EP0043880A1 - Rotierende Maschine mit äusserer Verbrennung - Google Patents

Rotierende Maschine mit äusserer Verbrennung Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0043880A1
EP0043880A1 EP80304649A EP80304649A EP0043880A1 EP 0043880 A1 EP0043880 A1 EP 0043880A1 EP 80304649 A EP80304649 A EP 80304649A EP 80304649 A EP80304649 A EP 80304649A EP 0043880 A1 EP0043880 A1 EP 0043880A1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
gas
working space
stator
liquid
water
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Withdrawn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
EP80304649A
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English (en)
French (fr)
Inventor
Victor Herbert Fischer
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Thermal Systems Ltd
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Thermal Systems Ltd
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Filing date
Publication date
Priority claimed from US06/215,866 external-priority patent/US4432203A/en
Application filed by Thermal Systems Ltd filed Critical Thermal Systems Ltd
Publication of EP0043880A1 publication Critical patent/EP0043880A1/de
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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    • 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
    • F01K21/005—Steam engine plants not otherwise provided for using mixtures of liquid and steam or evaporation of a liquid by expansion
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01F—MIXING, e.g. DISSOLVING, EMULSIFYING OR DISPERSING
    • B01F25/00—Flow mixers; Mixers for falling materials, e.g. solid particles
    • B01F25/60—Pump mixers, i.e. mixing within a pump
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F01—MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; ENGINE PLANTS IN GENERAL; STEAM ENGINES
    • F01C—ROTARY-PISTON OR OSCILLATING-PISTON MACHINES OR ENGINES
    • F01C1/00—Rotary-piston machines or engines
    • F01C1/30—Rotary-piston machines or engines having the characteristics covered by two or more groups F01C1/02, F01C1/08, F01C1/22, F01C1/24 or having the characteristics covered by one of these groups together with some other type of movement between co-operating members
    • F01C1/34—Rotary-piston machines or engines having the characteristics covered by two or more groups F01C1/02, F01C1/08, F01C1/22, F01C1/24 or having the characteristics covered by one of these groups together with some other type of movement between co-operating members having the movement defined in group F01C1/08 or F01C1/22 and relative reciprocation between the co-operating members
    • F01C1/344—Rotary-piston machines or engines having the characteristics covered by two or more groups F01C1/02, F01C1/08, F01C1/22, F01C1/24 or having the characteristics covered by one of these groups together with some other type of movement between co-operating members having the movement defined in group F01C1/08 or F01C1/22 and relative reciprocation between the co-operating members with vanes reciprocating with respect to the inner member
    • F01C1/3441—Rotary-piston machines or engines having the characteristics covered by two or more groups F01C1/02, F01C1/08, F01C1/22, F01C1/24 or having the characteristics covered by one of these groups together with some other type of movement between co-operating members having the movement defined in group F01C1/08 or F01C1/22 and relative reciprocation between the co-operating members with vanes reciprocating with respect to the inner member the inner and outer member being in contact along one line or continuous surface substantially parallel to the axis of rotation
    • F01C1/3442—Rotary-piston machines or engines having the characteristics covered by two or more groups F01C1/02, F01C1/08, F01C1/22, F01C1/24 or having the characteristics covered by one of these groups together with some other type of movement between co-operating members having the movement defined in group F01C1/08 or F01C1/22 and relative reciprocation between the co-operating members with vanes reciprocating with respect to the inner member the inner and outer member being in contact along one line or continuous surface substantially parallel to the axis of rotation the surfaces of the inner and outer member, forming the working space, being surfaces of revolution

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a rotary external combustion engine i.e. an engine of the type having a stator and a rotor defining a working space of variable volume and wherein heat energy for powering the engine is supplied externally of the working space.
  • the invention provides a novel operating cycle.
  • the steam engine is a well known form of external combustion engine but its power to weight ratio is generally low, owing to its requiring a separate steam boiler and.condenser.
  • the steam engine generally uses dried steam or other dry vapor as the working fluid.
  • the present invention is not concerned with such an engine but is concerned with an external combustion engine which uses a gas such as air as the working fluid.
