In 1995, the technology assets of Enox were acquired by the firm Oil and Gas Field Machinery and Equipment comany Cooper Cameron. Previously doing business as Plasmachines Inc, ENOX Technologies, Inc., developed a plasma combustion ignition system that assured ignition stability and complete com bustion in lean-burn engines. The patented INOx system significantly lowered combustion temperature, improves engine efficiency, reduced nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions, extended engine life, and reduced required engine maintenance. The key to combustion stability in lean-burn engines is the duration of the ignition function or the spark. In a conventional spark ignition system, the spark itself is of very short duration. If the mix of air and fuel in the area of the spark is not exact, there is poor combustion or no combustion at all. The INOx system was able to ignite very lean air/fuel ratios in an open chamber cylinder design, with no engine modification or tear down. The technology produced a continuous electrical discharge at the gap of a conventional spark plug for any desired num ber of degrees of engine rotation. The energy delivered ensures that combustion would occur even at the leanest conditions. The INOx technology reduces NOx formation rates and NOx concentrations in the exhaust by lowering combustion temperatures. Instal lation of the INOx ignition system results in a 40 to 90 percent drop in NOx emissions at rated load and speed without significant additional fuel consumption. The system can be installed quickly because it requires no modification of the engineâs head and is easily maintained. The INOx system causes NOx emissions to drop by consistently and completely firing very lean air/fuel mixtures from increased turbocharger boost pressures and thus reducing com-bustion temperatures. This leads to lower NOx formation rates and reduced NOx concentrations in the exhaust. In addition, it produces more stable engine performance from extended duration discharge. ENOX successfully retrofitted over 100 engines with its patented INOx technology. Several of these clients have reported over 80 percent reduction in NOx emissions. Development and commercialization of the INOx system at the time resulted in substantial growth of both staff and sales with growth in the firm from a staff of 3 to a company of 25
