Vapor Fuel Technologies System
VFT's Solution for the Future of Gasoline Technology
Vapor Fuel Technologies has created a system that is based on vaporizing fuel and heating the air that mixes with the vaporized fuel prior to entering the cylinder for combustion. When properly controlled, this vaporization and heating causes a thermal expansion that accomplishes the dilution of both the fuel and air in the mixture without changing the ratio that allows the catalytic converter to work and provide acceptable emissions, including oxides of nitrogen (NOx). Exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) can be used in lesser quantities with the VFT System to complete the dilution process and balance the power requirements of a normal driving cycle.
The vaporization process and heating of the fuel vapor and air mixture, along with moderate EGR, also improves the combustion process by increasing flame speed and creating the conditions for a chain reaction Autoignition. The resulting combustion is shorter in duration and significantly more efficient since it substantially occurs closer to the optimal crank angle of the engine. This allows the VFT system to use less fuel yet provide the power to be used in all normal driving conditions.
Vapor Fuel Technologies system and equipment are, in conjunction with necessary modification of the onboard-computer system, adaptable to the vast majority of motor vehicles in either retrofit or new applications. The added cost to include this technology in a new vehicle is estimated to be less than one hundred dollars U.S.
Limitations of Current Gasoline Technology
The Auto Industry understands the benefit of using less fuel to power the vehicle (dilution) and creating a better combustion event (autoignition) to replace the power loss due to dilution but they have pursued those goals in ways that have presented significant and unnecessary roadblocks. Diluting the fuel using more air or EGR has created a difficult, and extremely time consuming situation.
Using more air in the fuel air mixture accomplishes the goal of using less fuel to fill the combustion chamber but the resulting lean burn event results in an inability of the catalytic converter to remove the NOx from the exhaust.
The new regulations, especially in California and the eleven other states following their lead, are becoming less tolerant of these emissions. Diluting the fuel within the mixture to approximately 50% of normal decreases the NOx production to very low levels but there is so little power remaining this method can only be used at very light loads and moderate speeds. Most of the fuel savings are also lost due to the lack of power.
EGR can be used to dilute the fuel air mixture by recirculation of exhaust, mostly inert gasses such as nitrogen and carbon dioxide, into the cylinder with the fuel and air. This accomplishes the goal of diluting the fuel but the resulting gaps of inert gas between the fuel and air components can diminish the efficiency of the combustion if used excessively.