  • the external combustion engine of this invention may comprise one or more stators and one or more rotors.
  • the stator has a cylindrical bore in which the rotor is eccentrically mounted.
  • the rotor may be provided with vanes so as to define between the stator and the rotor at least one working space of crescent-like shape.
  • the volume of each working space increases from a minimum to a maximum and then decreases to the minimum again every revolution.
  • the construction of this embodiment is analogous to the construction of a vane-pump.
  • the stator need not be cylindrical in cross-section but may be provided with two, three, four, five or more lobes.
  • the rotor also need not be circular in cross section and may be provided with a plurality ridges which define with the stator the working spaces.
  • the rotor is of cylindrical cross-section and is provided with two or more vanes slidable in slots provided in the rotor so as to accommodate changes in the spacing between any given point on the rotor and the corresponding point on the stator, as the rotor rotates.
  • each vane is provided with biasing means to resiliently bias it against the bore of the stator, thereby sealing each working space.
  • biasing means may be in the form of a spring, such as a coil or leaf spring, disposed in the bottom of each slot and operative between the bottom of the slot and the bottom of the respective vane to bias the vane outwardly.
  • sealing means are provided between the axial ends of the rotor and stator to prevent leakage.
  • sealing means are well known in the art and may include O-rings or labyrinth seals.
  • the compression ratio employed may vary widely depending on the particular application of the engine. Thus in some applications a compression ratio as low as 1.5:1 perhaps lower may be employed. In other applications the compression ratio may be as high as 20:1.
  • Means are provided for inducting gas into each working space.
  • a ram may be provided together with an inlet port to the working space for scavenging the exhaust gas and replacing it with a fresh charge.
  • inducting means may be provided by providing the engine with appropriate valves and inlets such that an induction revolution wherein gas is inducted into each working space is provided between each working revolution wherein the gas is used to do work.
  • a separate compressor to provide pressurised gas which is inducted into the cylinder every revolution at the appropriate time.
  • Such compressor may be a rotary compressor, such as a vane or turbine compressor.
  • the compressor may be a reciprocating compressor, preferably, the compressors are driven from the engine.
  • An injector is also provided for injecting pressurized preheated liquid heat-transfer medium into the gas.
  • the purpose of the injected liquid medium is to enable heat transfer from the burner to the gas to be effected quickly and efficiently.
  • the heated liquid medium is sprayed into the gas in the form of liquid droplets having a large surface area which enable rapid heat transfer to the gas to occur.
  • the liquid medium may be injected into the gas before or after the gas in inducted into the working space. Although the liquid may be injected into unpressurised working gas, it is well known that greater thermal efficiency is achieved by injecting the liquid medium into the gas when in a compressed state.
  • the present invention envisages heating the liquid medium and allowing the gas to become heated by contact with the medium.
  • the heat-transfer medium might be sprayed into the gas in the form of droplets.
  • a vaporisable medium be used which flashes to a vapor on injection into the working gas.
  • the gas into which heat-transfer medium has been injected will be referred to generally as wet gas.
  • Gas into which heat-transfer medium has not been injected will be referred to as dry gas.
  • the injected medium may be present in the gas in its liquid or vapor state.
  • the heating of the liquid medium and its injection into the gas may be achieved in a variety of different ways.
  • the liquid medium may be heated in a compact heat exchanger, for example a coil of narrow bore tubing, to a high pressure and high temperature. Since such narrow bore tubing can withstand great pressures, it is possible to heat the medium up to its critical point. For special applications where the rate of heat transfer is to be high, it may be preferred to heat the medium to a temperature and pressure above its critical point.
  • the hot pressurized liquid medium is then injected into the gas in a mixing chamber.
  • Anon-vaporising medium is preferably injected by means of an atomising injector. Internal energy of the medium is rapidly transferred from the hot liquid droplets to the gas, thereby increasing its pressure very quickly.
  • the heated and pressurized wet gas is then fed into the working space where it expands (usually polytropically i.e. non-adiabatically) to drive the rotor.
