Abstract: A catalyst support characterized by having a total pore volume ranging 0.05-0.5 cc/g. an average pore diameter ranging from 0.05-5.mu. and consisting mainly of .alpha.-alumina; and an internal combustion engine exhaust gas purifying catalyst made of said catalyst support carrying a catalytic agent.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine has a primary fuel circuit for producing a lean mixture of air and hydrocarbon fuel to be fed into a combustion chamber and a secondary fuel circuit which includes a secondary carburetor for producing a mixture of air and methanol at an air-methanol ratio of less than 2.0. The air-methanol mixture is fed into a reactor vessel having therein a catalyst bed which is heated to facilitate reaction between the components of the air-methanol mixture. By the reaction the air-methanol mixture is converted into a reformed gaseous mixture rich with hydrogen which is then mixed with an air-hydrocarbon fuel mixture to form a composite mixture to be supplied into the combustion chamber.

Abstract: A porous catalyst carrier refractory material with its pores containing internally deposited active alumina, its total pore volume being 0.05-0.50 cc/g, its average pore diameter 0.05-5.0.mu. and its specific surface area 3-60 m.sup.2 /g and a method of making it.

Abstract: An internal combustion engine is provided with an EGR system and a system for catalytic coversion of a rich air-fuel mixture into a reformed combustible gaseous mixture rich with free hydrogen. During a low or medium engine load engine operation, the engine is operated solely by an air-gasoline mixture and with an exhaust gas recirculation at a rate not higher than a predetermined first EGR rate. During a high engine load engine operation, the reformed combustible gaseous mixture is added to the air-gasoline mixture supply and simultaneously the exhaust gas recirculation is increased to a rate higher than the predetermined first EGR rate to increase the engine output, improve the engine drivability and improve the consumption of the reformed combustible gaseous mixture. The intake manifold vacuum is electrically detected to determine the load on the engine and to control valves associated with the EGR system and reformed gas supply system.

Abstract: A fuel reforming system for an internal combustion engine has a fuel reforming reactor to be supplied with a hydrocarbon fuel. The reactor contains a catalyst carrier and a catalyst thereon to be heated for facilitating a conversion of the fuel into a reformed gaseous mixture rich with hydrogen which mixture is to be fed into the engine. The catalyst is periodically alternately exposed to the fuel and air so that carbon produced and deposited on the catalyst during the fuel reforming reaction facilitated by the catalyst is burnt away from the catalyst carrier and the catalyst thereon whereby the catalytic performance of the catalyst is restored to ensure a prolonged operative life thereof. The reformed gaseous mixture assures a reliable ignition and combustion of a mixture thereof with air in the engine at a very lean air-fuel ratio to advantageously decrease the emission of harmful components of engine exhaust gas.

Abstract: A fuel reforming system for an internal combustion engine comprises a fuel circuit connected at its downstream end to the engine and including a carburetor for producing a rich air-fuel mixture and a fuel reforming reactor vessel containing a catalyst for facilitating a catalytic reformation of the mixture into a reformed gaseous mixture rich with free hydrogen. The carburetor is provided with a primary air intake passage with a venturi into which air and fuel are fed to produce a rich air-fuel mixture. The carburetor is also provided with a secondary air intake passage bypassing the venturi and connected to the fuel circuit downstream of the venturi. A valve is provided on the carburetor to control the cross-sectional area of the secondary air intake passage in accordance with the temperature in the engine or the reactor vessel, by the carburetor is adjusted according to the engine or reactor vessel temperature.

Abstract: A fuel reforming apparatus for use with an internal combustion engine, comprising hydrocarbon fuel supply means for producing a mixture of hydrocarbon fuel with air in a suitable air-fuel ratio, a burning chamber in which the mixture is ignited and burned, and a reactor which is packed with a catalyst adapted to carry out the catalytic reforming, with the aid of the heat of the combustion gases discharged out of the burning chamber, of the hydrocarbon fuel including little air to produce a reformed gas rich with hydrogen.

Abstract: An auto emission purification catalyst which comprises palladium supported on a carrier composed mainly of .alpha.-alumina having a total porosity volume of 0.05-0.50 cc/g and an average porosity diameter of 0.05-0.5.mu..

