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What Is a Vapor Carburetor?

Ken Black
Ken Black

A vapor carburetor is an invention meant to vaporize gasoline before it goes through the engine so that it may burn more efficiently and completely. The vapor carburetor is mainly theoretical. Some say that if it could be built, it may increase fuel mileage in automobiles by 200 miles per gallon or greater.

To understand this type of carburetor and how it could work, it is first necessary to have a basic understanding of what a traditional carburetor does. The job of a carburetor is to ensure there is a proper mixture of gasoline and air into the engine so that combustion occurs efficiently. Too much air and the automobile could not run or damage the engine in trying to run. Too much fuel and it will run rich, leading to the vehicle running rough or flooding out and stalling.

Carburetors are still commonly in use in lawn mowers.
Carburetors are still commonly in use in lawn mowers.

The carburetor is no longer used in most newer cars. It has been replaced by fuel injection systems, which are said to be more efficient and lead to improved fuel mileage and lower emissions. However, in many other small-engine applications, such as lawn mowers, chain saws and other types of equipment, carburetors are still in use.

The vapor carburetor was said to be invented by Charles Nelson Pogue between 1928 and 1935 and is often referred to as the Pogue carburetor. Early reports on the carburetor suggested it could get as much as 200 miles by only burning a single gallon of fuel. These reports were backed up by claims from different Canadian car dealers about greatly improved fuel mileage.

This has led some to wonder why the carburetor is not in use today. The reason is simple. The carburetor, if it ever existed, was never able to get the type of fuel mileage it claimed.

A carburetor ensures the proper mixture of gasoline and air enters an engine for combustion.
A carburetor ensures the proper mixture of gasoline and air enters an engine for combustion.

Since the story first appeared decades ago, rumors have continued to spread about the invention. Some say major oil companies, afraid of such an invention, quickly buy all the patents for vapor carburetors. This effectively keeps this carburetor from being offered to the masses. However, these theories have been proven false time and time again. Still, they make good conversation for conspiracy theorists.

Engineers say that a vapor carburetor, even if it were built and put into widespread use, would never get the kind of fuel mileage being claimed. Today, fuel combustion in gasoline engines exceeds 97 percent. This means any improved carburetor would, at best, only be able to offer a 3 percent improvement in fuel economy. Instead of more efficient combustion, automakers are looking at other ways to improve fuel economy.

Discussion Comments

anon1006412

Theres too much wrong with this article to get into..patents are true, ive donwloaded them. And being someone who has gone through the patent process, you cannot submit garbage and expect to receive a patent. Secondly. During the grest depression the government actually retro fitted americas farmers' tractors with vapor carbs, to be able to produce as much food as possible while reducing costs. Shortly after, these carbs were recalled and destroyed. Pogues carb was legit, and he disappeared from public view shortly after going public. The story is he accepted money. The gentleman who created the water powered dune buggey in tampa in the late 70s and early 80s was poisoned at a cracker barrel while eating with his brother, and preparing to sign a deal with a european company. This is all verifyable. His family was even afraid to carry on his research because of it. So to say that there is no gains in vapor carbs, is really not true. The fact is that petroleum companies would lose billions if these were readily available.

anon1006363

I'm not even sure why I have read through the whole article. There is absolutely no chemical energy inside petrol or diesel to run 200 miles on a gallon (or to increase the efficency that much). ICEs have a peak efficency of around 35%, with included turbo-compressor package. If the calculation from the article was correct, the efficency of ICEs would be over 100%, which is saying that they create more energy than they use. Please, stop writing bullshit articles.

anon343097

Everyone is confused here. I actually built a vapor carburetor back in 1979 about the same time that Tom Ogle built his and died. At that time, I quit improving mine. I had mine on a 1979 4X4 Scout II, if any of you guys can remember what that is.

The process of vaporizing fuel is just this: first, you have to have a small chamber where liquid fuel can be held in reserve. This fuel being supplied by the pump just recycles until it has been vaporized. If it does not vaporize, then it is recycled by the pump. The liquid fuel is being spread with fuel injector. On mine, I used the injector tips from a Detroit diesel injector. It suited my needs. As it spread, some of it would vaporize into a wet vapor as such. This wet vapor dried in a drying chamber and the beaded fuel was returned back to recycle.

The dryer vapor was compressed into a small tank at 5 psi with a check value that recycled the 5 psi until used by going at a faster RPM or needing more power. This vapor used was then released into the throat of the carburetor where a butterfly was used to control the mixture of the air with the vapors and voila! A vapor controlled process that people have had around for years but did not understand.

More vapor into the cylinder and less liquid fuel gives better gas mileage. The people who are talking about the heat needed to vaporize fuel did not think that the fuel injector is only the first part of the Pogue Carburetor. They need to use the entire carburetor in order for it to work correctly.

Look at the hydrogen converter carburetor. The government took the convert off that only converted what hydrogen was needed and then gave you the hydrogen carburetor and sell you the hydrogen that you have to buy and hall around with you. Pray to God you do not get into a wreck and get a hydrogen explosion. What is in the tank, they say, will take out a block.

Anyway, this is how it really works. Others are just trying to keep people from knowing. Look at the $250 billion in tax the federal government received from just the 18.9 cents per gallon tax. New York's gas tax on top of that is 75 cents. Do you think they are going to give up this revenue so you can drive cheaper?

anon342881

Last time I checked, internal combustion engines get really hot and need a lot of cooling. All that heat is energy generated by the process that is not going to move the car or drive the belt system. Saying that "Today, fuel combustion in gasoline engines exceeds 97 percent" is very optimistic. What I think you mean is that now computers and sensors adjust the fuel/air ratio to approach chemical (stoichometric or however you spell it) balance. This is hampered by the fact that at low RPM air flow is restricted limiting the power made by each stroke and at high RPM there isn't enough time for combustion to complete.

I've never tried a vapor fuel delivery system but it seems to me the logic is sound. A finely misted fuel could allow a higher compression ratio which is the primary factor of efficiency along with losses due to friction, inertia, turbulence etc.

anon321169

@indainchief741: First off, what was wrong with your Kia that it was only getting 17 mpg? I could double that in my old V6 Chevy. Secondly, 24 mpg is not proof of anything - that is nowhere near the claim of 200mpg. Also, being a '96, your Kia should be EFI, so I'm a bit confused on that as well. Something just doesn't add up here.

anon20753

Go to youtube and check out the vapor system I've built, geet system, or just search indianchief741, drove the 96 kia to 65 mph on a 8HP brigs carb, might not be a true geet system but for sure a on demand vapor system! went from 17 mpg to 24mpg on the first try! and I haven't even screwed with the jets yet! indianchief741

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