  • the mixing chamber is dispensed with and the hot high pressure liquid medium which has been heated in the heat exchanger is injected directly into the working space.
  • a charge of dry gas is generally inducted into the working space at its maximum volume and compressed adiabatically during the subsequent half revolution.
  • hot pressurized liquid medium is injected into the compressed and heated gas so as to raise the pressure of the. gas still further.
  • the hot pressurized gas expands and cools during the subsequent half revolution.
  • the working space has reached approximately its maximum volume the gas is exhausted from the working space.
  • the heat-transfer medium is a vaporizable liquid, such as water, which at least partially flashes to vapor immediately it is injected into the working space.
  • a vaporizable liquid such as water
  • the injected liquid medium is merely acting as a heat transfer fluid which may enable the compressed gas to convert internal energy to mechanical work. If a vaporizable medium is employed, the heat transfer process is particularly effective provided that most of the heat-transfer medium leaves the working space in the liquid state, so that the latent heat of vaporization is not lost.
  • the present invention is to be distinguished from a steam engine in that the medium is maintained in its liquid form and not allowed to vaporize until it is introduced into the gas. This is in sharp contrast to a steam engine, wherein even if a flash boiler is used, the water is always introduced into the cylinder in the form of steam. In fact, since it is necessary to superheat the steam to remove water droplets in a conventional steam engine, it is not possible to directly flash liquid water into the cylinder of a steam engine since this would give rise to water droplets in the cylinder. However, in the engine according to the present invention, the presence of water droplets in the working space may be tolerated. Indeed in some cases it may be desirable to construct the stator and/or rotor so as to retain liquid medium in the working space after exhaust. Thus, the stator or rotor may be provided with suitable recesses.
  • the heated medium be maintained in the liquid state prior to injection. Although this may be achieved by using appropriate sensors to ensure that the temperature at a given pressure never exceeds the liquid boiling point, it has been found that if an orifice of suitable size is connected to the heat exchanger in which the liquid medium is heated and a flow of liquid medium is maintained through the heat exchanger, then the application of heat to the medium does not cause the liquid to boil. Thus, by correct choice of orifice size, complex temperature and pressure sensing devices may be avoided. So long as the orifice provides a pressure drop, the pressure in the heat exchanger will at all times be such that, as the temperature is increased, the pressure of the water in the heat exchanger will also increase and thereby be always below the boiling point. The orifice, of course, will form part of the injection means through which the liquid medium is injected into the gas.
  • the rate of working of the engine may be controlled by any of several means. It may be controlled by varying the amount of heat transfer medium injected into the stator; for example by using a variable displacement pump.
  • the rate of working of the engine may be controlled by controlling the amount of heat supplied by the burner, for example by controlling the fuel supply to the burner (for a constant liquid volume injection rate).
  • the heat-transfer medium is recovered from the exhaust gas after the gas has been exhausted from the working space.
  • the recovered medium which will still be somewhat heated, may be recycled again to the heat exchanger so that its heat content is not lost. In this way, the medium acts merely as a heat transfer fluid and is not substantially used up.
  • Water is a preferred heat transfer fluid, not only because it is vaporizable, but also because it has a thermal conductivity which is high compared to the other liquids, for example heat transfer oils. Moreover, as will be explained later, means may be provided for recovering water produced by combustion in the burner. Thus, it may be possible to avoid any need for make-up water since this will be provided by water from combustion in the burner. Of course, it is possible to use other liquids, such as mercury, which has a thermal conductivity 10 times that of water, and sodium. However, mercury has other obvious disadvantages, such as cost and toxicity. When water is used an oil may be added to form a dispersion, emulsion or solution to assist lubrication of the engine.
  • the gas is a gas which is capable of taking part in the combustion process which occurs in the burner. In this way, the internal energy of the gas exhausted from the working space is able to be recovered.
  • the gas may be a gas capable of supporting combustion, such as oxygen, air or other oxygen- containing gas, or nitrous oxide.
  • the gas may itself be a combustible gas chosen from all known combustible gases, such as gaseous hydrocarbons; carbon monoxide or hydrogen. Thus, some or all of the exhaust gas may be fed to the burner.
