Very interesting idea about lawnmower testing. I havent seen nortonpro around lately though.

LaPointe tested water injection to reduce power (test engine).

I tested 2% injection and found a power loss and no mpg gain.

All that might work would be steam...by running a line around the exhaust?

Yes the Ultrasonic vaporizers have a piezo electric transducer driven by high voltage high frequency signal to vibrate the water molecules into a mist and they do not take a lot of power since the transducer is very efficient - maybe 10's of watts not hundreds.

The steam idea is not going to work because you want water droplets in the intake that convert to steam and increase combustion pressure - they probably also cool the piston and walls and in so doing also increase pressure in the chamber on the power stroke. You could probably just run on water vapor for a little while and get a small quantity of energy out of the engine without any fuel injected. Ever hear of the 6 cycle engine? 4 stoke gas and 2 stokes water injection for cooling and heat to energy conversion.

Another thing to remember to prevent rusting in the engine only inject water when the engine is hot and not before shutting down.

The water injection thing tends to attract people...I know I got into it. All that free power from steam. But I'm doubting that liquid injection (drip or spray) works....except to cool turbos.

I think maybe liquid water removes too much heat from the combustion process?

Feel free to prove me wrong.

I'm wanting to test routing the PCV flow around the exhaust in a copper tube and injecting a very small flow of water to also provide steam (vacuum). Possibly also try injecting some gas (vacuum).

A PCV jar is a GOOD thing to use if you are testing water injection...keeps the water out of the oil to some extent.

lol! I'm such a slacker! I still have to do the winter/summer fuel testing too :rolleyes:
I have plenty equipment to measure ambient relative humidity compared to what the humidfier is shooting out into the mower intake. What I don't have is any humidifying device. Yard sales? And what sort of humidifier should I source?
~Will

You and your slacking, :p

Anyway, I'm in to here what you find out, though I have no idea about humidifiers. You could boil some wudder in front of the intake, :p

I know! :p
And I think boiling some water is a decent idea, I could devise a cardboard "tent" to entrap and direct the charged air into the intake.
Since my mower is a mulcher, it produces a helluva lot of wind, so I'd just have to securely situate the hotplate and pot of water above the windstorm coming out from under the sides. Then also keep it away from any vibrations...

I'm so clever.