AU607796B2 - An internal combustion engine featuring the use of an oscillating liquid column and a hydraulic turbine to convert the energy of fuels - Google Patents

Description

1.25 .4 1.6 IZkXMAn1S80dONW1NrlH:ll9V 'Id 01L r i r i _77 -T 77 T-r-r-7-i- I 1.25 1. 16 4,AUSTRAAg Form PATENTS ACT 1952 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (OR IGI NAL) FORI OFFICE USE Short Title: mnt. CI: Application Number: Lodged: 'Complete Specification-Lodged: Priority: Accented: Lapsed: Published: 0 0 0 Related Art: This document contains the amendments made under Section 49 and is correct for printing.

of Apliant BAht. TO BE COMPLETED BY APPLICANT .Name ofApiat kAELSi.YED ABUI 4AGtA ,Address of Applicant: P.0.Box 408 Engadine NSW~ 2233 S1/548 New Canterbury Road Dulwich Hill NSW 2203 Actual Inventor: Address for Service: BAhA BIJSAYEL ABUIINAG& P.0.Box 408 Engadine NSW 2233 Complete Specification for the invention entitled: An internal combustion engine featuring the use of an oscillating liquid column and a hydraulic turbine to convert the energy of fuels.

The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:-* Note: The description is to be typed in double spacing, pica type face, in an area not exceeding 250 mm in depth and 160 mm in width, on tough white paper of good quality and it is to be inserted inside this form.

14166/77-L 141 t3/7-.-LPrinted by C. J. TuOMPSON, Acting Comnmonwealth Government Printer, Ctinberra This invention relates to internal combustion engines featuring the use of an oscillating liquid column forming a reciprocating piston like body. The invention employs a hydraulic turbine to convert the energy derived from combustion of a suitable fuel and air or other combustible mixture, into a useful torque delivery means.

Over the last decade there has been a growing interest in the design of internal combustion engines adapted for use

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S with a wide variety of fuels including solid fuels. Certain types of solid fuels, such as coal however, are highly abrasive and tend to erode and wear conventional pistons, S, piston rings and cylinder liners, thereby causing 4, deterioration to the necessary seals which are used for the 0400 efficient performance of such conventional engines o 0 comprising solid pistons. Attempts to use some solid fuels 0 in gas turbine cycles have not been very successful as the aerodynamic efficiency of the turbine blades has deteriorated through erosion, deposition of ash thereon or chemical attack.

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It is an object of the present invention to eliminate or at least ameliorate some of the abovementioned disadvantages by developing an internal combustion engine featuring the use of an oscillating liquid column together with a hydraulic turbine in the basic unit of the engine. At the very least t.e invention provides an alternative to previous internal combustion engines.

According to the present invention there is provided an internal combustion hydraulic engine comprising two piston chambers and a hydraulic turbine mounted within a casing, wherein each piston chamber has an opening at one end I RA 4 2 -V MW L71uJ .f-.Il,O~lI K L, tApy thereof communicating with opposite sides respectively of the hydraulic turbine, so that in use an oscillating liquid column contained within the casing can pass from one piston chamber to the other via the turbine, the ends of the 4oscillating column in each cylinder acting as liquid pistons, and the liquid column transmitting energy from one piston chamber to the other via the turbine, which is I mounted on the engine power shaft, and which maintains a constant direction of rotation throughout the complete thermodynamic cycle of the engine, despite the oscillation of the column.

S The basic unit of the engine consists of two piston chambers or cylinders mounted on a hydraulic turbine casing. A Alrt S fluid column is able to oscillate between both cylinders.

i 4 4t t The ends of the fluid column act as a pair of liquid pistons. During each oscillation the liquid column flows S through the turbine which converts the oscillating motion o into rotational motion thereby delivering useful power.

It will be readily appreciated that in a conventional internal combustion engine, the piston chamber is

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44 q necessarily circular in cross section and hence termed a A "cylinder". In an engine according to the present invention A t S employing a fluid piston, the piston chamber in fact need t' not be circular in cross section. Any use of the term "cylinder" therefore in connection therewith is therefore 4 not necessarily limited to one having a circular cross section.

In order to produce a compact efficient engine, it is essential to select a turbine that can maintain a constant direction of rotation despite the reversal of the VTtI displacement of the fluid column. Amongst the different types of turbines which may be used, one may cite the Savonius, the Darrieus and the Wells.