  • the fuel burnt in the burner itself may be chosen from known combustible fuels such as gasolines, fuel oils, liquefied or gaseous hydrocarbons, alcohols, wood, coal or coke.
  • the whole engine may be enclosed in a heat insulating enclosure and be provided with heat exchangers to pick up stray heat and transfer it to, for example the compressed gas or to preheat the fuel for the burner. It is also preferred to recover the heat remaining in the burner flue gases and this may be achieved by passing the flue gases through a spray chamber in which a stream of liquid (generally the same liquid as that injected into the engine) is sprayed through the flue gas.
  • a spray chamber in which a stream of liquid (generally the same liquid as that injected into the engine) is sprayed through the flue gas.
  • the vaporizable liquid medium be sprayed through the flue gases to heat the medium close to its boiling point prior to being passed to the heat exchanger.
  • water spray chamber or a condenser is advantageous in that water from the burner may be condensed out of the flue gases so that it is not necessary to provide make-up water to the engine.
  • an engine according to the present invention is considerably simplified in certain respects in comparison with known engines, such as internal combustion engines.
  • the temperatures encountered in the working space are generally reduced, thereby simplifying sealing of the working spaces.
  • power may be provided in the engine of the present invention at much lower temperatures than, for example an internal combustion engine.
  • the internal combustion engine is less thermally efficient in that means must be provided to cool the cylinders and prevent seizing up.
  • plastics such as polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE), fiber-reinforced resins, and other plastics used in engineering, are particularly advantageous due to their cheapness and ease of use.
  • PTFE polytetrafluorethylene
  • fiber-reinforced resins and other plastics used in engineering, are particularly advantageous due to their cheapness and ease of use.
  • the use of plastics materials having a low heat conductivity can be an advantage in ensuring that that portion of the stator at which heat is introduced into the working space is kept at a relatively high temperature, whereas the gas outlet is kept at a relatively low temperature.
  • Other heat insulating materials such as wood, concrete, glass or ceramics may also be used.
  • Power is taken from the engine by means of a shaft attached to the rotor. It will be appreciated that the engine is susceptible of high speed operation and is thus ideal for providing a small power plant suitable for a mobile vehicle. The engine is also ideal for high speed applications such as generating electricity.
  • the engine of the present invention is less bulky in that a large high pressure boiler is not required since the liquid is heated in its liquid state in a very much smaller heat exchanger. Also, there is no need for a condenser, although a trap or spray chamber to recycle water is desirable.
  • the engine of the present invention is capable of greater themal efficiency, both in terms of the amount of heat converted to work in the stator and-also in terms of the amount of heat obtained from the fuel burnt, since complete combustion is rarely obtainable in an internal combustion engine.
  • the burner parameters of the engine of the present invention may be optimised so as to ensure substantially complete combustion of the fuel in the burner, thereby substantially eliminating pollution in the form of unburnt fuel or carbon monoxide.
  • the present invention allows the bulky gas heat exchanger to be replaced by a compact liquid heater.
  • the rotary external combustion engine shown in Figure 1, comprises a stator 1 having a cylindrical bore, an eccentrically mounted cylindrical rotor 2 rotatable within the stator, vanes 3 slidably mounted on the rotor and defining working spaces P, a compressor C for feeding compressed air to working space P.
  • the compressor C may be a rotary compressor.
  • the engine further comprises a pump X for feeding pressurized water to the heating coil H of a heat exchanger, and a spray chamber S for spraying water through flue gases from the burner B so as to cool and wash the flue gases and preheat the water.
  • An optional preheater pH is provided for preheating fuel to the burner and is especially applicable for heavy fuel oils.
  • Atmospheric air A is compressed by compressor C and inducted into a working space of the engine through inlet 50.
  • the working space P has substantially its maximum volume.
  • the air is compressed as the volume of the working space P decreases.
  • the working space volume is substantially at a minimum hot liquid medium injected from the heat exchanger through inlet 52 so as to heat the compressed gas in the working space.
