WO2000028204A1

WO2000028204A1 - Method and apparatus for improving hydrocarbon fuel combustion

Info

Publication number: WO2000028204A1
Application number: PCT/SE1999/002015
Authority: WO
Inventors: Boris Andrejevich Adamovich; Andrey Borisovich Adamovich; Andrey Andreevich Adamovich; Vladimir Anatolievich Gorshenin; Gerhard Miksche; Oleg Iourivich Netchoukine; Iouri Vasilievich Netchoukine
Original assignee: Boris Andrejevich Adamovich; Andrey Borisovich Adamovich; Andrey Andreevich Adamovich; Gorshenin Vladimir Anatolievic; Gerhard Miksche; Oleg Iourivich Netchoukine; Iouri Vasilievich Netchoukine
Priority date: 1998-11-06
Filing date: 1999-11-05
Publication date: 2000-05-18
Also published as: SE9803805D0

Abstract

A method for improving the combustion of hydrocarbon fuels by fuel activation comprises subjecting a flowing hydrocarbon fuel while in contact with a fuel activating material selected from Sn, Pb, their mutual alloys, and their alloys with other metals of which they make up more than 90 % by weight to a magnetic field at a temperature not exceeding 50 °C, and to directly feed the fuel or part of it to a combustion chamber. The thus treated fuel may be activated by a non-alternating magnetic field downstream of the alternating field. Also disclosed is a corresponding apparatus, its combination with a burner, a motor car provided with it, an activated hydrocarbon fuel and a plant for its production, and the combination of turbine means and a magnet for rotatable disposition in a hydrocarbon fuel.

Description

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR IMPROVING HYDROCARBON FUEL COMBUSTION

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a method for improving the combustion of hydrocarbon fuels by fuel activation, and a corresponding apparatus.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Methods for improving the combustion of hydrocarbon fuels include activation of the fuel by passing it through a magnetic field and/or by contacting it with a fuel activation element of varying composition.

U.S. Patent No. 5,738,692 (Wright) discloses a fuel treatment device including at least one fuel activation element comprising tin, antimony, lead and mercury. After contacting the fuel activation element the fuel passes through a magnetic field produced by a pair of ferrite magnets.

U.S. Patent No. 5,307,779 (Wood) discloses an apparatus for treating and conditioning a hydrocarbon fuel comprising a fuel activation element comprising an amalgam containing a plurality of trace metal elements including tin, mercury, and lead, which are said to pass into the fuel. Upstream or downstream of the fuel activation element one or several magnets may be disposed to additionally subject the fuel to a magnetic field.

U.S. Patent No. 5,533,490 (Pascall) discloses a fuel conditioning device comprising a housing having a cylindrical ferromagnetic wall defining a fuel flow path and, in the flow path, a tin alloy body and a magnet disposed downstream thereof diametrically along the housing. Its opposite poles face the housing wall so that substantially all fuel flows between the faces of the magnet and the wall.

The Russian patent no. 2028491 discloses a device for activation of a hydrocarbon fuel being fed to an internal combustion engine by bringing the fuel into contact with granules of tin or an alloy of tin and lead disposed in a first chamber while heating the fuel to 70-80°C, and making the fuel pass through a second chamber in which it is brought into contact with thin foil of tin or a tin alloy in the presence of a magnetic field produced by permanent magnets.

The aforementioned devices and other apparatus of similar kind known in the art can be installed, i.a., in fuel lines by which hydrocarbon fuels are fed to internal combustion engines, preferably at a short distance from the point of consumption. Improvement of combustion implies that a higher percentage of the fuel is burned, thus rendering internal combustion engines more effective and less pollutant. In particular the improvement relates to a reduction in the carbon monoxide and/or hydrocarbon content of the exhaust gases. These pollutants constitute a major environmental problem, in particular in areas with a high density of motor cars and or areas where exhaust gases are not dissipated quickly, such as towns, highways, and tunnels. A typical car using unleaded gasoline emits at average about 20 kg carbon monoxide per year (Exhaust emissions from duel-fuel passenger car (1987 Celebrity) using unleaded gasoline. EPA Special Report, April 1990) . Whereas the methods and apparatus known in the art have been shown to improve the combustion of hydrocarbon fuels and thus the efficiency of internal combustion engines, the improvement has not been of a size that would make their application to motor cars economically attractive. It should be also noted that, in spite of the great number of patent applications filed and patents granted in this field, there is no established theoretical basis to explain the beneficial effect of magnetic fields on the combustion properties of hydrocarbon fuels.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

One object of the invention is to provide a method for improving hydrocarbon fuel combustion by fuel activation which converts the fuel to combustion products more efficiently than fuel activation methods known in the art.

