Technology Available for Licensing

Case 12864

Reformer Enhanced Direct Injection Methanol Engines

Keywords:

Internal combustion engine, efficiency gain, biofuel

Applications:

Increase engine efficiency and operation efficiency

Problem:

Low efficiency of biofuels in conventional engine

Technology:

The invention enhances the engine operation performance of biofuels of a methanol-fueled engine by addition of hydrogen-rich gas which is produced by reforming a fraction of the methanol. The highly turbocharged, high compression ratio operation is also facilitated by the exceptionally high knock resistance of methanol when it is directly injected. Thus the total efficiency gain relative to a conventional gasoline engine could be greater than 40%.

Advantages:

• Increases engine efficiency at high loads
• Reduce friction loss during operation
• Improve combustion stability in spark ignited engines
• Suppress pollutant emissions

Inventors:

• Leslie Bromberg (Plasma Science and Fusion Center, MIT)
• Daniel R. Cohn (Plasma Science and Fusion Center, MIT)

Intellectual Property:

US Patent Serial Number 12/648082, filed December 28, 2009

US Patent Serial Number 12/600762, filed February 18, 2010

PCT Patent Serial Number PCT/US2012/059332, filed October 9, 2012

Publications:

N/A

Please contact: Christopher R. Noble MIT Technology Licensing Officer 1 Cambridge Center, Kendall Square, NE18-501 Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142-1601

Email: crn@mit.edu Tel: 617-253-6966 Fax: 617–258-6790 Website: http://tlo.mit.edu