초록 ▼

An internal combustion engine has a chamber that has a longitudinal centerline, inlet valving operable to admit constituents of a combustible mixture into the chamber for combustion in the chamber to provide a pressure increase in the chamber and outlet valving operable to release an outflow of liqu

An internal combustion engine has a chamber that has a longitudinal centerline, inlet valving operable to admit constituents of a combustible mixture into the chamber for combustion in the chamber to provide a pressure increase in the chamber and outlet valving operable to release an outflow of liquid from the chamber under an influence of the pressure increase. An annular flow passage is defined in the chamber to conduct liquid towards the outlet valving and cause spiraling of the liquid in the flow passage by which a rotatable part exposed to the spiraling flow is caused to rotate. An electrical generator disposed externally of the chamber is driven by rotation of the rotatable part.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A power generation method in an internal combustion engine comprising: providing a combustible mixture in a chamber;providing a liquid in said chamber;closing said chamber and combusting said combustible mixture in said closed chamber to provide a pressure increase that acts on said liquid in sai

1. A power generation method in an internal combustion engine comprising: providing a combustible mixture in a chamber;providing a liquid in said chamber;closing said chamber and combusting said combustible mixture in said closed chamber to provide a pressure increase that acts on said liquid in said chamber to cause said liquid to flow towards an outlet of said chamber along a spiraling flow passage that is at least in part defined by a spiraling wall disposed in said chamber, wherein a member provided in said chamber is rotated by spiraling flow of said liquid induced by said spiraling flowing passage and an electrical generator coupled with said member is driven by rotation of said member; andopening said outlet to release at least a portion of said liquid from said chamber as an energy output of said internal combustion engine. 2. An internal combustion engine comprising: a chamber having a longitudinal axis;inlet valving operable to admit constituents of a combustible mixture into said chamber for combustion therein to provide a pressure increase in said chamber;outlet valving operable to release an outflow of liquid from said chamber that is driven towards said outlet valving under an influence of said pressure increase as an energy output of said chamber;a spiraling wall in said chamber that at least in part defines a spiraling flow passage along which said liquid flows towards said outlet valving;wherein said spiraling flow passage has a cross-section area in a direction perpendicular to said longitudinal axis that remains equal or decreases in a downstream direction of said flow passage; andwherein said chamber has an inlet end region and an outlet end region, said inlet valving is disposed at said inlet end region, said outlet valving is disposed at said outlet end region and said flow passage is in part defined by a sidewall of said chamber that tapers outwardly with respect to said longitudinal axis as it approaches said outlet end region. 3. The power generation method in an internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 1, wherein coupling said member with said electrical generator comprises coupling by magnetic coupling. 4. An internal combustion engine comprising: a chamber having a longitudinal centerline;inlet valving operable to admit constituents of a combustible mixture into said chamber for combustion in said chamber to provide a pressure increase in said chamber;outlet valving operable to release an outflow of liquid from said chamber that is driven towards said outlet valving under an influence of said pressure increase as an energy output of said chamber;an annular flow passage defined in said chamber, said annular flow passage configured to conduct said liquid towards said outlet valving and cause a spiraling flow of said liquid in said flow passage by which a rotatable part exposed to said spiraling flow is caused to rotate;an electrical generator to be driven by rotation of said rotatable part; andwherein said annular flow passage has a downstream direction, diverges from said centerline in said downstream direction and has a cross-section area in a direction perpendicular to said centerline that remains equal or decreases in said downstream direction. 5. The internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 4, wherein said annular flow passage is defined between an inner wall disposed a first radial distance from said longitudinal centerline and an outer wall disposed a second radial distance from said longitudinal centerline, said second radial distance being greater than said first radial distance and wherein said part caused to rotate is one of said inner and outer walls. 6. The internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 4 wherein said chamber has a sidewall and an internally disposed wall facing said sidewall that at least in part define said flowpath. 7. The internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 6, wherein in said downstream direction said sidewall tapers outwardly with respect to said centerline. 8. The internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 6, wherein in said downstream direction said sidewall tapers outwardly with respect to said centerline. 9. The internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 4, further comprising at least one flow modifying formation in said flow passage to promote said spiraling flow. 10. The internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 9, wherein said at least one flow modifying formation comprises a wall that spirals about said centerline such that at least a portion of said flow passage spirals about said centerline. 11. The internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 10, further comprising outlet ducting leading from said chamber, said outlet ducting being curved so as to at least substantially form a continuation of said flow passage spiral. 