EP0024158A1 - Moteur thermique - Google Patents

Moteur thermique Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0024158A1
EP0024158A1 EP80302668A EP80302668A EP0024158A1 EP 0024158 A1 EP0024158 A1 EP 0024158A1 EP 80302668 A EP80302668 A EP 80302668A EP 80302668 A EP80302668 A EP 80302668A EP 0024158 A1 EP0024158 A1 EP 0024158A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
engine
cylinder
piston
crankshaft
liquid
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP80302668A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Bruce Richardson Keesing
Anthony James Playle
David Hugh Hoskyn
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Publication of EP0024158A1 publication Critical patent/EP0024158A1/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
    • F02G—HOT GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT ENGINE PLANTS; USE OF WASTE HEAT OF COMBUSTION ENGINES; NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F02G1/00—Hot gas positive-displacement engine plants
    • F02G1/04—Hot gas positive-displacement engine plants of closed-cycle type
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F01—MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; ENGINE PLANTS IN GENERAL; STEAM ENGINES
    • F01B—MACHINES OR ENGINES, IN GENERAL OR OF POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT TYPE, e.g. STEAM ENGINES
    • F01B29/00—Machines or engines with pertinent characteristics other than those provided for in preceding main groups
    • F01B29/08—Reciprocating-piston machines or engines not otherwise provided for
    • F01B29/10—Engines
    • F01B29/12—Steam engines
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F01—MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; ENGINE PLANTS IN GENERAL; STEAM ENGINES
    • F01K—STEAM ENGINE PLANTS; STEAM ACCUMULATORS; ENGINE PLANTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ENGINES USING SPECIAL WORKING FLUIDS OR CYCLES
    • F01K21/00—Steam engine plants not otherwise provided for
    • F01K21/02—Steam engine plants not otherwise provided for with steam-generation in engine-cylinders
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F01—MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; ENGINE PLANTS IN GENERAL; STEAM ENGINES
    • F01L—CYCLICALLY OPERATING VALVES FOR MACHINES OR ENGINES
    • F01L21/00—Use of working pistons or pistons-rods as fluid-distributing valves or as valve-supporting elements, e.g. in free-piston machines
    • F01L21/04—Valves arranged in or on piston or piston-rod

