Abstract:
This invention is a two stroke, internal combustion, reciprocating, engine with plunger 14, made up of a number of similar working units. Each working unit is comprised of cylinder 16 that is closed at one end by cylinder head 4, and contains air inlet valve 2, power piston 22 that is connected to power output shaft 26, and plunger 14. Plunger 14 is a movable wall with barrel 10 attached to it. Plunger 14 moves between power piston 22 and cylinder head 4, and the means to accomplish this are: spring 12, the urging of power piston 22 after a collision, and the difference between the internal and external engine pressures. During the compression stroke the pressure inside the engine exceeds the pressure outside of the engine, this pressure difference on the exhaust area forces plunger 14 up against cylinder head 4 and deforms spring 12. During the expansion stroke the pressure difference continues to keep plunger 14 up against cylinder head 4 and spring 12 deformed. This condition will continue until the pressure force from the pressure difference on the exhaust area falls below spring 12 force. Near the end of the expansion stroke power piston 22 reaches pressure reducing chamber port 32. When power piston 22 reaches pressure reducing chamber port 32 the pressure is reduced because of the added volume of pressure reducing chamber 8, and the pressure force falls below spring 12 force. Spring 12 opens exhaust valve 6. Since exhaust valve 6 is connected to plunger 14, spring 12 resuming its undeformed state moves plunger 14 towards power piston 22. While plunger 14 moves toward power piston 22 plunger 14 sucks in the working fluid and pushes the exhaust gases out of cylinder 16. After the meeting of power piston 22 and plunger 14, pressure reducing chamber port 32 is recovered and compression begins. To provide regeneration an alternating flow heat exchanger, called regenerator 30, along with protector 34, protector valve 36, and protector check valve 38 are attached to plunger 14. Protector 34 protects regenerator 30 from heat of combustion and removes regenerator 30 volume from the expansion process until the expansion pressure has fallen below the compression pressure.
Abstract:
The invention is concerned with a method of deriving mechanical work from a combustion gas in internal combustion engines and reciprocating internal combustion engines for carrying out the method. The invention includes methods and apparatuses for managing combustion charge densities, temperatures, pressures and turbulence in order to produce a true mastery within the power cylinder in order to increase fuel economy, power, and torque while minimizing polluting emissions. In its preferred embodiments, the method includes the steps of (i) producing an air charge, (ii) controlling the temperature, density and pressure of the air charge, (iii) transferring the air charge to a power cylinder of the engine such that an air charge having a weight and density selected from a range of weight and density levels ranging from below atmospheric weight and density to heavier-than-atmospheric weight and density is introduced into the power cylinder, and (iv) then compressing the air charge at a lower-than-normal compression ratio, (v) causing a pre-determined quantity of charge-air and fuel to produce a combustible mixture, (vi) causing the mixture to be ignited within the power cylinder, and (vii) allowing the combustion gas to expand against a piston operable in the power cylinders with the expansion ratio of the power cylinders being substantially greater than the compression ratio of the power cylinders of the engine. In addition to other advantages, the invented method is capable of producing mean effective cylinder pressures ranging from lower-than-normal to higher-than-normal. In the preferred embodiments, the mean effective cylinder pressure is selectively variable (and selectively varied) throughout the mentioned range during the operation of the engine. In an alternate embodiment related to constant speed-constant load operation, the mean effective cylinder pressure is selected from the range and the engine is configured, in accordance with the present invention, such that the mean effective cylinder pressure range is limited, being varied only in the amount required for producing the power, torque and speed of the duty cycle for which the engine is designed.
Abstract:
To provide a four-cycle combustion engine wherein the air-fuel mixture can be smoothly passed at all times by the utilization of the reciprocating motion of the piston to effectively lubricate the valve operating mechanism and the cranking mechanism and also to allow the air-fuel mixture to be supplied into the combustion chamber with a high suction efficiency. By utilization of the reciprocating motion of the piston (9), a portion of the air-fuel mixture (M) fed from the intake passage (33) is circulated through a circulating passage made up of the valve chamber (18), the first passage (24), the crankcase chamber (7) and the second passage (41).
Abstract:
To provide a four-cycle combustion engine wherein the air-fuel mixture can be smoothly passed at all times by the utilization of the reciprocating motion of the piston to effectively lubricate the valve operating mechanism and the cranking mechanism and also to allow the air-fuel mixture to be supplied into the combustion chamber with a high suction efficiency, the four-cycle combustion engine includes a valve operating mechanism (30) including a valve drive unit (23) for driving intake and exhaust valves (19, 20) and a drive transmitting unit (29) for transmitting a rotary drive of a crankshaft (8) to the valve drive unit (23), a valve chamber (18) accommodating the valve drive unit (23) and communicated with an intake port (40), an intake passage (33) through which an air-fuel mixture (M) containing a lubricant oil is introduced into the valve chamber (18), a first passage (24) accommodating the drive transmitting unit (29) and connecting between the valve chamber (18) and the crankcase chamber (7), and a second passage (41) connecting between the crankcase chamber (7) and the valve chamber (18). By utilization of the reciprocating motion of the piston (9), a portion of the air-fuel mixture (M) fed from the intake passage (33) is circulated through a circulating passage made up of the valve chamber (18), the first passage (24), the crankcase chamber (7) and the second passage (4).
