Fuel Heating???
Feb 23, 2009, 10:32 AM
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Fuel Heating???
Hi all,
I'm currently reading a book entitled "Design of Racing and High Performance Engines."
In this book, there is a chapter talking about the research that was done on the Honda F1 team's engines from 1986 through 1988 (engines RA166e, RA167e, RA1683). What caught my attention was a section (with correlating data) describing how they had shown that an increased fuel temperature lead to both a decreased Brake Specific Fuel Consumption as well as an increase in power. It was stated that the increase in power was due to both better vaporization of fuel. The team achieved the increased fuel consumption by routing the fuel lines through a heat diffuser that was attached to the cooling system, thereby transferring heat from the water that had flowed through the block to the fuel entering the injectors (apparently they were able to heat the fuel to 15 degrees C below that of the water temperature).
Is this technology built in to the 4g63 or 4b11 engines? If not, does any body manufacture some sort of in-line heater or otherwise? It seems like this is technology worth exploring - better cooling of the block through conduction, better vaporization of the fuel for better flame propagation, and better MPG's all at the same time? F1 engines are wicked cool.
I'm currently reading a book entitled "Design of Racing and High Performance Engines."
In this book, there is a chapter talking about the research that was done on the Honda F1 team's engines from 1986 through 1988 (engines RA166e, RA167e, RA1683). What caught my attention was a section (with correlating data) describing how they had shown that an increased fuel temperature lead to both a decreased Brake Specific Fuel Consumption as well as an increase in power. It was stated that the increase in power was due to both better vaporization of fuel. The team achieved the increased fuel consumption by routing the fuel lines through a heat diffuser that was attached to the cooling system, thereby transferring heat from the water that had flowed through the block to the fuel entering the injectors (apparently they were able to heat the fuel to 15 degrees C below that of the water temperature).
Is this technology built in to the 4g63 or 4b11 engines? If not, does any body manufacture some sort of in-line heater or otherwise? It seems like this is technology worth exploring - better cooling of the block through conduction, better vaporization of the fuel for better flame propagation, and better MPG's all at the same time? F1 engines are wicked cool.
Feb 24, 2009, 07:17 AM
#2
High octane fuel, by nature of it's high knock resistance, doesn't ignite easily in the cold. This is why gasoline/ethanol mixtures change throughout the year, because true 85% Ethanol E85 is hard to ignite in subzero temperatures, so the mix is closer to 75% Ethanol in winter.
It helps gas mileage and power, of course, but it's simply because the octane of the fuel they use is so high, that it doesn't ignite easily when cold.
This doesn't really apply to pump gas for us. If anything, our fuel ignites too easily
It helps gas mileage and power, of course, but it's simply because the octane of the fuel they use is so high, that it doesn't ignite easily when cold.
This doesn't really apply to pump gas for us. If anything, our fuel ignites too easily
Feb 24, 2009, 08:40 AM
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They also regulated inlet air temps coming out of the change coolers. Curious that the usual "as cold as possible" wasn't used.
Keep in mind that they weren't using petrol, but rather a high-energy mixture of ~85%+ Toluene that atomized much better at higher-then-ambient temps.
That's a good book btw. SAE has several others in a series about boosted engine designs.
Keep in mind that they weren't using petrol, but rather a high-energy mixture of ~85%+ Toluene that atomized much better at higher-then-ambient temps.
That's a good book btw. SAE has several others in a series about boosted engine designs.
Feb 24, 2009, 08:47 AM
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To my knowledge be it diesel or gas the cooler the fuel the better the atomization. Maybe rules are a little different for engines that spin at 13,000 rpm's vs a normal engine.
I can testify to diesel engines certainly lose power and and fuel mileage as the tanks get lower and the fuel temp rises.
I can testify to diesel engines certainly lose power and and fuel mileage as the tanks get lower and the fuel temp rises.
Feb 24, 2009, 04:38 PM
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^^^ I'll be checking those books out! I got this book on an inter-library loan from a tech school in the state college system, so I may be buying the others...
I know I said it before, but man are F1 engines cool. I really wonder if the breakthroughs that have come from F1 engines could be applied to your average every-day car. It seems like there is a lot of work that can be done to an engine like ours that is not.
P.S. - I didn't know that e85 levels varied throughout the year. Pretty cool.
I know I said it before, but man are F1 engines cool. I really wonder if the breakthroughs that have come from F1 engines could be applied to your average every-day car. It seems like there is a lot of work that can be done to an engine like ours that is not.
P.S. - I didn't know that e85 levels varied throughout the year. Pretty cool.
