Ford Patents Potential ICE-Saving Technology

[Richard Cranium]

Interesting, but you know that the ChiComs will eventually steal it.



28 February 2024

Engineers at Ford have filed a patent for a pre-combustion system that could dramatically reduce emissions and, as a result, earn a reprieve for gas-powered cars in an era of on-going electrification.

You might want to grab a coffee at this point as it’s going to get pretty technical. The idea is to take the gases captured by a positive crankcase ventilation system, or other evaporative emissions system, and cycle them into a pre-combustion chamber, instead of storing them in a carbon-filled canister, and periodically purging back into the intake, as is convention.

In traditional PCV systems the rate at which emissions are generated can sometimes exceed the purge rate and, when this happens, the gases are vented to the atmosphere, which rather defeats the object of the exercise. The Ford system makes much better use of any unburnt fuel coming through by channeling the vapors into a pre-chamber with an igniter.

“In particular, the approach may reduce an amount of time it takes to purge a carbon filled canister of fuel vapors,” reads the filing with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, first reported on by CarBuzz. “Additionally, the approach may improve combustion stability during purging of fuel vapors. Further, the approach may reduce evaporative emissions by increasing fuel vapor flow during conditions of hydrocarbon breakthrough of the carbon filled canister.”

Ford / United States Patent and Trademark Office

Overall the system could lead to a more efficient fuel burn, potentially increasing power as well as reducing emissions. As an added benefit the buildup of carbon deposits on valves from unburnt fuel would also be reduced, improving engine longevity.

Obviously it’s early days and the system could prove too complex and expensive to manufacture, especially when the Blue Oval is investing heavily in electrification. However, it’s still good to see that Ford hasn’t given up on the power of combustion just yet.

Ford Patents Potential ICE-Saving Technology - Hagerty Media

Ford has filed a patent for a pre-combustion system that could dramatically reduce emissions and earn a reprieve for gas-powered cars.

www.hagerty.com

 

[Kern Dog]

Hmmm.
My car is already a hybrid....It burns gas and tires!

 

[Detective D]

That's great. It will give them a reason to make an F150 cost 6 figures.
Maybe they should patent a car that weighs 2000 lbs instead of 4200 lbs and watch emissions cut by 40% as the same HP can move the car that much easier, that much faster, OR they could achieve the same result as now with less HP.

 

[WileERobby]

That's great. It will give them a reason to make an F150 cost 6 figures.
Maybe they should patent a car that weighs 2000 lbs instead of 4200 lbs and watch emissions cut by 40% as the same HP can move the car that much easier, that much faster, OR they could achieve the same result as now with less HP.

It makes our 3800 lb cars seem like lightweights.

 

[F4R/T]

Makes me think of Ford in the late 70s thru late 80s ... overly gigantic pain in the rear, vacuum lines everywhere and a solenoid to operate another solenoid to do the a job that one solenoid could do . Their emissions control systems were disasters.

 

[MarPar]

Sounds like it's akin to the DPF's on diesel engines, but through the intake instead of the exhaust. More **** to break.

 

[mpgmike]

Sounds like Ford resurrected Honda's CVCC concept from the '70s. The pre-chamber was fed a 13:1 AFR while the main chamber inhaled 18:1. The burning pre-charge infiltrated the main chamber like a blow torch. I love that design. They were able to meet EPA emissions for several years without a catalytic converter while everyone else used the cat approach.

 

[F4R/T]

I couldn’t recall who had that idea before Ford, I knew someone did!

 

[RemCharger]

Interesting, but you know that the ChiComs will eventually steal it.

A lot of weird/wrong stuff in the article

Engineers at Ford have filed a patent for a pre-combustion system that could dramatically reduce emissions and, as a result, earn a reprieve for gas-powered cars in an era of on-going electrification.
dramatically?
You might want to grab a coffee at this point as it’s going to get pretty technical. The idea is to take the gases captured by a positive crankcase ventilation system, or other evaporative emissions system, and cycle them into a pre-combustion chamber, instead of storing them in a carbon-filled canister, and periodically purging back into the intake, as is convention.PCV gases were never stored in a carbon filled canister.

In traditional PCV systems the rate at which emissions are generated can sometimes exceed the purge rate and, when this happens, the gases are vented to the atmosphere, which rather defeats the object of the exercise. if the crank case gases exceed the pcv draw, they go directly back into the induction . Not atmosphere.The Ford system makes much better use of any unburnt fuel coming through by channeling the vapors into a pre-chamber with an igniter.Better use? Unburnt fuel?

“In particular, the approach may reduce an amount of time it takes to purge a carbon filled canister of fuel vapors,” how long does it take to purge the canister. Not long.reads the filing with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, first reported on by CarBuzz. “Additionally, the approach may improve combustion stability during purging of fuel vapors.May? By introducing burnt inert gases? Further, the approach may reduce evaporative emissions by increasing fuel vapor flow during conditions of hydrocarbon breakthrough of the carbon filled canister.”Again, there is no evaporative emissions , it's a sealed system. Remember when you leave off your gas cap, the computer knows the system became open.
View attachment 1620140Ford / United States Patent and Trademark OfficeView attachment 1620141
Overall the system could lead to a more efficient fuel burn, no potentially increasing power no as well as reducing emissions  no. As an added benefit the buildup of carbon deposits on valves from unburnt fuel would also be reduced, improving engine longevity.This part might actually be a thing, but passing burnt stuff past the valves it sounds unlikely.

Obviously it’s early days and the system could prove too complex and expensive to manufacture,They make far more complex and expensive stuff than that. especially when the Blue Oval is investing heavily in electrification. However, it’s still good to see that Ford hasn’t given up on the power of combustion just yet.

http://[URL][URL]https://www.hagert...d0bd0bbe9f25ae627919692c0d6e76c4d7d7d557e6470

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