The Company was founded in 1998 as a start-up venture to explore and develop this newly-discovered IR-excited Fuel technology that reduces fuel consumption and emissions of fossil fuel powered internal combustion engines .
The founder of the Company, Dr. Albert C. Wey, was previously involved in a project, co-funded by Pratt Whiney and NASA in 1994, to develop an ultrasonic nondestructive testing (NDT) method for inspecting ceramic ball bearings to be used in the main engines of U.S. Space Shuttles. After one of the meetings with ceramics suppliers in Japan, Dr. Wey was intrigued by a peculiar ceramic material that emitted so-called “far-infrared rays" at 8 – 20 μm wavelengths. Japan was regarded as the first to use far-infrared (FIR) technology in agricultural and therapeutic applications.
With a background in Electro-Physics, specializing in Electromagnetic Waves, Applied Optics, and Quantum Mechanics, Dr. Wey was instantly attracted by these amazing IR-emitting ceramics. However, he did not agree with the Japanese theory explaining the effects and started his own scientific examination into ceramic infrared emissions.
His investigation confirmed that some engineered ceramics consisting of transition metal oxides could emit photons in the mid- and far- infrared zone. He also studied the relationship between infrared absorption by chemicals and the resultant molecular vibrations in Organic Chemistry. He then learned that hydrocarbon molecules are infrared-active and can absorb multiple IR photons in 3 – 14 μm wavelengths to cause molecular vibrations. This led to his invention of FIR Fuel technology in 1998.
Through his extensive scientific research, Dr. Wey found a classic work of Evans and Polanyi in 1930s that illustrated the importance of molecular vibrational energy in reaction dynamics. Based on Photoselective Chemistry models that describe the mechanism of IR Multiphoton Absorption and Excitation and Photon-Catalyzed Pre-dissociation, Dr. Wey intuitively thought that if he could find a broadband IR emitter covering the 3 – 14 μm wavelength range he would have a method for increasing combustion efficiency in an HC-fueled engine to improve engine performance.
Fortunately, numerous research works had been done in Japan on ceramic material characteristics that would emit infrared emissions for agricultural applications. After studying the published reports, Dr. Wey was able to select specific transition metal oxides and make a ceramic composite that emits in the desired 3 – 14 μm wavelength band.
During 1999 thru 2001, Dr. Wey raised $2 million research funds from several supportive financial angels and managed to make the first concept-demonstrating prototype 3 – 14 μm FIR-emitter, consisting of selective transition metal oxides including zirconia and cobalt oxide. The prototype was tested by an EPA-recognized lab (AutoResearch Lab, Harvey, IL) to improve fuel economy by 19.1% and reduce emissions up to 46%! Since then, the composition has undergone several refinements to maximize the IR effect upon hydrocaborns and reduce production costs for commercialization.
Dr. Wey also tested the prototype FIR-emitters in several vehicles as preliminary road tests. They all showed encouraging correlation in increased power and improved fuel economy (averaged about 10 – 15 %) with the FIR-emitters installed, compared to the vehicle baselines.
Due to prohibitive costs and bureaucracy for conducting vehicle and engine tests in the U.S., he decided to move the research activities to China in 2003. Though the testing equipment, methods and standards in China were not as rigorous as in the U.S., he was able to conclusively demonstrate in several independent engine tests at nationally accredited facilities that FIR-emitters indeed reduced fuel consumption and emissions of gasoline, diesel and LNG engines.
As a result of the preliminary studies, the hypothetical model and test results of using FIR-excited fuel to increase engine performance were presented at the AFS 2003 & 2005 International Topical Conference on Diesel and Gas Engine Emission Solutions.
The theoretical models, along with preliminary test results, were recently reviewed by a leading U.S. university* and determined to be "plausible". In order to verify this scientific discovery the Company is currently working with the university to prove the FIR effects of fuel heat release rate, flame-front propagation and soot formation in a single cylinder engine, under Federal funded research program applications.
It is hoped that at the conclusion of the tests FIR Fuel Technology will become a part of basic Organic Chemistry and Photochemistry Sciences.
(*Note: a cooperative research project agreement with this prestigious university is on file. However, the name of the university is not revealed herein because we have promised not to disclose it for any marketing purpose.)
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