Compositions and methods to reduce global warming caused by gasoline and spark ignited internal combustion engines

Abstract

Combustion charge compositions comprised of a gasoline-like fuel and air for use in spark ignited internal combustion engines and methods to reduce global warming are described.

Claims

1. A combustion charge composition for use in spark ignited internal combustion engines with said composition being comprised of a gasoline type fuel and air wherein said fuel contains as part of its specification: a. 95 to 100 percent by weight of liquid hydrocarbon volatiles; b. an octane number (R+M)/2 range of 70 to 81; and c. Reid vapor pressure ranges of 6 psi or less (summer) and 6 psi or more (winter) both depending on ambient conditions, and wherein said air is ambient air falling within a variable air to fuel weight ratio range of 15:1 to over 30:1.

2. A method to lower global warming comprising one or more of the following: (a) lowering global warming by using the composition of claim 1 but further limiting the oxygenate level to 5 percent by weight or less; (b) lowering global warming caused by gasoline and spark ignited internal combustion engines by regulating the amount of the fuel of claim 1 that is injected into the air of said composition of claim 1 within a variable air to fuel ratio range of 15:1 to over 30:1 based on the power demand on said engines; (c) lowering global warming caused by gasoline and spark ignited internal combustion engines by regulating the amount of the fuel of claim 1 that is injected into the air of said composition of claim 1 within a variable air to fuel ratio range of 15:1 to over 30:1 based on the power demand on said engines but further limiting the oxygenate level to 5 percent by weight or less; (d) lowering global warming by using the fuels of claim 1 which require less energy to vaporize than current gasoline; and (e) lowering global warming by reducing exhaust pollutants from small spark ignited internal combustion engines or other spark ignited internal combustion engines not having catalytic converters by using the combustion charges of claim 1.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said method comprises lowering global warming by using the composition of claim 1 but further limiting the oxygenate level to 5 percent by weight or less.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said method comprises lowering global warming caused by gasoline and spark ignited internal combustion engines by regulating the amount of the fuel of claim 1 that is injected into the air of said composition of claim 1 within a variable air to fuel ratio range of 15:1 to over 30:1 based on the power demand on said engines.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein said method comprises lowering global warming caused by gasoline and spark ignited internal combustion engines by regulating the amount of the fuel of claim 1 that is injected into the air of said composition of claim 1 within a variable air to fuel ratio range of 15:1 to over 30:1 based on the power demand on said engines but further limiting the oxygenate level to 5 percent by weight or less.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein said method comprises lowering global warming by using the fuels of claim 1 which require less energy to vaporize than current gasoline.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein said method comprises lowering global warming by reducing exhaust pollutants from small spark ignited internal combustion engines or other spark ignited internal combustion engines not having catalytic converters by using the combustion charges of claim 1.

8. A method to lower the external temperatures of catalytic converters by using the combustion charges of claim 1.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(1) The composition of the gasoline is determined by its specifications which includes composition and its properties. Therefore, the gasoline of this invention must include both of the following: 1. Over 95 weight percent of the gasoline is liquid hydrocarbon volatilesnecessary for rapid combustion, reliable high air to fuel weight ratio ignition and lower Reid vapor pressures. 2. An octane number (R+M)/2 range of 70 to 82 for rapid combustion so more fuel is burned in the engine and less is burned in the catalytic converter.

(2) The gasoline specification of this invention can also include: 3. Reid vapor pressure ranges of 6-9 psi (summer) and 9-12 psi (winter) to lower evaporative emissions. 4. No oxygenates to improve rate of combustion and energy density.

(3) Items 3 and 4 above would require government approval as both a higher Reid vapor pressure and oxygenates are required by law in current gasoline. However, the enclosed examples show that the fuel of this invention is safe and lowers global warming more with lower Reid vapor pressure and no oxygenates. Therefore, these changes must be reflected in the claims of this invention.

(4) The combustion charge composition of this invention would then include a modified gasoline of this invention in variable amounts combined with ambient air falling within an air to fuel weight ratio range of 15:1 to over 30:1 to improve fuel combustion efficiency, lower engine exhaust temperatures and lower exhaust pollutants.

(5) A combustion charge composition having a wide air to fuel weight ratio range with reliable ignition is ideal for: 1. A fixed setting such as idle or speed control where engine speed can be increased, decreased or maintained by changing the air to fuel ratios of the combustion charge. 2. Variable power such as operator demand can often be satisfied just by changing the air to fuel ratio of the combustion charge.

(6) In example one, a car was cold started with a modified gasoline having a Reid vapor pressure of 6 psi with no explosive effects. It is therefore obvious that the flammability limit of gasoline could be lowered to less than 6 psi with the modified gasoline. This faster burning gasoline would cause current engines with high spark advance to knock except current engines are equipped with knock sensors that immediately correct the problem by retarding the spark advance. Older engines without knock sensors would require the spark advance be retarded manually. All three examples included herein demonstrate the ability of the modified gasoline to perform equal to or better than current gasoline in current vehicles. Also the exhaust emissions of carbon in example 3 are lower than from using current oxygenated gasoline to fuel current engines. Oxygenating gasoline of this invention is not needed for the octane boost it provides, for reducing carbon emissions, or for extending volumes. It only makes the gasoline more corrosive and less efficient because of its lower heating value. Also if ethanol causes oxidation of iron, one might question its contribution to liquid phase oxidation of gasoline in long term storage which would lower the heating value of the gasoline. Ethanol also raises the octane level of the gasoline which slows up the rate of combustion. Therefore, if all the carbon that is emitted into the atmosphere from planting, harvesting, transporting and processing corn to make ethanol in addition to shipping the ethanol to various distribution centers where it is mixed with gasoline is considered in addition to the negative effects it has on gasoline from a global warming point of view, then putting it in the gasoline of this invention will only contribute to global warming.

(7) The modified gasoline (of this invention) has a lower energy density than current gasoline yet provides equivalent power with less gasoline because more of the fuel is burned in the engine (see example 1). This fuel when used in spark ignited internal combustion engines without catalytic converters will also provide another way to reduce global warming as many engines (farm, home, and commercial) fall in this category.

(8) In order to maximize the reduction of global warming caused by gasoline and spark ignited internal combustion engines or to achieve the object of this invention requires that current gasoline specifications be modified and combined with the reliable high air to fuel ratio ignition discovery to form a novel combustion charge composition for spark ignited internal combustion engines. The combustion charge composition would then contain variable amounts of the modified gasoline plus the following air composition.

(9) For low power an engine can operate with reliable ignition at over 30:1 air to fuel weight ratio and for high power this engine can operate with reliable ignition at 15:1 air to fuel weight ratio using the combustion charge composition of this invention. Therefore, in applications where intermittent power is required such as in vehicles, having the ability to regulate the amount of fuel injected into the induction air of the engines based on power required will conserve gasoline. This is very important to global warming because the less carbon that goes into the engine, the less carbon will be exhausted from the engine.

(10) In today's spark ignited internal combustion engines, high compression and/or high spark advance are used to vaporize current gasoline. This uses gasoline. The modified gasoline of this invention vaporizes more readily and requires less compression and/or spark advance to vaporize. This saves gasoline and lowers global warming.

(11) The gasoline part of the combustion charge of this invention may contain other compositions and/or properties in its specification for other purposes not in conflict with this invention.