Vapor pressure enhancer

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device that installs in-line in the fuel supply line of fuel usage equipment such as a HVAC system or a large commercial natural gas or diesel generator. The device is suitable for use with liquid or gas hydrocarbon fuels such as gasoline, diesel, propane, or natural gas. The device consists of a hollow cylinder with male ends and that contains a tightly packed copper wire core. The copper wire serves as a catalyst to crack the fuel's carbon chain molecules as the fuel flows through the device. The resulting fuel contains more and shorter fuel molecules, has a higher vapor pressure and burns more efficiently in the vehicle's engine. The copper wire is held in place by perforated copper keepers and the keepers are secured within the cylinder by snap rings that engage circumferential grooves provided internally at the ends of the cylinder.

Claims

1. A method of making a vapor pressure enhancer for installation in-line in a fuel line that supplies fuel to fuel usage equipment comprising: seating a first snap ring in a first circumferential groove provided internally within a first male threaded end of a hollow cylinder, inserting a first perforated copper keeper disc into the hollow cylinder via the opposite second male threaded end of the cylinder, inserting a core of tightly packed copper wire into the hollow cylinder via the second male threaded end of the cylinder, inserting a second perforated copper keeper disc into the hollow cylinder via the second male threaded end of the cylinder, and seating a second snap ring in a second circumferential groove provided internally within the second male threaded end of the hollow cylinder.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1 is side view of a vapor pressure enhancer constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention as it would appear before being installed in-line in a fuel line supplying fuel to fuel usage equipment.

(2) FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the vapor pressure enhancer of FIG. 1 showing the hollow cylinder, the tightly packed copper wire core that inserts into the hollow cylinder, two perforated copper keepers for holding the copper wire core within the cylinder, and two snap rings for retaining the keepers in place on either end of the cylinder.

(3) FIG. 3 is cross sectional view of the vapor pressure enhancer taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 1.

(4) FIG. 4 is a top plan view of one of the keepers of FIG. 2 shown removed from the cylinder.

(5) FIG. 5 is a top plan view of one of the snap rings of FIG. 2 shown removed from the cylinder.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

(6) Referring now to the drawings and initially to FIGS. 1-3, there is illustrated a vapor pressure enhancer 10 constructed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 shows the vapor pressure enhancer 10 as it would appear before being installed in-line in a fuel line that supplies fuel to fuel usage equipment.

(7) Referring also to FIGS. 2 and 3, the enhancer 10 includes a hollow tube or cylinder 12 that is provided with two male threaded ends 14 that are welded, machined into the cylinder or otherwise secured to each of the two ends 16 of the hollow cylinder 12. The cylinder 12 and the male threaded ends 14 are all preferably constructed of steel.

(8) Inside the hollow cylinder 12, the enhancer 10 is provided with a tightly packed core 18 constructed of copper wire. Referring also to FIGS. 4 and 5, the core 18 is held within the hollow cylinder 12 by a keeper 20 and snap ring 22 provided on each end 16 of the cylinder 12. Each keeper 20 is preferably constructed of a perforated copper disc. The cylinder 12 is provided internally with two circumferential grooves 24 located on each end 16 of the cylinder 12 into which the snap rings 22 secure to hold the keepers 20 against the opposite ends 26 of the core 18.

(9) With the enhancer 10 installed in a fuel supply line, the fuel that flows through the fuel line must pass through the hollow cylinder 12 of the enhancer 10. The fuel flows through the perforations 28 in the keeper 20, then contacts the tightly packed copper wire core 18 before passing through the second keeper 20 and then out of the enhancer 10. The copper wire of the core 18 serves as a catalyst to break the longer chain molecules of the fuel into shorter molecules. The fuel pressure activates the copper catalyst to cause this catalytic cracking or breaking of the fuel molecules.

(10) The large surface area of the copper wire core 18 causes better contact between the fuel and the catalyst, resulting in more fuel molecules being broken into shorter molecules. Breaking fuel molecules creates more total fuel molecules available for burning. This results in a fuel that has a higher vapor pressure and that burns more efficiently.

(11) In addition to holding the copper wire core 18 in place within the cylinder 12, the copper keepers 20 also tend to filter the fuel and to enhance the catalytic process. The snap rings 22 can be removed from the cylinder 12 in order to remove and clean the copper keepers 20 of any debris that may enter the cylinder 12 from the fuel source.

(12) While the invention has been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is manifest that many changes may be made in the details of construction and the arrangement of components without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure. It is understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments set forth herein for the purposes of exemplification, but is to be limited only by the scope of the attached claim or claims, including the full range of equivalency to which each element thereof is entitled.