The present invention is directed to an improved dual engine-compressor system that Is compact and efficient. In particular, the dual engine-compressor is a straight-line reciprocating device where each engine piston is dual-sided and each compressor piston pressurizes and refills with each stroke.
Various types of engine designs have been developed over the years. The most common engine is the conventional reciprocating piston internal combustion engine in which a reciprocating piston is coupled by a connecting rod to the offset crank pins of a crankshaft. The reciprocating motion of the pistons is translated to rotary motion at the crank shaft. Power is delivered by the crank shaft to the driven device such as a vehicle or in stationary application to a pump or other device.
A wide variety of alternate engine designs have been developed over the years in attempts to improve upon the basic engine design described above. These devices may change the cycle dynamics of the engine. Another prior design employs a scotch yoke. While scotch yoke designs provide a means of converting the reciprocating linear piston motion to rotary motion, practical problems are that they tend to suffer from drawbacks, including excessive vibration, frictional losses and wear.
Other straight-line, reciprocating systems are known to exist, including U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,503,291, 8,109,737, and 9,406,083—all for a reciprocating device with dual chambered cylinders. One major drawback of these systems is that they are either an engine or a compressor—not both at the same time.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved and compact dual engine-compressor system that can simultaneously function as an engine and a compressor. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides other related advantages.
The present invention relates to a new and novel reciprocating device which may be operated either as a combustion engine or as a compressor. As an engine, the device is highly efficient having a high power-to-weight ratio, reduced cylinder friction, reduced vibration, reduced pollution. Lubrication requirements are also minimized.
The engine design of the invention is extremely versatile and compact and allows for convenient increase in size and horsepower by addition of additional cylinders by addition of basic components with major modifications. The design utilizes fewer components than conventional IC engine designs and each cylinder has a piston with cylinder chambers disposed on opposite sides of the piston so the engine essentially “fires” every half stroke.
The present invention is directed to a dual engine-compressor system. The system includes a crankcase enclosing a crankshaft and having at least a first engine cylinder housing disposed on a first side of the crankcase and a first compressor cylinder housing disposed on an opposite second side of the crankcase. The first engine cylinder housing defines a first engine bore and the first compressor cylinder housing defines a first compressor bore.
A first combustion piston is reciprocatingly disposed in the first engine bore and defines alternating combustion chambers within the first engine bore on opposite sides of the first combustion piston. A first compressor piston is reciprocatingly disposed in the first compressor bore and defines alternating compressor chambers within the first compressor bore on opposite sides of the first compressor piston. A first combustion rod connects the first combustion piston to a first scotch yoke on the crankshaft and a first compressor rod connects the first compressor piston to the first scotch yoke. The first combustion rod and the first compressor rod are oriented in a generally linear relationship.
The alternating compressor chambers in the first compressor bore comprise a low-pressure chamber and a high-pressure chamber. The low pressure chamber has a first diameter and the high-pressure chamber has a second diameter that is smaller than the first diameter. The first compressor piston has a cylindrical body and a cylindrical cap. The cylindrical body has a diameter equal to the second diameter of the high-pressure chamber. The cylindrical cap has a diameter equal to the first diameter of the low-pressure chamber.
A fluid intake is included on the low-pressure chamber of the first compressor housing and an intake reed valve is associated with the fluid intake. The intake reed valve is configured to open the fluid intake on an upstroke of the first compressor piston and close the fluid intake on a downstroke of the first compressor piston.
A low-pressure intake is included through the cylindrical cap of the first compressor piston and a low-pressure reed valve is associated with the low-pressure intake. The low-pressure reed valve is configured to open the low-pressure intake on a downstroke of the first compressor piston and close the low-pressure intake on an upstroke of the first compressor piston.
A high-pressure intake is included through the cylindrical body of the first compressor piston and a high-pressure reed valve is associated with the high-pressure intake. The high-pressure reed valve is configured to open the high-pressure intake on an upstroke of the first compressor piston and close the high-pressure intake on a downstroke of the first compressor piston.
The first compressor piston is configured to reciprocate between an upstroke position, with the first compressor piston substantially within the low-pressure chamber, and a downstroke position, with the first compressor piston substantially within the high-pressure chamber. Movement of the first compressor piston from the downstroke position to the upstroke position causes compressor fluid to be drawn through a fluid intake from outside the first compressor housing through the fluid intake and into the low-pressure chamber—in the area between the fluid intake and the cylindrical cap.
Movement of the first compressor piston from the upstroke position to the downstroke position causes compressor fluid to be forced through a low-pressure intake from one side of the cylindrical cap to another side of the cylindrical cap, i.e., into the area between the cylindrical cap and the crankcase.
