Throttle structure for imparting supersonic characteristics in the

Abstract

A combustible mixture of air and minute fuel droplets is produced for supply to the cylinders of an internal combustion engine. The engine includes a carburetor having a main air passageway in it, and an intake manifold interposed between the engine and the carburetor. The intake manifold includes at least one wall defining a plurality of fluid passageways operatively connected to the carburetor and to the combustion chambers of the engine. A throttle structure is mounted in the intake manifold. The combustible mixture is formed by introducing liquid fuel into a stream of intake air and uniformly distributing the fuel in the air by passing the air and fuel mixture through a constriction to increase the velocity of the mixture to sonic speed. The constriction occurs at the throttle structure in the manifold. The area of the constriction and the amount of fuel entering the air stream are adjustable for correlation with engine demand. After passing through the constriction, the air/fuel mixture is accelerated to supersonic velocity and thereafter decelerated to subsonic velocity to produce a shock zone where the fuel droplets are believed to be further subdivided. The supersonic and subsonic mixture speeds are obtained at the outlet of the throttle structure in the manifold. Thereafter, the mixture is inducted into the combustion chambers of the engine. Preferably, the throttle structure includes a cylinder movably mounted in the intake manifold. A plate either is suspended in or forms a part of the intake manifold. The plate and cylinder coact to provide the constriction, supersonic and subsonic zones of the mixture flow. Means are provided on the cylinder for delimiting those zones of mixture flow.