Another object of the invention is to provide an corresponding apparatus.

Further objects of the invention include providing a method and a corresponding apparatus for reducing the content of environmentally undesired components in the exhaust gases of internal combustion engines, in particular hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide.

Still further objects of the invention will become apparent from the description of the invention and the appended claims. SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention is disclosed a method for improving the combustion of hydrocarbon fuels by fuel activation, comprising subjecting a flowing hydrocarbon fuel while in contact with a fuel activating material selected from Sn, Pb, their mutual alloys, and their alloys with other metals of which they make up more than 90% by weight to a magnetic field at a temperature not exceeding 50°C, and to directly feed the fuel or part of it to a combustion chamber.

Other metals for incorporation to an alloy of Sn and Pb in an amount not exceeding 10% by weight are selected from Ag, Au, Ag, Sb, Bi. Mercury, Cadmium, and Thallium should be excluded as far as possible (that is, as far as conventional metal purification procedures allow) from the aforementioned alloy. Even more preferred is a fuel activating material selected from Sn, Pb, and their mutual alloys with the proviso that other elements are excluded except for unavoidable traces thereof. Most preferred is a fuel activating material that is an alloy of Sn and Pb having a Sn/Pb composition from 1.4 to 1.8 by weight, preferably an alloy which is within ± 5% of the eutectic alloy of Sn and Pb.

It will be appreciated that Sn, Pb, and said other metals preferred for incorporation to an alloy of Sn and Pb in an amount not exceeding 10% by weight are metals having electrons in 5s/5p or 6s/6p shells in combination with the corresponding lower 4f or 5f shell being unoccupied .'The fuel activating elements (metals) are not visibly consumed by the method of the invention. Their influence on the fuel in combination with the magnetic field thus seems to be confined to electronic effects. This explanation of the beneficial effect of the invention is however one based only on theoretical speculation. Therefore it should not been considered to limit in any way the scope of the present invention. Furthermore it should be noted that the presence of aromatics in the hydrocarbon fuel counteracts the beneficial effect of the invention; this might be due π- bonds stabilizing electric charge. It should also be noted that the method of the invention should be carried out in an environment insulated from ground to avoid positive electric charge to be lost; the resistance to ground should be at least 1 MΩ, preferably 2 MΩ or more. In motor cars rubber tires normally provide for this sort of insulation, except when a device for the prevention of static charge build-up is used. Such an anti-static device comes in the form a metal band or similar, and is mounted to the metal body of the car at its one end while its other end is in sliding contact with the road. The use of such static charge diverting devices should thus be avoided in the context of the present invention.

It will be also appreciated that, to obtain the full beneficial effect of the invention, the fuel must not pass through the apparatus too quickly. On the other hand there is no extra beneficial effect of a prolonged stay of the fuel in the device to be obtained once the saturation effect is reached. An optimum time for passage of the fuel through the apparatus of the invention can be easily determined by experimentation; this includes to adapt the size of the apparatus to the fuel consumption of the engine or burner. Indications of how to proceed in this respect are provided in the Russian patent no. 2028491. An advantageous time for passage of the fuel through the apparatus extends from about 20 seconds to about two minutes. It should be appreciated that after mounting the apparatus in a car the effect provided by the invention will gradually build up. In modern cars with fuel injection the fuel pump has capacity in excess of the required maximum injection rate at a given time. The pump works at a constant rate. Excess of fuel not required for injection at a given time is returned to the fuel tank in a separate line. The present inventors made the stunning observation that activated fuel returned to the tank does seem to conserve at least part of its activity for prolonged periods of time thus improving the effect of the apparatus of the invention.

According to first preferred aspect of the invention the magnetic field is an alternating magnetic field disposed substantially perpendicular to a direction of fuel flow at a site where the fuel is in contact with the fuel activating material. It is preferred for the magnetic flux density of the alternating magnetic field to be at least 0.1 T.

According to a second preferred aspect of the invention, the alternating magnetic field is a rotating magnetic field.

