Abstract: A porous element fuel vaporizer to be used in conjunction with internal combustion engines. The vaporizer, comprising a fuel injector in conjunction with a porous element, wherein during cold operations the porous element heats and vaporizes the fuel exiting the fuel injector. Since during cold operations an engine consumes more fuel to compensate for liquid fuel precipitating inside, an important feature of this combination involves eliminating precipitate during cold starts to reduce fuel consumption and decrease engine emissions.

Abstract: A fuel injector valve controls both the metered flow of fuel and the metered flow of air into a mixing chamber, permitting intermittent, cyclic flow of both air and fuel into the chamber. The controlled cycling of both the air and fuel flow permits optimization of fuel performance. A single action valve and a dual action valve are disclosed. The air flow and fuel flow may be independently adjusted for maximum flexibility.

Abstract: A regenerative internal combustion engine (10) is provided that includes a regenerator (65) that is capable of preheating a charge of compressed air, while not causing premature combustion of fuel. The regenerator (65), in combination with a catalyst (75), also ignites residual amounts of combustible material in exhaust gases. The catalyst (75) itself is capable of oxidizing fuel in a combustion cylinder (50) once stable combustion is achieved.

Abstract: An open-cycle internal-combustion Stirling engine having two pistons coupled by a rhombic drive which define a combustion chamber and a compression chamber, within either a single cylinder or two cylinders, and a manifold enabling flow of the working fluid between the compression chamber and the combustion chamber with a plurality of engine valves controlling such flow, the dead space of the manifold being minimized and provision of the working fluid (i.e., air) being provided by an intake valve and an exhaust valve with corresponding manifolds for providing the open-cycle characteristics of the engine while approximating an ideal thermo-dynamic system.

Abstract: An unthrottled multicylinder catalytic engine having first and second cylinders with first and second pistons, respectively, reciprocating therein. A mixture of air and fuel is inserted into the first cylinder, compressed in the first cylinder, and combustion is initiated, if necessary, during start-up. A transfer passageway communication between the first and second cylinders receives the compressed mixture and a catalyst positioned in the passageway oxidizes or ignites the mixture to provide the power stroke for operating the second piston. Thereafter, the oxidized or burnt mixture is exhausted from the second cylinder. The compressed gas may be heated in the passageway by the exhaust heat.

Abstract: A catalytic combustion engine, each cylinder of which has a pre-combustion chamber communicating through an inclined transfer cylinder to produce swirl around the chamber, and has a pair of spaced parallel or nearly-parallel catalytic screen elements, e.g. gauzes, mounted to both the mouth of the transfer passage and the fuel injector nozzle, so as to be clear of the circumferential swirl path of the gas circulating in the chamber. The minimum spacing between the two catalytic screens should exceed the width of the mouth of the transfer passage. The injector injects a fuel spray between the two catalytic screens which preferably just brushes each screen and impinges on a heater plug. The compression ratio may be much lower than that for a conventional Diesel engine, for example down to 12:1.

Abstract: A reciprocating-piston internal combustion engine with catalytic combustion has associated with the or each cylinder a swirl-promoting precombustion chamber in the cylinder head connected to the space in the cylinder above the piston by an inclined transfer passage formed in a "hot plug" inserted in a well in the head. A catalytic screen preferably comprising a platinum gauze extends across the top of the hot plug with its peripheral margin wrapped around the hot plug and trapped between the plug and the cylinder head. The plug has an open-topped recess formed in its upper side, into which recess the transfer passage leads, the recess constituting the lower part of the precombustion chamber and the catalytic screen separating this recess from the remainder of the interior of the precombustion chamber above the screen. An injector injects liquid fuel into the precombustion chamber above and parallel to the catalytic screen.