Blending system for unconventional fuels and regular fuel or fuels

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United States Patent (19)

Stokes

54) blending system for

Unconventional fuels and regular

Fuel orfuels

(76) Inventor: Charlie M. Stokes, P.O. Box 1963,

Auburn, Ala. 36830

52 U.S. Cl. ................................... 123/575; 123/1 A;

1,133,828 5/1915 Adams ............................ 123/198 A 1,305,416 6/1919 Taylor ................................. 123/575 1,458,203 6/1923 Tanner ................................ 123/575 2,251,988 8/1941 Curran .......... ... 123/198 A 2,310,306 2/1943 Miller et al. .. ... 123/198A 2,574,321 11/1951 Duncan .............................. 123/1 A 2,958,317 11/1960 McNally ............................. 123/515 3,469,954 9/1969 Hoffman .. ... 123/575 3,788,283 1/1974 Perry ............ ... 123/575

3,977,365 8/1976 Vierling.............................. 123/1 A

Foreign patent documents

566968 9/1957 Italy ................................ 123/198 A 54-133232 10/1979 Japan ................................., 123/1 A

Primary Examiner-Wendell E. Burns

Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Harvey B. Jacobson

A system for blending and mixing a supplemental un conventional fuel or fuels with the regular fuel or fuels utilized by a fuel consuming device, such as an internal combustion engine, furnace or other device that uses conventional petroleum fuels which enables the owner or user of the fuel consuming device to utilize supple mental fuels. The system enables the owner or user of the fuel consuming device to control or adjust the quan tity of supplemental fuel that is added to the fuel system of the device and enables the owner or user to operate the device selectively with or without using the supple pnental fuel mixture. In order to enable the device that is consuming the supplemental fuel or fuels, blend of supplemental fuel or fuels and regular fuel or fuels or regular fuel or fuels there is a mechanism forming part of this invention to regulate the temperature to keep the temperature of the fuels consuming device within the desired operating range for the fuels consuming device. The mechanism to control the temperature of the fuels consuming device may add heat to or remove heat from the device when in operation. Also, there may be a need to add heat to or remove heat from the fuels that are consumed by the device in order to condition the fuels so that they are in a suitable state for use in the fuel consuming device. An oxidizing or purging agent can be used to remove deposits of either fuel or expended fuels from the fuel consuming device or system that is used to condition the fuels of the fuel consuming device. 7 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures

Drawings

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used in the fuel consuming device since the blend of less

BLENDING SYSTEM FOR UNCONVENTIONAL expensive fuel can be purged from the fuel system be FUELS AND REGULAR FUEL ORFUELS fore the fuel consuming device is stopped, so that the less expensive fuels will not be in the fuel system of the

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 5 fuel consuming device over a long period of time. 1. Field of the Invention A still further object of the invention is to provide a This present invention generally relates to a system system and mechanism in accordance with the preced and mechanism for blending and mixing supplemental ing objects in which movement of the supplemental fuel fuels with a conventional fuel of a device which con or the blend of supplemental fuels or a blend of regular sumes such fuel, such as an internal combustion engine 10 fuel and supplemental fuel can be obtained by the use of with control mechanism for controlling the quantity of a pump or similar device which also facilitates blending a supplemental fuel or supplemental fuels and the oper of the fuels.

ating conditions of the device with a control responsive Yet another important object of the present invention to such operating conditions being utilized to provide 15 is to provide a system in accordance with the preceding the proper fuel to the fuel consuming device. objects in which the mixture of supplemental and regu 2. Description of the Prior Art lar fuel may be accurately controlled in order to main Various efforts have been made to utilize different tain the operational characteristics of the fuel consum fuels for fuel consuming devices. Many devices are ing device in a suitable operating range. available on the market and have been patented which 20 A significant object of the present invention is to provide a structure for adding material to the conven provide for the preconditioning of supplemental fuels. tional hydrocarbon fuel used in internal combustion which are not ordinarily suitable for use in the fuel engines of various types. The following U.S. patents are consuming device in their original state with the condi exemplary of the development in this field of endeavor. tioning enabling the supplemental fuels to be suitable for

