Lester Berriman -- Dresserator Carburetor

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**Lester BERRIMAN**

**"Dresserator" Carburetor**



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 **<http://www.totse.com/en/fringe/free_energy/pea1.html>**


**Suppressed Inventions** **by** **Leroy Pea**

**GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT IN SUPPRESSED INVENTIONS:
CHRONOLOGY**

**( COPYRIGHT APRIL, 1989 by PEA RESEARCH, 105 Serra Way, Ste.
176, Milpitas, CA 95035 --  Version 1.06 )**

**1974**   
**B1-B,3 CARBURETION, DRESSERATOR**   
Dresser Company SELLS OUT to Holley Carburetor and FORD MOTOR
CO. --  Lester Berriman spent 5 years designing and testing
the "Dresserator" carburetor for Dresser Co. which used a
super-accurate mixture control to obtain a 22:1 mixture.
Pollution standards were passed along with a typical gain of 18%
mpg.

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[**http://www.fuel-efficient-vehicles.org/FEV-energy-suppression-CBird.php**](http://www.fuel-efficient-vehicles.org/FEV-energy-suppression-CBird.php)

**Energy Suppression**   
**An Invisible Galaxy of Inventions**

**by** **Christopher Bird**

The Dresserator was created around the early 1970s in Santa
Ana, California, by Lester Berriman. It was based on a
super-accurate mixture control using greatly enhanced airflow,
and could run a car on up to a 22-to-1-fuel mixture. Test cars
passed the pollution control standards with ease and managed up
to an 18 percent mileage gain.

Although Holley Carburetor and Ford signed agreements to
manufacture the design in 1974, nothing has been heard of it
since.

***Suppressed Inventions and Other Inventions*** by
Christopher Bird, Brian O'Leary, Jeane Manning, and Barry Lynes,
Auckland Institute of Technology Press, Private Bag 92006,
Auckland, New Zealand, ISBN No. 0-9583334-7-5.

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**Method for Controlling Mass Flow Rate**

**USP # 4,231,383**

**Abstract ---** A combustible mixture of air and minute
fuel droplets is produced for supply to the cylinders of an
internal combustion engine. This mixture is formed by accurately
controlling both the atomization of fuel and the mass flow rate
of air over substantially the entire operating range of the
engine. These controls are accomplished by introducing liquid
fuel into a stream of intake air and uniformly distributing the
fuel in the air followed by passing the air and fuel mixture
through a constricted zone to increase the velocity of the
mixture to sonic. The sonic velocity air at the constricted zone
divides the fuel into minute droplets that are uniformly
entrained throughout the air stream. The area of the constricted
zone and the quantity of fuel introduced are adjustably varied
in correlation with operating demands imposed upon the engine.
Downstream from the constricted sonic zone, the air and fuel
mixture is accelerated to supersonic velocity in a supersonic
zone without imparting substantial turbulent flow thereto.
Thereafter the mixture is decelerated to subsonic velocity in a
subsonic zone to produce a shock zone where the fuel droplets
entrained in the air are believed to be further subdivided and
uniformly distributed throughout the combustible mixture before
the mixture is supplied to the engine cylinders. The supersonic
and subsonic velocities occur in a gradually increasing
cross-sectional area corresponding to that of a conical section
having an apex angle in the range of about 6 to 18 degrees.

**Description**

**BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION**

The present invention relates generally to gasoline internal
combustion engines and more particularly concerns a method and
apparatus for mixing and modulating liquid fuel and intake air
in order to reduce the undesirable exhaust emissions from such
engines.

In nearly all gasoline engines used in automotive applications
today, the fuel and air are metered and mixed by a carburetor
connected to the intake manifold of the engine. While these
carburetors differ considerably in detail, their overall
operation is basically the same in that fuel is drawn from a
float-controlled fuel reservoir through one or more small fuel
jets by the pressure drop created as the air flows through a
fixed venturi section formed in the throat of the carburetor.
During normal operation the air flow through the carburetor and,
hence, the amount of fuel drawn through the metering jets is
controlled by a butterfly-valve-type throttle plate. However,
because the air flow through the carburetor varies markedly
during different engine operating conditions, such as: idle,
acceleration, full throttle, and deceleration, conventional
carburetors are commonly provided with separate idle jets,
acceleration pumps, and multiple venturi sections. Even so, the
metering function of the carburetor falls short of providing the
desired air-fuel mixture to the engine at all operating
conditions and the mixing function performed by the carburetor
is even worse.

Except at idle essentially all of the mixing in a conventional
carburetor occurs as the fuel and air pass together through the
throttle opening. Assuming atmospheric pressure of 29.9 inches
of mercury (in. Hg.) exists at the carburetor inlet, the air
flow through the throttle opening will be at sonic velocity when
the pressure at the throttle opening is 53% of atmospheric. This
is equal to a pressure of 15.6 in. Hg. and is referred to as the
critical pressure. However, since it is common to measure the
condition within the intake manifold in terms of inches of
mercury vacuum rather than pressure, this critical pressure is
equal to 14.3 in. Hg. vacuum (29.9-15.6=14.3) and this condition
will be hereinafter referred to as the threshold vacuum.
Moreover, due to the shapes of the carburetor throat and
throttle plate, a vacuum in the intake manifold only slightly
below threshold vacuum will just produce sonic velocity through
the throttle opening. This condition, which is referred to
hereinafter as the "unchoking point", occurs at about 12 in. Hg.
vacuum for a typical carburetor or 17.9 in. Hg. pressure
(29.9-12=17.9). Sonic velocity of the intake air through the
throttle opening also occurs at manifold vacuums above the
unchoking point, in other words, in the range of about 12 to 24
in. Hg. during normal operation. Expressed slightly different,
when the pressure in the intake manifold of a typical carburetor
is about 60% of the pressure at the carburetor inlet
(60%.times.29.9=17.9) or less, sonic velocity of the intake air
occurs through the throttle opening. For reasons explained
below, the present invention provides sonic velocity over a
wider range and even when the pressure in the intake manifold is
substantially more than 60% of the pressure at the inlet.

When the velocity of the intake air through the throttle
opening is at sonic velocity, the high velocity air divides the
liquid fuel into fine droplets. However, because the throttle
plate slopes across the carburetor throat below the fuel jet,
nearly all of the fuel and about half of the air flows through
the lower throttle opening but only a small amount of fuel
passes with the other half of the air through the upper throttle
opening. Although some mixing of these two streams of fuel and
air does occur below the throttle plate, the asymmetrical
distribution of the fuel in the intake air is substantially
never completely overcome.

At manifold vacuum conditions below the unchoking point, the
mixing of fuel and air by the carburetor is even worse. This
normally occurs at all manifold vacuum conditions below about 12
inches Hg. when the engine is accelerated or under load. Under
these conditions, the air flow is below sonic velocity,
frequently well below, and more fuel is being introduced. The
fuel distribution is still asymmetric and mixing at the throttle
opening and below is even less effective due to the much larger
droplets which are formed by the lower velocity air. In
addition, if the carburetor includes an accelerator pump, as
most do, the additional squirt of fuel that it provides usually
comes just when the throttle is being opened rapidly and the air
velocity is falling well below sonic. Thus, a stream of liquid
fuel may pass directly into the intake manifold.

During idle conditions, the fuel is typically introduced
through an idle jet located just below the lower side of the
throttle plate when it is in the idle position. Naturally, this
results in asymmetrical fuel distribution in the intake air and
although the air flow through the throttle opening is typically
at sonic velocity during idling conditions, the idle fuel is not
very effectively or uniformly mixed with the intake air.

Largely, as a result of these shortcomings in current
carburetor arrangements, there are wide cylinder to cylinder and
cycle to cycle variations in the ratio and amount of fuel and
air delivered to the engine at different operating conditions.
This is true even when the metering function of the carburetor
initially provides the desired air-fuel ratio at the manifold
inlet because the mixing function of the carburetor is so poorly
performed that streams of liquid fuel frequently pass into the
intake manifold, wetting portions of the manifold walls and
actually collecting in pools of liquid fuel in certain areas of
the manifold, and some of this unmixed liquid fuel is inducted
into the engine cylinders.

In an effort to overcome this situation, various arrangements
have been adopted to heat the intake manifold in order to
vaporize the liquid fuel prior to induction into the engine
cylinders. The most common of such arrangements are hot spots
and heat risers from the exhaust manifold to heat the area of
the intake manifold immediately below the carburetor. A hot
water path through the intake manifold is also frequently
employed. Even with these arrangements, however, a completely
uniform air-fuel mixture throughout the manifold is rarely
achieved. Consequently, the air-fuel mixture delivered to some
of the cylinders is often too rich to achieve complete
combustion. On the other hand, the air-fuel mixture delivered to
other cylinders is at times too lean to achieve proper burning
and this causes those cylinders to misfire. As used in the
present application, it will be understood that a rich air-fuel
mixture is one that contains more than one pound of fuel for
every 15.5 pounds of air and that a lean air-fuel mixture is one
that contains less than one pound of fuel for every 15.5 pounds
of air.

Whether the problem is misfiring due to too lean an air-fuel
mixture or incomplete combustion due to too rich a mixture, the
result is that unburned fuel is exhausted from the cylinders.
This is undesirable not only because of the loss in power and
efficiency that results but also because these unburned or
incompletely burned fuel components pass into the atmosphere as
undesirable pollutants.

The principal air pollutants emanating from internal combustion
engines have been identified as unburned hydrocarbons (HC),
carbon monoxide (CO), and the oxides of nitrogen (NO.sub.x). The
desired end products of complete combustion of the fuel and air,
of course, would be carbon dioxide and water with only a trace
of other constituents in the presence of unreacted nitrogen.

Prior to enactment of federal and state standards on exhaust
emissions, a standard automobile engine in good running
condition would produce an average of about 900 ppm HC, 3.9% CO
and 1075 ppm NO.sub.x during normal operation. The initial
federal standards, effective January, 1968, covered only HC and
CO emissions and were stated in terms of concentrations of 275
ppm HC and 1.5% CO. In terms of the subsequently prescribed
7-mode cycle test which is to simulate a typical 20 minute trip
of a car from cold start through city traffic, the 1968 federal
standards correspond to about 3.4 g/mi HC and 34 g/mi CO.
Effective January 1970, these were reduced to 2.2 g/mi HC and 23
g/mi CO which correspond to concentrations of about 180 ppm HC
and 1% CO for the average car.

The standards originally proposed for 1975 (Fed. Reg. Vol. 33,
No. 108, June 4, 1968) were 0.5 g/mi (about 40 ppm) of
hydrocarbon, 11.0 g/mi (about 0.5%) of CO, and 0.9 g/mi (about
240 ppm) of NO.sub.x, based on the 7-mode cycle, that was
adopted. In 1970, new standards for 1975 and 1976 were
established along with a new driving cycle (Fed. Reg. Vol. 35,
No. 219, Nov. 10, 1970). On 1975 model cars, hydrocarbon must
not exceed 0.46 g/mi (about 37 ppm) and CO 4.7 g/mi (about
0.2%). On 1976 model cars, it is proposed that No.sub.x be
limited to 0.4 g/mi (about 110 ppm). These emissions are to be
obtained using a constant volume sampling system and while
driving a car through a new 22 minute driving cycle. It will be
appreciated that the standards were hence reduced in two ways,
by lowering the actual numbers and also by changing the
analytical method.

