An internal combustion engine in which a required reformed-fuel heat generation quantity (required output cylinder heat generation quantity) is calculated based on a required engine power and the thermal efficiency of an output cylinder. An estimated reformed fuel heat generation quantity is calculated based on the molar number of reformed fuel, mole fraction of each gas component in the reformed fuel, and heat generation quantity of each gas component in the reformed fuel. When a value resulting from subtracting the estimated reformed fuel heat generation quantity from the required reformed-fuel heat generation quantity is negative, a fuel reforming operation is not executed, assuming that there is a possibility that surplus reformed fuel may be generated. For example, a fuel supply from an injector to a fuel reformation chamber is stopped.

A spark-ignited (SI) internal combustion (IC) engine designed to operate on high octane fuels, such as gasoline, is reconfigured to operate on low octane fuels including logistically preferred distillate fuels, such as diesel or JP-8. Design modifications involve coupling a fuel reformer module to the internal combustion engine. Auxiliary components include a system control module, a heat exchange module, a bypass valve to facilitate start-up, and/or a throttle body to control a reformate-oxidizer mixture fed to the engine. Small portable generators having 0.3-3.0 kWe power output are disclosed based upon the modified SI-IC engine design.

A spark-ignited (SI) internal combustion (IC) engine designed to operate on high octane fuels, such as gasoline, is reconfigured to operate on low octane fuels including logistically preferred distillate fuels, such as diesel or JP-8. Design modifications involve coupling a fuel reformer module to the internal combustion engine. Auxiliary components include a system control module, a heat exchange module, a bypass valve to facilitate start-up, and/or a throttle body to control a reformate-oxidizer mixture fed to the engine. Small portable generators having 0.3-3.0 kWe power output are disclosed based upon the modified SI-IC engine design.

A process of operating a spark-ignited internal combustion engine (SI-ICE) with improved fuel efficiency and reduced emissions including under steady state and under lean-operating conditions at high overall air to fuel (AFR) ratios. A first supply of high octane hydrocarbon fuel, such as gasoline or natural gas, and a first supply of oxidant are fed to a fuel reformer to produce a gaseous reformate with a reforming efficiency of greater than 75 percent relative to equilibrium. The gaseous reformate is mixed with a second supply of oxidant, after which the resulting reformate blended oxidant is fed with a second supply of high octane hydrocarbon fuel to the SI-ICE for combustion. Steady state fuel efficiency is improved by more than 3 percent, when the reformate comprises from greater than about 1 to less than about 18 percent of the total volume of reformate blended oxidant fed to the engine.

A process of operating a spark-ignited internal combustion engine (SI-ICE) with improved fuel efficiency and reduced emissions including under steady state and under lean-operating conditions at high overall air to fuel (AFR) ratios. A first supply of high octane hydrocarbon fuel, such as gasoline or natural gas, and a first supply of oxidant are fed to a fuel reformer to produce a gaseous reformate with a reforming efficiency of greater than 75 percent relative to equilibrium. The gaseous reformate is mixed with a second supply of oxidant, after which the resulting reformate blended oxidant is fed with a second supply of high octane hydrocarbon fuel to the SI-ICE for combustion. Steady state fuel efficiency is improved by more than 3 percent, when the reformate comprises from greater than about 1 to less than about 18 percent of the total volume of reformate blended oxidant fed to the engine.

The present invention concerns a closed cycle combustion system for endothermic engines M, comprising: Means Z for filtering combustion air entering in endothermic engines M; Means A for molecular re-aggregation of the oxygen supplied by said means Z and entering in endothermic engines M; Tanks T for fuels or composite mixtures for feeding endothermic engines M; Means E for producing oxygen and hydrogen; Means I for the introduction into endothermic engines M of fuels or composite mixtures from tanks T, together with oxygen and hydrogen from said means E; Means R for exhaust gases recovery released by endothermic engines M and for the partial reintroduction of said exhaust gases into combustion or reaction chambers of said endothermic engines M; Means RD for cooling the exhaust gases reintroduced into said combustion or reaction chambers of said endothermic engines M; Means C1 and C2 for filtering the exhaust gases released from endothermic engines M, and supplied by means R; Means for confining the polluting substances obtained from the filtering of said exhaust gases released from said endothermic engines M, supplied by said means R.