U.S. Pat. No. 1,485,497-Mar. 4, 1924-Emerson 25 use by the fuel consuming device before the supplemen tal fuel reverts to an unusable state or condition thereby facilitating the use of fuels which are not petroleum

U.S. Pat. No. 2,632,637-Mar. 24, 1953-Stone products and reducing the consumption of petroleum U.S. Pat. No. 3,173,408-Mar. 16, 1965-Brenneman products to operate fuel consuming devices. U.S. Pat. No. 3,223,390-Dec. 14, 1965-Bunze These together with other objects and advantages

U.S. Pat. No. 3,716,040-Feb. 13, 1973-Herpin which will become subsequently apparent reside in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,818,876-June 25, 1974-Voogd details of construction and operation as more fully here U.S. Pat. No. 3,991, 143-Nov. 9, 1976-Carter inafter described and claimed, reference being had to U.S. Pat. No. 4,056,087-Nov. 1, 1977-Boyce. the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, U.S. Pat. No. 4,170,960-Oct. 16, 1979-Germacket al. 35 wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS An object of the present invention to provide a sys system FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of the regular fuel tem which is controlled in such a manner that supple mechanism of a fuel consuming device with the method and mental fuels may be added to or withheld from a fuel 40 with the regular for blending or mixing supplemental fuel system of fuel consuming devices such as internal com fuel for consumption by the fuel con bustion engines, jet engines, furnaces, or other fuel con suming device illustrated therein. FIG. 2 is a schematic view similar to FIG. 1 but suming devices.

Another object of this invention is to provide a sys illustrating a system for blending or mixing supplemen tem and mechanism to add supplemental fuels to the 45 tal fuel from more than one source into the regular fuel fuel system of the fuel consuming device in the amount system.

desired by the owner, operator, or user of the device FIG. 3 illustrates diagramatically the control ar with this system facilitating the addition of more than rangement for regulating the supplemental fuels and one supplemental fuel which may be blended together regular fuel as well as the air or water, or combination with the conventional fuel for the device with the sys 50 thereof, that is used by a heat exchanger in controlling tem also having the capability of the supplemental fuels the temperature of the fuel consuming device which being directly blended with the conventional fuel when includes the supplemental fuel containers and fuel lines. satisfactory or preblending the supplemental fuels be DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED fore mixing them with the conventional fuel when nec EMBODEMENTS essary. 55

