초록 ▼

A highly efficient regenerative reciprocating internal combustion engine is disclosed. The regenerator captures the unutilized heat normally expelled with the exhaust products of such an engine and transfers it to fresh working fluid at the appropriate time in the next engine operating cycle to redu

A highly efficient regenerative reciprocating internal combustion engine is disclosed. The regenerator captures the unutilized heat normally expelled with the exhaust products of such an engine and transfers it to fresh working fluid at the appropriate time in the next engine operating cycle to reduce the quantity of fuel which must be burned, resulting in an increase in engine efficiency. This is accomplished through the use of a permeable, movable heat exchanger located between the piston and the cylinder head. This regenerative technique can be applied to both two and four stroke Diesel cycle and Otto cycle engines. It can also be employed in ported (i.e. valveless) engines. The hot combustion region can be located between the cylinder head and the regenerator or between the piston and the regenerator. These regenerative devices and processes greatly improve the thermal efficiency of conventional internal combustion engines, while providing power outputs similar to conventional engines of the same displacement, greatly reducing hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide emissions, and utilizing much the same hardware. In addition, the regenerative internal combustion engine places reduced heat loads on engine components, is operable at lower peak temperatures (with thermal efficiencies and power still comparable to conventional engines), and is better able to utilize high temperature materials which can reduce heat loss to engine cooling systems.

대표청구항 ▼

A process for operating a thermally regenerated reciprocating cyclic internal combustion engine having a rotating power output shaft composed of a number of similar working units, each working unit comprising (a) a cylinder closed at one end by a cylinder head, with a number of intake valves to draw

A process for operating a thermally regenerated reciprocating cyclic internal combustion engine having a rotating power output shaft composed of a number of similar working units, each working unit comprising (a) a cylinder closed at one end by a cylinder head, with a number of intake valves to draw cool fresh air into the cylinder, and with a number of exhaust valves to exhaust the spent combustion gases from the cylinder, said intake valves and exhaust valves communicating with the cylinder portion close to the cylinder head; (b) a first means for opening and closing said intake valves and exhaust valves in a predetermined manner once in each engine cycle; (c) a piston inside the cylinder moving along the axis of the cylinder in a reciprocating manner toward and away from the cylinder head between the top dead center position closest to the cylinder head and the bottom dead center position furthest away from the cylinder head, said piston being connected by a second means to the power output shaft, where said second means translates the reciprocating motion of said piston to rotation of the power output shaft; (d) a thermal regenerator inside the cylinder between the cylinder head and the piston, capable of being moved in predetermined cyclic reciprocating motion along the axis of the cylinder and comprising a permeable core and other structure to absorb heat from the hot combustion gases when moved in one direction, and to transfer the absorbed heat to the cool fresh air when moved in the opposite direction; (e) a third means for imparting a predetermined periodic motion to said thermal regenerator; (f) an injection means for injecting combustible fuel into the cylinder, said injection means communicating with the cylinder portion and cylinder head but closer to piston to dead center; and (g) an ignition means for igniting the mixture of said air and said fuel in the cylinder, said ignition means communicating with the cylinder portioned cylinder head but closer to piston top dead center, causing said fuel to be ignited and combusted in the cylinder portion between the regenerator and the piston; in a two-stroke cycle comprising piston motion from top dead center to bottom dead center back and forth once and comprising the steps of: opening the intake valves with the exhaust valves closed, the regenerator near the cylinder head and the piston near bottom dead center; moving the regenerator to a position close to the piston, near bottom dead center, thereby transferring high temperature heat from the combustion gases in the cylinder into the regenerator; drawing fresh air into the cylinder by the reduction in pressure and volume caused by the transfer of heat from the working fluid to the regenerator; closing the intake valves with the piston and regenerator near bottom dead center; moving the piston to a position near top dead center, while simultaneously moving the regenerator in the same direction closely ahead of the piston, thereby compressing the air in the cylinder; moving the regenerator from its position close to the piston to a position close to the cylinder head, thereby causing the compressed air to flow into and through the regenerator, thereby transferring stored high temperature heat from the regenerator into the compressed air; injecting fuel using the injection means into the compressed, regeneratively heated air in the cylinder between the regenerator and the piston head; igniting and burning the fuel-air mixture using the ignition means to form hot combustion gases with the piston near top dead center; extracting work from the hot combustion gases which expand and push the piston to near bottom dead center while simultaneously the regenerator is maintained in its position close to the cylinder head; opening the exhaust valves, permitting the hot combustion gases at high pressure to flow through the regenerator and out of the engine through the exhaust valves, thereby transferring high temperature heat from the combustion gases into the regenerator; and closing the exhaust valves.