Abstract:
The invention is concerned with a method of deriving mechanical work from a combustion gas in internal combustion engines and reciprocating internal combustion engines for carrying out the method. The invention includes methods and apparatuses for managing combustion charge densities, temperatures, pressures and turbulence in order to produce a true mastery within the power cylinder in order to increase fuel economy, power, and torque while minimizing polluting emissions. In its preferred embodiments, the method includes the steps of (i) producing an air charge, (ii) controlling the temperature, density and pressure of the air charge, (iii) transferring the air charge to a power cylinder of the engine such that an air charge having a weight and density selected from a range of weight and density levels ranging from below atmospheric weight and density to heavier-than-atmospheric weight and density is introduced into the power cylinder, and (iv) then compressing the air charge at a lower-than-normal compression ratio (v) causing a pre-determined quantity of charge-air and fuel to produce a combustible mixture, (vi) causing the mixture to be ignited within the power cylinder, and (vii) allowing the combustion gas to expand against a piston operable in the power cylinders with the expansion ratio of the power cylinders being substantially greater than the compression ratio of the power cylinders of the engine. In addition to other advantages, the invented method is capable of producing mean effective cylinder pressures ranging from lower-than-normal to higher-than-normal. In the preferred embodiments, the mean effective cylinder pressure is selectively variable (and selectively varied) throughout the mentioned range during the operation of the engine. In an alternate embodiment related to constant speed-constant load operation, the mean effective cylinder pressure is selected from the range and the engine is configured, in accordance with the present invention, such that the mean effective cylinder pressure range is limited, being varied only in the amount required for producing the power, torque and speed of the duty cycle for which the engine is designed.
Abstract:
The present invention is a process for controlling self-ignition in a four-stroke engine comprising variable control of the opening and the closing of the intake and exhaust in the combustion chamber as a function of the engine load. At partial load the invention performs (a) prolonged retention of burned gases in the combustion chamber, and (b) a fresh gas intake period which overall follows the retention period, in order to minimize mixing of the fresh gases with the burned gases and to control the amount of burned gases retained in the combustion chamber.
Abstract:
A four stroke combustion engine and method of operation of use and control is disclosed. The engine includes a combustion chamber with an intake manifold coupled to the combustion chamber. A one-way valve (22) is located within the intake manifold. The engine includes an intake valve (10) for modulating the flow of a fuel-air mixture into and out of the combustion chamber. The engine preferably employs a fixed, late closing intake valve. A plenum chamber (20) is located in the intake manifold. The plenum chamber is located downstream of the one-way valve and upstream of the intake valve. During the compression stroke of the engine, a pressurized charge of fuel-air mixture is stored within the manifold and plenum. The amount of the fuel-air mixture stored within the plenum is controlled by adjusting the volume of the plenum, or, alternatively, a plenum valve (34) is used to regulate the amount of fuel-air mixture entering/exiting a fixed volume plenum.
Abstract:
The invention is concerned with a method of deriving mechanical work from a combustion gas in internal combustion engines and reciprocating internal combustion engines (100) for carrying out the method. In its preferred embodiments, the method includes the steps of (i) producing an air charge, (ii) controlling the temperature, density and pressure of the air charge, (iii) transferring the air charge to a power cylinder (7) of the engine such that an air charge having a weight and density selected from a range of weight and density levels ranging from below atmospheric weight and density to heavier-than-atmospheric weight and density is introduced into the power cylinder, and (iv) then compressing the air charge at a lower-than-normal compression ration, (v) causing a predetermined quantity of charge-air and fuel to produce a combustible mixture, (vi) causing the mixture to be ignited within the power cylinder, and (vii) allowing the combustion gas to expand against a piston operable in the power cylinders with the expansion ratio of the power cylinders being substantially greater than the compression ratio of the power cylinders of the engine.
Abstract:
The present invention relates to a method of operating an internal combustion engine including at least one cylinder and a piston slidable in the cylinder, the method comprising the steps of:
supplying pressurized air from an intake manifold to an air intake port of a chamber in the cylinder; selectively operating an air intake valve to open the air intake port to allow pressurized air to flow between the chamber and the intake manifold substantially during a majority portion of a compression stroke of the piston; and operably controlling a fuel supply system to inject fuel into the chamber after the intake valve is closed.
Abstract:
A valve device of an engine, wherein an opening part (7) smaller in area than the end surface of a piston (5) is provided in the end surface of a cylinder (3) so as to form a valve seat (8), and a valve disc (9) in contact with the valve seat (8) is disposed on the outerside of the valve seat (8) so that the cylinder (3) can be moved away from and toward the valve disc (9) and, in a compression stroke when the piston (5) rises, the valve seat (8) is in press-contact with the fixed valve disc (9) because an upward force is applied to the upper end surface of the cylinder (3) and the cylinder (3) is urged toward the valve disc, whereby an engine high in emission efficiency can be obtained because a highly airtight valve device can be obtained with a simple structure, and the area of the opening part can be increased up to the ultimate diameter of the piston.