The automobile engine manufacturers were able--with some
difficulties--to meet the 1968 federal emission standards
primarily by adopting one or more of the following engine
modifications:

(1) retarding the spark-ignition

(2) recalibrating the carburetor for leaner air-fuel mixtures

(3) heating the intake manifold

(4) changing valve timing

(5) increasing stroke to bore ratio

(6) injecting air into the exhaust manifold

(7) improving combustion chamber design

Further improvements in these areas have also made it possible
to meet the federal standards for 1970.

However, the stringent nature of the federal exhaust emission
standards for 1975 are such that it is believed that even the
most effective combination of all of the above measures will not
be sufficient even with added catalytic or thermal reactors and,
indeed, serious concern is being voiced as to whether or not the
internal combustion engine can economically be made sufficiently
polution free to meet these projected standards.

**SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION**

Accordingly, it is the primary aim of the present invention to
provide a new and improved liquid fuel and intake air mixing and
modulating device suitable for installation on both new and used
automobile engines which, without other substantial
modifications, will effect a substantial reduction of all
undesirable exhaust emissions in new cars to levels well below
the federal requirements originally projected for 1975 and near
to those now projected for 1975-76, and which will effect a
substantial reduction in such emissions in used cars to a level
surpassing the projected requirements for used cars.

A further object of the invention is to provide a method and
apparatus for mixing and modulating liquid fuel and intake air
which is effective to finely divide and entrain the liquid fuel
in the intake air and to form such a substantially uniform and
homogeneous mixture, preferably without the fuel being
completely vaporized, so that substantially complete combustion
occurs each cycle in every cylinder and that, due to the nature
of the mixture formed, misfire does not occur when operating at
air-fuel ratios on the order of 20:1.

A related object of the invention is to provide a new and
improved liquid fuel and intake air mixing and modulating
apparatus and method of the above character which, due to the
nature of the air-fuel mixture formed, results in operation of
the engine with combustion taking place at lower temperatures
and possibly somewhat differently to thereby reduce the
production of the oxides of nitrogen at peak operating
conditions and also permit a reduction in the fuel octane
requirement even for high compression ratio gasoline engines.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method and
apparatus for mixing and modulating liquid fuel and intake air
which not only satisfies the foregoing objects over
substantially the entire range of engine operating conditions
but which also results in improved engine response and a
decrease in fuel consumption for a given power output or an
increase in power output for a given fuel consumption as
compared with similar engines not equipped with the liquid fuel
and intake air mixing and modulating apparatus of the present
invention.

Finally, it is an object to provide a liquid fuel and intake
air mixing and modulating device as characterized above which is
relatively inexpensive to manufacture, install and service and
which is also substantially trouble free and dependable in
operation.

In accordance with the present invention, method and apparatus
are provided for producing a uniform combustible mixture of air
and minute liquid fuel droplets for supply to the cylinders of
an internal combustion engine. Liquid fuel is introduced into a
stream of intake air and uniformly distributed therein. The
velocity of the air and fuel mixture is substantially increased
by passing it through a throat zone, and the fuel in minutely
divided and uniformly entrained as droplets throughout the air
at the throat zone. The area of the throat zone and the quantity
of fuel introduced into the stream of intake air are adjustably
varied in correlation with operating demands imposed on the
engine. Downstream from the throat zone, the air and fuel
mixture is accelerated to supersonic velocity in a supersonic
zone. Thereafter the mixture is decelerated to subsonic velocity
in a subsonic zone to produce a shock zone where the fuel
droplets are believed to be further subdivided and uniformly
distributed throughout the combustible mixture. The mixture is
then supplied to the engine cylinders.

The air flows through the throat zone at sonic velocity
throughout substantially the entire range of engine operation.
Moreover, the supersonic and subsonic zones provide a gradually
increasing cross-sectional area corresponding to that of a
conical section having an apex angle in the range of about 6 to
18 degrees for efficient recovery of the kinetic energy of the
supersonic velocity air and fuel mixture as static pressure.

The quantity of fuel delivered into the air stream may be
controlled to provide a substantially constant air-to-fuel ratio
of the mixture over a wide range of engine conditions. Since the
air flow is maintained at sonic velocity through the throat zone
over a wide range of engine conditions, the mass flow rate of
air being supplied to the engine is directly proportional to the
cross-sectional area of the throat zone. Thus, by controlling
the rate of fuel delivered to the air stream in direct
proportion to the area of the throat zone, the air-to-fuel ratio
of the mixture supplied to the engine remains substantially
constant.

**BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS**

Novel features and advantages of the present invention in
addition to those mentioned above will become apparent to those
skilled in the art from a reading of the following detailed
description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings
wherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts and
in which:

**FIG. 1A** is a schematic perspective of the liquid fuel
and intake air mixing and modulating device of the present
invention installed on the intake manifold of a gasoline engine,
illustrated here in phantom;

![](42-1a.jpg)

**FIG. 1B** is a diagrammatic view of the liquid and intake
air mixing and modulating device of the present invention;

![](42-1b.jpg)

**FIGS. 2A and B** are somewhat exaggerated schematic
illustrations of alternate throat sections for the liquid fuel
and air mixing and modulating device shown in FIg. 1A;

![](42-2a.jpg)![](42-2b.jpg)

**FIG. 3** is a vertical cross-section through one form of
the liquid fuel and intake air mixing and modulating device of
the present invention;

![](42-3.jpg)

**FIGS. 4 and 5** are cross-sections substantially as seen
along lines 4--4 and 5--5, respectively, in FIG. 3;

![](42-4.jpg)![](42-5.jpg)

**FIG. 6** is a vertical cross-section similar to FIG. 3 of
a modified form of the liquid fuel and intake air mixing and
modulating device of the present invention;

![](42-6.jpg)

**FIGS. 7 and 8** are cross-sections substantially as seen
along line 7--7 and 8--8, respectively, in FIG. 6;

![](42-7-10.jpg)

![](42-8.jpg)

**FIG. 9** is a plan view, with certain portions in
sections, of another form of the liquid fuel and intake air
mixing and modulating device of the present invention;

![](42-9.jpg)

**FIG. 10** is a front elevation, partially in section, of
the device shown in FIG. 9;

**FIGS. 11 and 12** are vertical cross-sections
substantially as seen along lines 11--11 and 12--12,
respectively, in FIG. 9;

![](42-11.jpg)

![](42-12.jpg)

**FIG. 13** is a view of the bottom of the device shown in
FIG. 9;

![](42-13.jpg)

**FIG. 14** is a vertical cross-section, similar to FIG. 11,
of an alternative embodiment of the present invention;

![](42-14.jpg)

**FIG. 15** is a section substantially as seen along line
15--15 in FIG. 14;

![](42-15.jpg)

**FIG. 16** is a schematic diagram of the fuel supply system
of the present invention;

![](42-16.jpg)

**FIG. 17** is a vertical cross-section, similar to FIG. 14,
illustrating certain modifications in the device;

![](42-17.jpg)

**FIGS. 18 and 19** are graphs containing plots of vacuum
profiles across the throat of two of the modified devices
illustrated in FIG. 17;

![](42-18-19.jpg)

**FIG. 20** is a vertical cross-section, similar to FIG. 14,
illustrating certain additional modifications of the device;

![](42-20.jpg)

**FIGS. 21 and 22** are graphs containing plots of vacuum
profiles across the throat of two of the modified devices
illustrated in FIG. 20;

![](42-21-22.jpg)

**FIG. 23** is a vertical cross-section similar to FIG. 14,
illustrating certain additional modifications of the device; and

![](42-23.jpg)

**FIG. 24** is a vertical cross-section, similar to FIG. 11,
illustrating a modification of this device.

![](42-24.jpg)

**DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION**

Turning now to the drawings, there is shown in FIG. 1A a liquid
fuel and intake air mixing and modulating device 20 of the
present invention illustrated schematically as installed on the
intake manifold 21 of a conventional gasoline engine, shown here
in phantom. While the engine illustrated is an inline 6-cylinder
engine, the liquid fuel and intake air mixing and modulating
device 20 of the present invention is not limited for use on
such an engine. Rather, it should be understood that the present
invention is equally applicable for use with gasoline engines
having different cylinder numbers and arrangements such as, for
example, but without limitation: 2, 4, 6, 8 and 12 cylinders in
inline, V, horizontally opposed, and rotary arragements.

As is conventional in many 6-cylinder inline engines the intake
ports of the front, rear and center pairs of cylinders (not
shown) are siamesed. Accordingly, as illustrated in FIG. 1A, the
intake manifold 21 is provided with three branches 22, each of
which serves the intake ports of a respective one of the pairs
of front, rear and center cylinders. However, the invention is
not limited to the illustrated manifold arrangement and the
manifold may be provided with a separate branch for each
cylinder, if desired.

In accordance with the present invention, the liquid fuel and
intake air mixing and modulating device 20 of the present
invention includes an intake air duct 25 which is provided with
means for selectively constricting the flow of intake air to
significantly increase the velocity thereof prior to admitting
the intake air into the intake manifold 21. As shown in FIG. 1A,
the illustrated means for constricting or throttling the flow of
intake air includes a member 26 disposed concentrically and in
axially movable relation to a converging section 27 of the
intake air duct 25. In the preferred embodiment, the movable
member 26 and the converging section 27 of the duct 25 are
formed with generally circular cross-sections so as to define
therebetween a throat in the form of an annular orifice, the
cross-sectional area of which is variable as the member 26 is
moved, and which defines a uniform opening around its
circumference for each position of the member 26. It will be
understood, of course, that other forms of throat constrictions
may also be employed without departing from the present
invention.

FIG. 1B diagrammatically illustrates a mixing device 8 of the
present invention for supplying a uniform combustible mixture of
minute liquid fuel droplets and air to the intake manifold of an
internal combustion engine. Intake air is drawn through the
device 8 from a converging intake air zone 9 in response to the
intake manifold vacuum. As the air travels deeper into the
intake air zone 9, its velocity is increased. Liquid fuel 10
from lines 11 is introduced at 12 into the intake air stream and
uniformly distributed therein before the mixture passes through
a throat or constricted zone 13 located between an axially
movable plug or modulator 14 and the adjacent wall structure.
The velocity of the air is increased to sonic in the constricted
zone 13 to thereby minutely divide and uniformly entrain the
fuel as droplets throughout the air stream. The cross-sectional
area of the constricted zone 13 together with the quantity of
fuel 10 introduced at 12 into the stream of air are adjustably
varied in correlation with operating demands imposed upon the
engine to which the mixture is supplied. Adjustment of the
cross-sectional area of the constricted zone 13 is accomplished
by axially moving the plug or modulator 14 in response to the
engine demands while the quantity of fuel introduced is
controlled by suitable valving 15.

As the air and fuel mixture passes downstream from the
constricted zone 13 the velocity thereof is accelerated to
supersonic velocity in a supersonic zone 16 without substantial
turbulent flow therein. Immediately thereafter the mixture is
decelerated to subsonic velocity in a subsonic zone 17 to
produce shock zone 18 where the fuel droplets entrained in the
air are believed to be further subdivided and uniformly
distributed throughout the combustible mixture. The shock zone
18 occurs at the transition between the supersonic and subsonic
zones, 16 and 17, respectively.