Intensive research since the 1920's into wind energy, wave and tidal power, following the advent of modern flying, has gradually led to the development of cross-flow and axial flow turbines which can use the hydrodynamic lift on a wing-shaped blade or hydrofoil/airfoil as a major component of the thrust force per blade needed to generate torque for Srotation. Amongst the most famous turbines of this type are a 0 the Darrieus turbine used in many wind energy conversion o power units and some water power projects, the symmetrical axial flow Wells turbine used in some major wave energy projects and the Savonius rotor which uses the Magnus Soeffect. These turbines unlike conventional impulse and o reaction turbines can maintain a constant direction of o a rotation irrespective of changes in the direction of the flow. It is an essential feature of the present invention4 to use the constant direction of rotation of such turbines 0 by means of hydrodynamic lift induced thrust forces on the o .0 blades, as a power take-off element. By using hydrodynamic o lift induced thrust instead of hydrodynamic drag induced o thrust the engine can be made simple enough to avoid complicated abutments, eccentric mechanisms, pipes to direct the flow to a separate impulse or reaction turbines.

Thus in engines according to the invention, there is provided on top of the cylinders, an engine head or cylinder head which comprises the inlet and outlet valves for each 11cylinder, and the conduits for the entry and exit of the gases or fuel and gas mixtures. Poppets or mushroom valves can be operated by using the classical techniques of 4 ikA~>, i- i~ 00 00 0 04 09 0000 oot a 00 oo0 0 0 0 0 o oo o o 070 0 0 00 9 0 0 0 0 0600 0 8 0400 00 4 0 I 0 4 0:419 compressors or internal combustion automotive engines (i.e.

utilising a camshaft, cams, rockers, cam followers, eccentric mechanisms and the like), or special valves of internal combustion liquid engines such as the valves of the Humphrey engine.

The inventive concept of exploding a combustible mixture and/or expanding a highly heated combustion product against an oscillating liquid column, which in turn is forced to flow through a hydraulic turbine having rotation in one direction only, can be used to construct a wide range of internal combustion engines. Internal combustion engines according to the invention are able to operate various thermodynamic cycles depending on the overall design of the engine, as well as the design of the piston chamber, including the inlet and exhaust conduits, valves and combustion chambers thereof.

In the following text, it will be explained how the concept can be exploited to construct engines to operate on the four stroke cycle (Otto or diesel cycles, with either heat addition at constant volume, or at constant pressure, or having a mixed cycle) or to operate on the Joule-Brayton cycle with heat addition in a separate combustor.

In any case, starting of the e ine may be achieved through the use of any suitable technology associated with the relevant thermodynamic cycle. In addition to starter motors, electronic ignition etc., it will also be appropriate to activate the engine by causing the turbine itself to rotate by means of a suitable rotation of the power output shaft on which it is mounted.

4 F L. i -r ~e L- When external power is applied to the turbine shaft, the turbine can act as pump, propeller or agitator to generate the initial wave for compressing the gases in one of the cylinders.

Another appropriate method of starting the engine is to use an air motor. Highly compressed air is introduced in one of the cylinders to depress the water column, rotate the turbine and expel or compress the gases in the other cylinder. Air motors are widely used in high power internal combustion engines for industrial and marine applications.

Because of the liquid nature of the pistons, air motors S would be very appropriate starters, for the invention.

o*o Thus one preferred embodiment of an internal combustion Qrnn a o engine according to the invention operates on a four stroke cycle in each piston chamber. The four strokes comprise o o firstly suction of ambient air and fuel, secondly o 0, compression of the gases, thirdly explosion and combustion 0 0 of fuel and gases causing the expansion stroke and fourthly the exhaust of combustion products. In this embodiment the 0 strokes of each cylinder are arranged such that as one end of the column rises in one of the piston chambers, the other o 0 0 end empties from the other, different strokes occurring o simultaneously in each chamber of the basic unit of the 0 °4 engine.

