Based on a determination result by a nitrogen concentration determination section, an electronic control unit changes a switching line used to switch between a differential state and a non-differential state of a differential mechanism and a gear shift line used to switch a gear stage of an automatic transmission mechanism. In conjunction with a change of an engine operation point to a high-speed side in a nitrogen-enriched state of intake air, a first motor rotational speed in the differential state of the differential mechanism becomes higher than that in a non-enriched state of the intake air. Thus, corresponding to the above, the differential mechanism is appropriately switched between the differential state and the non-differential state, and the gear stage of the automatic transmission mechanism is appropriately switched.

The specification and drawings present a new apparatus and method for continuously providing an oxygen-enriched gas/air using a relative motion of selected surface(s) of an apparatus (such as fossil-fueled combustion device/vehicle) relative to an atmospheric air with a speed exceeding a threshold value for, e.g., improving combustion, exhaust and related properties of the apparatus. An oxygen-enriched gas/air layer can be formed along/near each aforementioned surface from the atmospheric air due to pushing the atmospheric air along the surface(s) during that relative motion and collected by corresponding collector gate(s) located inside the apparatus near/adjacent to the corresponding surface. The apparatus can be an object (e.g., a vehicle) moving through the atmospheric air with a relative speed exceeding the threshold value. Alternatively, the apparatus can be a stationary object (e.g., a power generator) while the atmospheric air, having a desired speed exceeding the threshold value, is moved/blown toward the stationary object.

A reformer assembly includes a vortex tube receiving heated fuel mixed with steam. A catalyst coats the inner wall of the main tube of the vortex tube and a hydrogen-permeable tube is positioned in the middle of the main tube coaxially with the main tube. With this structure the vortex tube outputs primarily Hydrogen from one end and Carbon-based constituents from the other end. In some embodiments a second vortex tube receives the Carbon output of the first vortex tube to establish a water gas shift reactor, producing Hydrogen from the Carbon output of the first vortex tube.

A reformer assembly includes a vortex tube receiving heated fuel mixed with steam. A catalyst coats the inner wall of the main tube of the vortex tube and a hydrogen-permeable tube is positioned in the middle of the main tube coaxially with the main tube. With this structure the vortex tube outputs primarily Hydrogen from one end and Carbon-based constituents from the other end. In some embodiments a second vortex tube receives the Carbon output of the first vortex tube to establish a water gas shift reactor, producing Hydrogen from the Carbon output of the first vortex tube.

Fuel reform apparatus includes: internal combustion engine including injector and configured so that compression-ignition combustion is carried out in combustion chamber; reform unit interposed in fuel supply path from fuel tank to injector and including reformer reforming fuel stored in fuel tank by oxidation reaction; ignition timing detector detecting ignition timing of fuel in combustion chamber; and controller including CPU and memory. Controller performs: determining whether fuel has been supplied into fuel tank; determining whether reforming is needed based on ignition timing when it is determined that fuel has been supplied; controlling operation of reform unit so as to reform fuel stored in fuel tank to supply to injector when it is determined that reforming is needed; and controlling operation of reform unit so as to supply fuel stored in fuel tank to injector without reforming when it is determined that reforming is not needed.

Fuel reform apparatus includes: internal combustion engine including injector and configured so that compression-ignition combustion is carried out in combustion chamber; reform unit interposed in fuel supply path from fuel tank to injector and including reformer reforming fuel stored in fuel tank by oxidation reaction; ignition timing detector detecting ignition timing of fuel in combustion chamber; and controller including CPU and memory. Controller performs: determining whether fuel has been supplied into fuel tank; determining whether reforming is needed based on ignition timing when it is determined that fuel has been supplied; controlling operation of reform unit so as to reform fuel stored in fuel tank to supply to injector when it is determined that reforming is needed; and controlling operation of reform unit so as to supply fuel stored in fuel tank to injector without reforming when it is determined that reforming is not needed.

A system for monitoring fuel additives on board a vehicle includes a fuel line carrying fuel from a fuel source to an engine; a fuel additive sensor configured to measure concentration of additives in fuel at a point along the fuel line; a fuel additive dispenser connected in parallel to the fuel line; at least one flow control device for controlling an amount of flow from the fuel line into the fuel additive dispenser; and a controller configured to receive input from the fuel additive sensor and to control the flow control device to adjust the amount of the flow from the fuel line into the fuel additive dispenser.

An engine includes a reformer, a reforming-air adjuster, a reforming-fuel supply unit, a reformed-gas adjuster, and a control unit. The reformer is configured to reform fuel into a reformed gas. When a start signal is input, the control unit controls the reforming-air adjuster and the reforming-fuel supply unit to a reformable state in which the fuel is reformable in the reformer, and the control unit controls the reformed-gas adjuster so that the reformed gas flows through the reformed-gas adjuster with a degree of opening smaller than a normal degree of opening that is a degree of opening of the reformed-gas adjuster when composition of the reformed gas is in a stable state before the composition of the reformed gas becomes in the stable state, for a given period of time including at least a period immediately after the engine starts.

An engine includes a reformer, a reforming-air adjuster, a reforming-fuel supply unit, a reformed-gas adjuster, and a control unit. The reformer is configured to reform fuel into a reformed gas. When a start signal is input, the control unit controls the reforming-air adjuster and the reforming-fuel supply unit to a reformable state in which the fuel is reformable in the reformer, and the control unit controls the reformed-gas adjuster so that the reformed gas flows through the reformed-gas adjuster with a degree of opening smaller than a normal degree of opening that is a degree of opening of the reformed-gas adjuster when composition of the reformed gas is in a stable state before the composition of the reformed gas becomes in the stable state, for a given period of time including at least a period immediately after the engine starts.

In an aspect, a system includes a mixer configured to mix a fuel stream with a solvent to form a mixed stream, the solvent having a higher affinity for a second component of the fuel stream than for a first component of the fuel stream. The system includes a first separator configured to separate the mixed stream into (i) a first fuel fraction including the first component of the fuel stream and (ii) a mixed fraction including the second component of the fuel stream based on a difference in volatility of the first fuel fraction and the mixed fraction. The system includes a second separator configured to separate the mixed fraction into a second fuel fraction including the second component of the fuel stream and a solvent fraction.