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a heat engine.
  • combustion of the fuel for the engine takes place within cylinders or a working volume of the engine so creating heat which is converted into mechanical work by the movement of pistons located within the cylinders.
  • fuel is burnt externally of the working volume of the engine to produce vapour which is then used to carry out mechanical work, for example in an expander.
  • vapour In known external combustion engines, the vapour is always produced externally of the working volume of the engine and is then introduced into said volume to accomplish mechanical work. Thereafter, the vapour is exhausted from the working volume and ducted to a condenser where the vapour liquifies for re-use.
  • the object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved heat engine over those known hitherto, which engine employs a non-gaseous material which is vapourised to perform mechanical work.
  • a heat engine ccm prising a casing defining a working volume wherein is located a movable member, a reservoir for a non-gaseous material which is vapourised in use of the engine, and heating means to cause vapourisation of the non-gaseous material, and characterised in that means are provided for the introduction of the non-gaseous material into the working volume from the reservoir and, in use of the engine, that the heating means heat a portion of a surface delimiting the working volume to cause vaporisation of the non-gaseous material introduced therein, the expansion of the vapour so created acting on the movable member within the volume to produce mechanical work.
  • the non-gaseous material comprises a liquid and the means for the introduction of the liquid into the working volume cause the liquid to strike said heated surface of the working volume so that, in use of the engine, when the liquid strikes said surface it immediately changes phase into a gas.
  • means are provided whereby, after acting on the movable member to produce said mechanical work, vapour is returned to the reservoir, and these means permit the vapour to expand adiabatically and thence condense.
  • each of the cylinders 2 and 3 is located a piston 6 and 7 which is attached to a crankshaft 8 via a connecting rod 9 and 10, respectively.
  • the crankshaft 8 passes transversely across the crankcase 4 and projects at one end 11 from the casing 1 to provide a drive shaft.
  • the connecting rods 9 and 10 are located via bearings 12 and 13 respectively around journals 14 and 15 formed by the crankshaft 8 whereby as the crankshaft 8 rotates the connecting rods 9 and 10 reciprocate within the cylinders 2 and 3, the rod 9 reaching the top of its stroke as the rod 10 reaches the bottom of its stroke in a conventional fashion.
  • the pistons 6 and 7 form a tight sliding fit within the cylinders 2 and 3 and seal peripherally against the walls of the cylinders 2 and 3.
  • Each of the pistons 6 and 7 is provided with a first pair of spaced passageways 16 and 17 which open at one end on the top face of each of the pistons 6, 7.
  • the other ends of the passageways 16, 17 in each piston 6, 7 can communicate with pairs of passageways 18, 19 respectively formed in a gudgeon pin 20, 21 of each piston 6, 7.
  • Formed along the longitudinal axes of the connecting rods 9 and 10 are passageways 22 and 23 respecti- ively, which can communicate with each of the pairs of the passageways 18 and 19 respectively formed in the gudgeon pins 20, 21 of the pistons 6, 7.
  • the crankshaft 8 also defines a pair of parallel passageways 24 and 25 which can communicate with the passageways 22 and 23 as the crankshaft 8 rotates.
  • the passageways 24 and 25 each have one end which opens at the central portion 26 of the crankshaft 8 at opposite sides thereof and each then passes through an adjacent crank arm 27, 28 respectively to open at its other end on the opposite side of the crankshaft 8 centrally of the journal 14, 15. It can be seen that the passageways 16, 18, 22 and 24 all intercommunicate when the crankshaft 8 is in such a position that the piston 6 is at its top dead centre position in the cylinder 2 and likewise the passageways 17, 19, 23 and 25 communicate when the piston 7 is at its top dead centre position in the cylinder 3, as shown in the drawing.
  • the central portion 26 of the crankshaft 8 passes through a bearing 29 located in a portion of the casing 1 that forms a web 30 between the cylinders 2 and 3.
  • the bearing 29 defines a short passageway 31 that terminates at one end adjacent the crankshaft 8 so that it can communicate periodically with the passageways 24 and 25 in the crankshaft 8 as the latter rotates.
  • the other end of the passageway 31 terminates in a connector 32 which is screwed into the bearing 29.
  • the connector 32 is attached to a tube 33 that is disposed in the crank case 4 and that is attached at its end remote from the connector 32 to a second connector 34 screwed into the frame 1.
  • the connector 34 communicates the tube 33 with a first bore 35 formed in the casing 1, which bore 35 communicates with a chamber 36 which is formed at one side of the casing 1.
  • the bore 35 opens into the volume 37 at the lower part of the chamber 36 and projecting from the casing 1 into the upper part of the chamber 36 is an end 38 of the crankshaft 8 remote from the driving end 11.
  • This end 38 is provided with an elliptical or double lobed cam 39 that cooperates with a cam follower and piston arrangement 40 located within the chamber 36.
  • the cam follower and piston arrangement 40 comprises an annular member 41 which surrounds and is acted upon by the uppermost portion of the cam 39.
  • a spring 42 is provided, which spring 42 acts at one end on the member 41 and at the other end bears against the upper interior surface of the casing 36.
  • the member 41 is perpetually resiliently biased by the spring 42.
  • Attached to the lower part of the member 41 is a cylindrical piston 43.
  • the piston 43 is located within the lower part of the chamber 36 which is likewise formed into a corresponding cylindrical shape so that the piston 43 forms a tight sliding fit therewith and defines therewith the volume 37. It can be seen that, as the crankshaft 8 rotates, the cam 39 acts on the member 41 and thereby causes the piston 43 to reciprocate within the volume 37 and operate as a pump arrangement.
  • the piston 43 accomplishes two strokes for every single revolution of the crankshaft 8.
  • the bore 35 communicates with that portion of the chamber 36 beneath the piston 43 via a one-way valve arrangement 44 whereby flow can only occur from the chamber 36 into the bore 35 and not vice-versa.
  • a second bore 45 is formed in the casing 1 beneath the bore 35 and communicates with the crankcase 4 and also with the chamber 36 beneath the piston 43 via a second one-way valve arrangement 46. However, in this latter case the valve arrangement 46 only permits flow from the crankcase 4 into the chamber 36.
  • the one-way valve arrangements 44 and 46 are both represented in the Fig. 1 as ball valves but it should be appreciated that any suitable one-way valve could be used.
  • the lower portion of the crankcase 4 forms a reservoir for a working liquid, the level of which is arranged so as to be always above the level of the base of the piston 43.
  • the volume of the chamber 36 beneath the piston 43 in the casing 36 is always filled with the working liquid which can flow therein via the bore 45 and the one-way valve arrangement 46.