A further object of the present invention is to provide Referring now specifically to FIG. 1, a fuel consum a system and mechanism in accordance with the preced ing device is generally designated by the numeral 10 ing objects which permits the use of supplemental fuels and may be in the form of an internal combustion engine that could not be ordinarily used by the fuel consuming or the like. The fuel consuming device 10 receives fuel device without properly blending the supplemental 60 through a fuel line 12 which is connected to a supply fuels into the regular fuel for the device thereby en tank 14 which contains regular fuel for the device. For abling a broader range of fuels to be consumed by the example, if the fuel consuming device 10 is an internal fuel consuming device. combustion engine, the tank 14 has a supply of gasoline, Still another object of the invention is to provide a diesel fuel, or the like. While not shown, a fuel pump system in accordance with the preceding objects which 65 may be incorporated into the fuel line 12 and, of course, permits the owner or user of the fuel consuming device suitable mechanism (not shown) is utilized to introduce to purge the device of supplemental fuels when desired the fuel into the fuel consuming device. For example, on thereby enabling less expensive supplemental fuels to be an internal combustion engine, a carburetor or fuel 4 injection system may be employed. Thus, the fuel con FIG. 3 illustrates a similar arrangement in which the suming device 10 and the tank 14 represent conven fuel consuming device 10 includes a heat exchanger and tional construction. also includes three supplemental fuel tanks 46, 48 and 50 In the present invention, a valve 16 is incorporated with the tank 46 being communicated with the blender into the fuel line 12 so that the regular fuel may be 22 through a supply line 52 and control valve 54 and the diverted through line 18 having valve 20 therein with supplemental fuel tank 48 being communicated with the the fuel then entering a blender 22. The blender 22 has blender 22 through a supply line 56 and a control valve a supplemental fuel line 24 communicated therewith 58 and the supplemental fuel tank 50 is communicated with the line 24 including a valve 26therein and the line with the blender 22 through a supply line 60 and a 24 is in communication with a tank 28 for supplemental 10 control valve 62. The regular fuel tank 14 is communi fuel so that a supplemental fuel may be fed into the cated with the blender 22 through a line 64 with a con blender 22 through the line 24 and valve 26 with the trol valve 66 therein and the blender is communicated valve 26 enabling the amount of supplemental fuel being with the fuel consuming device 10 through a line 68 fed into the blender 22 to be accurately controlled. The having a control valve 70 therein. A bypass regular fuel mixed and blended regular fuel and supplemental fuel is 15 line 72 is provided from the regular fuel tank 14 to a discharged from the blender 22 through a line 30 and a downstream portion of the line 68, that is, between the valve 32 back into the fuel line 12 and then into the fuel valve 70 and the fuel consuming device 10 with a con consuming device 10. Thus, with this system, the fuel trol valve 74 being provided in the line 72 so that when consuming device 10 may be connected solely with the the valves 66 and 70 are closed and the valve 74 is regular fuel tank 14 by opening valve 16 and closing 20 opened, regular fuel only will be discharged into the valves 20 and 32. However, when it is desired to add the line 68 and thus to the fuel consuming device 10. When supplemental fuel and blend it with the regular fuel, the the valve 74 is closed and the valves 66 and 70 opened, valve 16 is closed and the valves 20 and 32 opened and regular fuel will then be discharged into the blender 22 the valve 26 is also opened a desired amount in order to and a selected quantity of any one, any two or all three control the quantity of supplemental fuel blended with 25 supplemental fuels from the tanks 46, 48 and 50 may be the regular fuel. Thus, not only the quantity of supple mixed and blended with the regular fuel from the tank mental fuel is controlled but the addition of supplemen 14 and discharged through the line 68 to the fuel con tal fuel is selective. suming device 10. Also, communicating with the fuel FIG. 2 illustrates a system in which the regular fuel line 68 between the valve 70 and the fuel consuming tank 14, fuel line 12, valve 16, valves 20 and 32, lines 18 30 device 10 is a supply tank 76 for an oxidizing agent and 30, blender 22 and fuel consuming device 10 are the having a supply line 78 communicating with the fuel same, except that the blender 22 is capable of blending line 68 and provided with a control valve 80 therein for two or more supplemental fuels selectively with the regulating the quantity of oxidizing agent introduced regular fuel. In this arrangement, supplemental fuel is into the fuel consuming device. Also, the fuel consum provided in the tank 34 which communicates with the 35 ing device has an air supply line or air supply device 82 blender 22 through line 36 and a control valve 38 and a associated therewith with a control valve 84 incorpo second supplemental fuel is contained in tank 40 and rated therein to supply a controlled quantity of air to the communicated with the blender 22 through a line 42 heat exchanger provided on the fuel consuming device. and a control valve 44. This arrangement provides the Also, a water line or water supply device 86 is provided selection of an additional fuel mixture. For example, the 40 with a control valve 88 which provides a controlled fuel consuming device 10 may utilize only regular fuel quantity of water or other liquid to the heat exchanger from the tank 14 by opening the valve 16 and closing on the fuel consuming device 10. It is pointed out that the valves 20 and 32. However, by closing the valve 16 frequently the fuel consuming device will have a heat and opening the valves 20 and 32, the regular fuel will exchanger utilizing a liquid coolant therein and a fan or be passed through the blender 22. In the blender 22, 45 other device for moving air past a radiator which forms supplemental fuel from the tank 34 may be blended with a portion of the heat exchange system with both the the regular fuel by opening the valve 38 to a controlled liquid and air being controlled. If the fuel consuming setting while leaving the valve 44 closed, thus provid device utilizes only air or only liquid to control the ing a mixture of regular fuel from the tank 14 and sup operating temperature thereof, then only a single con plemental fuel from the tank 34 to the fuel consuming 50 trol arrangement would be provided for the particular device 10. If it is desired to utilize two supplemental cooling medium used.

