The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 30, 1996
Filed:
Dec. 12, 1994
John M Clarke, Chillicothe, IL (US);
Caterpillar Inc., Peoria, IL (US);
Abstract
A thermal regenerator used on an internal combustion engine normally absorbs heat from expanded hot combustion gases when moved in one direction and transfers the absorbed heat to the compressed intake air when moved through the air in an opposite direction. In order to improve efficiency of the thermal regenerator, finely dispersed cooling liquid is added into the intake air to cool the intake air to a lower temperature before the thermal regenerator transfers the absorbed heat. When compressing a mixture of finely dispersed cooling liquid in the intake air, the vaporization of the cooling liquid reduces compression work and the resultant temperature. The reduced compression temperature allows more heat to be extracted from the exhaust, raises the effectiveness of the regenerator and the efficiency of the engine.