According to a third preferred aspect of the invention the method comprises subjecting the flowing hydrocarbon fuel to a non-alternating magnetic field disposed downstream of the alternating magnetic field. Particularly preferred is the means for producing the non-alternating magnetic field to comprise a permanent magnet, more preferred a pair of hemicircular permanent magnets or a plurality of magnets having the form of annular segments disposed around the fuel path. It is preferred for the magnetic flux density of the non-alternating magnetic field to be at least 1 T. It preferred for the pair of hemicircular magnets to be arranged in a mutually attracting N/S/N/S disposition; a corresponding arrangement is preferred for said plurality of magnetic elements.

In particular the method of the invention for improving the combustion of hydrocarbon fuels by fuel activation comprises the following steps: disposing a fuel activating material selected from Sn, Pb, their mutual alloys and their alloys with other metals of which they make up more than 90% by weight in the flow of a fuel to be fed to a combustion chamber, making a magnet disposed in the vicinity of the fuel activating material and in a transversal relationship thereto affect the fuel activating material and the fuel in contact with therewith for a time sufficient to activate the fuel to an extent noticeable by an improved combustion thereof, feeding the activated fuel or part of it directly to a combustion chamber for burning.

It is preferred for the magnet disposed in the vicinity of the fuel activating material to produce an alternating magnetic field

It is particularly preferred that the alternating magnetic field is a rotating field produced by rotating a bar agned by the action of the flowing fuel.

Preferably the activated fuel is also subjected to a non- alternating magnetic field prior to being fed to the combustion site. Also preferred is the method to comprise equilibrating the activated fuel prior to said feeding. According to the present invention is also disclosed an apparatus for improving the combustion of a hydrocarbon fuel by activation of the fuel during passage through the apparatus, comprising a housing having a fuel inlet and a fuel outlet connected by a conduit, a fuel activation element disposed in said conduit in contact with the flowing fuel, the fuel activation element essentially consisting of a fuel activating material selected from Sn, Pb, their mutual alloys, and their alloys with other metals of which they make up more than 90% by weight, first magnetic means for producing a magnetic field disposed in a transversal relationship with the fuel activation element so as to make the magnetic field substantially affect the fuel activating element and the fuel in contact with it, and to directly feed the activated fuel or part of it to a combustion chamber. Preferred aspects of the fuel activating material are disclosed above in connection with the method of the invention.

It is preferred for the first magnetic means to include means for producing an alternating magnetic field, in particular a rotating magnetic field. Preferably the means for producing the alternating field are disposed substantially perpendicular to a direction of fuel flow at a location where the fuel is in contact with the fuel activating material. What has been said above about the environment shielded from ground also applies to the apparatus of the invention. Preferably the means for producing the rotating magnetic field include a bar magnet disposed in the flowing fuel about perpendicular to the direction of flow. It is also preferred for the means for producing the rotating magnetic field to include turbine means . It is furthermore preferred for the apparatus of the invention to comprise the fuel activating material in form of one or a plurality of cylinder (s) extending substantially parallel with the conduit.

In addition, it is preferred for the apparatus of the invention to include means for producing a non-alternating magnetic field affecting the activated fuel disposed downstream of the means for producing the alternating magnetic field.

The apparatus of the invention can be used, i.a., in a motor car, with a burner for burning hydrocarbon fuels, in a plant for production of activated hydrocarbon fuel, in an airplane for activating kerosene fed to airplane motors of any design, with diesel engines, such as diesel engines in motor cars and on vessels, etc.

According to a further aspect of the invention is disclosed a fuel activating material in form of an alloy of tin and lead having a tin/lead composition of from 1.4% to 1.8% by weight. Particularly preferred is an alloy having a composition near the eutectic point, such as the eutectic or a composition deviating not more than by 5% (by weight) from the eutectic. Another useful fuel activating material comprises an alloy of tin and lead containing up to 10% by weight of one or several of Ag, Au, Ag, Sb, Bi. Mercury, Cadmium, and Thallium should be excluded as far as possible (that is, as far as conventional metal purification procedures allow) from the aforementioned alloy.

Also disclosed according to the invention is the combination of turbine means and a magnet for rotatable disposition in a hydrocarbon fuel being fed to a combustion chamber. Also comprised by the invention is a hydrocarbon fuel activated by the method of the invention or the apparatus of the invention, and a tank for storing the activated fuel insulated from earth by an electrical insulator having a resistance of at least one MΩ, preferably 2 MΩ or more.

