Dresser Industries, Inc.

James F Eversole

Lester P Berriman

A combustible mixture of air and minute fuel droplets is produced for supply to the cylinders of an internal combustion engine. This mixture is formed by accurately controlling both the atomization of fuel and the mass flow rate of air over substantially the entire operating range of the engine. These controls are accomplished by introducing liquid fuel into a stream of intake air and uniformly distributing the fuel in the air followed by passing the air and fuel mixture through a constricted zone to increase the velocity of the mixture to sonic. The sonic velocity air at the constricted zone divides the fuel into minute droplets that are uniformly entrained throughout the air stream. The area of the constricted zone and the quantity of fuel introduced are adjustably varied in correlation with operating demands imposed upon the engine. Downstream from the constricted sonic zone, the air and fuel mixture is accelerated to supersonic velocity in a supersonic zone without imparting substantial turbulent flow thereto. Thereafter the mixture is decelerated to subsonic velocity in a subsonic zone to produce a shock zone where the fuel droplets entrained in the air are believed to be further subdivided and uniformly distributed throughout the combustible mixture before the mixture is supplied to the engine cylinders. The supersonic and subsonic velocities occur in a gradually increasing cross-sectional area corresponding to that of a conical section having an apex angle in the range of about 6 to 18 degrees.

Method for controlling mass flow rate

A combustible mixture of air and minute fuel droplets is produced for supply to the cylinders of an internal combustion engine. This mixture is formed by accurately controlling both the atomization of fuel and the mass flow rate of air over substantially the entire operating range of the engine. These controls are accomplished by introducing liquid fuel into a stream of intake air and uniformly distributing the fuel in the air followed by passing the air and fuel mixture through a constricted zone to increase the velocity of the mixture to sonic. The sonic velocity air at the constricted zone divides the fuel into minute droplets that are uniformly entrained throughout the air stream. The area of the constricted zone and the quantity of fuel introduced are adjustably varied in correlation with operating demands imposed upon the engine. Downstream from the constricted sonic zone, the air and fuel mixture is accelerated to supersonic velocity in a supersonic zone without imparting substantial turbulent flow thereto. Thereafter the mixture is decelerated to subsonic velocity in a subsonic zone to produce a shock zone where the fuel droplets entrained in the air are believed to be further subdivided and uniformly distributed throughout the combustible mixture before the mixture is supplied to the engine cylinders.

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Mamaroneck, NY, United States of America

James F Eversole