Last edited by adamweldonjohns; Feb 24, 2009 at 04:40 PM. Reason: I talk alot
Feb 24, 2009, 04:48 PM
#6
A verson of this theory decreased the power of our drag car (gsx, thus 4g63). If you remove the plastic spacers from the fuel rail and use the metal ones that come with some aftermarket fuel rails then the rail and thus the fuel can get extremely hot. We put the plastic ones back in to eliminate the issues we were having. I cant remember all the details as it was a few years back but I know that the hotter fuel was causing problems for us...It may have been because it had heated it beyond the range that would yield beneficial results.
Earlier F1 cars also used vastly different fuels which had higher oxygen percentage and included benzene and alcohol, which may also have part to do with it.
Was this done for other issues aside from simply heating the gas? Like another way to keep coolant temps. down by using the fuel as essentially more coolant? ..Wish I actually had time to think about cool stuff, school sucks.
Earlier F1 cars also used vastly different fuels which had higher oxygen percentage and included benzene and alcohol, which may also have part to do with it.
Was this done for other issues aside from simply heating the gas? Like another way to keep coolant temps. down by using the fuel as essentially more coolant? ..Wish I actually had time to think about cool stuff, school sucks.
Last edited by Bggstin; Feb 24, 2009 at 05:04 PM.
Feb 24, 2009, 05:13 PM
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Here's the Patent and Associated Claims that May interest you. A link to this article is here: http://www.freepatentsonline.com/3913543.html
What is claimed is
1. A fuel heating system for an internal combustion engine comprising a heat exchanger consisting of a fuel chamber and of a heated fluid chamber in heat exchange relation, said fuel chamber having a fuel inlet and a fuel outlet series-connected in the fuel line of an internal combustion engine, said heated fluid chamber having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet series-connected in an engine heated fluid line connected to an engine for passage of said engine heated fluid therethrough, a fluid bypass line operatively communicating said fluid inlet to said fluid outlet to bypass said heat exchanger, and a thermostatic valve series-connected with said fluid inlet and responsive to the temperature of said engine heated fluid to control the flow of the latter through said heated fluid chamber and through said fluid bypass line, said thermostatic valve including a valve body serially arranged in said fluid inlet and having a pair of valve seats serially arranged in said valve body, a valve member displaceably mounted in said valve body between said valve seats for abutment with either of said valve seats, a heat responsive element located in said valve body to be responsive to the heat of the fluid passing through said valve body, said heat responsive element connected to said valve member to displace the latter into abutment with either of said valve seats in response to the temperature of said fluid, said valve member closing the fluid inlet to the heated fluid chamber below a minimum temperature of the fluid and above a maximum temperature of the fluid, and said valve member opening the inlet when the temperature of said fluid is between said minimum and said maximum temperature, and said bypass line being connected to said valve body upstream of said valve seats and in constant communication with the engine heated fluid line.
2. A fuel heating system as defined in claim 1, wherein said fuel chamber is an inner chamber surrounded by said heated fluid chamber.
3. A fuel heating system as defined in claim 2, wherein said fuel line includes a series-connected fuel pump having an inlet and further including a return line connected to the top of said inner fuel chamber and to the inlet of said fuel pump, and a pressure relief valve series connected to said return line.
4. A fuel heating system as defined in claim 1, wherein said engine heated fluid line constitutes a heated fluid coolant line for a car heater.
5. A fuel heating system as defined in claim 4, further including a fluid bypass channel constructed and arranged to be connected between said fluid outlet upstream of the car heater and the fluid outlet of the latter for bypassing flow therethrough relative to said car heater.
Description:This invention relates to internal combustion engines and, more particularly, to a fuel heating system adapted to heat the fuel of such engine before reaching the latter.
It is well known in the field of internal combustion engines that atomization of the fuel into the cylinders is related to the degree of combustion of the fuel and, consequently, to the efficiency of the engine. There also appears to be a relationship between the atomization and volatility of the fuel and the temperature of the latter such that for a fuel at a lower temperature the degree of atomization will be reduce. In any event, it has been noted that the mileage per gallon of fuel may be substantially increased for a vehicle by heating the fuel fed to the internal combustion engine thereof.
A fuel heating system has anteriorly been proposed, which was found to lack control and to allow boiling of the fuel at the higher speeds producing an unreliable performance at those speeds, such as missing of the engine apparently caused by vapor lock into the fuel line.
It is a general object of the present invention to provide a fuel heating system for an internal combustion engine and to thereby improve the efficiency of the latter through allegedly more complete combustion and a resulting better atomization into the cylinder of the engine.
It is another general object of the invention to provide a fuel heating system for the internal combustion engine of a vehicle which system is regulated to prevent boiling of the fuel and the ensuing disadvantageous performance of the vehicle.