12. The power generation method in an internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 1, wherein said chamber has a longitudinal axis and said spiral flow passage diverges from said longitudinal axis in a downstream direction of said flow passage. 13. The internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 2, wherein said flow passage is further defined by an internal wall that faces said sidewall and tapers outwardly with respect to said longitudinal axis as said internal wall approaches said outlet end region of said chamber, said sidewall having a rate of taper and said internal wall having a rate of taper that is equal to or greater than said rate of taper of said sidewall. 14. The internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 13, wherein said internal wall is defined by a generally conical projection in said chamber. 15. The internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 2, further comprising outlet ducting leading from said chamber, said outlet ducting being curved so as to form a continuation of said spiraling flow passage. 16. The internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 15, further comprising engine output storage for receiving said liquid outflow from said chamber, wherein said chamber comprises at least one wall that is common to said chamber and said engine output storage. 17. The internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 16, wherein said engine output storage comprises a first reservoir and a second reservoir and said engine is operable such that said liquid outflow flows first into said first reservoir and, subsequent to commencement of flow into said first reservoir, into said second reservoir, said flow into said second reservoir being at least in part driven by a vapor produced in said chamber. 18. The internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 16, further comprising engine input storage downstream of said engine output storage for receiving said liquid subsequent to a release of energy therefrom, said engine input storage being connected with said chamber to permit return of said liquid to said chamber. 19. The internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 18, further comprising a pressure raising device operable during engine start up to pressurize liquid supplied from said engine input storage to said chamber. 20. The internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a controller that controls formation of said combustible mixture such that said mixture is fuel rich for promoting steam reformation by which hydrogen is separated from said fuel in said chamber to produce hydrogen that is combusted in said chamber. 21. The internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a supply system for supplying an aqueous fluid into a region of said chamber in which combustion of said combustible mixture occurs such that at least a portion of said aqueous fluid will dissociate to provide hydrogen and oxygen that are combusted in said combustion chamber. 22. The internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 21, wherein said supply system comprises a steam producing unit for providing said aqueous fluid as steam. 23. The internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 22, wherein said steam producing unit comprises a heat exchanger for connection to an exhaust system of said internal combustion engine such that heat for producing said steam is at least partially obtained from exhaust gases flowing in said exhaust system. 24. The internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 22, wherein said steam producing unit comprises a heat exchanger for connection to an exhaust system of said internal combustion engine such that heat for producing said steam is at least partially obtained from exhaust gases flowing in said exhaust system. 25. The internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 24, wherein said supply system is provided with a catalyst unit for releasing hydrogen from said hydrogen containing compound. 26. The internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a system operable to apply a vacuum to said chamber to remove products of combustion from said chamber. 27. The internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 26, further comprising an exhaust system that receives products of combustion from said chamber, said exhaust system comprising at least one condenser to condense water vapor from said products of combustion to form a condensate and a return flowpath to return said condensate to said exhaust system to produce said vacuum. 28. The internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 27, wherein said exhaust system comprises at least one cooling device to cool said condensate. 29. The internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 2, wherein said chamber is at least partially surrounded by a vacuum chamber. 30. The internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 2, wherein at least one wall defining said chamber comprises formations configured to reduce drag between said liquid and said at least one wall when said liquid flows towards said outlet valving. 31. The internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 30, wherein a surface of said at least one wall provided with said formations is defined by a plurality of platelets. 32. The internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 30, wherein said formations comprise ridges. 33. The internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 32, wherein said ridges extend generally in a direction generally towards a region of said chamber at which said output valving is located. 34. The internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 2, wherein said engine operates cyclically and each cycle comprises said combustion of said combustible mixture, said outflow of liquid and an exhaust process. 35. The internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 2, further comprising hydrogen extraction apparatus for extracting hydrogen from a water supply, said hydrogen extraction apparatus connected with said chamber such that hydrogen extracted from said water can be supplied to said chamber as a constituent of said combustible mixture.