  • it may be injected indirectly by first directing it to a mixing chamber where it is mixed with gas from the compressor C and then supplied to the stator.
  • the arrangement shown in Figure 1 uses water, which is a vaporizable liquid, as the heat-transfer medium.
  • water which is a vaporizable liquid
  • other suitable vaporizing or non- vaporizing liquids might be used.
  • the injected water is at a high temperature and under a sufficient pressure to maintain it in its liquid state.
  • a portion of the water immediately flashes to vapor which becomes mixed with the compressed air. Rapid heat transfer occurs and the temperature of the compressed air is increased. Further rotation of the rotor 2 allows expansion of the gas as it does work and leads to a reduction in its temperature and pressure.
  • the compression ratio employed may vary widely depending on the particular application of the engine. Thus in some application a compression ratio as low as 1.5:1 or perhaps lower may be employed. In other applications the compression ratio may be as high as 20:1.
  • Exhaust gas from outlet 51 contains liquid droplets and vapor.
  • a trap T is provided in order to recover the liquid water droplets from the exhaust gas from the working space P. Exhaust air and water vapor is then fed to burner B via a dryer D. Any condensate from the dryer is returned to the trap along line 7. Water from the trap is returned to the heating coil H.
  • the operation of the engine is as follows.
  • Preheated water from the trap T is fed by means of a high pressure pump X (for example a positive displacement piston pump) to a heating coil H formed of narrow bore tubing.
  • the water is then heated by means of the burner B to a high temperature and pressure, for example 300°C. and 86 bar.
  • the water will generally be heated to temperature below its critical temperature and pressure (220.9 bar and 374°C.), however the pressure will always be such that at any temperature it will maintain the water in its liquid state.
  • the hot pressurized water then passes through a pipe 50a to an inlet 52 to the interior of the stator 1.
  • the inlet 52 communicates with a pair of closely spaced ports 53 which are arranged side by side such that at any given time only one of them is obstructed by a vane 3, thereby ensuring continuity of flow into the working spaces of the rotor/stator assembly (see Figure 4).
  • the working space P in communication with a port 53 contains'compressed and somewhat heated air which has been delivered from the compressor C'through inlet 50.
  • On entering the working space P a proportion of the hot pressurized liquid water instantaneously flashes to vapor, thereby increasing the pressure in the working space at substantially constant volume (i.e. along line bc in Figure 5).
  • the hot pressurized air expands, rotating the rotor 2 in the direction indicated by the arrow until the working space P encounters the outlet 51. This corresponds to the line cd in Figure 5 and results in increase in volume with decrease in pressure and temperature, such that some of the water vapor recondenses giving up its latent heat of vaporization.
  • the exhaust gas is then fed through
  • FIG. 2 shows the construction of the heat exchanger, which combines the heating coil H and the burner B.
  • the heat exchanger comprises inner and outer coaxial sleeves 60 and 61, respectively, defining a double path for flue gas from the burner.
  • Insulation 64 is provided around the outside of the heat exchanger.
  • a fuel inlet jet is provided for burning fuel F in air A admitted via an air inlet.
  • Water W passes through a heating coil H which comprises an inner coil 62 and outer coil 63 in the direction indicated by the arrows such that water exits from inner coil 62 at a position close to the highest temperature of the burner.
  • the hot pressurized water is then fed along pipe 50a prior to injection into the working space P.
  • the heat exchanger may be provided with suitable temperature and pressure sensing devices to ensure that the liquid in the heating coil H is always maintained in its liquid state and not allowed to vaporize.
  • suitable temperature and pressure sensing devices to ensure that the liquid in the heating coil H is always maintained in its liquid state and not allowed to vaporize.
  • the heating coil H is always in communication with an aperture through which the liquid is continually passed (i.e. one or other of the inlet ports 53) the application of further heat in the heating coil H causes an increase in temperature and pressure but does not, at least in the case of water, cause the liquid to boil.
  • the aperture (or ports 53) be suitably sized to maintain the necessary pressure differential across it. However, this may be established by the skilled man by suitable experimentation.