^Directly' implies that the transport of the fuel from the site of activation to the site of combustion corresponds about to the time required to conduct the fuel from a fuel reservoir, such as a gasoline tank, to site of combustion, such as the engine of a motor car. The activated fuel or at least part of it is thus intended for consumption without further storage.

DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES ILLUSTRATING A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

Further advantageous features of the present invention are disclosed in the appended claims and in a preferred embodiment illustrated by a drawing, which is shown in

Fig. 1 in a perspective view, partially sectioned;

Fig. 2 in a partial section through its longitudinal axis;

Fig. 3a - 3d in four sections perpendicular to its longitudinal axis indicated in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 in a fifth section, in the same view as

Fig. 3. DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

The apparatus for improving hydrocarbon fuel combustion by fuel activation according to the invention shown in Figs. 1- 3 comprises a 2-piece housing consisting of a cylindrical body having a wall 1, a bottom 2 at its one end and a peripherally extending flange 3 at its other end, and a cover 4 fitting with the flange 3. The cover 4 is secured at the flange 3 by several bolts (at 5) . For sealing purposes a rubber seal 6 is disposed in a circular grove in the flange 3 facing the cover 4. Inlet and outlet nipples 7,8 centrally disposed in the bottom wall 2 and the cover 4 provide for communication to the interior of the housing 1,2; 3. The nipples 7,8 can be connected to flexible tubes (not shown) of an appropriate fuel resistant material used for conducting the fuel from the fuel tank to the fuel pump of an internal combustion engine. The housing is made of a stiff hydrocarbon resistant polymer material by injection molding. Orientation in respect of the bottom side (inlet side) and the top side (outlet side) of the apparatus of the invention are used to indicate the spatial and directional relationship of its various parts and of fuel flow, respectively.

The housing 1,2; 3 encloses an about cylindrical space which is divided into a number of compartments and conduits by a backbone of polymer inserts 9,11,12,13 stacked upon each other starting from cylindrical insert 9 which rests on the inside of bottom 2 with its one end. The uppermost insert 13 is spaced from the inside of cover 4 by a compressed spiral coil 15. The inserts 9,11,12,13 are generally rotatioήally symmetrical. They also serve the purpose holding a number of metallic fuel activation cylinders 24 and magnets which are essential for producing the fuel combustion improving effect of the invention. The arrangement of these cylinders 24 and the aforementioned compartments is done in a way so as to bring the fuel entering the housing 1,2; 3 through the inlet nipple 7 and leaving it through the outlet nipple 8 in consecutive contact with the cylinders and magnets. After entering the housing 1,2; 3 the fuel passes through at filter 14, thereby entering a lower central conduit 20 formed by the walls of the first insert 9. About halfway in the conduit 20 the fuel drives the blades 16 of a turbine, the shaft 17 of which is rotatably fastened in a perforated circular plate 18 secured in the insert 9 by stop screws (not shown) disposed in threaded through bores 10. The shaft 17 penetrates plate 18 and extends from its other side; there holds there a permanent bar magnet 19 disposed perpendicularly to the shaft 17 and, hence, to the longitudinal axis of the lower central conduit 20. The flowing fuel thus makes the permanent bar magnet 19 rotate, thereby producing a rotating field. A bar magnet producing a magnetic flux density of 0.2-0.3 T was used. Since, in modern fuel injection engines, an excess of fuel is always circulated by the fuel pump independently of the actual fuel consumption of the engine, the permanent magnet bar 19 rotates continuously and with about the same speed. The fuel in excess of that injected into the engine is re-cycled to the fuel tank; thus the fuel tank is supplied with activated fuel which will mix with the original non-activated fuel. The ^activity' of the fuel in the tank thus will increase with time, at least with a continuously running engine.

