Technical Brief

IC Combustion Enhancement by Air Ionization for Engine Peripherals i.e. EGR Supply etc.

Numerous patents have been issued that treat the entering air stream in IC engines prior to combustion with a goal of ionizing air thereby enhancing combustion. The literature states that a successfully ionized air stream will be transformed into reactive oxygen species (ROS) that aid combustion in the cylinder by creating the first stage of combustion prior to the cylinder. None of the devices proposed for IC engine air treatment have been successful in becoming a main stream commercial reality.

A common manifestation of air ionization is the familiar lightning bolt that ionizes the air creating a static electricity path from cloud to earth. The ionized air becomes a conductive path and is a very high temperature thermal plasma; a fourth state of matter.

The lightning bolt phenomenon has been reproduced in the arc metal plasma cutting torch. The purpose of the arc is to ionize a portion of the high velocity air stream supplied to the nozzle. The air stream becomes highly ionized and changed into a thermal plasma at 1400 degrees F. The super-hot ionized air is what melts and cuts the metal.

It has been demonstrated that an ionizing static electricity voltage can be obtained easily and economically by the use of the little know phenomenon of triboelectricity that requires no external source of electricity. Triboelectric surfaces can be charged by the air flowing over triboelectric surfaces such as polymers that can obtain positive or negative charge in the form of a non-thermal plasma. In an appropriate design configuration, surface static voltage levels can be obtained that are capable of ionizing flowing air and other gases.

An alternative to air flow dependent triboelectric surfaces is to have permanently charged triboelectric surfaces in the form of an electret that can supply a constant ionizing electric field independent of a flowing gas.

Superchargers and turbochargers supply more air and its oxygen. Another way to supply more oxygen is to add nitrous oxide that contains its own additional supply of bound oxygen that is released at combustion temperatures in the cylinder. By creating a reactive ionized air supply, a source of reactive oxygen like the addition of nitrous oxide will be obtained.

It has been demonstrated that a reduction of 50+% in fuel consumption can be obtained with ionized air prior to entering the cylinder. A similar level of emissions reduction will occur.

A very simple and inexpensive triboelectric insert device consisting of parallel plates of the same or opposite triboelectric polarity can be activated under air flow conditions when placed in existing IC engine conduits.

The application of this technology to engine peripherals in universal OEM and aftermarket applications is a huge potential market that will result in very significant fuel savings and emissions reductions.

Important components that are responsible to generate work in an engine

• Air intake

• Fuel injection

• Piston motion

Majorly there are 3 parameters that dictate engine performance

• Volumetric efficiency

• Brake Thermal efficiency

• Mechanical efficiency

Volumetric efficiency

Definition- It is the ratio of the actual volume of charge (air + fuel) admitted during the suction stroke at atmospheric temperature and pressure, to the swept volume of the piston.

Engines without intake air filters will have high volumetric efficiency as there is no barrier in the airflow to cause a pressure drop and restrict the airflow. But without engine air filters, dust from the surrounding will enter the engine and damage it. Hence intake air filters are important. Technologies employed to increase the volumetric efficiency of the engine with the air filters:

• Turbocharger

• Supercharger

• Depth air filtration

Turbocharger:

Commonly known as turbo, is a turbine-driven device that forces air in the engine’s combustion chamber. The improvement over a naturally-aspirated engine's power output is because the compressor can force more air—and (in some cases) more fuel—into the combustion chamber than atmospheric pressure alone. The turbocharger’s turbine is driven using high-velocity exhaust gases.

Supercharger:

The supercharger has the same function as a turbocharger, wherein its impeller is powered by the engine crankshaft and not exhaust gases.

Depth intake air filtration:

Generic intake air filter media is made out of paper and provides 99% dust filtration efficiency as an industry norm and are cheaper to manufacture. Such air filters cause a high-pressure drop, which reduced the volumetric efficiency. Intake air filters made out of sponge are being employed to enable depth filtration, here dust is being captured along the thickness of the air filter.

SCHÖRL automotive air filter:

We’ve employed the best of both worlds, we’ve increased the thickness of the non-woven media to enable depth filtration, also pleating of the media increases the surface area like traditional paper filters. Experimental results on the engine test bench:

Engine details:

IC Engine setup under test is Swift Dzire having power 55.00 kW @ 4000 rpm which is 4 Cylinder, Four-stroke, Variable Speed, Water Cooled, Diesel Engine, with Cylinder Bore 75.00(mm), Stroke Length 82.00(mm), Connecting Rod length 141.00(mm), Compression Ratio 17.60, Swept volume 362.26 (cc)

Results with STOCK air filter:

Results with SCHORL air filter:

Experimental results on the engine test bench:

1. Single cylinder 4 stroke Diesel Engine (Computerized)

2. Multi Cylinder 4 stroke Swift Dzire Diesel Engine (Engine)

Schorl Filter Improved fuel efficiency by 24%.

Brake thermal efficiency

Definition: It is the measure of power produced by the engine with respect to fuel burnt. Modern technology employed to burn the fuel involves optimizing the fuel injection in petrol and diesel engines.

SCHÖRL automotive air filter

The air filter media ionizes the air entering the engine’s combustion chamber, when an ionized air molecule enters the combustion chamber, it results in better flame propagation, implying better combustion of fuel which also reduces the emission.

1. Single cylinder 4 stroke Diesel Engine

2. Multi Cylinder 4 stroke Swift Dzire Diesel Engine (Engine):

Mechanical Efficiency

It is the function of how well the piston slides from TDC to BDC, how well the crankshaft rotates, which depends on engine lubrication controlled by engine oil, sleeves and bearings

SCHÖRL air filter DO NOT affect the mechanical efficiency.