  • Figure 3 shows a spray device for cooling and washing the flue gases from the burner B and thus recovering some of the heat and some water produced by combustion. It comprises a spray chamber 17 having therein a funnel 18 onto which water is sprayed by spray 11 through the stream of hot flue gases.
  • the flue gases ire inducted via inlet 19 and arranged to flow tangentially round the chamber before exiting through :he exit 20 as cooled flue gas.
  • the flue gases thus pass through the spray and then through a curtain of water falling from the inside aperture of the funnel 18.
  • the flue gases are cooled to below 100°C. so as to recover the latent heat of vaporization of water in the wet exhaust air and also to recover water produced by combustion in the burner. Water at substantially 100°C.
  • metering pump X exits through the outlet 21 before being fed by metering pump X into the heat exchanger.
  • cold feed water W may be introduced into :he chamber via a ballcock 40 for maintaining a constant Level of water in the bottom of the spray chamber.
  • a recycle pump R and associated ducting 22 is provided for recycling the water through the spray to bring it up to its boiling point.
  • FIG. 4 shows in detail the construction of the rotor/stator assembly.
  • the assembly may be formed of suitable plastics material, which enables the assembly to be lightweight and to be produced relatively cheaply. However, if higher thermal efficiencies and thus higher temperatures are required, other appropriate materials such as metals may be used.
  • the rotor 2 is eccentrically mounted within the cylindrical bore of the stator 1 and conventional sealing means are provided at the ends of the bore so as to seal the rotor to the stator.
  • Each vane 3 provided on the rotor 2 is slidably disposed in a respective slot 54 and outwardly biased by means of a coil spring or leaf spring 55 (only one shown) disposed in the bottom of the slot.
  • the rotor is mounted on a rotatable shaft (not shown) which extends out of the stator 4 supplying power.
  • the inlet 52 for injecting the heated pressurized liquid into the working spaces communicates with a pair of adjacent ports 53 in the end surface of the cylindrical bore of the stator.
  • the use of a pair of ports 53 ensures that while one of the ports is obstructed by the edge of a vane 3, liquid continues to be injected through the other port 53 thereby ensuring continuity of liquid flow from the heating coil H .
  • abrupt shocks to the high pressure liquid are avoided.
  • Liquid flows continuously through the inlet 52 into whichever of the working spaces is in front of an inlet port 53. Therefore, no complicatd valving is required.
  • liquid inlet 52 In lieu of injecting liquid from the heat exchanger directly into the stator, through liquid inlet 52 the liquid may be introduced into a mixing chamber where it is mixed with compressed gas before being injected into the stator through inlet 50. In that case liquid inlet 52 would be eliminated and inlet 50 would be relocated to a position approximately 180°C. from outlet 51, that is to a position essentially the same as that of the inlet 52 shown in Figure 4.
  • Compressed air is introduced into a working space through inlet 50 which opens directly into the bore of the stator 1. As each working space P comes into communication with inlet 50 it is filled with pressurized air from the compressor C.
  • outlet 51 is similar to the construction of the inlet 50.
  • the outlet 51 opens into the interior bore of the stator and exhausts gas from each working space P in turn during rotation of the rotor.
  • the outlet 51 is disposed approximately 180°C. of rotation away from the injector.
  • the construction shown in Figure 4 is also advantageous in that it is desirable to maintain the inlet 50 and outlet 51 as cool as possible to reduce the temperature at which gas is exhausted, while maintaining the temperature of the stator in the region of the hot pressurized liquid inlet 52 as high as possible so as to maintain a high temperature at which heat is introduced to the working space.
  • This improves the thermal efficiency with which work is derived from the heat supplied to the working spaces.
  • the use of a material, such as a plastics material of low thermal conductivity for the stator 1 enables a higher temperature differential to be maintained between the inlet and outlet 50, 51 on the one hand and the hot liquid inlet 52 on the other hand.
  • the disposition of the inlet and the outlet approximately 180°C. of rotation from the injection also assist in maintaining this desirable temperature differential.
  • inlet 50 and outlet 51 may be more closely spaced, so that for a time each working space communicated with both simultaneously.