It is another object of the invention to provide a fuel heating system for the internal combustion engine of a vehicle which is arranged to operate in the summer as well as in the winter without interfering with the usual car heater.
It is a more specific object of the invention to provide a fuel heating system for an internal combustion engine which is adapted to heat the fuel in the cold and which is also adapted to selectively produce a reduced rate of heating for milder temperature operation.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a heat exchanger which may be connected solely to the heated fluid coolant line through the car heater or, if desired, also to the exhaust system for fiercer heating in the cold.
What is claimed is
1. A fuel heating system for an internal combustion engine comprising a heat exchanger consisting of a fuel chamber and of a heated fluid chamber in heat exchange relation, said fuel chamber having a fuel inlet and a fuel outlet series-connected in the fuel line of an internal combustion engine, said heated fluid chamber having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet series-connected in an engine heated fluid line connected to an engine for passage of said engine heated fluid therethrough, a fluid bypass line operatively communicating said fluid inlet to said fluid outlet to bypass said heat exchanger, and a thermostatic valve series-connected with said fluid inlet and responsive to the temperature of said engine heated fluid to control the flow of the latter through said heated fluid chamber and through said fluid bypass line, said thermostatic valve including a valve body serially arranged in said fluid inlet and having a pair of valve seats serially arranged in said valve body, a valve member displaceably mounted in said valve body between said valve seats for abutment with either of said valve seats, a heat responsive element located in said valve body to be responsive to the heat of the fluid passing through said valve body, said heat responsive element connected to said valve member to displace the latter into abutment with either of said valve seats in response to the temperature of said fluid, said valve member closing the fluid inlet to the heated fluid chamber below a minimum temperature of the fluid and above a maximum temperature of the fluid, and said valve member opening the inlet when the temperature of said fluid is between said minimum and said maximum temperature, and said bypass line being connected to said valve body upstream of said valve seats and in constant communication with the engine heated fluid line.
2. A fuel heating system as defined in claim 1, wherein said fuel chamber is an inner chamber surrounded by said heated fluid chamber.
3. A fuel heating system as defined in claim 2, wherein said fuel line includes a series-connected fuel pump having an inlet and further including a return line connected to the top of said inner fuel chamber and to the inlet of said fuel pump, and a pressure relief valve series connected to said return line.
4. A fuel heating system as defined in claim 1, wherein said engine heated fluid line constitutes a heated fluid coolant line for a car heater.
5. A fuel heating system as defined in claim 4, further including a fluid bypass channel constructed and arranged to be connected between said fluid outlet upstream of the car heater and the fluid outlet of the latter for bypassing flow therethrough relative to said car heater.
Description:This invention relates to internal combustion engines and, more particularly, to a fuel heating system adapted to heat the fuel of such engine before reaching the latter.
It is well known in the field of internal combustion engines that atomization of the fuel into the cylinders is related to the degree of combustion of the fuel and, consequently, to the efficiency of the engine. There also appears to be a relationship between the atomization and volatility of the fuel and the temperature of the latter such that for a fuel at a lower temperature the degree of atomization will be reduce. In any event, it has been noted that the mileage per gallon of fuel may be substantially increased for a vehicle by heating the fuel fed to the internal combustion engine thereof.
A fuel heating system has anteriorly been proposed, which was found to lack control and to allow boiling of the fuel at the higher speeds producing an unreliable performance at those speeds, such as missing of the engine apparently caused by vapor lock into the fuel line.
It is a general object of the present invention to provide a fuel heating system for an internal combustion engine and to thereby improve the efficiency of the latter through allegedly more complete combustion and a resulting better atomization into the cylinder of the engine.
It is another general object of the invention to provide a fuel heating system for the internal combustion engine of a vehicle which system is regulated to prevent boiling of the fuel and the ensuing disadvantageous performance of the vehicle.
It is another object of the invention to provide a fuel heating system for the internal combustion engine of a vehicle which is arranged to operate in the summer as well as in the winter without interfering with the usual car heater.
It is a more specific object of the invention to provide a fuel heating system for an internal combustion engine which is adapted to heat the fuel in the cold and which is also adapted to selectively produce a reduced rate of heating for milder temperature operation.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a heat exchanger which may be connected solely to the heated fluid coolant line through the car heater or, if desired, also to the exhaust system for fiercer heating in the cold.
Last edited by Bggstin; Feb 24, 2009 at 05:15 PM.
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Feb 25, 2009, 05:29 PM
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Earlier F1 cars also used vastly different fuels which had higher oxygen percentage and included benzene and alcohol, which may also have part to do with it.
F1 fuels have always, since WW2, been limited to a RON of 102.
