Abstract: A combustion control system for an automotive engine in a vehicle. A sidestream exhaust gas tube has a scoop inlet in the engine's exhaust-gas conduit. A first metallic tube portion leads from the scoop to a point forward of the vehicle's radiator, so that it directly receives ambient air on its exterior surface, thereby cooling the exhaust gas to near ambient-temperature. A water trap then removes condensed water from the sidestream exhaust gas, along with entrained particles. A final insulating tube portion extends rearwardly of the radiator and helps to limit reheating of the cooled exhaust gas while conducting it to a reactor device. There, an inlet for the exhaust gas receives the cooled exhaust gas and conducts it to first ejector for drawing in aqueous liquid and to a second ejector for drawing in atmospheric air and mixing it with the gas-liquid mixture from the first ejector.

Abstract: A controlled amount of a fluid (steam or water or a solution of water plus additives) is injected into an internal combustion engine to improve combustion, efficiency, and to reduce emissions. The amount of the fluid injected is controlled in response to engine need. The steam is generated by the heat produced by the engine. Combustion gas temperature is used to control the amount of steam produced by varying the fluid flow through one or more fixed or variable orifice control valves. The steam is injected in a piston engine to cool peak temperatures, to prevent detonation and pre-ignition, to smooth out hot spots, to prevent auto-ignition or dieseling, and to use the vapor energy in the expansion cycle to increase low speed torque and acceleration. The steam is used to cause full retard of the vacuum spark advance during acceleration at full load from low speed, and a large amount of steam is injected at this point in the cycle to prevent pre-ignition and detonation.

Abstract: An inverter apparatus for producing an increasing vacuum effect in response to a decreasing vacuum field. A piston is axially movable within a cylindrical bore. The piston has a first surface exposed to atmospheric pressure. A spring biases the piston in a direction opposed to the direction of movement which would be produced by atmospheric pressure on the second surface. A fluid inlet passageway extends through the cylinder and opens into the cylindrical bore, the piston having an axially extending side wall facing the cylindrical bore. An orifice formed in that side wall and an outlet passageway located at one end of the orifice connect that end with the chamber having the vacuum acting on the first surface of the piston. The axially extending orifice is so located in the side wall of the piston as to provide a decreasing restriction to flow of fluid from the first passageway through the orifice to the outlet with decreasing vacuum.

Abstract: A combustion control system for an internal combustion engine. A control device with a vortex chamber has a tangential inlet connected to a gas supply at substantially atmospheric pressure, a second inlet, and an axial outlet connected directly to the gas inlet opening of the intake manifold. A condenser condenses water from the exhaust gas passing through the exhaust conduit. A gas inlet of a reactor device has a gas inlet connected directly to the exhaust manifold for drawing gas therefrom and an outlet connected to the second inlet of said control device by a conduit. The reactor device includes one or more ejectors for drawing in atmospheric air and for drawing in liquid water from the condenser, and for mixing the atmospheric air and water with gas from the exhaust manifold.

Abstract: A controlled amount of a fluid (steam or water or a solution of water plus additives) is injected into an internal combustion engine to improve combustion, efficiency, and to reduce emissions. The amount of the fluid injected is controlled in response to engine need. The steam is generated by the heat produced by the engine. Combustion gas temperature is used to control the amount of steam produced by varying the fluid flow through one or more fixed or variable orifice control valves. The steam is injected in a piston engine to cool peak temperatures, to prevent detonation and pre-ignition, to smooth out hot spots, to prevent auto-ignition or dieseling, and to use the vapor energy in the expansion cycle to increase low speed torque and acceleration. The steam is used to cause full retard of the vacuum spark advance during acceleration at full load from low speed, and a large amount of steam is injected at this point in the cycle to prevent pre-ignition and detonation.

Abstract: A pressure-actuated flow control valve. A valve housing has an inlet and an outlet with first and second spaced-apart seats between them and a permanent magnet on the inlet side of the first seat, which is closed to the inlet. A ferromagnetic ball in between the seats is urged by said magnet toward the first seat to check backflow. The valve responds to pressure differential to move the ball away from the first seat and toward the second seat. Between the seats, the passage widens toward the second seat. There may be a needle valve on the outlet side of the valve enabling controlling the flow therethrough.