  • the piston 43 is held in a raised position by hydraulic pressure of the liquid in the volume 37 until the passageway 31 communicates with either the passageway 24 or the passageway 25 when the liquid is ejected from the volume 37 by extension of the spring 42 forcing the piston 43 downwards.
  • the cylinder head 5 closes the top of the cylinders 2 and 3 and is rigidly attached to the top of the casing 1.
  • Plates 47 and 48 are bolted to the cylinder head 5 and are located at the top of each cylinder 2,3 respectively to delimit same.
  • Each plate 47, 4B is made of a good heat conducting material and is bolted to the cylinder head 5 by means of two bolts 49 each of which has good heat conducting properties.
  • the heads of the bolts 49 may be provided with vanes (not shown) to increase the heat conduction between the interior of the cylinder head 5 and the plates 47 and 48.
  • passages 50 which all lead to common inlet and exhaust passages.
  • the passages 50 are arranged "in parallel" with one another.
  • heating means such as gas burners (not shown) which are supplied with gaseous fuel from a storage tank or gas mains via pipes (not shovm).
  • gas burners not shown
  • the inlet of the passages 50 in use, is supplied with air by a separate pump (not shown) whereby the gaseous fuel is burnt in the air in the passages 50 and there is a constant flow of hot air and combustion products in the passages 50 which eventually passes to the exhaust passage.
  • the plates 47 and 48 are heated.
  • the area of the walls of the passages 50 may be increased by vanes or by wire mesh stretched across the passages 50.
  • the air inlet passage leading to the passages 50 may be enclosed within the exhaust passage. Hence the ingoing air will be preheated by the exhaust gases and less heat will be lost from the latter.
  • the purpose of the cylinder head 5 is to enable heat to be transmitted to the plates 47 and 48.
  • the cylinder head 5 in this example is intended to burn gaseous fuel to heat the plates 47 and 48 any form of heating may be employed instead.
  • coal/petrol could be burnt instead of gas or the plates 47, 48 could be adapted to be heated electrically.
  • a different form of heating means can be provided for the cylinder 2, 3 by employing electrical heaters.
  • the plates 47, 48 could be replaced by electrical heating elements which are connected to any convenient electricity supply. It will be appreciated that whereas in the arrangement previously described the engine operates in the manner of an external combustion engine, fuel being burnt exterior to the cylinders 2, 3, when an electrical heating means is employed the heating means be located within the cylinders in a manner more akin to an internal combustion engine although no actual combustion of fuel takes place.
  • the pistons 6 and 7 are each also provided with a second pair of passageways 51, 52 which traverse the pistons 6,7 and open on both upper and lower faces thereof.
  • the passageways 51, 52 are obturated on the upper face of the pistons 6, 7 by flap valves 53, 54.
  • the valves 53, 54 are operated by pairs of lobes or cams 55, 56 formed at one side of the gudgeon pin bearings 57, 58 of the connecting rods 9, 10 whereby on up-strokes of the pistons 6, 7 within the cylinders 2, 3 the connecting rods 9, 10 adopt positions such that the lobes 55, 56 act on the valves 53, 54 to open same.
  • the valves 53, 54 pivot about one side 59, 60 thereof upwardly from the upper faces of the pistons 6, 7 away from the passageways 51, 52 when open.
  • a small by-pass passageway 60, 61 is formed through each piston as a safety measure. These passageways 60, 61 are not obturated by the flap valves 53, 54.
  • the crankcase 4 of the engine is filled with a working liquid which is arranged so that it always covers the base of the piston 43.
  • This working fluid is preferably one which is liquid at normal room temperatures and which boils between room temperature and the anticipated working temperature of the engine which depends on the temperature of the heating means and the temperature of the plates 48, 49. It is expected that the working temperature will be in the region of 250°C o to 300 C when gas is UE d as the fuel and suitable liquids include all standard refrigerants, such as freon, ethyl alcohol and even water.
  • the engine has a two-stroke cycle and as the crankshaft 8 rotates and each piston 6, 7 alternately approaches its top dead centre position in the cylinders 2, 3 the passageways 16, 18, 22 and 24, and 17, 19, 23 and 25 respectively communicate with one another and the spring 42 acts on the annular member 41 to force the piston 43 downwardly so that a metered quantity of the working liquid is forced through the communicating in- line passageways 16, 18, 22, and 24, or 17, 19, 23 and 25 to be ejected from the upper face of the piston 6, 7 when it is in its top dead centre position.
  • the ejected liquid strikes the plate 47, 48, which is hot owing to conduction from the heated gases flowing through the passage 50 of the cylinder head 5, and as a result the liquid flash boils.
  • the quantity of working liquid striking the plates 48 and 49 can be altered.
  • This can be accomplished by the provision of a variable restricting means in the passageways leading from the chamber 36 to the cylinders 2 and 3, similar to a throttle valve.
  • a wedge or conically - shaped member could be located through the wall of the tube 33 or the passageway 35 so that it can be arranged at varying positions of insertion into the tube 33 or passageway 35 restricting passage of the working liquid to the desired quantity.
  • the member could be loaded so that it fails safe and closes the tube 33 or passageway 35 if there is a fault in the acceleration mechanism.
  • the temperature of the elements or the plates 47 and 48 could be varied electronically so that the speed of the engine can be controlled.
  • the heat engine as described above has many advantages over engines used hitherto. Firstly, the efficiency of the engine is higher than those currently in use so that it is economical on fuel and so cheaper to run. Secondly, any form of fuel can be used to heat the plates 48 and 49 so that expensive fossil fuels such as petrol and Diesel fuel are not required. Thirdly, the operating temperature of the engine is low. This means that the casing 1 and most of the operating parts of the engine can be made of materials which are cheaper than steel. For example, aluminium could be used or even certain plastics en material so that the/gine is light-weight.
  • plastics materials is particularly advantageous as the interior of the cylinders 2 and 3, the periphery of the pistons 6 and 7 and bearings for the crankshaft can then be made of polytetrafluorethylene (P.T.F.E.) which obviates the requirement of a lubricant and cuts down on wear within the engine.
  • P.T.F.E. polytetrafluorethylene
  • the engine can be modified in several ways.
  • the engine can be increased in size by having more than two cylinders which can also be arranged differently, as a V-engine for example, or the arrangement of the communicating passageways 16, 18, 22 and 24 or 17, 19, 23 and 25 could be altered so that the working liquid is injected into the cylinders 2 and 3 from the side so that it strikes the plates 47 and 48 as the pistons reach their top dead centre position.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Engine Equipment That Uses Special Cycles (AREA)
EP80302668A 1979-08-14 1980-08-05 Moteur thermique Withdrawn EP0024158A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB7928248 1979-08-14
GB7928248 1979-08-14

