Green Grassroots Innovation – Internal Combustion Engine Check Valve (Non Return)

This innovation shows that how a common man not only dared to venture into the area of engineering and design of internal combustion engines but also developed something unique which exploited reducing incomplete combustion of the fuel to increase the fuel efficiency of the engine unlike doing it from the exhaust side the most common direction of research by scientists and researchers of this field.A cloth merchant by occupation and educated only till 9th standard, Arvind Janardan Khandke hails from Kolhapur, Maharashtra. He has developed a check valve (non return) for internal combustion engine which apart from improving its fuel efficiency, makes it eco-friendly as well. The wet air filter of his motorcycle made him to think that some air fuel mixture is returning back and hence causing incomplete combustion due to improper mixture of air and fuel. The un-burnt fuel causes emission of carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons in the atmosphere causing a more serious kind of pollution. Arvind decided to develop a valve to stop the wastage due to rebound of this air-fuel mixture and came up with a check valve made of nylon and Poly Propylene.Features and applications of the non return check valve
The non-return check valve can be used with both two stroke and four stroke engines.
This valve can be used for both petrol and diesel engines. It is fitted between air filter and carburettor and between air filter and intake manifold in case of petrol and diesel engines respectively.
It increases the life of filtering element of the air filter by keeping it dry.
This check valve needs to be replaced after every 25000 Km of drive and its cost is just Rs. 1000.
This green grassroots innovation has been granted patent for use on both two stroke and four stroke engines.Evaluation and support of the non-return check valveDr. D.Y. Patil College of Engineering tested this check valve in its lab on premier Padmini car engine and found that it considerably improves the fuel efficiency. On road tests of the valve on the same premier Padmini car engine showed that fuel efficiency increase by 30% when the valve was used. The Government Polytechnic College of Kolhapur has also tested this non-return check valve for its eco-friendly emission claims on Enfield (350 cc) and found that there was a reduction of 19% and 82% respectively in carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons content at 2000 rpm.The innovation was recognised and supported by the National innovation foundation, India (NIF). NIF, a non-profit autonomous body under ministry of science and technology, government of India has also awarded the innovation in its 3rd national biennial competition for green grassroots unaided technological innovations and traditional knowledge.