It is significant that the kinetic energy of the high velocity
intake air and entrained fuel is efficiently recovered as static
pressure in the subsonic zone 17. For efficient energy recovery,
the supersonic and subsonic zones share common diverging walls
19 that provide a gradually increasing cross-sectional area
corresponding to that of a conical section having an apex angle
in the range of 6 to 18 degrees. Such recovery enables sonic air
flow through the constricted zone 13 at all manifold vacuum
levels of the engine down at least to five inches mercury
vacuum. Such vacuum levels represent virtually the entire
operating range of the engine. At the same time, unlike
conventional carburetors, because air is maintained at sonic
velocity through the constricted zone the mass flow rate of air
being supplied to the engine is directly proportional to the
cross-sectional area of the constricted zone. Thus, by
controlling the rate of fuel delivered to the air in direct
proportion of the area of the constricted zone, the air-to-fuel
ratio of the mixture supplied to the intake manifold remains
substantially constant. Moreover, the engine may be operated
without misfire on a relatively lean and unvarying air-to-fuel
ratio substantially in excess of those normally encountered in
conventional carburetors.

Referring now to the schematic illustrations presented in FIGS.
2A and 2B, there are shown two exemplary forms of the means for
restricting the throat of the intake air duct 25. As shown in
FIG. 2A, the duct 25a is provided with an upper or upstream
portion 27a of converging cross-section in the downstream
direction with respect to the flow of intake air. The point of
maximum constriction of the duct 25a is represented here by a
plane 28a passing transversely through the duct 25a and below
the plane 28a the duct is provided with a portion 29a of
diverging cross-section. In this embodiment, the axially movable
member 26a is formed with a converging lower end portion having
an angle of convergence less than the angle of convergence of
the portion 27a of the duct 25a. Since both the converging
portion 27a of the duct and the member 26a are preferably formed
with circular cross-sectional shapes, there is formed
therebetween a variable area annular orifice or throat zone
located in the plane 28a.

In the embodiment schematically illustrated in FIG. 2B, the
duct 25b is also provided with an upper or upstream portion 27b
of converging cross-section in the downstream direction but here
the axially movable member 26b is formed with a converging lower
end portion having an angle of convergence greater than the
angle of convergence of the portion 27b. This arrangement
provides that the point of maximum constriction in the duct 25b
lies in a movable plane 28b which passes through the widest
portion of the member 26b and intermediate the ends of the
converging portion 27b. It will also be seen that, due to the
differing angles of convergence of the member 26b and portion
27b, there is formed an annular section of diverging
cross-section located in the duct 25b below the plane 28b. The
duct 25b is also preferably formed with a portion 29b of
diverging cross-section downstream of the converging portion 27b
with respect to the direction of flow. While the planes 28a and
28b are both shown as defined by sharp edges, it will be
understood that these planes may have some thickness, on the
order of about 0.1 inch, for example.

Returning to FIG. 1A, the member 26 and converging section 27
cooperate to define a throat to constrict the flow of intake air
drawn through the duct 25 resulting in a significant increase in
velocity of the intake air prior to its admission into the
intake manifold 21. It will also be understood that during
normal operation of the engine, the pressure in the intake
manifold 21 is below atmospheric, i.e. a vacuum condition exists
in the manifold. Generally this vacuum ranges between 6 and 24
inches of mercury vacuum depending on the engine speed and load
conditions. The intake manifold vacuum may, however, fall below
6 inches Hg during rapid acceleration and may occasionally
exceed 24 inches Hg. during rapid deceleration.

As the flow of intake air is constricted in the variable area
throat zone between the member 26 and converging section 27, the
air velocity at the throat constriction increases and the air
pressure decreases. When the pressure at the constriction is at
the critical pressure of 53% of atmospheric pressure, the flow
of intake air at the constriction is at sonic velocity. Since
the pressure at the constriction is always critical when the
manifold pressure is equal to or less than the critical
pressure, sonic velocity at the constriction is obtained at all
manifold vacuum conditions above the threshold vacuum of 14.3
inches Hg. In other words, in the range of 14.3-24 inches of Hg.
vacuum.

By gradually increasing the cross-sectional area of the intake
air duct below the point of maximum constriction of the throat,
i.e. below the variable area throat zone, a diffuser is formed.
The cross-sectional area increases with distance from the throat
constriction similar to that provided by a cone having an apex
angle of about 6.degree. to 18.degree., preferably 8.degree. to
12.degree.. Such a diffuser section is shown in exaggerated form
in the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 1B, 2A and 2B. The
gradual increase in cross-sectional area provided by the
diffuser section enables a substantial portion of the kinetic
energy of the high velocity intake air to be recovered as static
pressure and this substantially lowers the intake manifold
vacuum unchoking point at which sonic velocity through the
throat is still achieved. In addition, with an efficient
diffuser section and sonic velocity at the throat, at all
manifold vacuums above the unchoke point, the flow of intake air
just downstream of the throat is accelerated to supersonic
velocity and then the air passes through a shock zone as the
velocity is abruptly reduced below sonic and the pressure
returns to the pressure prevailing within the manifold. As will
be described hereinafter, the liquid fuel and intake air mixing
and modulating device of the present invention is effective to
produce sonic velocity at the throat and supersonic velocity and
a shock wave in the diffuser section over substantially the
entire range of intake manifold vacuum conditions encountered in
normal operation of the engine.

While the term diffuser is used herein as descriptive of the
divergent section of gradually increasing cross-sectional area
below the throat constriction, those skilled in the art will
recognize that, technically speaking, the initial portion of
this divergent section actually functions as a supersonic nozzle
under the conditions just described. Thus, with reference to
FIG. 1B, a supersonic zone 16 is provided immediately downstream
from the throat zone 13, and the velocity of the air and fuel
mixture is accelerated to supersonic velocity in the supersonic
zone when the manifold vacuum is above the unchoke point. On the
other hand, when the manifold vacuum is below the unchoke point,
supersonic velocity no longer exists in zone 16. The supersonic
zone 16 connects with a subsonic zone 17 in the gradually
increasing cross sectional area 19 below the throat zone 13. The
transition from supersonic to subsonic velocity produces a
non-turbulent shock zone 18 when the manifold vacuum is above
the unchoke point, and the fuel droplets are believed to be
further subdivided and distributed throughout the air as they
pass through the shock zone.

Pursuant to the present invention, liquid fuel is introduced
substantially uniformly into the flow path of the intake air in
a fuel delivery zone at or before the point of maximum
constriction of the throat of the mixing and modulating device
20. As the intake air and fuel pass together through the fuel
delivery zone and then through the throat constriction, or zone,
the liquid fuel is finely divided and entrained in the high
velocity intake air. Moreover, when the velocity of air at the
throat is at sonic velocity, a substantial and useful portion of
the finely divided fuel remains entrained in the intake air as
it passes through the intake manifold and into the cylinders of
the engine. With an efficient diffuser section, after the fuel
is divided and entrained at the throat, the velocity of the
intake air increases to a supersonic peak velocity in the
diffuser section and then abruptly shocks down to subsonic
velocity and the pressure condition prevailing generally in the
intake manifold. This rapid rise and fall in intake air velocity
subjects the larger entrained liquid fuel droplets to high shear
forces in successive forward and reverse directions and breaks
this fuel up into even finer droplet form than that previously
formed in the fuel delivery and throat zones.

It has been found that an otherwise conventional gasoline
engine fitted with the liquid fuel and intake air mixing and
modulating device 20 of the present invention produces
significantly lower levels of undesirable exhaust emissions than
the same engine with its normal carburetor. For example, a 1963
Rambler American 220 with a six-cylinder inline engine of 197
cubic inch displacement and an 8.7:1 compression ratio was
tested for exhaust emissions when equipped with its standard one
barrel carburetor and when equipped with a liquid fuel and
intake air mixing and modulating device of the present
invention.

The car was tested on a standard Clayton chassis dynamometer
with a normal road load effectively applied at the rear wheels
of the car. Hydrocarbon exhaust emissions in parts per million
were continuously monitored with a Beckman non-dispersive
infra-red spectrometer sensitized to hexane. The percentage of
free oxygen in the exhaust was also continuously monitored with
a Beckman paramagnetic oxygen analyzer. The percentage of carbon
monoxide in the exhaust was periodically spot checked with a
Bacharach carbon monoxide analyzer. A modified Saltzman solution
was used to periodically determine the oxides of nitrogen
present in the exhaust in parts per million. A comparison of the
exhaust emissions of the car with its regular carburetor and
with the mixing and modulating device of the present invention
is presented in Table I for operation of the car at both 30 and
50 mph. In each case, the figures presented represent the
average of several test samples.

TABLE I \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ HC ppm CO %
NO.sub.x ppm O.sub.2 % \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_
Speed 30 MPH Reg. Carb. 360 0.10 1750 4.2 Mixing & Mod. 35
0.27 395 6.2 Device A Speed 50 MPH Reg. Carb. 330 2.60 2500 1.5
Mixing & Mod. 0\* 0.10 305 5.7 Device A
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ \*Below the 30 ppm at
which hydrocarbons could be reliably detected with the test
instrument.

As can be seen from the above table, the undesirable emissions
of HC, CO, and NO.sub.x were significantly reduced and the
percentage of free oxygen in the exhaust was greatly increased
during the 50 mph test when the car was equipped with the mixing
and modulating device of the present invention. The levels of HC
and NO.sub.x were also substantially reduced when the car was
operated with the device of the present invention at 30 mph.

The liquid fuel and intake air mixing device A of the present
invention which was used on the Rambler car engine for the above
tests is illustrated in more detail in FIGS. 3-5. As shown here,
the device A, generally indicated at 30, includes an intake air
duct 31 having a portion 32 converging in the downstream
direction with respect to the flow of intake air. To constrict
or throttle the flow of intake air through the portion 32 an
axially movable throat modulator 33 is disposed coaxially in the
duct 31. The modulator 33 is formed with a converging lower end
portion 34 which together with the lower end of the converging
portion 32 form a throat in the form of a variable area annular
orifice 35 (see FIG. 5).

Intake air is drawn into the duct 31 through an intake conduit
36 which projects tangentially through a cover 37 over the large
end of the duct. The intake air then flows through the duct and
the converging portion 32 where the flow is constricted by the
modulator 33 to substantially increase the velocity of the
intake air prior to its passing through a discharge conduit 38
and into the intake manifold of the engine. It will also be
noted that the duct 31 includes a diverging portion 39 located
downstream of the point of maximum constriction on throat 35 and
in this regard the arrangement of the device 30 is generally
similar to that schematically illustrated in FIG. 2A.

Liquid fuel is supplied to the mixing and modulating device 30
illustrated in FIGS. 3-5 by means of a fuel nozzle 40. In the
illustrated embodiment, the fuel nozzle 40 projects axially into
the duct 31 through the cover 37 and the discharge end of the
nozzle is centered in the duct well above the point of maximum
constriction of the throat. The liquid fuel is preferably
sprayed into the duct 31 from the discharge end of the nozzle in
a substantially symmetrical pattern. To this end, the
illustrated nozzle 40 is of the air aspirating type and includes
a baffle 41 located at right angles to the discharge end of the
nozzle to symmetrically distribute the liquid fuel in a
generally radial direction. For the tests tabulated above, the
nozzle was supplied with air under pressure of about 40 psi and
the flow of fuel through the nozzle was regulated by a valve
(not shown).

