초록 ▼

An extended expansion diesel cycle engine which achieves a fuel efficiency materially higher than that of an engine operating on the conventional diesel cycle. A venting valve means is operated to provide a selectable ratio of predetermined pre-compression swept volume (C) versus work producing expa

An extended expansion diesel cycle engine which achieves a fuel efficiency materially higher than that of an engine operating on the conventional diesel cycle. A venting valve means is operated to provide a selectable ratio of predetermined pre-compression swept volume (C) versus work producing expansion swept volume (E) in a range of substantially between 1:1.2 and 1:3. Suitable selection of this C/E ratio ensures expansion of the combustion gases to a significantly greater volume than the pre-compression volume of the original air charge, effecting a predictable drop in temperature and pressure of the wasted exhaust gases. The extended expansion feature produces the feasibility of having a fuel delivery means timed to ensure exclusively after top dead center (ATDC) fuel ignition and combustion, thereby reducing heat dissipation, thus limiting cooling loss and significantly improving torque potential.

대표청구항 ▼

An extended expansion method of operating a diesel cycle engine, said engine including at least one reciprocating piston-cylinder-combustion chamber-fuel injection means-venting valve means system, said method of operation comprising; operating said venting valve means and valve timing means to prov

An extended expansion method of operating a diesel cycle engine, said engine including at least one reciprocating piston-cylinder-combustion chamber-fuel injection means-venting valve means system, said method of operation comprising; operating said venting valve means and valve timing means to provide air venting communication from said combustion chamber by maintaining said venting valve means in an open position during an initial portion of the compression stroke, as said piston travels in said cylinder from bottom dead center toward top dead center, until said piston reduces the cylinder swept volume to a predetermined pre-compression swept volume which is no less than substantially one-third of the work producing expansion swept volume of said engine and no greater than substantially five-sixths of said work producing expansion swept volume; closing said venting valve means when said cylinder swept volume has been reduced to said predetermined pre-compression swept volume, thus sealing said combustion chamber, so that said piston is enabled to perform adiabatic compression of the air in said combustion chamber on the remainder of said compression stroke, the minimum combustion chamber volume being limited with respect to said predetermined pre-compression swept volume so as to ensure a substantial compression ratio essential for compression ignition in said diesel cycle engine; providing fuel injection timing for operating said fuel injection means to commence delivery of fuel into said combustion chamber when said piston is substantially at top dead center of said compression stroke, and to continue delivery of fuel for a predetermined period thereafter, substantially until conditions sustain rapid burning of the injected fuel, said work producing expansion swept volume providing said extended expansion for the combustion gases, as said piston travels toward bottom dead center; and commencing exhaust discharge when said piston has reached the limit of said expansion swept volume, marking the end of the work producing expansion and the start of the respective aspiration means for said engine.