  • recesses one of which is shown at 56, may be provided.
  • the outlet 51 could be formed to include a plurality of ports arranged along a plane so that the lands between the ports would serve to retain a small amount of residual water.
  • the rotor, or the vanes thereof could be formed to include recesses or flanges for retaining a small amount of residual water.
  • Figures 5 shows the idealized thermodynamic operation of the engine of Figure 1.
  • Figure 6 shows for comparison the operation of a two-stroke internal combustion engine.
  • Figure 5 (ii) shows the situation wherein all the water flashes to the vapor state.
  • the rise in pressure along bc is much greater, but the rate of pressure drop along cd is also quicker since the absence of liquid water droplets ensures that the air expands almost adiabatically.
  • the work done i.e. the area of the figure abcd in both cases (i) and (ii) is the same.
  • the PV and TS diagrams show the theoretical equilibrium situation when all the injected water is vaporized i.e. in a slow working engine when less than the amount of water required to saturate the air is injected.
  • the injected water is at a slightly lower temperature than the compressed air in the cylinder.
  • air is compressed adiabatically (gas constant is about 1.39) along ab at constant entropy.
  • the pressure P at a is 1 bar and the temperature T a is 300K (27°C.).
  • the air pressure P b and temperature T b at b rise to around 12 bar and 603K (330°C.).
  • Liquid water at 573K (300°C.) and 86 bar is then injected into the compressed air and all becomes vapor.
  • T c 586K (313°C.)
  • the wet gas expands (gas constant is about 1.34) along cd to a pressure P d of about 2 bar and a theoretical temperature T d of about 319K (46°C). In practice due to non-theoretical behavior the temperature will be higher e.g. 80 - 90°C.
  • the gas is then scavenged from the working space along da as before causing a decrease in temperature, pressure, and entropy of gas in the working space.
  • P a to P d indicate the constant pressure curves.
  • the net area of the two closed figures in the TS diagram represents the heat added to the air. In the case shown this is negative since injection of the water cools the air.
  • the areas of the two closed figures on the TS diagram cancel out i.e. no heat is added.
  • Figure 6 shows PV and TS diagrams for the known two-stroke cycle internal combustion engine for comparison. It is analogous to the cycle of case (ii) above.
  • the line ae represents the opening of the exhaust valve before the end of the stroke in a conventional two-stroke engine.
  • the external combustion engines shown are capable of high efficiency. Theoretically, cold air A, cold fuel, and cold water W (if necessary) are inducted into the engine, and cold flue gases are vented. Therefore, almost all the heat given out by the burner may become converted into work.
  • the engine of the present invention may be simply constructed since it requires no valves and does not require high strength materials.
  • the high rotational speeds obtainable make the rotary external combustion engine ideally suited for application to vehicles, where a high power to weight ratio is needed.
  • the rotary external combustion engine according to the present invention features power to weight and power to volume ratios comparable to internal combustion engines but having a superior thermal efficiency.
  • it is possible to arrange the combustion conditions in the burner to an optimum it is possible to achieve almost complete combustion of the fuel to carbon dioxide and water and thus avoid carbon monoxide.or unburnt fuel impurities in the exhausted flue gases.
  • this engine represents an improvement over internal combustion engines not only in terms of thermal efficiency but also as regards pollutant emissions.
  • the engine is capable of utilizing a wide variety of fuels, for example gasoline, fuel oil, gaseous or liqueifed hydrocarbons (including methane, butane and propane), alcohols and even solid fuels such as wood coal or coke.
  • fuels for example gasoline, fuel oil, gaseous or liqueifed hydrocarbons (including methane, butane and propane), alcohols and even solid fuels such as wood coal or coke.
  • the burner parameters may be adjusted to ensure substantially complete and pollution-free combustion.
  • such an engine could be made to run more quietly than conventional internal combustion engines.
  • Such a kit would include a heat exchanger, including a fuel-air burner, for heating water to the necessary temperature and pressure; a heat insulated stator and rotor, the stator having an inlet for gas and an outlet for wet exhaust gas; a compressor for inducting gas into the stator; a pump for transmitting water from the stator to the heat exchanger, an injector for injecting liquid water under pressure from the heat exchanger into the stator, a metering device for controlling the amount of water injected into the cylinder, and a separating chamber for separating condensed water from dry saturated vapor.