Abstract: A fuel reforming system for an internal combustion engine comprises a fuel circuit connected at its downstream end to the engine and including a carburetor for producing a rich air-fuel mixture and a fuel reforming reactor vessel containing a catalyst for facilitating a catalytic reformation of the mixture into a reformed gaseous mixture rich with free hydrogen. The carburetor is provided with an air intake passage having a venturi into which a nozzle feeds the fuel from a float chamber to produce an air-fuel mixture. The nozzle has an open-bottomed end providing a fuel-metering orifice. A needle valve is movably mounted on the float chamber to control the cross-sectional area of the fuel-metering orifice in the nozzle in accordance with the temperature in the engine or the reactor vessel, whereby the air-fuel ratio of the air-fuel mixture produced by the carburetor is adjusted according to the engine or reactor vessel temperature.

Abstract: A catalytic converter having a catalyst carrier for purifying exhaust gas of internal combustion engines for motor vehicles such as automobiles, motorcycles and motorbikes. The carrier comprises a plurality of catalyst carrier pieces which are molded into a predetermined block by binding or sintering at high temperature so that the block is resistant to vibration damage.

Abstract: A system for converting a rich air-fuel mixture into a reformed gaseous mixture containing hydrogen forms a part of an intake system of an internal combustion engine. The system includes an intake passage divided by a dividing wall into a first and a second sub-passages for receiving relatively lean and rich parts of the rich air-fuel mixture, respectively. The first sub-passage has a sparking plug for igniting and burning the relatively lean part of the mixture to produce heat which is transferred by the dividing wall and, as occasion demands, by a heat exchanger to the relatively rich part of the mixture flowing through the second sub-passage in order that a part of the fuel is converted into reformed gaseous mixture and the remainder of the fuel is effectively vaporized.

Abstract: A metal body having a very large surface area and high porosity, useful as a gasoline vaporizer, a heat exchanger for automobiles, a catalyst or catalyst carrier, a filter, or the like, and composed of a plurality of metal fibers which are entangled with one another to form a bed or stratum, the metal fibers being coated with a metal in such manner that the stratum provides rough and complex surfaces with cracks and irregularities. The invention also includes a process for making said metal body including the steps of entangling metal fibers to form a bed, placing the bed of fibers in contact with a coating metal, heating the fiber bed and coating metal so as to wet the fibers with molten coating metal, and cooling.

Abstract: A system for converting a rich air-fuel mixture to a reformed gaseous mixture containing hydrogen and for feeding the reformed gaseous mixture to an internal combustion engine comprises a carburetor for producing the rich air-fuel mixture, a vortex combustion type burner for imperfectly burning the mixture to produce heat and partially oxidized gaseous mixture, and a reactor vessel provided therein with a catalyst bed of annular cross-section. The partially oxidized gaseous mixture flows radially inwardly through the catalyst bed into a central passage defined by the annular catalyst bed so that the partially oxidized gaseous mixture is completely converted into the reformed gaseous mixture during the passage through the catalyst bed.

Abstract: An apparatus for controlling a fuel to be supplied to a reforming means in accordance with an air flow passing through an auxiliary air fuel mixture supplying pipe by providing an auxiliary air fuel mixture supplying pipe parallelly to a main air fuel mixture supplying pipe connected to a combustion chamber of a cylinder, interposing the fuel reforming means having a combustion chamber in the supplying pipe for said auxiliary air fuel mixture, injecting the fuel into said reforming means and then reforming said fuel together with the mixture through igniting and burning.

Abstract: A diesel engine characterized in that a part of fuel is reformed into a mixture containing decomposition and oxidation products in a system separate from that of a fuel injection in which a fuel is injected into a compressed air introduced into the cylinders under a high pressure and ignited, and said mixture is introduced into said cylinders during the suction stroke of the engine, and the method for improving the combustion efficiency thereof.

Abstract: An exhaust gas purification apparatus for a vehicle in which exhaust gases from an internal combustion engines are subject to a catalytic reaction in a reducing catalyst bed and an oxidizing catalyst bed to remove nitrogen oxides and combustible constituents in the engine exhaust gases. In the device, the reducing catalyst bed and oxidizing catalyst bed are disposed in series in the flowing direction of exhaust gases within a cylindrical casing mounted integrally to a joining portion of exhaust manifold, and secondary air supplying means is provided when the exhaust gas temperature at a point downstream of the catalyst beds is lower than a predetermined setting.

Abstract: An exhaust gas purifier for internal combustion engine, has a porous filter impregnated with a desired adsorbent or a porous filter made of bulk metal catalyst. Instead of extending perpendicular to the main axial direction of the exhaust pipe, the filter extends axially and is mounted on a metal screen cylinder having a baffle which diverts the flow of exhaust gas toward and through the cylinder and filter. In this manner, the exhaust gas flows axially into the screen cylinder and then passes radially through the filter to a second flow passage which is connected to the purifier outlet. Very low back pressure is obtained with this arrangement.