0 4 For example, a compression stroke could occur in one cylinder while an expansion or a suction stroke would occur in the other cylinder. Similarly, an exhaust stroke could i be accomplished in one of the cylinders while a suction or an expansion stroke would occur in the other cylinder. I 6 r~ RA( S w\Z f 0, o o o o o r o 00 0 0 0 000 o o0 6a 0 09 0 0 0 0 0i 0 O 0 o 0 0 0 0 0 0000 o 01 pe 4 0 o 4t Thus during the suction stroke, the liquid level drops and the inlet valves open in the cylinder in which suction is to occur, while the liquid fills the other cylinder. During compression in one of the cylinders all valves remain closed while the oscillating column fills that cylinder but empties the other cylinder. During expansion all valves of the cylinder in which expansion occurs remain closed while the liquid column withdraws to fill the other cylinder. During the exhaust stroke, the exhaust valve opens while the liquid column fill the cylinder in which exhaust occurs.

During the different strokes as the liquid column oscillates from one cylinder to the other it flows through the hydraulic turbine and develops an energy interchange. In any event, because of the uni-directional rotation of the turbine, the turbine causes rotation of the power shaft in one direction only, irrespective of the direction of flow of the oscillating column.

A second preferred embodiment of an internal combustion engine according to the invention operates on the Joule- Brayton cycle. A very important thermodynamic cycle in the design of gas turbine powercycles is the Joule-Brayton cycle. The concept of building internal combustion engines according to the invention that use oscillating liquid columns and hydraulic turbines can be exploited to operate on this cycle. It is useful to be able to construct engines that operate on this cycle as there are many suitable applications for which they could be adapted, for example, fluidized beds and other modern techniques of combustion of solid fuels or slurries.

A suitable design for such an engine is achieved by

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utilising one of the piston chambers as a compressor while the other acts as an expander, a combustor being installed 4 between the respective compressor and the expander.

U In this embodiment, the outlet valve of the compressor is connected to the entry or inlet of the combustor, while the I outlet of the combustor acts as the inlet to the expander.

During the suction stroke the oscillating column empties the compressor while the inlet valve of the latter remains open, and simultaneously the liquid column fills the expander expelling the products of combustion during the exhaust stroke of the expander while its exhaust valve remains open.

Thus the suction stroke of the compressor occurs simultaneously with the exhaust stroke of the expander and the compression stroke of the compressor occurs E: simultaneously with the expansion stroke of the expander.

00G During the compression stroke of the compressor the said S oscillating column rises in the compressor while all its valves remain closed. At the end of the compression stroke the discharge or outlet valve of the compressor opens and discharges compressed air to the combustor where it reacts .Its with the fuel until the discharge valve of the combustor or i inlet valve of the expander opens. The inlet valve of the S expander opens for a very short part of the stroke at the beginning of the expansion stroke to allow the hot and compressed gases to enter the expander but remains closed during the rest of the expansion to assist in an efficient expansion.

Once again the power shaft is caused to rotate in one direction only irrespective of the direction in which the oscillating column flows, by virtue of the turbine selected.

8 r A RAZ, -7 Altr 1 L i ii -L i 4 Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of illustration only with reference to the Figures in which: Fig. 1 shows an internal combustion engine with an oscillating liquid column and a hydraulic turbine designed to operate on the four stroke cycle, the right hand cylinder of which is in the first or suction stroke.

119 a 0 #0 9 0 j 4 on~ 4 IDA 4 4 0.1 0 4 95,49 IS 4 4 04.0 4.449 04 O9 adD 4t Figs. 2 to 4 show the same embodiment illustrated in Fig. 1 where the right hand cylinder is in the second or compression stroke, the third or expansion stroke and the fourth or exhaust stroke respectively.

Fig. 5 shows an internal combustion engine according to the invention employing the Joule-Brayton cycle, the left hand cylinder of which is in the suction stroke, and Figs. 6 to 7 show the same embodiment illustrated in Fig. where the left hand cylinder is completely empty between suction and compression strokes) and is in the compression stroke respectively.

Referring generally to Figs. 1 to 4, there is shown an internal combustion engine referenced 30, comprising two piston chambers or cylinders 12 and 13 mounted on the casing 14 of the hydraulic turbine 16, the cylinders 12 and 13 communicating therewith. Turbine 16 is mounted on power shaft A liquid column 19 capable of oscillating between the 9 i:' P~ii cylinders 12 and 13 via the turbine 16 is provided so that when one of the cylinders 12 or 13 is full the other is empty. A liquid filling valve 10 and liquid level control valve 11 are conveniently provided in the sides of cylinders 12 and 13 respectively. A drainage valve 17 is also provided in the base of the engine 30 for maintenance thereof.