The plate 18 divides the central conduit 20 in an upper portion and a lower portion from which the fuel passes through bores 21 arranged in the plate 18 passes to the upper portion and from there through bores 22 arranged in the insert 9 wall near its upper end to a number of first triangular conduits 23 having curved walls disposed between the aforementioned cylindrical fuel activation elements 24 of a tin/lead alloy having a tin/lead weight ratio of 1.6 (close to the composition of the eutectic alloy of tin and lead) and the outer wall of insert 9, thereby flowing in a direction opposite to that prevailing in the lower central conduit 20. The fuel activation elements 24 are eight in number and disposed in a circle with their axes in parallel; since they abut at each other they form a sort of wall between the first triangular conduits 23 and second triangular conduits 26 (see below) . At their ends facing the bottom 2 the fuel activation elements 24 rest on cylindrical elevations or bases 25 extending from the inside face of the bottom 2 having a diameter substantially smaller than that of the activation elements 24, thereby forming a first transverse compartment 28. This allows the fuel to pass through the first transverse compartment 28 to a number of second triangular conduits 26 having curved walls disposed between the fuel activation elements 24 and the inner face of housing wall 1. Thereby the fuel reverses its direction of flow, passing through the second triangular conduits 26 in the same direction as the flow in the lower central conduit 20, and then through peripheral reliefs 27 (see also Fig. 3c) in the substantially flat insert 11 resting on insert 9 of which it covers the upper opening. From there it flows in an inward transverse direction through a second transverse compartment 29 delimited by inserts 11 and 12. The fuel leaves compartment 29 centrally to pass through an upper central conduit 30 defined by ring halves 31, 32 of a ferromagnetic material separated by small radially extending gaps and held between the inserts 12 and 13; the magnetic flux density of the non-alternating magnetic field produced by these magnets is about 2-3 T. The walls of the cylindrical upper end of the central conduit 30 are integral with the insert 12; its upper end is closed by a radially extending portion of insert 13. The fuels leaves conduit 30 through holes 34 disposed in the uppermost cylindrical portion 33 of insert 12. A downwardly extending flange 35 of insert 13 forces the fuel to flow in a first fuel activation equilibrating conduit 36 in a downward direction, that is, a direction opposite that of the flow in the central conduits 20,30. Then the direction of flow is reverted again, and the fuel passes between the uppermost part of the housing wall 1 and flange 35 forming a second fuel activation equilibrating conduit 37 until it is diverted by cover 4 to take an inward direction in a third transverse compartment 38 which it leaves through the outlet nipple 8. The double reversal of fuel flow after passage through the upper central conduit 30 promotes mixing and stabilization of the activated fuel prior to injection. A similar fuel equilibrating effect can however also be obtained by arranging a separate mixing chamber downstream of the non-alternating magnetic field magnets 31,32.

A test of this embodiment in a 1989 model BMW 525i car, provided with a fuel injection V6 engine showed a dramatic decrease in carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon emissions. The test was carried out with the engine working at idle conditions and at normal working temperature. Commercial 95 octane unleaded fuel was used. The air excess coefficient (λ) was 1.01. The results are given in Table 1.

Table 1

The test results indicate that part of the emission reducing effect remains after removal of the apparatus of the invention. This might be due to re-circulated fuel (see above) the activation of which may persist for longer periods of time.

In another tests the apparatus of the invention was mounted in the fuel line of a Peugeot 1995 306 model motor car equipped with an exhaust gas converter and a mileage of 104,000 km. The car emitted about 0.7-0.8% of carbon monoxide with the engine idling. After providing the car with the apparatus of the invention CO emission decreased quickly to 0.1% CO and slowly to even below 0.1%. A substantial improvement of CO emission was also noted during cold starts with this car (conditions when the converter is not working) .

In further tests in which the Sn/PB activation cylinders described above were replaced by correspondingly designed cylinders of steel (>95% Fe) , bronze (Cu/Sn alloy containing about 10% Sn by weight) , and other non-inventive alloys only insubstantial fuel activation was observed.

The mass of material used in the activation cylinders is of some importance. In the preferred embodiment of the invention described which has a maximum length of about 8 cm cylinders of 15 mm diameter were used. When these cylinders were replaced by cylinders of 6 mm diameter (a larger number of cylinders had to be used to form a closed wall) the fuel activating effect dropped substantially. On the other hand, further increase of cylinder thickness (cylinder mass) does not seem to provide substantial advantage, at least not in an apparatus of the invention having the size of this preferred embodiment which is adapted in size to suffice for providing the average motor car with activated gasoline. In an apparatus of the invention of a given size the proper dimensions of the activation cylinders can be easily determined by experimentation.

