Patent Application
20100269782
Engines typically compress air or other gaseous oxidizers prior to adding fuel and ignition to produce power. When positive displacement compression is physically separate from the power producing feature there is often unused remaining compressed air. Many examples of engines with separable positive displacement compression systems exist. One example can be conceptualized from a Wankel engine. The Wankel engine, invented by German engineer Felix Wankel is a type of internal combustion engine which uses a rotary design. Its cycle takes place in a space between the inside of an oval-like epitrochoid-shaped housing and a rotor that is similar in shape to a Reuleaux triangle but with sides that are somewhat flatter. This design delivers smooth high-rpm power from a compact size. Since its introduction, the engine has been commonly referred to as the rotary engine. An improvement on the rotary engine uses one rotor as a compressor to provide compressed air to a second rotor. The compressed air is then further compressed in the second rotor in advance of combustion. In some embodiments the exhaust of the second rotor is returned to the expanding section of the compressor rotor, thereby providing power recovery and increasing efficiency. This configuration has been referred to as a compound rotary engine.
a-1f are a graphical representation of a first rotor section and a second rotor section in a non afterburning mode.
a-2g are graphical representations of a first rotor section and a second rotor section in an afterburning mode where the first rotor section has an injector.
a-3g are graphical representations of a first rotor section and a second rotor section in an afterburning mode where the second passageway has a passageway injector.
a-1e represent a non-limiting embodiment of a compound rotary engine 60. The compound rotary engine 60 has a first rotary unit 10 coupled with a second rotary unit 20. A compressed air charge 53 is communicated via passageway 30 from the first rotary unit 10 to the second rotary unit 20. A second unit exhaust 58 from the second rotary unit 20 is communicated to the first rotary unit 10 via passageway 32. Additionally, the second rotary unit 20 has an injector 70 in communication with the second chamber 24.
In this configuration, the first rotary unit 10 acts as a supercharger and as an additional expander of the second unit exhaust 58. The second rotary unit 20 acts as a traditional rotary engine.
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
The common shaft of the first and second rotors 12,22 (not shown) completes three crank revolutions for each complete rotor 12, 22 revolution. Each rotor face 13 completes a cycle in every revolution. There are two rotors 12,22, for a total of six rotor faces 13, thereby allowing the engine 60 to produce significant power within a relatively small displacement.
The terms augmentation, augmenter, and/or augmenting are used to describe the process where the remaining compressed air charge 51 from the first rotary unit 10 and fuel 42 are combusted in the first rotary unit 10 to augment the engine power. When positive displacement compression is physically separate from the power producing feature there is often unused remaining compressed air. It is this unused remaining compressed air that is referred to as a remaining compressed air charge 51. It is this remaining compressed air charge 51 that is mixed with fuel 42 and second unit exhaust 58. This mixture is combusted in the first chamber 14 of the first rotary unit 10. The mixture is ignited either via auto ignition (diesel) or with a spark. Otherwise the majority of the work done to compress this remaining compressed air charge 51 would be lost when it is exhausted. The fuel 42 may be introduced into the second passageway 32 between the two rotary units 10,20. Alternatively, the fuel 42 may be introduced into the chamber of the first rotor 14 directly. This augmented combustion can be selectively activated and de-activated throughout the compound rotary engine's 60 mission.
a-2g are one non-limiting embodiment of an augmented mode compound rotary engine 60. The augmented mode compound rotary engine 60 has a first rotary unit 10 coupled with a second rotary unit 20. A compressed air charge 53 is communicated from the first rotary unit 10 to the second rotary unit 20 via passageway 30. A second unit exhaust 58 is communicated from the second rotary unit 20 to the first rotary unit 10 via passageway 32. The second rotary unit 20 has an injector 70 in communication with the chamber of the second rotor 24. The first rotary unit 10 has an injector 70 in communication with the chamber of the first rotor 14.
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
It should be noted that this secondary combustion can be selectively activated and de-activated throughout the compound rotary engine's 60 mission. The compound rotary engine 60 simultaneously offers high power density (number of horsepower or fractional horsepower per pound of engine weight) and low fuel consumption resulting in a comparably smaller power plant envelope. This rotary engine 60 can be utilized for various commercial, industrial, compact portable power generation, and aerospace applications.
a-3g represents a non-limiting embodiment of an augmented compound rotary engine 60. The augmented compound rotary engine 60 has a first rotary unit 10 coupled with a second rotary unit 20. A compressed air charge 53 is communicated from the first rotary unit 10 to the second rotary unit 20 via passageway 30. The second unit exhaust 58 is communicated from the second rotary unit 20 to the first rotary unit 10 via passageway 32. The second rotary unit 20 has an injector 70 in communication with the chamber of second rotor 24. The second passageway 32 is in communication with an additional injector 70.
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
Referring to
It should be noted that this secondary combustion can be selectively activated and de activated throughout the engine's mission. The compound rotary engine 60 simultaneously offers high power density and low fuel consumption for various commercial, industrial, compact portable power generation, and aerospace applications.
When referring to either the first or second passageway check valves 31 and 34 respectively, the term check valve is noted to be a generic term. This term can encompass a solenoid type valve, a spring type valve, a reed type valve, or any other valve that permits flow in one direction. Additionally, as previously stated, these valves can be omitted.
When referring to the injector 70, it should be noted that the term injector is a generic term. The injector used in communication with the chambers of the first and second rotor 14 and 24 respectively, and in communication with the second passageway 32 may be of many different types. They may be mechanically controlled via spring force to set popping pressures. They may be electronically controlled via solenoids to activate fuel atomization. They may have various spray patterns to direct the fuel in the most efficient mixing methods.
When referring to the chamber of first rotor 14, it can also be referred to as a first chamber. When referring to the chamber of second rotor 24, it can also be referred to as a second chamber.
When referring to all Figures, it should be noted that the rotors 12,22 are physically present in each of their respective rotary units 12,20 at all times. In order to draw the reader's attention to the rotary unit 10,20 where an action or process is being described, only those rotors 12,22 are represented in their respective Figures.