Abstract: A combustion control system for an engine having an intake manifold with a throttle, a PCV gas inlet opening into the intake manifold, an exhaust conduit, and a PCV gas conduit. A vortex device has a vortex chamber with a tangential inlet connected to the PCV gas conduit, an axial inlet, and an axial outlet connected directly to the PCV gas inlet opening of the intake manifold. A reactor device has a gas inlet connected directly to the exhaust conduit for drawing gas therefrom and an outlet spaced well apart from the vortex device and connected to the axial inlet of the vortex device by a conduit. The reactor device includes a first ejector for drawing in atmospheric air and mixing it with gas from the exhaust conduit, and a second ejector for drawing in liquid from a source of liquid and sending it into the atmospheric air drawn in by the first ejector means. The vortex device and the reactor are novel in themselves too.

Abstract: Exhaust emissions are reduced, fuel consumption is improved for internal-combustion engines, and the number of cold starts reduced by storing heat energy from the operation of the engine in a heat-storage reservoir filled with a change-of-state heat-storage material. Absorbed heat energy is released back to the engine's intake manifold to maintain elevated engine temperature between uses and starting up of the engine.

Abstract: A controlled amount of a fluid (steam or water or a solution of water plus additives) is injected into an internal combustion engine to improve combustion, efficiency, and to reduce emissions. The amount of the fluid injected is controlled in response to engine need. The steam is generated by the heat produced by the engine. Combustion gas temperature is used to control the amount of steam produced by varying the fluid flow through one or more fixed or variable orifice control valves. The steam is injected in a piston engine to cool peak temperatures, to prevent detonation and pre-ignition, to smooth out hot spots, to prevent auto-ignition or dieseling, and to use the vapor energy in the expansion cycle to increase low speed torque and acceleration. The steam is used to cause full retard of the vacuum spark advance during acceleration at full load from low speed, and a large amount of steam is injected at this point in the cycle to prevent pre-ignition and detonation.

Abstract: A controlled amount of a fluid (steam or water or a solution of water plus additives) is injected into an internal combustion engine to improve combustion, efficiency, and to reduce emissions. The amount of the fluid injected is controlled in response to engine need. The steam is generated by the heat produced by the engine. Combustion gas temperature is used to control the amount of steam produced by varying the fluid flow through one or more fixed or variable orifice control valves. The steam is injected in a piston engine to cool peak temperatures, to prevent detonation and pre-ignition, to smooth out hot spots, to prevent auto-ignition or dieseling, and to use the vapor energy in the expansion cycle to increase low speed torque and acceleration. The steam is used to cause full retard of the vacuum spark advance during acceleration at full load from low speed, and a large amount of steam is injected at this point in the cycle to prevent pre-ignition and detonation.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for improving the operation of an internal-combustion engine and reducing hydrocarbons emissions therefrom by cooling the fuel during its passage from the fuel supply tank to the intake manifold.

Abstract: This combustion control system adds a fluid and heat energy to the air-fuel mixture of the induction system of an internal combustion engine in response to engine need to improve combustion, to increase power, to improve efficiency, and to reduce emissions. Fluidic control mechanisms provide the control functions without any moving parts. A vortex chamber serves as a main variable impedance control mechanism. The outlet of the vortex chamber is connected to the positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) inlet to intake manifold downstream of the butterfly valve. The vortex chamber has a tangential input for PCV gases and an axial input for supplying air, aqueous fluid, and exhaust gases, all for mixing within the vortex chamber and transmitted to the intake manifold. The exhaust gases are conducted to the vortex via two parallel ejectors, one of which sends water or vapor across a gap to mix with intake air that is sucked into the exhaust gases by the other ejector.