Claims

C l a i m s

1. A method for improving the combustion of hydrocarbon fuels by fuel activation, comprising subjecting a flowing hydrocarbon fuel while in contact with a fuel activating material selected from Sn, Pb, their mutual alloys, and their alloys with other metals of which they make up more than 90% by weight to a magnetic field at a temperature not exceeding 50°C, and to directly feed the fuel or part of it to a combustion chamber.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said other metals for incorporation to an alloy of Sn and Pb in an amount not exceeding 10% by weight are selected from Ag, Au, Ag, Sb, Bi, with the proviso that other elements are excluded except for unavoidable traces thereof.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the fuel activating material is selected from Sn, Pb and their mutual alloys, with the proviso that other elements are excluded except for unavoidable traces thereof.

4. The method of any of claims 1-3, wherein the fuel activating material is an alloy of Sn and Pb having a Sn/Pb composition from 1.4 to 1.8 by weight.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the composition of the fuel activating material is within ± 5% of an eutectic alloy of Sn and Pb.

6. The method of any of claims 1-5, wherein the magnetic field is an alternating field.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the magnetic field is a rotating field.

8. The method of any of claims 1-7, wherein the combustion chamber is a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine.

9. The method of any of claims 1-8, wherein the means for producing the magnetic field are disposed substantially perpendicular to a direction of fuel flow at a site where the fuel is in contact with the fuel activating material.

10. The method of any of claims 1-9, comprising additionally subjecting the flowing hydrocarbon fuel to a non-alternating magnetic field.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the non-alternating magnetic field is disposed downstream of the alternating magnetic field.

12. A method for improving the combustion of hydrocarbon fuels by fuel activation, comprising the following steps: disposing a fuel activating material selected from Sn, Pb, their mutual alloys and their alloys with other metals of which they make up more than 90% by weight in the flow of a fuel to be fed to a combustion chamber, making a magnet disposed in the vicinity of the fuel activating material and in a transversal relationship thereto affect the fuel activating material and the fuel in contact with therewith for a time sufficient to activate the fuel to an extent noticeable by an improved combustion thereof, feeding the activated fuel or part of it directly to a combustion chamber for burning.

13. The method of claim 12, comprising subjecting the activated fuel to a non-alternating field prior to said feeding.

14. The method of claim 12 or 13, comprising equilibrating the activated fuel prior to said feeding.

15. An apparatus for improving the combustion of a hydrocarbon fuel by activation of the fuel passing through the apparatus, comprising a housing having a fuel inlet and a fuel outlet connected by a conduit, a fuel activation element disposed in said conduit in contact with the flowing fuel, the fuel activation element essentially consisting of a fuel activating material selected from Sn, Pb, their mutual alloys, and their alloys with other metals of which they make up more than 90% by weight, first magnetic means for producing a magnetic field disposed in a transversal relationship with the fuel activation element so as to make the magnetic field substantially affect the fuel activating element and the fuel in contact with it, and to directly feed the activated fuel or part of it to a combustion chamber.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the first magnetic means include means for producing an alternating magnetic field, in particular a rotating magnetic field.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein means for producing an alternating magnetic field include means for producing a rotating magnetic field.

18. The apparatus of any of claims 16 or 17, wherein the alternating field is disposed substantially perpendicular to a direction of fuel flow at a location where the fuel is in contact with the fuel activating material.

19. The apparatus of claim 17 or 18, comprising a magnet rotatably disposed in the flowing fuel and about perpendicular to the direction of flow.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the magnet is provided with rotating means.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the rotating means comprise turbine means.

22. The apparatus of any of claims 15-21 wherein the fuel activating material is provided in form of a plurality of cylinders extending substantially parallel with and enclosing the conduit.

23. The apparatus of any of claims 15-22, additionally including means for producing a non-alternating magnetic field affecting the activated fuel.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the means for producing the non-alternating magnetic field is disposed downstream of the means for producing the alternating magnetic field.

25. The apparatus of any of claims 15-24, wherein the combustion chamber pertains to an internal combustion ' engine.

26. A motor car provided with the apparatus of any of claims 15-24.

27. The combination of a burner and the apparatus of any of claims 15-24.

28. A plant for production of an activated hydrocarbon fuel provided with the apparatus of any of claims 15-24.

29. The combination of turbine means and a magnet for rotatable disposition in a hydrocarbon fuel being fed to a combustion chamber.

30. A hydrocarbon fuel activated by use of the method of any of claims 1-14 and/or the apparatus of any of claims 15- 24.