The engine head 18 comprises an engine intake manifold 7 for air or air and fuel together with exhaust conduits 5 and 6 for combustion gases from cylinders 12 and 13 respectively.

Cylinders 12 and 13 are each respectively provided with inlet/intake valves 3 and 1 and outlet/exhaust valves 4 and 2. Each cylinder 12 and 13 is provided with a site 9 and 8 respectively for a fuel injection pump and/or a spark plug for combustion of the air/fuel mixture.

8s So Referring to Fig. 1, as valve 3 opens, a fresh quantity of o o air or air and fuel enters cylinder 12, while the S oscillating column 19 retreats from cylinder 12 to fill cylinder 13 and to expel the products of the previous combustion in cylinder 13 while valve 2 is open. Thus while ,08 cylinder 12 undergoes a suction stroke cylinder 13 undergoes an exhaust stroke. During this part of the cycle both valves 1 and 4 remain closed. The combustion gases leave S cylinder 13 through conduit 6, while air or air and fuel enter cylinder 12 through manifold 7. As the oscillating liquid column 19 flows across the turbine to pass from cylinder 12 to the other 13 it causes a rotation of the turbine 16 in one direction only.

As the liquid column 19 reaches the bottom dead centre of cylinder 12 and the top dead centre of cylinder 13, valve 3

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closes while valve 1 opens, thus beginning the suction stroke of cylinder 13 and the compression stroke of cylinder 12 as shown in Fig. 2. During this part of the cycle the liquid column 19 rises in cylinder 12 as it empties cylinder 13. In so doing the column 19 again flows through the turbine 16 which continues to rotate in the same direction despite the reversal of flow.

As the liquid column 19 reaches the top dead centre of cylinder 12 fuel is injected at site 9 into cylinder 12 in fuel injection or diesel cycle engines or the mixture is ignited by the spark plug at site 9 or by the high compression. At the same time the other end of the 00 0 0401 oo oscillating column 19 reaches the bottom dead centre of o cylinder 13 and valve 1 closes as shown in Fig. 3. Thus the o expansion stroke of cylinder 12 is started simultaneously 0 with the beginning of the compression stroke of cylinder 13.

In fact some of the energy or power delivered by the :00 expansion of the combustion products of cylinder 12 is used to compress the gases and fuel mixture in cylinder 13 while the rest is used to rotate the turbine and deliver energy.

Once again however, the turbine 16 continues to rotate in the same direction despite reversal of the flow of the °0 column 19.

St At the end of the expansion stroke of gases in cylinder 12 and simultaneously at the end of the compression stroke in cylinder 13 the mixture is ignited in cylinder 13 while valve 4 opens. This begins the expansion stroke of ,I gases in cylinder 13 and the exhaust stroke in cylinder 12 i as shown in Fig. 4. The cycle is then repeated.

Other combinations of strokes may be used taking into 11 r account that when the column rises in one cylinder it is depressed in the other because of the conservation of mass flow of the liquid.

Referring generally to Figs. 5 to 7 there is illustrated an internal combustion engine based on the Joule-Brayton cycle, referenced 31 in which like components to those illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 have similar reference numerals. Thus there is shown an internal combustion engine referenced 31, comprising two piston chambers or cylinders 12 and 13 mounted on the casing 14 of the hydraulic turbine 16, the cylinders 12 and 13 communicating therewith. Turbine 16 is mounted on power shaft

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0 A liquid column 19 capable of oscillating between the .o cylinders 12 and 13 via the turbine 16 is provided so that 0 0 0 0 when one of the cylinders 12 or 13 is full the other is 0 o empty. A liquid filling valve 10 and liquid level control valve 11 are conveniently provided in the sides of cylinders 12 and 13 respectively. A drainage valve 17 is also provided in the base of the engine 31 for maintenance thereof. i The engine head 20 comprises an inlet conduit 21 for air or S air and fuel together, and an exhaust conduit 29 for combustion gases. Cylinder 13 is provided with an exhaust conduit 22, while cylinder 12 is provided with an inlet conduit 23. Connected between conduits 22 and 23 is a combustor 24. Cylinders 12 and 13 are each respectively provided with inlet/intake valves 27 and 25 and outlet/exhaust valves 28 and 26.