To insure that the liquid fuel is introduced substantially
symmetrically into the path of the high velocity intake air
flowing through the constricted throat 35, the duct 31 and
throat 35 are preferably mounted with their axes oriented
substantially vertically. With this arrangement, the liquid
fuel, which is sprayed from the nozzle 40 and reaches the inner
wall of the duct 31, runs down the sloping wall of the
converging portion in a generally uniform manner to the point of
maximum constriction or throat 35 defined between the portion 32
and the modulator 33. At or before the point of maximum
constriction (represented by the section line 5--5 in FIG. 3)
the high velocity air strips the liquid fuel film from the wall
and finely divides and entrains the fuel in the intake air.

For controlling the degree of constriction at the throat and
thus modulating the flow of intake air therethrough the
modulator 33 is axially movable. In the embodiment illustrated
in FIG. 3, the modulator 33 is mounted on a control rod 45
threadably received in a boss 46 formed on the discharge conduit
38. A knurled knob 47 is provided on the lower end of the rod 45
for conveniently turning the rod to raise or lower the modulator
33 relative to the throat 35 and thus increase or decrease the
area of the annular orifice.

Another embodiment of the mixing and modulating device B of the
present invention is illustrated in FIGS. 6-8. In general this
device B indicated generally at 50 is similar to the device A
illustrated in FIGS. 3-5 and like reference numerals have been
used to indicate the duct 31, the cover 37, the tangential
intake passage 36 and the fuel nozzle 40. It will be noted,
however, that the converging portion 52 and the modulator 53 of
this embodiment follow the schematic arrangement shown in FIG.
2B rather than that shown in FIG. 2A. In other words, the throat
or point of maximum constriction, in the form of an annular
orifice 54 defined between the converging portion 52 and
modulator 53 is not at a fixed location as in the FIG. 3
embodiment, but rather is located in a movable plane
(represented by the section line 8--8 in FIG. 6) which passes
through the widest portion of the tapered lower end of the
modulator 53.

It will also be noted that the mixing and modulating device 50
shown in FIGS. 6-8 employs a different means for raising and
lowering the modulator 53 in the throat 54 than the device 30
shown in FIG. 3. Here, the raising and lowering means is in the
form of a crank arm 55 from which the modulator 53 is suspended
by a link 56. The crank arm 55 is carried on a cross shaft 57
projecting through the duct 31 and another crank arm 58 at one
end of the cross shaft is provided for regulating the movement
of the modulator 53. This arrangement not only permits more
convenient control of the movement of the modulator 53, but
also, permits the modulator position control linkage to be
coupled to the fuel control valve (not shown) in order to
coordinate the quantities of both liquid fuel and intake air
introduced into the engine.

A liquid fuel and intake air mixing and modulating device B of
the type illustrated in FIGS. 6-8 was also tested on the 1963
Rambler automobile discussed above. The results of these tests,
which again represent the averages of several samples, are
presented below in Table II.

TABLE II \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ 1963 Rambler
220 with Mixing and Modulating Device B Speed HC ppm CO %
NO.sub.x ppm O.sub.2 % \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ 15
30 0.10\* 15 6.8 20 0\* 0.10\*\* 10 5.8 35 0 0.10\* 58 5.6 45 0 0.10\*
170 5.8 \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ \*Below the 30 ppm
at which hydrocarbons could be reliably detected with the test
instrument. \*\*The CO values all fell between 0.05 and 0.15%.

Since the speeds at which the car was tested when equipped with
the B type mixing and modulating device 50 illustrated in FIGS.
6-8 were not the same as the tests of the A type device 30
illustrated in FIGS. 3-5, a direct comparison of the results
cannot be made. However, it will be observed that, in general
the exhaust emissions for the engine with the B type device 50
were even lower than the ones with the A type device 30.

As a further test of the B type device 50, it was compared with
the Rambler when equipped with its regular carburetor at 35 mph.
and with the dynamometer adjusted to apply approximately 20 road
horsepower at the rear wheels of the car to simulate a power
run. The results of this test are presented in Table III which
further illustrates the significant reductions in undesirable
exhaust emissions with the use of the present invention.

TABLE III \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ 1963 Rambler
at 35 MPH and 20 road load hp HC ppm CO % NO.sub.x ppm O.sub.2 %
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ Reg. Carb. 120 0.49 3360
4.0 Mixing & Mod. 0\* 0.15 650 6.2 Device B
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ \*Below the 30 ppm at
which hydrocarbons could be reliably detected with the test
instrument.

The reason that the liquid fuel and intake air mixing and
modulating device of the present invention produces such
significant reductions in the undesirable exhaust emissions is
due primarily to two correlated factors, namely, the nature and
the uniformity of the entrained fuel and intake air mixture
produced by the device. First, by finely dividing, throughly
mixing and substantially completely entraining the liquid fuel
in the intake air, an essentially uniform air-fuel mixture is
delivered to each cylinder on every cycle. The nature and
uniformity of this air-fuel mixture greatly reduces the cylinder
to cylinder and cycle to cycle variations that tend to produce
misfires and incomplete combustion in conventional carburetor
systems. As a consequence, the air-fuel mixture which may be
utilized in the present invention is substantially leaner than
those heretofore employed.

It is, of course, well known that theoretically complete
combustion should occur at a stoichiometric air-fuel ratio,
namely 15.5:1. It is also well understood that in practice this
theoretically ideal condition does not exist in the cylinders of
a conventionally equipped engine and that as a consequence
carburetors in the past have been set to deliver air-fuel
mixtures richer than stoichiometric. However, at such rich
air-fuel ratios complete combustion cannot take place and
substantial emissions of unburned hydrocarbons and carbon
monoxide occur. Also, because the combustion is incomplete with
these fuel rich mixtures and because of the excess fuel in the
engine cylinders, the final temperature of combustion is lower
than when the fuel and air are burned at the stoichiometric
ratio. This, in turn, tends to reduce the production of the
oxides of nitrogen since their formation is promoted by high
combustion temperatures.

In order to decrease the production of unburned hydrocarbons
and carbon monoxide, carburetors have recently been set to
provide air-fuel mixtures close to or slightly greater than the
stoichiometric ratio. While this has been effective to reduce
hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide emissions due to more complete
combustion of the air-fuel mixture it has also increased the
production of the oxides of nitrogen as a result of the higher
combustion temperatures. In fact, it has been found that
production of the oxides of nitrogen are highest at slightly
leaner than stoichiometric air-fuel ratios.

It is one important aspect of the present invention that due to
the nature and greatly improved uniformity of the air-fuel
mixture produced by the instant devices, the engine can be run
on air-fuel mixtures much leaner than stoichiometric without
misfiring which usually results from intermittently exceeding
the lean limits of the air-fuel ratio on a cylinder to cylinder
or cycle to cycle basis. An air-fuel ratio of 20:1 provides
approximately 30% more oxygen for combustion than is available
at the stoichiometric ratio. Thus, even when complete combustion
of the fuel takes place, the exhaust gas will contain about 5%
free oxygen. Significantly, this free oxygen, with its
associated quota of nitrogen, has been found to be associated
with a reduction in the peak combustion temperature and a
reduction in the formation of the oxides of nitrogen. In this
connection, it will be recalled that one of the exhaust emission
control measures in current use today involves injecting free
air into the exhaust manifold. The present invention, however,
differs from these arrangements in a very important respect.
Here, the excess oxygen is introduced with the fuel as a result
of using an air-fuel ratio on the order of 20:1 and, thus excess
oxygen is present and available during the entire combustion
process.

Turning now to the second important factor of the invention,
i.e., the nature of the air-fuel mixture, it is believed that it
plays an equal, if not greater, role in the reduction of
undesirable exhaust emissions from engines utilizing the present
devices.

By bringing the fuel into contact with the high velocity intake
air passing through the constricted throat of the mixing and
modulating device, the liquid fuel is broken up into finely
divided droplets and entrained in the intake air. It has also
been found that vaporization of the entrained fuel in the
manifold is to be avoided to the extent practical. This can be
achieved by decreasing the heat supplied to the manifold by such
methods as blocking the heat riser, using a lower temperature
thermostat and insulating the manifold. This leads to
significant improvements over present air-fuel induction systems
which require a high degree of fuel vaporization in order to
achieve reasonable results.

Because in the present invention, the fuel need not be
vaporized outside the engine cylinders, the air-fuel mixture
delivered to the cylinders can be cooler, and is more dense for
this reason, and also it is more dense because the finely
divided liquid fuel displaces less volume than does vaporized
fuel. It will be appreciated, of course, that a denser air-fuel
charge produces more power than a less dense one. Thus, the
power output of the engine is increased from this factor.

The temperature of the air-fuel charge at the end of
compression in the present invention is also lower than that in
conventional engines which depend upon heating the intake air to
vaporize the fuel. In part, the lower final compression
temperature in the present invention is due to the lower
temperature of the air-fuel mixture initially drawn into the
cylinders as explained above. However, the final compression
temperature in the present invention is further reduced by
virtue of the use of some of the heat of compression to vaporize
fuel within the cylinders. Moreover, since the final compression
temperature is lower, the combustion temperature will also be
lower in the present invention as compared to conventional
systems. As noted above, less oxides of nitrogen are produced at
lower combustion temperatures.

The lower compression temperature also appears to have a
bearing on the octane requirement of the fuel for a given
engine. Since the compression temperature is lower, the air-fuel
charge for an engine of a given compression ratio is less likely
to self-ignite. Thus, the same fuel can be used in higher
compression ratio engines or a lower octane fuel can be used in
a given compression ratio engine. The latter, of course, permits
a savings in fuel costs because the lower octane fuel is
normally sold at a price below that of the higher octane
"premium" fuel.

The nature of the air-fuel charge of the present invention is
also believed to result in lowering the octane requirement of
the fuel. Apparently, this stems from a modification of the
combustion process resulting from the air-fuel charge as formed
by the mixing and modulating device of the present invention. It
has been found, for example, that, in a 1963 Buick V-8 engine of
215 cubic inch displacement having a 11:1 compression ratio, the
present invention produces excellent results both in terms of
power and low exhaust emissions on unleaded regular gasoline of
about 84-86 octane rating as well as regular grade leaded
gasoline of about 91-92 octane rating. On the other hand, this
engine when equipped with its regular 4-barrel carburetor
required leaded premium grade gasoline of about 98-100 octane
rating.

The results of the tests on the high compression 1963 Buick V-8
engines comparing the regular carburetor with the type B mixing
and modulating device 50 of the present invention are presented
below in Table IV. Again the same test equipment and procedures
as used with the Rambler were employed.