fuels, the regular fuel is mixed with the supplement fuel Frequently, supplemental fuels which are added to from the tank 34 and the supplemental fuel from the the regular fuel of the fuel consuming device will affect tank 40 in the blender 22 by opening both the valves 38 the temperature and possibly the torque output charac and 44 a controlled amount thereby providing the com 55 teristics of the fuel consuming device. This temperature bination of two supplemental fuels with the regular fuel. can be controlled or adjusted by varying the quantity of Another possibility is the use of the regular fuel 14 and supplemental fuel added to the regular fuel of the fuel only supplemental fuel from the tank 40 which can be consuming device. Further, the temperature of the fuel accomplished by opening the valve 44 and closing the consuming device can be controlled by varying the valve 38. With this system, additional options are avail 60 quantity of cooling water or air that is made available to able as to utilizing only regular fuel, regular fuel cool the fuel consuming device. These factors can be blended with a controlled quantity of one supplemental adjusted manually by the operator of the fuel consum fuel or the regular fuel blended with two supplemental ing device or programmable attachments can make fuels or regular fuel blended with the second of the two these adjustments on the fuel consuming device. The supplemental fuels or possibly all supplemental fuel or 65 supplemental fuel or fuels can be conditioned for use as fuels may be utilized by the fuel consuming device after a supplement for the regular fuel by passing them it has been operating for a predetermined period of time through a filter system when necessary to make them and reached predetermined operating temperatures. useable and sometimes it may be necessary to add heat 5 or other materials to them in order to condition them so or fuels, the mix or blend of the fuels may be altered that they will be acceptable to the regular fuel and the until the operating characteristics are within the desired fuel consuming device. With the system of the present ranges. The unrefined fuel used in the present invention invention, the owner or user of the fuel consuming may include fuels obtained from biomass materials that device can selectively switch back to the regular fuel are suitable to be converted into fuels, various organic system of the device as needed to control the proper materials that can be converted into suitable fuels, unre performance of the fuel consuming device. fined petroleum products and other products that can The quantity of supplemental fuel which is added to be converted into fuels that are suitable to be blended the regular fuel is that amount that will not cause unac into refined fuels for the use in fuel consuming devices. ceptable damage to the fuel consuming device and will 10 The present invention also permits the introduction not provide the fuel consuming device with undesirable of a controlled amount of desired materials into the fuel operating characteristics so that it will not perform the system of a refined fuel consuming device with the job for which it was designed. Also, if undesired depos injected material being other than a supplemental fuel. its of material are caused by supplemental fuels and the With the unrefined and supplemental fuels, there may use solely of regular fuels will not remove such depos 15 be a need to condition the material before they are its, an oxidizing agent or purging agent can be injected suitable for use with the fuel consuming device. An into the fuel system in an amount needed to remove example of a converted fuel is the conversion of materi such deposits from the fuel consuming device. als to alcohol before it is used as a fuel. Many of the Also, the lowering of the operating temperature that supplemental fuels mixed with the regular fuel of the may result when certain types of supplemental fuels are 20 fuel consuming device will form a suitable fuel mixture used may be offset by the blending of other supplemen for the fuel to be utilized by the fuel consuming device. tal fuels which can compensate for these undesirable However, some of the supplemental fuels may need an factors such as lowering of operating temperature of the agitating mechanism to form a suitable mixture of the fuel consuming device. regular fuel and the supplemental fuel or fuels to be The metering of the fuels, both regular and supple 25 utilized by the fuel consuming device. mental, can be controlled by manual controls or by Inasmuch as this invention mixes the fuels just prior programmable devices. Likewise, the temperature of to use, the regular fuel and supplemental fuel or fuels the fuel consuming device can be controlled in the same which are consumed by the device are maintained sepa manner. Any suitable structure for conditioning the rate until they are blended just prior to introduction into supplemental fuels to make them compatible with the 30 the fuel consuming device, the problem of separation of regular fuel and the fuel consuming device may be pro the different fuels which sometimes occur when the fuel vided and accurately controlled manually or by pro is stored is eliminated. In other words, if the regular fuel grammable devices and the metering of the oxidizing and supplemental fuel are mixed and stored, they some agent or purging agent can be likewise controlled so times separate into a non-homogenous mixture. By that the fuel consuming device will be operated within 35 using the present invention, the problem of separation is its designed specifications without undue damage to the eliminated and the capability of properly mixing and device when using either supplemental fuel or a combi controlling the mixture of the regular fuel and supple nation of supplemental fuel and regular fuel. mental fuels is facilitated. The blending mechanism of the present invention is It is known that any machine or piece of equipment primarily designed to add supplemental fuels with re 40 which consumes fuel when it operates has built into it fined fuels that are used to operate internal combustion certain temperature ranges within which it performs engines, jet engines, furnaces, or similar refined petro most efficiently and satisfactorily. With the fuel that the leum fuel consuming devices. The fuels which are fuel consuming device is designed to consume during blended into the refined fuel system can be cheaper or operation, there are design features built into the device more expensive than the refined fuel, but the fuel that is 45 that permit the device to operate within the designed blended into the refined fuel system will be available temperature range. The device is frequently kept within and can be conditioned in a manner that will permit the desired temperature range by the use of heat ex these fuels to be blended with the refined fuel. If the fuel changers that utilize either water or air or a combina consuming devices have the capacity to utilize petro tion of water or other liquid coolant and air to maintain leum products or fuel in a unrefined state, this blending 50 the desired temperature range. The intervention of sup mechanism will have the capacity to blend the refined plemental fuels into the fuel system of such a device can fuel or fuels with the unrefined fuel. This invention also cause a fluctuation of the temperature during operation has the capability to enable the fuel consuming device which can be detrimental to the operation of the device. to be purged of the supplemental and refined fuel blend Usually, the fuel consuming device will have a surplus to permit starting the device with only refined fuel and 55 of heat when using regular fuels and thus the heat ex stopping the device with only refined fuel. During oper changer is provided to remove this surplus of heat from ation of the fuel consuming device with the refined and the fuel consuming device. With the present invention, supplemental fuel, the device may be switched to only the temperature of the fuel consuming device is kept the refined fuel whenever desired by the user. within the desired operating range of the device by With this invention, owners or users of fuel consum 60 blending the fuels and only when necessary, a heat ing devices that are capable of using refined or a combi exchanger is utilized to maintain the temperature within nation of refined and unrefined fuels can use the inven the desired operating range. If the supplemental fuel tion to incorporate the desirable or usable amounts of lowers the temperature of the unit when used, the unrefined or supplemental fuel or fuels into the fuel amount of supplemental fuel blended with regular fuel system of the fuel using or consuming device. When the 65 can be adjusted to permit the device to operate within torque output or temperature of the fuel consuming its temperature range. Alternatively, the amount of air device is not within the desired range and this desired or liquid coolant or a combination thereof can be ad range is affected by the supplemental or unrefined fuel justed to keep the fuel consuming device operating 6 within the desired temperature range. A high tempera fuel consuming device, a supply tank for supplemental ture producing supplemental fuel can be used to permit fuel, fuel blender means, means selectively diverting the fuel consuming device to utilize other fuels than a regular fuel through the blender means prior to delivery regular fuel. If the supplemental fuel produces excessive to the fuel consuming device, and means selectively temperature, the heat exchanger will be adjusted to controlling flow or supplemental fuel to the blender keep the device operating in the desired temperature means to enable a blended mixture of regular fuel and range. Thus, the desired temperature range can be main supplemental fuel to flow to the fuel consuming device tained frequently by varying the supplemental fuels and also enable only regular fuel or only supplemental being used or by varying the quantity of such supple fuel to flow to the fuel consuming device. mental fuels or, on the other hand, the operating tem 10 2. The system as defined in claim 1 wherein said perature may be controlled by the heat exchanger or means controlling flow of supplemental fuel or fuels to both types of controls may be used for the temperature the blender means includes a flow line with valve means of the fuel consuming device. therein adapted to be manually controlled or controlled Accordingly, the present invention includes several by a programmed control.