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0024158A1 true EP0024158A1 (fr) 1981-02-25

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EP80302668A Withdrawn EP0024158A1 (fr) 1979-08-14 1980-08-05 Moteur thermique

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Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2533268A1 (fr) * 1982-09-17 1984-03-23 Couillaud Paul Perfectionnement aux moteurs a vapeur permanente et autres leur permettant de produire de l'energie sans consommer de combustible
WO1987006649A1 (fr) * 1986-04-30 1987-11-05 Fiege Edith I Moteur a vapeur/explosion a production interne de vapeur
AT403083B (de) * 1995-03-22 1997-11-25 Maierhofer Herbert Kolbenmaschine

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB769368A (en) * 1955-03-30 1957-03-06 James Windrum Improvements in hot gas reciprocating engines
FR2205361A1 (en) * 1972-11-09 1974-05-31 Cloup Philippe Automatic injection of an additive into a liquid - using a differential piston assembly, the displacement of piston being controlled by liq. under pressure
DE2405380A1 (de) * 1974-02-05 1975-08-14 Gross Dampf-kolbenmotor
US4077214A (en) * 1976-08-16 1978-03-07 Burke Jr Jerry Allen Condensing vapor heat engine with constant volume superheating and evaporating
US4149383A (en) * 1977-07-29 1979-04-17 Spalding Wesley H Internal vaporization engine
GB1552121A (en) * 1976-06-09 1979-09-05 Peaks J F Steam and compressed gas engines

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB769368A (en) * 1955-03-30 1957-03-06 James Windrum Improvements in hot gas reciprocating engines
FR2205361A1 (en) * 1972-11-09 1974-05-31 Cloup Philippe Automatic injection of an additive into a liquid - using a differential piston assembly, the displacement of piston being controlled by liq. under pressure
DE2405380A1 (de) * 1974-02-05 1975-08-14 Gross Dampf-kolbenmotor
GB1552121A (en) * 1976-06-09 1979-09-05 Peaks J F Steam and compressed gas engines
US4077214A (en) * 1976-08-16 1978-03-07 Burke Jr Jerry Allen Condensing vapor heat engine with constant volume superheating and evaporating
US4149383A (en) * 1977-07-29 1979-04-17 Spalding Wesley H Internal vaporization engine

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2533268A1 (fr) * 1982-09-17 1984-03-23 Couillaud Paul Perfectionnement aux moteurs a vapeur permanente et autres leur permettant de produire de l'energie sans consommer de combustible
WO1987006649A1 (fr) * 1986-04-30 1987-11-05 Fiege Edith I Moteur a vapeur/explosion a production interne de vapeur
AT403083B (de) * 1995-03-22 1997-11-25 Maierhofer Herbert Kolbenmaschine

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Effective date: 19820201