TABLE IV \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ IDLE HC
NO.sub.x Fuel ppm CO % ppm O.sub.2 %
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ Reg. Premium 310 3.6 60
1.3 Carb. Mixing Regular 120 0.15 11 4.6 & Mod. Device
Unleaded 30 0.15 0 4.7 \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ 35
MPH HC NO.sub.x Fuel ppm CO % ppm O.sub.2 % A/F MPG
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ Reg. Premium 350 0.40
1200 2.2 12.5/1 21.6 Carb. Mixing Regular 0\* 0.15 15 6.8 24.2/1
25.5 & Mod. Device Unleaded 15 0.15 35 5.4 23.6/1 19.0
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ 45 MPH HC NO.sub.x Fuel
ppm CO % ppm O.sub.2 % A/F MPG
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ Reg. Premium 300 1.20
1450 1.6 12.5/1 18.0 Carb. Mixing Regular 0\* 0.15 135 8.5 25.2/1
21.5 & Mod. Device Unleaded 0\* 0.15 180 5.0 23.2/1 21.5
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ \*Below the 30 ppm at
which hydrocarbons could be reliably detected with the test
instrument.

From Table IV, it will again be seen that significant
reductions in exhaust emissions result from the use of the
present invention. It will also be noted from the 35 and 45 mph
tests that mixing and modulating device of the present invention
allows the engine to operate at significantly higher air-fuel
ratios and with somewhat lower fuel consumption.

After noting the foregoing results, the Buick engine as
equipped with the type B device was run at 40 mph with normal
road load and the air-fuel ratio was further increased. These
results are shown in Table V and further confirm the improvement
in engine efficiency and its ability to run on unleaded gasoline
as well as the reduction in exhaust emissions.

TABLE V \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ HC NO.sub.x Fuel
ppm CO % ppm O.sub.2 % A/F MPG
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ Mixing Regular 15 0.07 70
11.2 27.8/1 32.6 & Mod. Unit Unleaded 0\* 0.05 260 12.1
31.2/1 37.7 \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ \*Below the 30 ppm at
which hydrocarbons could be reliably detected with the test
instrument.

In all of the foregoing tests, the fuel was introduced into the
device as a spray through the nozzle 40 with approximately 40
psi air pressure used to aspirate the fuel from the nozzle. It
has been found, however, that it is not essential that the fuel
be sprayed into the device. As shown below in Table VI the Buick
engine was also tested with approximately 20 hp applied at the
rear wheels to further explore the efficiency of the present
invention.

TABLE VI \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ HC Power Fuel
ppm CO % NO.sub.x ppm O.sub.2 % hp.
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ Reg. Carb. Premium 180
1.1 2200 2.0 24 Device B 40 psi air Regular 0 0.15 1020 7.0 23
without air Regular 15 0.15 270 6.9 23
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ Actually, under power
conditions the B type device without air pressure at the nozzle
reduced the production of oxides of nitrogen compared to when
the nozzle was supplied with air pressure.

This latter circumstance prompted the design of the liquid fuel
and intake air mixing and modulating device C illustrated in
FIGS. 9-13 of the drawings. Referring first to FIG. 11, it will
be seen that this embodiment of the device C, indicated
generally at 60, like the two previously described embodiments
20 and 30, includes a throat insert 61 defining a converging
portion 62 and a modulator element 63 between which there is
defined a throat in the form of an annular orifice 65. As shown
in FIG. 11 the modulator 63 is in its uppermost position in the
insert 61 and the orifice 65 has its greatest cross-sectional
area.

The modulator 63 is provided with a lower converging end
portion 64 which has an angle of convergence more than the angle
of convergence of the portion 62. In the illustrated embodiment,
the respective angles of convergence of the modulator 63 and of
the portion 62 are 44.degree. and 28.degree.. As previously
explained, these two elements thus define a diffuser section to
convert a substantial portion of the kinetic energy of the high
velocity air to static energy thus permitting sonic air velocity
through the orifice over an extended range of intake manifold
vacuum conditions. The throat insert 61 is also formed with a
diverging lower end portion 66 to further extend the length of
the diffuser section. The similarity of this arrangement with
that schematically illustrated in FIG. 2B will also be apparent
in view of the maximum throat constriction between the throat
insert 61 and modulator 63 being located in a movable plane.

Liquid fuel is supplied to the device 60 through a conduit 68
connected to an annular body 69 in which the throat insert 61 is
mounted. The body 69 is formed with an annular groove 70
communicating with the conduit 68 (see FIGS. 9 and 10) to
distribute the fuel around the outside of the insert 61. Above
the groove 70, the body 69 is formed with an enlarged bore
providing a clearance space 71 between the body 69 and the
insert 61. The fuel flows from the groove 70 up through the
annular clearance space 71 and over a lip 72 at the upper end of
the throat insert 61.

With the modulator in its uppermost position as shown in FIG.
11, the fuel flowing over the lip 72 is immediately subjected to
the high velocity intake air flowing through the constricted
orifice 65. The high velocity air strips the liquid fuel from
the wall and entrains it in finely divided form in the intake
air. The velocity of the intake air is then reduced
substantially as it passes through the diffuser section of the
device 60 and into the intake manifold such that a substantial
and useful portion of the finely divided fuel remains entrained
in the intake air as it passes into the engine cylinders.

To regulate the degree of restriction of the annular orifice
65, the modulator 63 is mounted for axial movement in the throat
insert 61. As seen in FIGS. 9-11 the modulator 63 is centered in
the throat insert 61 by a web 75 connected to the upper end of
the body 69. The modulator carries a ball bearing type nut 76
which receives the threaded end of an operating rod 77. Rotation
of the modulator 63 is prevented by a pin 78 extending
downwardly from the web 75 into an opening in the upper portion
of the modulator. As the rod 77 is rotated, the ball nut 76
causes the modulator 63 to move up or down, depending on the
direction of rotation of the rod, thus changing the
cross-sectional area of the annular orifice 65.

In the illustrated embodiment, rotation of the rod 77 is
effected by a rack and pinion mechanism indicated generally at
80. As seen in FIG. 9, a reciprocating control link 81 is fitted
with a rack portion 82 at one end. The rack 82 engages a pinion
gear 83 mounted on a shaft 84 journalled in bearing in the body
69 of the mechanism 80. The shaft carries another gear 85 that
meshes with a gear 86 on another shaft 87. Another gear 88 on
shaft 87 in turn meshes with a gear 89 on a shaft 90 the lower
end of which carries a sprocket 91 (see FIG. 12). The lower end
of the control rod 77 also carries a sprocket 92 which is
coupled to the sprocket 91 by a suitable chain 93 (see FIG. 13).
As the control link 81 is moved to the right in FIG. 9, the
modulator 63 is moved down as seen in FIG. 11 and vice versa.
The maximum upper and lower positions of the modulator are
adjustably fixed by means of pins 95 and 96 on the link which
abut set screws 97 and 98 on the framework 99 of the device 60.

Control of the fuel admitted to the device 60 is also
coordinated with the constriction in the throat insert 61 by the
modulator 63. To this end, the fuel is supplied under pressure
by a pump 130 (FIG. 16) to a fuel regulating valve 100
connecting the supply line 68 to the body 69 of the device. The
valve 100 includes a metering orifice 101 and a tapered needle
102 which regulates the flow of fuel through the orifice. The
needle is reciprocally mounted in a packing gland 103 of valve
100.

Coordination of the valve 100 with the modulator 63 is achieved
through a link 105 interconnecting the operating link 81 and the
valve needle 102. The link 105 is pinned intermediate its ends
to a block 106 which receives the threaded end 107 of the
needle. At one end the link 105 is provided with a slot 108
which receives a pin 109 on the control link 81 and at the other
end the link has a slot 110 which receives a pin 111 secured in
a block 112 reciprocally mounted in a guide channel 113 defined
in a portion of the frame 99. As the control rod is shifted to
the right in FIG. 9, the link 105 rotates about pin 111 and
moves the needle valve 102 to the right, decreasing the opening
through the metering orifice 101.

To adjust the fuel flow for a given setting of the modulator,
the threaded end 107 of the needle can be screwed in or out of
the block 106 to decrease or increase the fuel flow through the
orifice 101. The rate of change of fuel flow with changes in the
position of the modulator may also be effected by changing the
location of the pivot pin 111 about which the link 105 swings.
This is accomplished by turning a screw 115 which is carried by
the slide 112 and threadedly received in an end plate 116 of the
frame 99. By changing the pivot point of the link 105 the amount
of movement of the needle 102 is changed relative to the control
link 81.

To compensate for the vacuum in the intake manifold which tends
to draw the modulator 63 down into the throat insert 61, the
device 60 is provided with a vacuum feedback means. A vacuum
port 120 is located in the base 121 of the unit and a vacuum
line 122 connects the port to a cylinder 123. A piston 124 in
the cylinder carries a rack 125 engageable with the gear 85. As
the vacuum at the port 120 increases, the piston 124 moves the
rack 125 in a direction to lift the modulator 63 and thereby
reduces the vacuum. This permits a much lower force to be
applied to the control link 81 to adjust the position of the
modulator 63.

The mixing and modulating device 60 illustrated in FIGS. 9-13
has been successfully applied to the engine of a 1970 Ford
Torino. This engine has a displacement of 351 cu. in. and a
10.7:1 compression ratio. It includes a four-barrel carburetor
as standard equipment and premium grade fuel is recommended.

The same test equipment and procedure described above in
connection with the Rambler and Buick engines was employed with
the Ford engine and the results are summarized in Table VII.

TABLE VII \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ HC NO.sub.x
Fuel Octane ppm CO % ppm O.sub.2 %
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ IDLE Reg. Carb. Premium
98 300 4.25 25 0 Mixing & Regular 92 48 0.68 --\* 6.0 Mod.
Device C Unleaded 87 15 0.50 --\* 4.6
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ 45 MPH Reg. Carb. Premium
98 170 0.45 2600 0.7 Mixing & Regular 92 30 0.25 480 6.5
Mod. Device C Unleaded 87 15 --\* 220 7.0 Device C White gas 58
15 0.30 40 7.0 \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ \*No
reading taken.

The results presented in Table VII again demonstrated the
significant reduction in exhaust emissions achieved by use of
the liquid fuel and intake air mixing and modulating device and
method of the present invention. At the same time the octane
requirement of the engine is substantially reduced and the fuel
economy is improved.

In order to permit simultaneous testing of additional
automobiles on the road as well as on the dynamometer, several
more liquid fuel and intake air mixing and modulating devices
were built. Also, a new chassis dynamometer stand together with
more sensitive continuous recording instrumentation was
installed at the test facility.

These additional mixing and modulating devices D are
essentially the same as the one shown in FIGS. 9-13 except that
the throat insert 61d and the modulator 63d were fabricated to
function in accordance with the design schematically shown in
FIG. 2A. In other words, the throat or point of maximum
constriction, in the form of an annular orifice 65d defined
between the throat insert 61d and modulator 63d, is located in a
fixed plane, represented by section line 15--15 in FIG. 14. In
the illustrated embodiment the angle of convergence of the
modulator is 30.degree. and that for the throat insert 61d is
100.degree. above the orifice 65d and 10.degree. below the
orifice. Thus, it will be seen that the throat insert 61d and
the modulator 63d cooperate to form a diffuser section of
gradually increasing cross-sectional area downstream of the
throat.

