Reduce Soot Emissions & Increase Combustion Engine Efficiency

Abstract

Researchers at the University of Central Florida have developed a fuel additive with a patented mixture of novel nano-sized rare earth metal oxides that can improve engine efficiency and reduce soot. Partial or incomplete combustion of hydrocarbon fuels, most often resulting from inadequate oxygen supplies within the fuel, results in atmospheric pollutants such as soot. Many approaches have focused on reducing the emission of such condensed particles, whether carbon-based or other, by providing additives to increase the oxygen content. However, incompatibility and solubility issues have led to difficulty when combining the emissions-reducing additive with the fuel.

Technical Details

This fuel additive comprising engineered ceria nanoparticles when mixed with hydrocarbon-containing combustible fuels offers a significant increase in engine efficiency with a reduction in soot and other combustion by-products. The large surface-area-to-volume ratios of the particles and sufficient oxygen vacancies provide an adequate supply of oxygen for the combustion reaction, thus significantly reducing the soot by-products generated. Increased engine efficiency and less fuel consumption per mile traveled also result. The additive works by oxidizing polyaromatic hydrocarbons, precursors to soot formation before they can form solid carbon particles (i.e. soot) during the combustion process. These nanostructures have excellent oxygen storage and can release oxygen when it is needed in order to combust all of the substrate efficiently.

The improved engine efficiency requires less fuel consumption per miles traveled in various vehicles, such as automobiles, defense vehicles, airplanes, ships, and other surface or air-bearing vehicles. In addition to vehicle consumption, this invention would benefit any company which is subject to emissions regulations, including businesses that use: power plant boilers, hog-fuel boilers, central steam heat boilers or waste incinerators.

Benefit

Market Application