Thus, in Figs. 5 to 7 an example of the adaptation of the i- i rlliiiiiia~------- r~-)innnWPE~~l i- "~LIUt j 00 000 o0 0 00 0 Sooo o 0 o 0 o0 0 0 0o 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 engine to the Joule-Brayton cycle is presented. Between each cylinder 12 and 13 a combustor 24 is installed. A different engine head 20 to that utilised in Figs. 1 to 4 is used wherein the exhaust conduit 22 of cylinder 13 is also the inlet to the combustor 24. Similarly, the exhaust of the combustor 24 is in fact the inlet conduit 23 to cylinder 12. In this case cylinder 13 acts as a compressor, while cylinder 12 acts as an expander. One end of the oscillating column 19 acts as a suction and compressing piston (in cylinder 13), while the other acts as an expanding and exhaust piston (in cylinder 12).

Fig. 5 illustrates cylinder 13 in the suction stroke and cylinder 12 in the exhaust stroke whilst Fig. 7 illustrates cylinder 13 in the compression stroke and cylinder 12 in the expansion stroke.

As shown in Fig. 5, the liquid column retreats from cylinder 13, valve 25 opens allowing a fresh mixture of air to be sucked in. The liquid column 19 rises in cylinder 12 while valve 28 opens allowing the expulsion of the expanded gases.

Both valves 26 and 27 remain closed during this period of the cycle.

As the liquid column reaches the top dead centre of cylinder 12 (Fig. 6) and bottom dead centre of cylinder 13, both valves 25 and 28 close. Valve 27 opens for a very short period of time to allow some of the hot gases from the combustor to enter cylinder 12. Valve 27 closes after a short portion of the expansion stroke is started to allow an effective thermal expansion of the hot gases in a sealed environment. Valve 26 remains closed until the oscillating column rises in cylinder 13 to near the top dead centre, i 0400 o, t r.

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j j when valve 26 opens to deliver the compressed air to the combustor as shown in Fig. 7. The cycle is then repeated.

In both strokes the turbine 16 is caused to rotate in one direction only irrespective of the direction of flow of fluid column 19.

From the foregoing it will be readily apparent that similar modifications and variations can be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It will be understood that no limitation with respect to the specific embodiments illustrated is intended or should be inferred.

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Claims (2)

1. An internal combustion hydraulic engine comprising two piston chambers and a hydraulic turbine mounted within a casing wherein each piston chamber has an opening at one end thereof communicating with opposite sides respectively of the hydraulic turbine, so that in use j an oscillating liquid column contained with the casing can pass from one piston chamber to the other via the turbine, the ends of the oscillating column in each cylinder acting as liquid pistons, and the liquid o column transmitting energy from one piston chamber to the other via the turbine which is mounted on the 0 0. engine power shaft, and which maintains a constant direction of rotation throughout the complete o thermodynamic cycle of the engine, despite the oscillation of the column.

4. 0 Ot0 2. An internal combustion engine according to claim 1, which is able to operate on a particular thermodynamic cycle depending on the overall design of the engine, as 0° well as the design of the piston chamber, including the inlet and exhaust conduits, valves and combustion chambers thereof. 1 S3. An internal combustion engine according to claim 2 in 0 which each piston chamber operates on a four stroke 1 cycle, comprising firstly suction of ambient air and fuel, secondly compression of the gases, thirdly rexplosion and combustion of fuel and gases causing the expansion stroke and fourthly the exhaust of combustion products, such that as one end of the column rises in one of the piston chambers, the other end empties from 0 !1x L o VI C the other piston chamber, different strokes occurring simultaneously in each chamber of the basic unit of the engine. 4. An internal combustion engine according to claim 2, which operates on the Joule-Brayton cycle by a suitable design of the engine so that one of the piston chambers acts as a compressor while the other acts as an expander, a combustor being installed between the respective compressor and the expander. a 0 0 00 An internal combustion engine substantially as S4 or Figs. 5 to 7. by. 0 Dated this 3rd day of December 1990. BAHA ELSAYED ABULNAGA I a Patent Attorney for the Applicant