primary features, including the capability of being able 15 3. The system as defined in claim 2 wherein said to control the supplemental fuels to the extent that they means diverting regular fuel through the blender means can be utilized by the fuel consuming device from zero includes a bypass line communicated with the fuel line amount of supplemental fuel to maximum amounts of at spaced points, a valve in said fuel line between said supplemental fuel that can be utilized by the device. spaced points, said blender means being incorporated in During the use of supplemental fuels, the temperature said bypass line, and control valves in said bypass line can be controlled or adjusted to enable the device to with one of said valves being upstream of the blender make maximum use of the desired fuels. The owner or means and one valve being downstream of the blender user of the device has the facilities to adjust the temper caS ature and fuels either supplemental, regular or a combi 4. The system as defined in claim 3 together with a nation of regular and supplemental fuels as desired. An 25 second supply tank for a second supplemental fuel, a oxidizing agent or purging agent in the amount neces supply line having a valve therein communicating said sary may be utilized by the user of the fuel consuming second supply tank with said blender means to selec device to control any excess residue or deposits that is tively enable a controlled blended mixture of regular created in the device as a result of using the supplemen fuel and one supplemental fuel, regular fuel and two tal fuels or a combination of regular and supplemental 30 supplemental fuels, only regular fuel, only either of the fuels. It is not material whether the oxidizing agent or supplemental fuels or only a controlled blended mixture purging agent is injected directly into the device to of two supplemental fuels to flow to the fuel consuming assist in removing undesirable residues or injected into device.

