In car oil refinery, run by EFI.

[Danny Barrett]

Just so that the guesses can stop coming in (even though it has been
discovered what I am intending)...

I intend to build an in car "oil refinery." This may sound like a heap of BS
to many, but others have researched the possibility, and found it might be
viable IF it can be controled somehow.

The basic principal behind it is to catalytically crack the fuel molecules,
in the presence of hydrogen, and form methane. This reaction is an
ENDOthermic reaction - ie. it requires energy (in the form of heat) to be
put IN, and thereby, the products of the reaction are at a higher energy
state than the fuel that was put in. Thus, otherwise wasted heat energy is
stored CHEMICALLY, to be used within the engine. Because of this "recycling"
effect, less fuel should be required for the same power output, and hence,
greater efficiency.

The main problem with methane as a fuel (from what I am told) is that it
burns with a lower temperature than gasoline (this means it is more
"explosive" in its reaction, but changes in ignition timing will cure this
problem). Since it burns with a lower temperature, it might not produce
exhaust gases hot enough to keep the catalytic cracking reaction going. This
is where the refrigerants come in.

Everyone knows about heat pumps... They use a little bit of energy to
TRANSFER a large amount of energy from one place to another. This is how a
home heat pump can have an efficiency of say 110% - The energy it TRANSFERS
is FAR GREATER than the energy it uses. For those who can't grasp this -
consider a fuel pump on an engine. It uses a small amount of energy, but it
pumps fuel, which has a very large amount of energy stored in it
(chemically). The heat pump is just the same. Also, a heat pump can take
heat energy from a cold place, and put it into a warm place, making the cold
place colder, and the warm place warmer. This is how you can sit in your
cosy room at 30 deg C, when it is 0 deg C outside, simply by using a heat pump.

How does the heat pump apply to the fuel system? Remember I said that the
exhaust gases of the methane powered engine may be too cold to keep the
reaction going? I intend to use a heat pump (using a little bit of energy)
to TRANSFER a very large amount of energy from the exhaust (making it yet
cooler), to the little oil refinery mounted on the engine (keeping it at the
desired temperature). Hence, I have stipulated the refrigerant to be able to
cope with temperatures of (at least) between 20 deg C, and 500 to 600 deg C.
In actual fact, it would be better if it were to work at a larger temp
range. This is also why I said that some kind of head cooling system would
help my little project, although it isn't my project, per-say. However, I
had thought of it before. If all of the wasted heat could be collected from
the oil, the coolant system, and the exhaust (bearing in mind that both the
coolant system, and the oil should be kept at their most efficient
temperatures), then the system should (not saying it will) be more efficient
still. In fact, it might be possible for such a system to replace the
radiator, and recirculate the energy, instead of throwing it away by
increasing the ambient air temperature.

However, such a system would have a maximum efficiency, where the attempt to
recycle any more energy would result in the system using more extra energy
than it gains. I do not know where this point is, but I would like to find out.

As for where EFI fits in, obviously, an EFI system can meter just the right
amount of fuel (and water that is thermally cracked, and electrostatically
separated into H(+) and O(2-) ions, then made into H2 and O2 inseparate
chambers) needed more accurately than any carburettor will ever be able to.
Also, it may be possible to have another EFI computer controling the heat
pump, so that the little oil refinery can stay at its most efficient
temperature.

Any comments/ideas???

Danny Barrett.