A second movement of the first compressor piston from the downstroke position to the upstroke position causes compressor fluid to be forced through a high-pressure intake from the low-pressure chamber to the high-pressure chamber, i.e., from the area between the cylindrical cap and the crankcase to the high-pressure chamber. A second movement of the first compressor piston from the upstroke position to the downstroke position causes compressor fluid in the high-pressure chamber to be compressed until released through a compressor outlet.
The first compressor piston may have a plurality of magnets disposed around a perimeter of the piston cylindrical body. The first compressor cylinder housing may have a plurality of pick-ups disposed around the high-pressure chamber. In this configuration, each of the plurality of magnets is associated with at least one of the plurality of pick-ups.
A second engine cylinder housing may be disposed on the first side of the crankcase and define a second engine bor. A second combustion piston may be reciprocatingly disposed in the second engine bore and define alternating combustion chambers within the second engine bore on opposite sides of the second combustion piston.
A second compressor cylinder housing may be disposed on the second side of the crankcase and define a second compressor bore. A second compressor piston may be reciprocatingly disposed in the second compressor bore and define alternating compressor chambers within the second compressor bore on opposite sides of the second compressor piston.
A second combustion rod may connect the second combustion piston to a second scotch yoke on the crankshaft. A second compressor rod may connect the second compressor piston to the second scotch yoke. The second combustion rod and the second compressor rod are preferably oriented in a generally linear relationship.
The straight-line reciprocating system uses a scotch yoke or similar rectilinear rotary-motion translation device utilizing dual-chambered engine and compressor cylinders. The system operates simultaneously as an engine and as a compressor. On the engine-side, the system having two engine cylinder housings operates as a four-chamber combustion device and is compatible with various fuels such as gasoline, diesel, natural gas and propane. The reciprocating piston device provides high efficiency, high horsepower to weight ratios and reduced emissions. On the compressor-side, the system having two compressor cylinder housings operates as a four-chamber fluid compressor with high efficiency and volumetric capacity for its size.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.
The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention. In such drawings:
In the following detailed description, the dual engine-compressor system of the present invention is generally referred to by reference numeral 10 in
An engine block 20 is disposed on one side of the crankcase 12. The engine block 20 includes one or more engine cylinder housings 22, each defining an engine bore 24 and containing a reciprocating engine piston 26 connected to one of the piston rods 16, specifically an engine piston rod 16a. Since the engine piston 26 is reciprocating, the engine bore 24 defines two combustion chambers 28a, 28b—with a single engine bore 24 and piston 26 being capable of two combustion strokes with each reciprocating motion. Each engine cylinder housing 22 and bore 24 contain air-fuel intakes (not shown), ignition devices (not shown), and exhaust ports (not shown) as are known in such combustion engines.
The engine bore 24 includes an exhaust port (not shown) in the middle of its length. As the piston 26 reciprocates through the bore 24, the exhaust port is alternately covered and exposed relative to one of the combustion chambers 28a, 28b on either side of the piston 26. The engine block 20 is preferably configured to time the injection of fuel/air with the movement of the piston 26 as follows. In a corresponding chamber 28a, 28b that has just undergone combustion, air is injected just prior to the returning piston 26 covering the exhaust port. In this way, the exhaust gases are pressurized when ejected from the cylinder allowing for muffling of the exhaust.
Once the piston 26 covers the exhaust port, the resulting pressure build-up in the chamber 28a, 28b keeps the air injector valve closed until the pressure is released through the exhaust port. As the piston 26 moves past the exhaust port, the pressure continues to build-up until the air injection valve is closed. The injection of fuel into the chamber 28a, 28b is timed with the compression once the piston 26 has covered the exhaust port.
A compressor block 30, shown in
The engine piston rods 16a are connected in a straight line with the compressor piston rods 16b through the scotch yokes 18 on the crankshaft 14. All parts of the system 10 are preferably made from carbon fiber or similar material, except for the crankshaft 14, which must be made out of steel or similarly strong material for durability. In addition, because of the materials and manner of construction, there is no oil in either the engine block 20 or the compressor block 30. The only oil needed is in the crankcase 12 because of the material of the crankshaft 14.
As shown in
The low pressure chamber 38a has a fluid intake 40 proximate to the junction between the low-pressure chamber 38a and the high-pressure chamber 38b. As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
In operation, the compressor block 30 undergoes a 4-cycle process. The “starting” or bottom position of the compressor piston 36 is where the cylindrical body 36a is fully inserted into the high-pressure chamber 38b. The 4-cycle process begins with the first step—the first upstroke of withdrawing the cylindrical body 36a from the high-pressure chamber 38b, with the cylindrical cap 36b moving upward through the low-pressure chamber 38a. During this first upstroke, the first reed valve 40a activates and opens the fluid intake 40 such that fluid is drawn into the low-pressure chamber 38a beneath the cylindrical cap 36b.
