used to retard the injection timing of the engine.

Abstract: An air supply control system for selectively supplying ambient air, oxygen enriched air and nitrogen enriched air to an intake of an internal combustion engine includes an air mixing chamber that is in fluid communication with the air intake. At least a portion of the ambient air flowing to the mixing chamber is selectively diverted through a secondary path that includes a selectively permeable air separating membrane device due a differential pressure established across the air separating membrane. The permeable membrane device separates a portion of the nitrogen in the ambient air so that oxygen enriched air (permeate) and nitrogen enriched air (retentate) are produced. The oxygen enriched air and the nitrogen enriched air can be selectively supplied to the mixing chamber or expelled to atmosphere.

Abstract: A NO.sub.X control system for an internal combustion engine includes an oxygen enrichment device that produces oxygen and nitrogen enriched air. The nitrogen enriched air contains molecular nitrogen that is provided to a spark plug that is mounted in an exhaust outlet of an internal combustion engine. As the nitrogen enriched air is expelled at the spark gap of the spark plug, the nitrogen enriched air is exposed to a pulsating spark that is generated across the spark gap of the spark plug. The spark gap is elongated so that a sufficient amount of atomic nitrogen is produced and is injected into the exhaust of the internal combustion engine. The injection of the atomic nitrogen into the exhaust of the internal combustion engine causes the oxides of nitrogen to be reduced into nitrogen and oxygen such that the emissions from the engine will have acceptable levels of NO.sub.X. The oxygen enrichment device that produces both the oxygen and nitrogen enriched air can include a selectively permeable membrane.

Abstract: An oxygen-enriched air intake control system for an internal combustion engine includes air directing apparatus to control the air flow into the intake of the engine. During normal operation of the engine, ambient air flowing from an air filter of the engine flows through the air directing apparatus into the intake of the engine. In order to decrease the amount of carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrocarbon (HC) emissions that tend to be produced by the engine during a short period of time after the engine is started, the air directing apparatus diverts for a short period of time following the start up of the engine at least a portion of the ambient air from the air filter through a secondary path. The secondary path includes a selectively permeable membrane through which the diverted portion of the ambient air flows.

Abstract: A method of reducing oxides of nitrogen (NO.sub.X) in the exhaust of an internal combustion engine includes producing oxygen enriched air and nitrogen enriched air by an oxygen enrichment device. The oxygen enriched air may be provided to the intake of the internal combustion engine for mixing with fuel. In order to reduce the amount of NO.sub.X in the exhaust of the internal combustion engine, the molecular nitrogen in the nitrogen enriched air produced by the oxygen enrichment device is subjected to a corona or arc discharge so as to create a plasma and as a result, atomic nitrogen. The resulting atomic nitrogen then is injected into the exhaust of the internal combustion engine causing the oxides of nitrogen in the exhaust to be reduced into nitrogen and oxygen. In one embodiment of the present invention, the oxygen enrichment device that produces both the oxygen and nitrogen enriched air can include a selectively permeable membrane.