One of these mixing and modulating devices D with a 1.92 inch
diameter throat was installed on a 1970 Dodge automobile with a
318 cubic inch displacement engine having an 8.8:1 compression
ratio. The improvement in exhaust emissions of this combination,
and its ability to tolerate low octane unleaded fuel and even
kerosene, as compared to the engine equipped with its standard
carburetor is shown in Table VIII.

TABLE VIII \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ 50 MPH Fuel
HC ppm CO % NO.sub.x ppm \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_
Reg. Carb. 100 0.20 3800 Mixing & 87 Octane 35 0.20 270 Mod.
65 Octane 25 0.06 170 Device D 65 Octane 35 0.10 120 Device D
Kerosene 90 0.14 225 \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

Similar results were also obtained with one of the mixing and
modulating devices D having a 2.21 inch diameter throat
installed on a 1970 Chevrolet having a 350 cubic inch V-8 engine
with a 10.25:1 compression ratio. As originally equipped, this
engine has a four-barrel carburetor and requires premium grade
fuel. A comparison of the exhaust emissions produced by this
engine with its normal carburetor and with the mixing and
modulating device D of the present invention is presented in
Table IX.

TABLE IX \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ Fuel HC ppm CO
% NO.sub.x ppm \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ IDLE Reg.
Carb. Premium 200 3.0 100 Mixing & Unleaded 55 0.12 73 Mod.
Regular Device D 50 MPH Reg. Carb. Premium 100 0.20 3800 Mixing
& Unleaded 35 0.20 270 Mod. Regular Device D
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

Further tests were also conducted with the mixing and
modulating device D installed on the engine of a 1958 Cadillac
having a 365 cubic inch displacement and a 10.25:1 compression
ratio. The results of these tests are summarized in Table X.

TABLE X \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ Fuel HC ppm CO %
NO.sub.x ppm \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ IDLE Reg.
Carb. Premium 500 2.5 80 Mixing & Unleaded 118 0.10 40 Mod.
Regular Device D \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ 50 MPH
Reg. Carb. Premium 100 1.2 1800 Mixing & Unleaded 16 0.12
168 Mod. Regular Device D \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

Again, the liquid fuel and intake air mixing and modulating
device D of the present invention produced a substantial
reduction in exhaust emissions and also permitted operation of
the engine on lead-free regular grade gasoline.

It should be appreciated that the data presented in Tables 1-X
was obtained during substantially steady state conditions.
However, the liquid fuel and intake air mixing and modulating
device of the present invention has also been found to provide
substantial reductions in exhaust pollutants when operated
pursuant to the current seven-mode cycle test. (See Fed. Reg.
Vol. 33, No. 108, June 4, 1968) Basically, this test requires
closely controlled operation of the engine on the dynamometer at
certain specified speeds during specified time intervals. The
exhaust emissions produced during the seven-mode cycle are then
computed according to a weighted formula. Although the
seven-mode cycle tests prescribed by the Federal Regulations
require a cold start after at least a 12 hour waiting period,
the test results presented hereinafter are "Hot Cycles"
conducted without the engine returning to ambient temperature.
In all of the seven-mode cycle tests reported herein, the heat
cross-over in the intake manifold was blocked to reduce the
intake manifold temperature.

One of the liquid fuel and intake air mixing and modulating
devices D having a throat and modulator as shown in FIGS. 14 and
15 was installed on the 1970 Chevrolet engine mentioned above
and was operated pursuant to the foregoing seven-mode hot cycle
test. Before presenting the results of these tests, it should be
noted that changes in ignition timing of this engine (as well as
most others) has a significant influence on the emission results
under the seven-mode cycle test. As normally equipped, this
engine has a transmission controlled vacuum actuated advance
mechanism coupled to the distributor (spark ignition device)
which advances the ignition timing up to 35.degree.-40.degree.
before top dead center (BTDC) of the pistons at cruising
conditions in high gear. When the vacuum advance mechanism is
deactivated, the ignition timing is varied with engine speed by
a centrifugal advance mechanism between 4.degree. BTDC at idle
and 20.degree. BTDC at 50 mph. As shown in Table XI deactivating
the vacuum advance mechanism results in cutting the HC and
NO.sub.x emissions approximately in half during the seven-mode
hot cycle tests when the engine is equipped with its standard
four barrel carburetor.

TABLE XI \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ Seven-Mode Hot
Cycles Fuel Vac. Adv. HC ppm CO % NO.sub.x
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ Reg. Carb. Premium Yes
118 0.19 1147 Reg. Carb. Premium No 66 0.23 411 Reg. Carb. Lead
Free Yes 111 0.22 1039 Reg. Carb. Lead Free No 68 0.27 434
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

Substantial improvements in the above results were achieved
when the Chevrolet engine was equipped with a mixing and
modulating device D of the type shown in FIGS. 14 and 15 as may
be seen in Table XII.

TABLE XII \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ Seven-Mode Hot
Cycles Fuel Timing HC ppm CO % NO.sub.x
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ Mixing & Reg.
4.degree.-14.degree. 33 0.18 180 Mod. Unleaded Device D
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

It was noted during both road testing and dynamometer testing
of the 1970 Chevrolet with the mixing and modulating device of
the present invention that it was quite sensitive to changes in
engine temperature and intake manifold vacuum conditions. In
order to compensate for these changing conditions and to achieve
the results of the seven-mode cycle tests presented above, a
more elaborate fuel control system than had been used on the
foregoing steady state tests was adopted. One fuel control
system, which is illustrative only, is shown schematically in
FIG. 16.

When the ignition switch 129 is turned on, fuel is drawn from
the fuel tank by an electric fuel pump 130 set to produce a
pressure of 6.5 psi in a supply line 131. The fuel passes
through a filter 132 connected between the supply line 131 and a
fuel feed line 133. A return line 134 is also connected to the
filter 132 through a restriction 135 such that fuel in excess of
engine demand is constantly filtered and returned to the fuel
tank.

From the feed line 133, the fuel is directed to the needle
valve 100 through parallel branch lines 136 and 137. Branch line
136 includes a constant pressure regulator 138 set at 4.5 psi
and a metering valve 139 controlled by engine manifold vacuum by
a diaphragm actuator 140. Excess fuel delivered to the metering
valve is returned to the fuel tank through return line 141.

Branch line 137 includes three constant pressure regulators
142-144 connected in series and set at 2.5 psi, 2.0 psi and 1.5
psi, respectively. Connected between regulators 142 and 143 and
the downstream end of branch line 137 is a bypass line 145
having a solenoid valve 146. Another bypass line 147 with a
solenoid valve 148 is connected between regulators 143 and 144
and the downstream end of branch line 137. A temperature switch
149 and a pressure switch 150 are connected in parallel to
solenoid 146 and a temperature switch 151 and pressure switch
152 are connected in parallel to solenoid valve 148.

The temperature switches 149 and 151 are disposed to sense
cooling water in the engine jacket and are set to open at
85.degree. F. and 90.degree. F., respectively. The pressure
switches 150 and 152 sense manifold vacuum and are set to open
at 9 inches and 10 inches of mercury vacuum, respectively. An
oil pressure switch 153 set to remain open until oil pressure is
detected is connected in series between ground and each of the
switches 149-152. A source of electrical potential, such as a 12
volt battery is connected to the other end of the coil of each
of the solenoid valves 146 and 148 to complete the respective
electrical circuits.

Another bypass line 155 is connected between pressure regulator
138 and a point in the delivery line 68 between the needle valve
100 and the mixing and modulating unit 60. The by-pass 155
includes a pressure accumulator 157 and a pair of spring loaded
check valves 158 and 159, one on either side of the accumulator.

The primary path of fuel flow to the unit 60 is through branch
line 137 and pressure regulators 142-144 which deliver fuel to
the needle valve 100. During initial operation, when the engine
is cold, additional fuel is supplied to the needle valve 100
through bypass line 145 until the engine water temperature
reaches 85.degree. F. and then through bypass line 147 until the
water temperature reaches 90.degree. F. Thereafter primary fuel
is delivered through branch line 137, passing through all three
pressure regulators 142-144.

As the throttle linkage is moved to open the throat of the
modulator 60, a small quantity of supplementary fuel is also
delivered to the modulator 60 from the accumulator 157. Check
valve 158 is set to open at approximately 4 psi to supply the
accumulator, which is in the form of a small piston and cylinder
combination, from branch line 136. The other check valve 159 is
set to open at approximately 6 psi so that there is no flow
through the accumulator until its piston is advanced by the
throttle linkage increasing the pressure within the accumulator
to above 6 psi.

In the illustrated fuel control system, additional fuel is also
supplied to the unit 60 through bypass lines 145 and 147 when
the engine is under load and the manifold vacuum drops below 9
and 10 inches Hg., respectively. Progressively more fuel is then
supplied through branch line 136 and metering valve 139 when the
manifold vacuum drops below 9 inches Hg. It should be
appreciated, of course, that the foregoing temperature and
pressure conditions are only exemplary and that various other
changes and modifications can be made in the fuel control system
without departing from the present invention.

As previously mentioned herein, the liquid fuel is supplied to
the mixing and modulating device of the present invention in a
fuel delivery zone at or before the point of maximum
constriction defined between the throat insert and the
modulator. This insures that the liquid fuel is subjected to and
finely divided by the shearing action of the high velocity air
flow which increases to sonic at the throat zone and supersonic
just downstream of the throat in the diffuser. Shortly
thereafter, the intake air and entrained fuel droplets pass
through a sonic shock front or zone in the diffuser and the air
abruptly decreases in velocity and the fuel droplets which
continue at high velocity relative to the air are then subjected
to additional shearing action.

A series of experiments have been conducted to investigate the
results of introducing the liquid fuel at various points above
and below the maximum throat constriction. The throat insert of
one of the mixing and modulating devices of the present
invention as shown in FIG. 14 was modified as shown in FIG. 17
to provide an annular fuel feed slot 170 approximately 3/4 inch
below the maximum throat constriction indicated by dash-line
171. This unit was installed on the same 1970 Chevrolet,
previously referred to, and tested on the chassis dynamometer in
accordance with the same test procedures mentioned above. The
results of these tests indicated that the car was operable only
at speeds in excess of 55 mph when the fuel slot 170 is located
3/4 inch below the maximum throat constriction.

At speeds less than 55 mph, the liquid fuel is not broken up
into fine droplets and entrained in the intake air. Rather, the
fuel apparently enters the manifold in sporadic streams or slugs
and the car is not operable. At speeds in excess of 55 mph, the
car would run; however, adjustment of the car for minimum
exhaust emissions was extremely difficult, the fuel valve was
extremely sensitive, and the fuel pressure had to be reduced to
a very low level to achieve control over the emissions. This is
believed to be at least partially due to the fact that the fuel
feed slot 170 is subjected directly to manifold vacuum
conditions when it is located below the throat constriction. The
emission results are shown below in Table XIII.

Another test was then conducted with the fuel feed slot 172
located 0.1 inch below the maximum throat constriction.
Operation of the car was better and the fuel needle response
improved. However, the car still would not operate below 50 mph.
The emission results of this test are also presented in Table
XIII.

A similar test was conducted with the fuel feed slot 173
located 0.1 inch above the maximum throat constriction. The car
now operated at all speeds, but with some difficulty at slower
speeds due to the vacuum effect on the fuel slot which caused
variation in fuel flow and insensitive needle response. The
emission results are presented in Table XIII.