Once the compressor piston 36 reaches the top position of the stroke, where the cylindrical body 36a is nearly fully withdrawn from the high-pressure chamber 38b, the compressor piston 36 begins the first downstroke—the second step of the 4-cycle process. The action of the first downstroke slightly compresses the fluid that was drawn into the low-pressure chamber 38a beneath the cylindrical cap 38b, so as to push the reed valve 40a against the fluid intake 40 so as to close the same. At the same time, the slight compression of the fluid also activates the second reed valve 46a so as to open the low-pressure intake 46, allowing the fluid to pass from the area of the low-pressure chamber 38a beneath the cylindrical cap 36b to the area of the low-pressure chamber 38a above the cylindrical cap 36b. At this point, all of the fluid that was drawn in through the fluid intake 40 during the first upstroke, is now in the low-pressure chamber 38a above the cylindrical cap 38b.
Once the compressor piston 36 reaches the bottom position of the stroke, where the cylindrical body 36a is again fully inserted into the high-pressure chamber 38b, the compressor piston 36 begins the second upstroke—the third step of the 4-cycle process. The action of the second upstroke slightly compresses the fluid that was drawn into the low-pressure chamber 38a above the cylindrical cap 36b, pushing the second reed valve 46a against the low-pressure intake 46 so as to close the same. At the same time, the slight compression of the fluid also activates the third reed valve 48a opening the ports 48 through the compression piston 36, allowing the fluid to pass from the low-pressure chamber 38a above the cylindrical cap 26b to the high-pressure chamber 38b below the compression piston 36.
At the same time, as the first step of a parallel 4-cycle process, the upstroke again activates the first reed valve 40a to open the fluid intake 40 and draw a second volume of fluid into the low-pressure chamber 38a below the cylindrical cap 36b, as described above.
Once the compressor piston 36 reaches the top position of the stroke for the second time, where the cylindrical body 36a is nearly fully withdrawn from the high-pressure chamber 38b, the compressor piston 36 begins the second downstroke—the fourth step of the 4-cycle process. The action of the second downstroke compresses the fluid that was drawn into the high-pressure chamber 38b beneath the compressor piston 36, pushing the third reed valve 48a against the ports 48 so as to close the same. Since the volume of fluid that was previously in the low-pressure chamber 38a with a comparatively larger diameter and volume is now contained in the high-pressure chamber 38b with a comparatively smaller diameter and volume, the corresponding compression is significantly greater. When the compressor piston 36 reaches the bottom position for the second time in a cycle, the fluid in the high-pressure chamber 38b is fully and significantly compressed. The significantly compressed fluid is then released through a high-pressure outlet 56 in the bottom of the high-pressure chamber 38b.
At the same time, as the second step of a parallel 4-cycle process, the second downstroke of the cycle also moves the second volume of fluid from the area of the low-pressure chamber 38a beneath the cylindrical cap 36b to the area of the low-pressure chamber 38a above the cylindrical cap 36b, as described above. The parallel 4-cycle process is completed with the third and fourth steps, as described above. As with similar 4-cycle systems, the 4-cycle process repeats in overlapping parallel processes as long as the crankshaft turns and the pistons reciprocate.
The inventive system is completely scalable from nano-sized engines to large stationary engines. The construction has a reduced demand for lubricating oils and completely eliminates oil from the combustion chambers. It also requires reduced fuel usage when compared to typical combustion engines. The system is able to operate either by compression or combustion. It can be either air cooled or water cooled. There is a low production cost because of fewer and less diverse parts. The system can also serve as a power plant to drive an electrical generator, while providing both air and liquid compression.
The system has application in many fields, including, home generators, commercial/industrial generators, standalone use for remote locations, trailer mounted to airport tarmac use, emergency short term and long term use, aviation, un-manned military aviation, ultra-light personal aviation, motor vehicle compressors, engines, motorcycles, kit vehicles, golf carts, heavy diesel engines, marine vessels, military vehicles, agriculture pumps, lifts and winches, and an off-grid power supply.
The system can be manufactured from carbon fiber housing and crankcase, with a steel alloy crankshaft. Fuel injector design allows for use with gasoline, diesel, propane, or practically any other liquid or gaseous fuel. The system is low profile with a high power-to-weight ratio. It can be air cooled or water cooled and use pressurized lubrication in the crankcase, with no lubrication required in the cylinders. It can use an electric start/ignition and power system. Calculated performance can reach as much as 1 hp per cubic inch-330 hp @3000 rpm, with usable torque as high as 450 ft-lb @ 2000 rpm.
Although several embodiments have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications may be made without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited, except as by the appended claims.
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