  • the kit could also include, optionally, a mixing chamber for mixing compressed gas and liquid heat transfer medium.
EP80304649A 1980-07-16 1980-12-19 Rotierende Maschine mit äusserer Verbrennung Withdrawn EP0043880A1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU4553/80 1980-07-16
AU455380 1980-07-16
US06/215,866 US4432203A (en) 1980-07-16 1980-12-12 Rotary external combustion engine
US215866 1998-12-18

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0043880A1 true EP0043880A1 (de) 1982-01-20

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ID=25610806

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP80304649A Withdrawn EP0043880A1 (de) 1980-07-16 1980-12-19 Rotierende Maschine mit äusserer Verbrennung

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Country Link
EP (1) EP0043880A1 (de)
GB (1) GB2080423B (de)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2488651A1 (fr) * 1980-08-18 1982-02-19 Thermal Systems Ltd Moteur thermique rotatif, son procede de commande, et ensemble d'elements destines a former un tel moteur par transformation d'un moteur existant
EP1674151A1 (de) * 2004-12-23 2006-06-28 Kinematica Ag Vorrichtung zum Dispergieren eines festen, flüssigen oder gasförmigen Stoffes in einer Flüssigkeit

Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2708827A (en) * 1952-11-18 1955-05-24 Marche Roby W La Hot gas engine with high pressure water injection
GB765216A (en) * 1952-09-05 1957-01-09 Dmytro Bolesta Improvements in and relating to the generation of power
US3806286A (en) * 1973-04-13 1974-04-23 A Granberg Rotary steam engine
US3936252A (en) * 1971-07-26 1976-02-03 Wilma Ryan Steam propulsion system
GB1540057A (en) * 1976-04-13 1979-02-07 Driver R Hot gas feed rotary engine
US4143516A (en) * 1977-10-25 1979-03-13 Long Aden B Air-water power generator
FR2404737A1 (fr) * 1977-09-28 1979-04-27 Uniscrew Ltd Machine motrice a injection d'eau

Patent Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB765216A (en) * 1952-09-05 1957-01-09 Dmytro Bolesta Improvements in and relating to the generation of power
US2708827A (en) * 1952-11-18 1955-05-24 Marche Roby W La Hot gas engine with high pressure water injection
US3936252A (en) * 1971-07-26 1976-02-03 Wilma Ryan Steam propulsion system
US3806286A (en) * 1973-04-13 1974-04-23 A Granberg Rotary steam engine
GB1540057A (en) * 1976-04-13 1979-02-07 Driver R Hot gas feed rotary engine
FR2404737A1 (fr) * 1977-09-28 1979-04-27 Uniscrew Ltd Machine motrice a injection d'eau
US4261169A (en) * 1977-09-28 1981-04-14 Uniscrew Ltd. Method for converting thermal energy into mechanical energy and a machine for carrying out said method
US4143516A (en) * 1977-10-25 1979-03-13 Long Aden B Air-water power generator

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2488651A1 (fr) * 1980-08-18 1982-02-19 Thermal Systems Ltd Moteur thermique rotatif, son procede de commande, et ensemble d'elements destines a former un tel moteur par transformation d'un moteur existant
EP1674151A1 (de) * 2004-12-23 2006-06-28 Kinematica Ag Vorrichtung zum Dispergieren eines festen, flüssigen oder gasförmigen Stoffes in einer Flüssigkeit
WO2006066421A1 (de) * 2004-12-23 2006-06-29 Kinematica Ag Vorrichtung zum dispergieren eines festen, flüssigen oder gasförmigen stoffes in einer flüssigkeit
US8398294B2 (en) 2004-12-23 2013-03-19 Kinematica Ag Device for dispersing a solid, liquid or gaseous substance in a liquid

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB2080423B (en) 1984-05-10
GB2080423A (en) 1982-02-03

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