Multiple fuel supply system for an internal combustion engine

Patent · 01 January 1977

OSTI ID:862866

Crothers, William T ^[1]

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1. Sunol, CA

A multiple fuel supply or an internal combustion engine wherein phase separation of components is deliberately induced. The resulting separation permits the use of a single fuel tank to supply components of either or both phases to the engine. Specifically, phase separation of a gasoline/methanol blend is induced by the addition of a minor amount of water sufficient to guarantee separation into an upper gasoline phase and a lower methanol/water phase. A single fuel tank holds the two-phase liquid with separate fuel pickups and separate level indicators for each phase. Either gasoline or methanol, or both, can be supplied to the engine as required by predetermined parameters. A fuel supply system for a phase-separated multiple fuel supply contained in a single fuel tank is described.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States Energy (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 4031864
• OSTI ID: 862866
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/123/60/261/700/
addition
amount
blend
combustion
combustion engine
components
contained
deliberately
described
engine
fuel
fuel supply
fuel tank
gasoline
guarantee
holds
indicators
induced
internal
internal combustion
level
liquid
methanol
minor
minor amount
multiple
multiple fuel
parameters
permits
phase
phase liquid
phase separation
phase-separated
phases
pickups
predetermined
required
resulting
separate
separate fuel
separation
single
single fuel
specifically
sufficient
supplied
supply
tank
two-phase
two-phase liquid
upper
water
water phase
water sufficient