The same experiment was repeated with the fuel feed slot 174
located 0.25 inches above the maximum throat constriction. This
permitted operation with higher fuel pressure and better
response of the needle but the fuel feed slot was still being
affected somewhat by the vacuum due to the close proximity to
the throat constriction. The car was operable at all speeds
including idle. The emission results are shown in Table XIII.

TABLE XIII \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ Feed Slot
Location Speed mph HC ppm CO % NO.sub.x ppm
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ 0.75" below 61 12 0.22
640 0.1" below 60 12 0.17 770 0.1" below 54 5 0.13 240 0.1"
above 45 12 0.35 240 0.25" above 47 28 0.28 258
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

It has been previously noted herein that the intake air flowing
through the mixing and modulating device of the present
invention is accelerated to sonic velocity at the maximum throat
constriction and that with an efficient diffuser section, the
air flow reaches supersonic velocity just inside the diffuser
and then abruptly decreases in velocity as it passes through a
sonic shock front. This was confirmed during the course of the
experiments mentioned above in connection with the location of
the fuel feed slot. A fine gauge hypodermic needle coupled to a
vacuum gauge was inserted axially into the annular orifice
formed between the insert 61d and the modulator 63d during
operation of the car on the dynamometer. The manifold vacuum was
noted and then the needle was withdrawn in measured amounts as
successive vacuum readings were recorded throughout the diffuser
and throat. Typical results of these tests are graphically
plotted in FIG. 18, where O represents the throat constriction
and positive values are downstream of the throat and negative
values are upstream of the throat.

The solid curve in FIG. 18 illustrates the vacuum profile
measured as the probe is withdrawn axially from the diffuser and
the throat of the mixing and modulating device when the manifold
vacuum is 16 inches Hg. This, of course, is above the threshold
vacuum of 14.3 inches Hg. required to produce sonic velocity at
the throat. Moreover, due to the gradually increasing
cross-section of the diffuser section, the velocity of the air
flow continues to increase above sonic velocity as indicated by
that portion of the vacuum profile extending upwardly from the
sonic point (14.3" Hg.) to a vacuum reading of 23.5 inches Hg.
This sharp rise, from sonic to the supersonic peak occurs over a
very short axial distance, only about 0.1 inch in the throat in
this particular unit. It will be understood, however, that this
distance can vary depending on the specific geometry of the
device.

From the supersonic peak, the air velocity then shocks down
abruptly, also within about 0.1 inch in this particular unit, as
indicated by the sharp drop in the vacuum profile as it returns
to the vacuum prevailing generally in the manifold. Both the
rapid acceleration of the air to supersonic velocity and the
abrupt shock back down to subsonic velocity impose high shear
forces on the larger droplets of entrained liquid fuel,
resulting in successive push-pull forces on the heavier fuel
particles entrained in the air. These high shear forces are
instrumental in subdividing any larger drops of liquid fuel into
finer droplet form.

Pursuant to the present invention, the supersonic velocity
through the mixing and modulating device and the subsequent
shock effect in the diffuser section are maintained even at
manifold vacuum conditions below that which would normally
produce sonic velocity through a simple butterfly-valve-type
throttle. This may be seen by reference to the dotted line plot
of vacuum profile shown in FIG. 18 where the general manifold
vacuum is 11.5 inches Hg., and also by noting that at point X a
vacuum of 19.5 inches Hg. was obtained at a manifold vacuum of
only 9.5 inches Hg. which is well below the 14.3 inch Hg. sonic
point. Therefore, it is clear that even at these low manifold
vacuum conditions the diffuser section operates to generate a
supersonic peak velocity and subsequent shock back to below
sonic velocity, as shown by the vacuum profiles plotted in FIG.
18. It should be understood that the curves plotted in FIG. 18
were obtained from a mixing and modulating device as illustrated
in FIG. 17 during the course of the fuel feed slot experiments
described above. In other words, these were vacuum profile plots
obtained while the 1970 Chevrolet was being operated on the
dynamometer. Although the hypodermic probe was very fine and
somewhat flattened, vacuum readings below about 11 inches Hg.
could not be reliably obtained due to surging of the engine on
the dynamometer stand as a result of interfering with the flow
of fuel and air through the clearance space provided by the
annular orifice between the insert 61 and the modulator 63.

In order to confirm the effect that the diffuser section of the
mixing and modulating device illustrated in FIG. 17 had on the
generation of high supersonic peak velocities and abrupt sonic
shock zones as indicated in FIG. 18, a substantial portion of
the diffuser section of the modulator 63d was cut away as
indicated by dash lines in FIG. 17. Only a 1/16 inch section was
left remaining at the very top of this modulator.

Two vacuum profile plots axially through the throat of the
mixing and modulating device as modified above (modulator cut
away) are presented in FIG. 19. The solid curve was plotted at a
manifold vacuum of 17 inches Hg. and the dotted line curve at
13.5 inches Hg. These values are respectively above and below
the threshold vacuum of 14.3 inches Hg. necessary to produce
sonic velocity at the throat. Although this modification still
resulted in the air velocity going into the supersonic range,
the respective peak velocities were much lower than those in
FIG. 18 and these velocities were maintained over a much greater
distance and then quite slowly reduced to manifold conditions.
In other words, the shear forces exerted on the fuel in both the
push and pull directions described above were substantially
reduced in the modified device as indicated by a comparison of
FIGS. 18 and 19. This was confirmed by visual observation of the
droplets produced by the modified device. Much larger droplets
appeared to be produced by the cutaway modulator, illustrated in
dash lines in FIG. 17, than the solid line configuration. The
respective manifold vacuums, peak vacuums and vacuum difference
(all in inches Hg.) for FIGS. 18 and 19 are tabulated below in
Table XIV.

TABLE XIV \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ Vacuum Profile
Man. Vac. Peak Vac. Vac. Diff.
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ Fig. 18 solid line 16.0
23.5 7.5 dash line 11.5 20.0 8.5 point X 9.5 19.5 10.0 Fig. 19
solid line 17.0 20.0 3.0 dash line 13.5 17.2 3.7
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

Since it was clear that the abrupt shock had been lost with the
above described modification, another throat insert and
modulator as shown in FIG. 14 were obtained for further tests.
First, a portion of both the throat insert and modulator in the
diffuser section were cut away from a point beginning 1.2 inches
below the point of maximum constriction of the throat as shown
in the lower dash lines of FIG. 20. This had very little, if
any, effect on the efficiency of the diffuser and a plot of the
vacuum profile of this device appeared very similar in shape and
magnitude to that shown in the solid line curve in FIG. 18.

Subsequently, the throat insert and modulator were cut away
beginning at a point 0.3 inches below the maximum constriction
as shown by the intermediate dash lines in FIG. 20. Two plots of
the vacuum profile of this device are shown in FIG. 21. The
solid curve is at 15.2 inches Hg. manifold vacuum and the dotted
line curve at 13.5 inches Hg. vacuum. These values are also
intermediate those in FIG. 18 and a comparison of these figures
indicates that the respective curves are very similar in both
shape and magnitude. Actually, both the rapid rise and fall of
the velocity in FIG. 21, occurred over an even shorter axial
distance than that in FIG. 18. This indicates that although the
diffuser section was now only 0.3 inch long, a sharp supersonic
peak velocity and subsequent abrupt shock front were still
obtained.

Next, both the insert 61 and modulator 63 were cut away
beginning at only 0.1 inch below the point of maximum
constriction. This resulted in partial destruction of the
diffuser section as may be seen from the two vacuum profiles
plotted in FIG. 22.

Although the respective values of manifold vacuum plotted here
are only slightly below those plotted in FIG. 21, it will be
noted that the respective peaks in FIG. 22 are substantially
lower than those in FIG. 21. Thus, the efficiency of the
diffuser was definitely affected. The respective manifold
vacuums, peak vacuums and vacuum difference in inches Hg. for
FIGS. 21 and 22 are presented in Table XV.

TABLE XV \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ Vacuum Profile
Man. Vac. Peak Vac. Vac. Diff.
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ Fig. 21 solid line 15.2
21.2 6.0 dash line 13.5 20.5 7.0 Fig. 22 solid line 14.5 18.5
4.0 dash line 13.2 16.5 3.3
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_

In view of the sharp velocity peaks and good shock
characteristics as shown in FIG. 21 of the throat insert and
modulator combination represented by the central dash line
embodiment in FIG. 20, it was decided to run additional
seven-mode hot cycles on the 1970 Chevrolet fitted with a type E
device having a regular modulator 63 and a throat insert cut
away at a 6.degree. angle from a point 0.3 inch below the
constriction. Such a type E device is illustrated in the solid
line embodiment of FIG. 23 and the results of these tests are
presented below in Table XVI.

TABLE XVI \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ Fuel Timing HC
ppm CO % NO.sub.x ppm \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_
Reg. Unleaded 92 octane 4.degree.-22.degree. 29 0.15 172 85
Octane unleaded 4.degree.-22.degree. 31 0.12 179 Butane free 75
Octane unleaded 4.degree.-22.degree. 44\* 0.15 159 Butane free 75
Octane unleaded 0.degree.-20.degree. 24 0.14 126 Butane free
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ \*Engine was found to have
dirty oil which was then changed for the next run.

It will be noted that the data presented on the first line of
Table XVI are essentially the same as those in Table XII. This
serves to further verify that the modified device (FIG. 23,
solid line embodiment) with only a short diffuser section was
still quite effective in entraining finely divided fuel droplets
in the intake air over the various speed conditions encountered
in the seven-mode hot cycle test. In addition, this modified
embodiment of the liquid fuel and intake air mixing and
modulating device of the present invention also made it possible
to operate this high compression ratio (10.25:1) engine not only
on low octane, unleaded gasoline but also on such gasoline free
of butane.

In view of the indicated importance of maintaining sonic
velocity and a subsequent shock front in the mixing and
modulating device of the present invention, an attempt was made
to determine at what manifold vacuum level this condition would
be lost. As previously noted, the level of manifold vacuum at
which the device just fails to maintain sonic velocity at the
throat is referred to herein as the unchoking point.

Initially, data from the foregoing tests was collected and
plotted for those manifold vacuum conditions for which the probe
technique had been employed. By extrapolating these data it was
concluded that the mixing and modulating devices C (FIG. 11) and
E (solid line FIG. 23) had unchoke points of about 3.5 inches
Hg. and 5.5 inches Hg., respectively.

These extrapolated values were subsequently verified on bench
test equipment and more sensitive instrumentation which became
available for further experiments. The bench tests established
that the mixing and modulating device C illustrated in FIG. 11
had unchoke points ranging between 3.3 to 3.7 inches Hg.,
respectively, at conditions simulating engine operating speeds
from idle to 50 mph. The unchoke points for the mixing and
modulating device D illustrated in FIG. 14 were found to range
between 5.5 to 6.5 inches Hg., for speeds corresponding to idle
and 50 mph, respectively. In addition, the type E device having
a throat insert with a cut-away diffuser section together with a
standard modulator (solid line embodiment of FIG. 23) was found
to have similar unchoke points ranging between 5.5 to 6.5 inches
Hg.

