Power plants – Combustion products used as motive fluid – External-combustion engine type
Reexamination Certificate
2000-10-12
2001-10-23
Nguyen, Hoang (Department: 3748)
Power plants
Combustion products used as motive fluid
External-combustion engine type
C417S364000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06305159
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention is directed to an internal combustion engine with one or more combustion chambers for burning fuel in timed explosions while forming a combustion gas under pressure.
2. Description of the Related Art
Internal combustion engines are combustion engines characterized by a periodic or cyclic series of individual explosions in contrast to a continuous series such as that taking place in a gas turbine, for instance. In an internal combustion engine, generally, a fuel-air mixture is burned in a cylinder and a piston mounted in this cylinder is accordingly moved, and the energy of the combustion gas is converted into mechanical energy. Known internal combustion engines of this kind are, for example, the Otto engine and the diesel engine.
Further, internal combustion engines having an expansion chamber which is separate from the combustion chamber in which the fuel is burned cyclically while forming a combustion gas and which is connected to the combustion chamber via a controllable inlet valve and in which a piston is mounted so as to be displaceable so that the energy of the combustion gas is converted into mechanical energy or work are known, for example, from EP 0 957 250 A2, AT-PS 172 823, CH-PS 202 930, FR-PS 820 750, DE-PS 4 136 223 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,716,720. The advantage of these internal combustion engines in particular consists in that the combustion gas formed during combustion can fully expand during the expansion cycle in the expansion chamber so that the energy of the combustion gas can be better utilized. The filling of the combustion chamber with the fuel-air mixture can be carried out at atmospheric pressure or with compression. The use of an individual compressor pump for the compression of the air in the combustion chambers is already known, e.g., from DE-PS 4 136 223 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,716,720.
Further, DE-OS 32 14 516 discloses an internal combustion engine in which the fuel-air mixture is burned in a first cylinder so that a piston mounted in this cylinder is moved and performs some of the mechanical work. Another portion of the mechanical work is performed by a piston which is mounted in a second cylinder in which the residual pressure of the first cylinder can expand when the piston mounted in the first cylinder has reached its bottom dead center. In addition, a third cylinder with a piston mounted therein is provided for precompression of air in the first cylinder.
OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is the primary object of the invention to provide a novel internal combustion engine which is distinguished by a simple construction and improved efficiency.
In accordance with the invention, the above object is met by an internal combustion engine comprising one or more combustion chambers for burning fuel in timed explosions while forming a combustion gas under pressure. The combustion chambers are connected with at least one work chamber which is separate from the combustion chambers and which has a piston for converting energy of the combustion gas formed in an explosion cycle into mechanical energy or work. At lest one injection nozzle is provided which opens into the work chamber for spraying in a cooling liquid to initiate an implosion cycle following the explosion cycle. One or more precompression pumps are included which are driven by movement of the piston during an implosion cycle for compressing air to be introduced into the combustion chambers.
Accordingly, in the internal combustion engine according to the invention, an implosion cycle follows an explosion cycle in that a cooling liquid is sprayed into the work chamber. In this way, the temperature of the hot combustion gas is cooled suddenly, wherein the pressure in the work chamber is reduced to a pressure below atmospheric pressure. This negative pressure acting on the piston is utilized for scavenging the combustion chambers and for precompression of air in the combustion chambers in that one or more precompression pumps are provided which are driven by the movement of the piston during the implosion cycle.
In a preferred embodiment form of the invention, the combustion chamber walls are thermally insulated in such a way that their temperature lies above the autoignition temperature of the fuel. For this purpose, a thermal insulation can be provided surrounding the outside of the combustion chamber or the combustion chamber itself can be constructed from a material with poor heat conduction such as ceramics. An ignition or explosion cycle is then advantageously initiated in that the fuel is sprayed into the combustion chamber and onto the chamber walls. In order to further minimize heat radiation losses, the head of the work chamber (the cylinder head) and the piston are also advantageously thermally insulated. Further, a device for spraying water into the combustion chamber during the burning of fuel is preferably provided to reduce NOx emissions.
Further advantages and particulars of the invention are described in the following with reference to the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3808818 (1974-05-01), Cataldo
patent: 4716720 (1988-01-01), Eickmann
patent: 5314314 (1994-05-01), Hinkle
patent: 1964 427 B (1971-09-01), None
*English Abstract of DE 1964 427 B.
Nguyen Hoang
Reed Smith LLP
LandOfFree
Internal combustion engine and method for the operation of... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Internal combustion engine and method for the operation of..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Internal combustion engine and method for the operation of... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2615540