The present invention concerns a closed cycle combustion system for endothermic engines M, comprising: Means Z for filtering combustion air entering in endothermic engines M; Means A for molecular re-aggregation of the oxygen supplied by said means Z and entering in endothermic engines M; Tanks T for fuels or composite mixtures for feeding endothermic engines M; Means E for producing oxygen and hydrogen; Means I for the introduction into endothermic engines M of fuels or composite mixtures from tanks T, together with oxygen and hydrogen from said means E; Means R for exhaust gases recovery released by endothermic engines M and for the partial reintroduction of said exhaust gases into combustion or reaction chambers of said endothermic engines M; Means RD for cooling the exhaust gases reintroduced into said combustion or reaction chambers of said endothermic engines M; Means C1 and C2 for filtering the exhaust gases released from endothermic engines M, and supplied by means R; Means for confining the polluting substances obtained from the filtering of said exhaust gases released from said endothermic engines M, supplied by said means R.

A solid fuel power source that provides at least one of thermal and electrical power such as direct electricity or thermal to electricity is further provided that powers a power system comprising (i) at least one reaction cell for the catalysis of atomic hydrogen to form hydrinos, (ii) a chemical fuel mixture comprising at least two components chosen from: a source of H2O catalyst or H2O catalyst; a source of atomic hydrogen or atomic hydrogen; reactants to form the source of H2O catalyst or H2O catalyst and a source of atomic hydrogen or atomic hydrogen; one or more reactants to initiate the catalysis of atomic hydrogen; and a material to cause the solid fuel to be highly conductive, (iii) at least one set of electrodes that confine the fuel and an electrical power source that provides a short burst of low-voltage, high-current electrical energy to initiate rapid kinetics of the hydrino reaction and an energy gain due to forming hydrinos, (iv) a product recovery systems such as a condenser (v) a reloading system, (vi) at least one of hydration, thermal, chemical, and electrochemical systems to regenerate the fuel from the reaction products, (vii) a heat sink that accepts the heat from the power-producing reactions, (viii) a power conversion system that may comprise a direct plasma to electric converter such as a plasmadynamic converter, magnetohydrodynamic converter, electromagnetic direct (crossed field or drift) converter, direct converter, and charge drift converter or a thermal to electric power converter such as a Rankine or Brayton-type power plant.

A solid fuel power source that provides at least one of thermal and electrical power such as direct electricity or thermal to electricity is further provided that powers a power system comprising (i) at least one reaction cell for the catalysis of atomic hydrogen to form hydrinos, (ii) a chemical fuel mixture comprising at least two components chosen from: a source of H2O catalyst or H2O catalyst; a source of atomic hydrogen or atomic hydrogen; reactants to form the source of H2O catalyst or H2O catalyst and a source of atomic hydrogen or atomic hydrogen; one or more reactants to initiate the catalysis of atomic hydrogen; and a material to cause the solid fuel to be highly conductive, (iii) at least one set of electrodes that confine the fuel and an electrical power source that provides a short burst of low-voltage, high-current electrical energy to initiate rapid kinetics of the hydrino reaction and an energy gain due to forming hydrinos, (iv) a product recovery systems such as a condenser (v) a reloading system, (vi) at least one of hydration, thermal, chemical, and electrochemical systems to regenerate the fuel from the reaction products, (vii) a heat sink that accepts the heat from the power-producing reactions, (viii) a power conversion system that may comprise a direct plasma to electric converter such as a plasmadynamic converter, magnetohydrodynamic converter, electromagnetic direct (crossed field or drift) converter, direct converter, and charge drift converter or a thermal to electric power converter such as a Rankine or Brayton-type power plant.

A process of operating a spark-ignited internal combustion engine (SI-ICE) with improved fuel efficiency and reduced emissions including under steady state and under lean-operating conditions at high overall air to fuel (AFR) ratios. A first supply of high octane hydrocarbon fuel, such as gasoline or natural gas, and a first supply of oxidant are fed to a fuel reformer to produce a gaseous reformate with a reforming efficiency of greater than 75 percent relative to equilibrium. The gaseous reformate is mixed with a second supply of oxidant, after which the resulting reformate blended oxidant is fed with a second supply of high octane hydrocarbon fuel to the SI-ICE for combustion. Steady state fuel efficiency is improved by more than 3 percent, when the reformate comprises from greater than about 1 to less than about 18 percent of the total volume of reformate blended oxidant fed to the engine.