During actual operation of the mixing and modulating device C
(FIG. 11) as well as during the above-mentioned bench tests, the
modulator 63 is located well below the position shown in FIG.
11. This results in a much narrower annular orifice 65 and also
exposes a portion of the converging duct portion 62, above the
top of modulator 63, as a lead-in to the annular orifice 65.
Since the angle of convergence of this throat portion is
28.degree., the half angle or slope of each wall portion is
14.degree. with respect to the center line. In contrast, the
modified devices illustrated in the solid line embodiments of
FIGS. 20 and 23 have a half angle of 50.degree. for the
converging entrance portion leading into the fixed point of
maximum constriction.

A series of additional experiments on the above-mentioned bench
test equipment has now established that changes in the entrance
half angle to the throat constriction have a definite effect on
the unchoking points of the mixing and modulating devices of the
present invention. First, the entrance half angle of the throat
insert shown in FIG. 14 was changed from 50.degree. to
25.degree. as shown in the lower dash line of FIG. 23. The
unchoke points remained about the same, i.e. 5.5 to 6.5 inches
Hg. vacuum at 50 mph, but the performance at idle appeared
better. Next, the entrance half angle was changed to 15.degree.
as shown in the upper dash line of FIG. 23. This resulted in a
significant reduction of the respective unchoke points to 3.7 to
4.2 inches Hg. vacuum from idle to 50 mph. It will also be noted
that those values are very close to the unchoke points of
3.3-3.7 inches Hg. obtained for device C (FIG. 11) having an
entrance half angle of 14.degree..

A further modification of the device shown in FIG. 23 was made
by extending the top of the modulator as shown in dotted lines
such that it too had an entrance half angle of about 15.degree..
When this modulator was tested with the modified throat insert
having an entrance half angle of 15.degree., the unchoke point
at 50 mph was reduced from 4.2 to 3.5 inches Hg. vacuum.
However, the unchoke point at idle increased from 317 to 5.5
inches Hg. vacuum. Another test was then made with the extended
modulator and the original throat insert having a 50.degree.
half angle entrance. This resulted in unchoke points of 3.5 and
5.5 inches Hg. vacuum, respectively, at idle and 50 mph,
essentially the reverse of the preceding modification. It would
appear that the optimum entrance half angle for the mixing and
modulating device illustrated in FIG. 23 is somewhere between
these illustrated embodiments.

While the foregoing changes in the entrance half angle
demonstrate the importance of this parameter in extending the
range of operating conditions at which sonic velocity can be
maintained, the importance of at least a short and efficient
diffuser section should not be overlooked. In this connection,
the unchoke points for the mixing and modulating device C (FIG.
11) were lowered by 1.2 inch Hg. by cutting away a portion of
the diffuser as shown in dash lines in FIG. 24. The respective
unchoke points for this embodiment were 2.7 and 3.2 inches Hg.
vacuum, respectively, for idle and 50 mph. These are the best
results that have thus far been obtained with one of the mixing
and modulating devices of the present invention that has also
been suitable for installation on an automobile engine to
produce the significant reductions in exhaust emissions
described herein.

In theory, however, it would appear that the unchoke points
could be further extended down to perhaps as low as 1 to 2
inches Hg. by providing an entrance half angle on the order of
about 6.degree. together with a nearly optimized diffuser
section. However, both of these factors would tend to increase
the axial extent of the mixing and modulating device and also
require a correspondingly greater amount of axial movement of
the modulator in order to cover the full range of engine
operating conditions as compared with the embodiments of the
invention disclosed and described herein. Whether such a
theoretically optimized unit could be practically fitted within
the engine compartment of an automobile remains to be seen.
Moreover, since engine intake vacuum rarely drops below about 5
inches Hg., except under extremely aggressive driving
conditions, it will be appreciated that either of the
embodiments of the present invention illustrated in FIGS. 11 and
14 provide for sonic velocity of the intake air over
substantially the entire range of engine operation. Finally, as
indicated in connection with the modifications discussed in
connection with FIGS. 23 and 24 either of these embodiments can
be rather easily modified to lower their unchoke points down to
about 2.5-3.5 inches Hg. vacuum should it be deemed necessary or
desirable to extend the range of engine operating conditions to
this degree.

The operation of the liquid fuel and intake air mixing and
modulating device of the present invention is quite different
than that of a conventional carburetor. First, although
conventional carburetors employ one or more venturi sections in
which the velocity of intake air is increased, these venturi
sections are provided for the purpose of metering the amount of
fuel fed into the intake air. In order to achieve this metering
function, the venturi must operate far below the sonic velocity,
because once sonic velocity is reached, the flow through the
venturi is fixed and the ability of the venturi to perform its
metering function is lost. Second, although the butterfly-valve
throttle in a conventional carburetor does produce sonic
velocity over a portion of the range of intake manifold vacuum
conditions at which the engine is operated, i.e. at vacuum
conditions above about 12 inches Hg., as its typical unchoked
point its range is obviously quite limited. Third, such throttle
constrictions do not produce sharp supersonic peak velocities
and abrupt shock fronts because there is no effective diffuser
section associated with the throttle and the throttle opening is
asymmetric. The absence of such a diffuser section also results
in the velocity of the intake air falling well below sonic
velocity when the manifold vacuum drops below the unchoking
point of about 12 inches Hg.

In contrast, the liquid fuel and intake air mixing and
modulating device of the present invention is effective to
produce sonic velocity at the throat and supersonic velocity
peaks and subsequent abrupt shock fronts in the diffuser section
over substantially the entire range of engine operations
conditions. The shearing action provided by these sharp velocity
gradients breaks the liquid fuel into finely divided droplets so
that a substantial and useful portion of the liquid fuel remains
entrained in the intake air as it passes into the intake
manifold. Due to the nature and uniformity of the resulting
air-fuel charge, combustion is more complete over a wide range
of air-fuel ratios and takes place at a lower temperature and
possibly by a somewhat modified combustion process. As a result,
undesirable exhaust emissions are substantially reduced and at
the same time the engine is capable of operating on unleaded
fuel having a much lower octane rating than would otherwise be
required.

While the invention has been described in connection with
certain preferred embodiments and procedures in the foregoing
specification, we do not intend the invention to be limited
thereby. Rather, the invention should be construed as embracing
such alternate and equivalent embodiments as fall within the
scope of the appended claims.

---

**Fine particle separation apparatus**   
**US4279627**   
**1981-07-21**   
**Abstract ---** An apparatus for separating almost all fine
particles, including particles less than 10 microns in diameter,
from a gas stream, which requires the input of only a small
amount of water and which discharges a correspondingly small
amount of particle-water slurry. The apparatus includes a
vertical cylindrical chamber having a relatively wide upstream
portion that gradually narrows in a transition portion into an
elongated throat portion. A central core member extends axially
along the throat portion and forms an elongated annular passage.
A high velocity gas stream containing fine particles is
generally tangentially introduced into the wide upstream portion
of the conduit to provide a circulatory flow. Water is
introduced through a plurality of parts in the transition
portion downstream therefrom, to provide a thin layer of water
along the outer walls of the throat. The high velocity
circulatory flow of the particle-laden gas along the annular
throat region causes fine particles to migrate radially
outwardly under high centrifugal forces into the water layer.
The water-particle slurry is discharged through a slot in the
outer wall of the lower portion of the throat region. The
substantially particle-free gas passes through a radial diffuser
section therebelow.

---

**Flow device and method**   
**DE2946232**   
**1980-06-26**

**Automotive exhaust gas recirculation valve**   
**DE2829956**   
**1979-01-25**

**FLUID FLOW DEVICE FOR PRODUCING A COMBUSTIBLE AIR-LIQUID
FUEL MIXTURE**   
**CA1049867**   
**1979-03-06**

**ROTATING RADIAL SCREEN FILTER**   
**CA1048419**   
**1979-02-13**

---

**Berriman's Other Patents**
> **Ammonia storage and injection in NOx control**   
> **AT382418T**   
> **2008-01-15**
>
> **ENGINE EMISSIONS NOX REDUCTION**   
> **EP1868705**   
> **2007-12-26**
>
> **Dual fuel source diesel engine**   
> **HK1068939**   
> **2007-11-23**
>
> **DIVERTER FOR CATALYTIC CONVERTER**   
> **EP1743090**   
> **2007-01-17**
>
> **VARIABLE THROAT VENTURI APPARATUS FOR MIXING AND
> MODULATING LIQUID FUEL AND INTAKE AIR TO AN INTERNAL
> COMBUSTION ENGINE**   
> **CA1033635**   
> **1978-06-27**
>
> **METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING AN AIR-FUEL MIXTURE FOR
> INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES**   
> **CA1032042**   
> **1978-05-30**
>
> **ROTATING SCREEN FILTERS**   
> **CA1016471**   
> **1977-08-30**
>
> **FLUID SEPARATION APPARATUS AND METHOD**   
> **CA984761**   
> **1976-03-02**
>
> **FLUID COMPENSATOR VALVE**   
> **CA963763**   
> **1975-03-04**
>
> **METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MIXING AND MODULATING LIQUID FUEL
> AND INTAKE AIR FOR AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE**   
> **CA940788**   
> **1974-01-29**
>
> **METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MIXING AND MODULATING LIQUID FUEL
> AND INTAKE AIR FOR AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE**   
> **CA932603**   
> **1973-08-28**
>
> **UPGRADED EMISSIONS REDUCTION SYSTEM**   
> **WO2005022117**   
> **2005-03-10**
>
> **Diverter for catalytic converter**   
> **US2004050040**   
> **2004-03-18**
>
> **DUAL FUEL SOURCE DIESEL ENGINE**   
> **WO03008776**   
> **2003-01-30**
>
> **Fuel-air mixer**   
> **US2002060374**   
> **2002-05-23**
>
> **AMMONIA INJECTION IN NOx CONTROL**   
> **WO9739226**   
> **1997-10-23**
>
> **Ammonia injection in NOx control**   
> **US5992141**   
> **1999-11-30**
>
> **Engine NOx reduction**   
> **US5609026**   
> **1997-03-11**
>
> **ENGINE NOx REDUCTION SYSTEM**   
> **WO9321432**   
> **1993-10-28**
>
> **VORRICHTUNG ZUR NOx-REDUKTION VON BRENNKRAFTMASCHINEN**
>   
> **DE69220969T**   
> **1998-01-22**
>
> **Engine nox reduction system**   
> **AU2183692**   
> **1993-11-18**
>
> ---
>
>  
>
> **www.byronwine.com/files/Pea%20research.pdf**   
> **www.svpvril.com/svpnotes/FREE\_139709.html**   
> **www.bibliotecapleyades.net/ciencia/supressed\_inventions/suppressed\_inventions43.htm**
>   
> **www.reachone.net/~trufax/online/11/energy2.html**   
> **www.streetmachinesoftablerock.com/energy.html**   
> **www.rohnermachine.com/Files/Energysuppression.pdf**   
> **tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/free\_energy/message/2026**   
> **marypotter.wordpress.com**   
> **www.giuli.com/meg/Mathernitha.pdf**   
> **quanthomme.free.fr/energielibre/systemes/PageChercheurAEC3.htm**
>
> ---

---