Patent Application
20070175218
There are no related patent applications.
This invention did not receive any federal research and development funding.
The present invention generally relates to steam or vapor engines that utilize steam, vapors or the like to drive a piston connected to a crank shaft. The invention is particularly suitable for driving an automobile without creating environmentally damaging exhaust emissions. More particularly, the invention is an engine that includes at least one piston having a powered heat source onto which a fluid in a liquid state is directed to cause the liquid to be converted to a gaseous state to produce a vapor such as steam to drive the piston.
Steam engines are external combustion engines that utilize fuel sources, such as coal, wood, oil or the like, to create a fire within a boiler. Heat generated by the fire converts water to high pressure steam. This high pressure steam is delivered to a piston via a high pressure delivery system. There are many problems are associated with use of high pressure steam. First, any breach of a high pressure steam conduit can cause catastrophic problems which may result in personal injuries, loss of life and destruction of property. Second, many states require periodic inspections of pressure vessels. Since the boiler is a pressure vessel, it must be periodically inspected. Another problem associated with steam engines is weight. Since the boiler is provided separate from the piston and cylinder assembly, the engine require valves and heavy duty piping or conduits to direct the high pressure steam from the boiler to the piston. This adds weight to an automobile which in turn causes more energy to drive the automobile.
To overcome the aforementioned problems associated with using steam engines, most modern automobiles are equipped with an internal combustion engine that utilizes a fuel source such as gasoline or diesel to provide propulsion forces. Some patents have even supplemented an internal combustion engine with a steam propulsion means. It is important to note that none of these have utilized the unique concepts of the present invention to derive an engine that requires neither internal nor external combustion.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,571,749 to Singh appears to disclose a computer controlled six-stroke cycle internal combustion engine and its method of operation. An injector assembly is connected to each of the piston and cylinder assemblies to inject water into the cylinder during a portion of a six-stroke cycle. The injected water gradually converts to steam without first exhausting the ignited air fuel mixture to generate an additional power stroke.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,796,127 to Helm discloses a one cycle internal combustion engine configured to power a vehicle. This reference appears to teach a hybrid engine having pistons for combusting fuel and converting water to steam via the heat created and retained by the combustion cycle. It should be noted that neither of these patents disclose or suggest a combustionless engine as in the present invention.
The present invention is a novel type closed system, single stroke, steam engine that includes at least one piston and cylinder assembly. The engine disclosed herein does not require any combustion to operate a piston. Preferably, the engine comprises a plurality of piston and cylinder assemblies that operate in a cyclical manner to drive a crank shaft that may be coupled to a transmission of an automobile. The steam engine further includes a reservoir for storing a fluid source such as water that is supplied to the piston(s) in a liquid form and converted into vapor. The process of converting the fluid from a liquid to gaseous state creates an increased pressure within the cylinder to drive the piston. At least two conduits connect the fluid reservoir to each cylinder for providing fluid in a liquid state to the cylinder and thereafter returning it to the reservoir. An intake conduit supplies fluid to the piston; whilst at least one return conduit directs vapor and unexpanded fluid back to the reservoir.
Each piston includes a supply valve or injector cooperatively connected to an end of the intake conduit. Preferably, the supply valve or injector is arranged near the top of the cylinder such that gravity facilitates movement of the fluid through the cylinder. A return valve is connected to the return conduit within a sidewall of the cylinder. Preferably, the return valve is arranged at a lower elevation than the fluid injector along a sidewall of the cylinder than the supply valve to assure adequate drainage of any liquid fluid as well gaseous fluid.
A heating element is provided near a top of the cylinder between it and the piston head and arranged such that liquid from the supply valve passes across the heating element. The heating element may be powered by an external power source such as a battery or the like. The heating element may utilize resistive heating, inductive heating, or a combination of resistive or inductive heating. During operation, the temperature of the heating element is high enough to cause the liquid to “flash” to a vapor or gaseous state. Expansion of the liquid is realized as it flashes to a gaseous state. This expansion increases the pressure within the cylinder causing the piston to be forced away from the top of the cylinder which in turn drives the connecting rod that connects to the crank shaft. In the preferred embodiment, water is injected into the cylinder once the heating element has reached a temperature sufficient to enable a generally complete conversion to steam. The water is injected through an injector wherein the heat generated by the heating element causes the water to rapidly and expansively convert into steam thereby driving the piston away from the injector and heating element.
In a further embodiment, the invention may comprise a cylinder having heat transfer properties that conduct heat from an exterior heated surface of the cylinder to a particular region within the cylinder where the liquid fluid is directed to be converted into vapor to operate in the manner mentioned above. Alternatively, the wall of the cylinder may include an electrically operated heating element that raises a surface temperature of the cylinder wall to above a flashing point. Various types of heating may be used to cause the liquid to be converted to vapor. Some of these types of heating may include radiation, conduction, convection, or a combination of these methods. Thus, a vapor or steam engine of the present invention comprises a closed loop system that continuously re-circulates fluid from a reservoir through the piston and back again.
It is an object of the invention to provide a steam or vapor engine that includes at least one piston and cylinder assembly and having a heating element for causing a fluid supplied to an interior of the cylinder to be flashed from a liquid to a vapor.
It is another object of the invention to provide a steam or vapor engine that does not require air and does not emit harmful exhaust fumes into the environment.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a steam or vapor engine for driving a drive train of an automobile. The engine includes a plurality of piston and cylinder assemblies. Each piston and cylinder assembly has a heating element for causing a fluid supplied to an interior of the cylinder to be flashed from a liquid to a vapor. Each piston is connected to a crankshaft via a connecting rod for causing the crankshaft to be rotated.
It is an additional object of the invention to provide an engine comprising a plurality of piston and cylinder assemblies. Each cylinder includes a fluid injector for injecting a fluid onto a heating element. The heating element comprises a plate, coil or the like and being supplied with electrical power. The heating element is heated to a temperature above a flash point of the fluid. When the fluid, which is in a liquid state, is injected onto the heating element, the fluid flashes to a gas causing the internal pressure of the cylinder to increase. The resulting increased pressure causes the piston to be pushed away from the top of the cylinder to drive a crankshaft. Alternatively, a region of the cylinder wall may be heated via an electric heating element to raise the surface temperature of the cylinder wall to at least a flash point of the liquid supplied to the piston. The temperature is preferably between 300-350° F., if the liquid being supplied to the cylinder is water.
It is another object of the invention to provide a method and system for teaching a novel type of engine that utilizes a flashing technique of a liquid to a gas to drive a piston in an engine.
Further objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following description and the included claims when taken in connection with the previous discussion and the accompanying drawings.
Each piston and cylinder assembly includes an injector 22 that injects the fluid 18, in a liquid state, onto a heating element 21. The heating element 21 may be shaped in a variety of shapes including but not limited to a cone shape, a plate, or a coil. In
The fluid reservoir is preferably sealed to maintain the fluid in both liquid and gaseous state and may be provided under pressure. Each re-circulating conduit 26 comprises preferably comprises a rigid tubular material or flexible hosing. Likewise, supply conduits 23 preferably comprise a tubular material or flexible hosing and connect to the injectors 22. Injectors 22, as well as piston 10 and cylinder 11 may comprise a known type of assembly currently in use. Power source 20 connects to heating element 21 via conductor 27 and may comprise a battery for initially heating the heating element 21 as well as a known automobile electrical supply system that includes either an alternator or generator connected to the crankshaft for producing electrical energy. A portion of the electrical energy is utilized to recharge the battery; whilst another portion is used to power the heating element 21 in successive engine cycles.
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It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact construction illustrated and described above. Various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.