the fuel prior to the fuel entering the device. The sup 5. The system as defined in claim 4 together with a plemental fuels may be liquid, gaseous, solids, or any 35 third supply tank for a third supplemental fuel, a supply other materials or combinations thereof as long as the line having a valve therein communicating said third supplemental fuels are conditioned in a form that permit supply tank with said blender means to selectively en them to be utilized by the fuel consuming device either able a controlled blended mixture of regular fuel and singly or in combination with each other or the regular any one, any two or all three supplemental fuels, only fuel. Also, the owner or user of the fuel consuming 40 regular fuel, and only any one, any two or all three device can switch from regular fuel, regular fuel and supplemental fuels to flow to the fuel consuming device. supplemental fuel in any combination that is desirable or 6. The system as defined in claim 5 together with a supplemental fuel only as desired with temperature supply tank for an oxidizing or purging agent, and a being controlled to give the performance desired with valve controlled line communicating the oxidizing or the fuel consuming device. 45 purging agent supply tank with the fuel line down The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the stream of the blender means to enable selective removal principles of the invention. Further, since numerous of residue or deposits from the fuel consuming device. modifications and changes will readily occur to those 7. The system as defined in claim 6 together with heat skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention exchange means associated with the fuel consuming to the exact construction and operation shown and 50 device, a coolant supply line communicated with the described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications heat exchange means, a valve in said coolant supply line and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the for controlling the operating temperature thereof in scope of the invention. accordance with the fuel being consumed, an air supply What is claimed as new is as follows: line communicating with the heat exchange means asso 1. A system for selectively blending and mixing sup 55 ciated with the fuel consuming device, and a valve in plemental fuel or fuels with regular fuel for a fuel con said air supply line to control the exchange of heat in suming device which includes a supply tank for regular the heat exchange means.

fuel with a fuel line communicating directly with the k e ck k