High temperature fluid-wall reactors for transportation equipment

Patent · Tue Jul 19 04:00:00 EDT 1977

OSTI ID:5350720

Matovich, E

A fuel converter for a transportation vehicle includes a fuel container for a hydrocarbon fuel, an auxiliary container for water or for an inert fluid which is substantially transparent to radiant energy, an electrical power source, and a high temperature fluid-wall reactor. The high temperature fluid-wall reactor has at least one input for the hydrocarbon fuel and for water or the inert fluid, an electrical power input, and an output. Means are provided for metering the hydrocarbon fuel, water or the inert fluid, and electrical power into the appropriate inputs of the reactor. A manifold connects the output of the reactor to a combustion fuel input of the engine of the vehicle. By means of the fuel converter, a variety of low grade and inexpensive hydrocarbon fuels may be converted into combustible mixtures such as carbon black and hydrogen or carbon monoxide and hydrogen which are suitable as fuel for an internal combustion engine. The level of hydrocarbon pollutants in the exhaust of the engine is substantially reduced relative to the exhaust from the engine when burning an unmodified hydrocarbon fuel.

• Assignee: Thagard Technology Co.
• Patent Number(s): US 4036181
• OSTI ID: 5350720
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

08 HYDROGEN
080103 -- Hydrogen-- Production-- Steam Reformer Processes
080600 -- Hydrogen-- Industrial & Commercial Use-- (-1989)
33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS
330603* -- Vehicle Design Factors-- Engine System
330704 -- Emission Control-- Hydrocarbons
330800 -- Emission Control-- Alternative Fuels
AIR POLLUTION ABATEMENT
AUTOMOBILES
AUTOMOTIVE FUELS
CARBON
CARBON BLACK
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON MONOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DESIGN
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
ELEMENTS
FUEL SYSTEMS
FUELS
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROGEN FUELS
HYDROGEN PRODUCTION
NONMETALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION ABATEMENT
POWER SUPPLIES
REFORMER PROCESSES
STEAM REFORMER PROCESSES
SYNTHETIC FUELS
TRUCKS
VEHICLES
WATER