Abstract: A combustion control system adds a fluid and heat energy to the air-fuel mixture of the induction system of an internal combustion engine in response to engine need to improve combustion, to increase power, to improve efficiency, and to reduce emissions.The system incorporates fluidic control mechanisms which provide the control functions without any moving parts.The system incorporates one or more variable impedance flow control mechanisms, each of which produces an impedance to flow through the control mechanism which varies in a controlled relationship to the pressure differential across the control mechanism.In one embodiment, the main variable impedance control mechanism is a vortex chamber. The outlet of the vortex chamber is connected to the positive crankcase ventilation (PCV) inlet to intake manifold downstream of the butterfly valve.The vortex chamber has inputs for supplying air, the liquid, exhaust gases, and PCV gases for mixing within the vortex chamber.

Abstract: A fluid flow regulator controls the amount of fluid flow or pressure of the fluid flowing through the regulator by producing an impedance to flow through the regulator which varies in relationship to the pressure differential across the regulator and which also varies in relationship to an acceleration in the fluid flowing through the regulator. The regulator has a shape which produces an acceleration in the fluid flowing through the regulator to cause the flow itself to vary the impedance to flow through the regulator. In a specific embodiment the fluid flow regulator is a vortex chamber and can be used as a replacement for existing, mechanical PCV valves for internal combustion engines. The flow regulator of the present invention provides a variable orifice valve function without any moving parts.

Abstract: A gaseous fuel is used in a precombustion chamber for igniting lean fuel-oxidant mixtures in a main combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine.The precombustion chamber preferably utilizes a highly combustible gaseous fuel which burns clean with little or no deposits and produces no pollutants.The combustion gas products from the precombustion chamber are injected into the main combustion chamber at high temperature and at high velocity to produce highly efficient turbulent mixing of a lean fuel-oxidant mixture in the main combustion chamber and to produce effective ignition and efficient burning of the fuel at the lean fuel-oxidant ratios in the main combustion chamber for increased engine efficiency and lowered emissions as compared to existing engine systems using conventional spark ignition.The precombustion chamber mechanism incorporates injection structure for producing standing waves in the main combustion chamber to provide a plurality of highly effective ignition points.

Abstract: A fluid mixing apparatus introduces a controlled amount of gas into a liquid flowing through a conduit.The fluid mixing apparatus incorporates a flow control device which is constructed to produce a variable impedance to fluid flow through the control device. The impedance varies in a pre-planned relationship to the pressure differential across the flow control device and to an acceleration of the flow within the control device.The control device has an outlet connected to the interior of the liquid carrying conduit and has a gas inlet for supplying the gas to the interior of the control device.In a specific embodiment, the flow control device is a vortex chamber which produces rotation of the gas flowing through the gas inlet. This rotation produces a self-choking effect on the gas flowing from the inlet to the outlet.

Abstract: A fluid flow regulator controls the amount of fluid flow or pressure of the fluid flowing through the regulator by producing an impedance to flow through the regulator which varies in relationship to the pressure differential across the regulator and which also varies in relationship to an acceleration in the fluid flowing through the regulator. The regulator has a shape which produces an acceleration in the fluid flowing through the regulator to cause the flow itself to vary the impedance to flow through the regulator.In a specific embodiment the fluid flow regulator is a vortex chamber and can be used as a replacement for existing, mechanical PCV valves for internal combustion engines. The flow regulator of the present invention provides a variable orifice valve function without any moving parts.

Abstract: A combustion control system adds fluid to the air fuel mixture of the induction system of an internal combustion engine in response to the engine's need for the added fluid to improve combustion, to increase power, to improve efficiency, and to reduce emissions.The combustion control system includes a variable impedance, fluidic control mechanism which produces an impedance to flow through the mechanism which varies in relationship to the pressure differential applied across and to an acceleration of flow through the control mechanism. In one embodiment, the variable impedance flow control mechanism is a vortex chamber, and in another embodiment it is a Venturi. Both embodiments have an outlet which is connected to the induction system above the butterfly valve of the engine.A second variable impedance fluidic control mechanism controls the mixing of air with PCV gases in response to suction in the induction system of the engine; this second control has an outlet which is connected below the butterfly valve.