GB2332180A

GB2332180A - Using exhaust gas to augment the power of an automotive engine

Info

Publication number: GB2332180A
Application number: GB9722436A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jyotirindra Prosad Sinha
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1997-10-24
Filing date: 1997-10-24
Publication date: 1999-06-16
Anticipated expiration: 2017-10-24
Also published as: GB9722436D0; GB2332180A9; GB2332180B

Abstract

An auxiliary power system for an automobile uses the exhaust gas from the internal combuston engine 1 to augment the driving power output. The exhaust gas is directed to an exhaust gas storage chamber 3, coupled to an exhaust port through non-return valves 4. The chamber has an outlet conduit extending therefrom to communicate stored pressurised exhaust gas to an outlet nozzle 11 directed towards a turbine rotor 12 mechanically connected to a drive shaft of the automobile. The stored pressurised exhaust gas is selectively directed onto the turbine rotor to add to the engine power output.

Description

2332180 AUTOMOTIVE ENIQ11INIES

Field of the invention

The present invention concerns improvements in and relating to automotive engines. In particular, the present invention relates to an auxiliary power system for an automobile for using the exhaust gases from the internal combustion engine of the automobile to augment the driving power output from the engine.

Background to the invention

Balancing the demand for good engine performance with energy conservation or fuel economy remains one of the most pressing problems of the automobile industry in the modem age as fossil fuel resources are exhausted and fuel prices rise. As part of this, attention has focused on ways of utilising the exhaust gases from the engine following the combustion stage once the gases have performed their initial work of driving the pistons or rotary drive member and hence transmission of the automobile. Amongst the existing systems for recovering energy from the exhaust of automobile internal combustion engines, the most common place are the turbo-charger and the after-burner. The turbo-charger uses the exhaust gases to pressurise injection of extra fuel into the engine to enhance performance but in consequence provides for little benefit in terms of energy conservation.

The after-burner, by contrast, seeks to re-oxygenate the exhaust gases and ignite them to combust any previously unburnt fuel and then use the additional energy liberated to augment the power from the combustion engine.

1 In contrast to these existing systems, the present invention seeks to make more efficient use of the energy in the exhaust gas to enhance fuel economy without need for further combustion of the exhaust gas.

Summa[y of the Invention According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided an auxiliary power system for an automobile for using the exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine to augment the driving power output from the engine, the system comprising an exhaust gas storage chamber which, in use, is coupled via an inlet conduit to an exhaust port of a said internal combustion engine to receive the exhaust gas from the engine, the inlet conduit having a non-return valve to enable accumulation of exhaust gas within the chamber without reverse flow back into the engine, the chamber having an outlet conduit extending therefrom to communicate stored pressurised exhaust gas to an outlet nozzle, the system further comprising a turbine rotor onto which the outlet nozzle selectively emits the stored pressurised exhaust gas to turn the turbine rotor, the system further having a turbine transmission means to mechanically couple the turbine rotor to the drive shaft of the automobile in use to drive the drive shaft of the automobile.

Preferably the system further comprises a fuel regulator means to regulate supply of fuel to said internal combustion engine in response to changes in the pressure of the exhaust gases stored in the storage chamber.

Brief Description of the Drawings

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

2 Figure la is a general schematic diagram illustrating the auxiliary power system fitted to an internal combustion engine and vehicle drive shaft.

Figure 1 is the first of nine linked figures, Figures 1 to 9, which illustrate in more detail the mechanical components of the combustion engine and auxiliary power system - Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the engine block of the internal combustion engine.

Figure 2 is a sectional view of an engine piston and associated connecting rod of the engine of Figure 1 and taken along the line 11-11 in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the cylinder head and valves of the internal combustion engine.

Figure 4 is a schematic view of a pair of exhaust gas storage chambers of the auxiliary power system.

Figure 5 is stricbtly part of Figure 4, comprising the non return valves fitted to the storage chambers.

Figure 6 is a schematic view of the outlet nozel for the auxiliary power system.

Figure 7 is a side elevation view of a turbine rotor of the auxiliary power system.

Figure 8 is a side elevation/schematic view of a reduction gear assembly/transmission for the turbine rotor.

Figure 9 is a schematic view of the gearbox and downstream transmission of the automobile.

Figure 10a and b is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of a pressure relief valve or acceleration control valve for the auxiliary power system.

Figure 11 is a front elevation view of modified exhaust valves.

3 Figure 12 and 12a are elevation views of two further modified exhaust valves.

Figure 13a is a longitudinal sectional view of a fuel cut out control valve.

Figure 13b is a schematic view of an alternative mechansim for a fuel cut out facility.

Figure 14 is a detailed sectional view of a non return valve suitable for use in the inlet conduit from the internal combustion engine to the exhaust gas storage chamber.

4 Description of the Preferred Embodiment

Referring firstly to Figure la, the schematic overview shows an internal combustion engine body 1 having a set of eight exhaust ports four for the combusted gases. To each of the exhaust ports 4 is coupled an inlet conduit 5 leading to an exhaust gas storgage chamber 3. As illustrated, there is a respective exhaust gas chamber 3 on each side of the engine body 1.

Within each of the inlet conduits 5 there is provided a respective nonreturn valve 2 to allow exhaust gases from the internal combustion engine to pass into the storage chamber 3 but prevent reverse flow back into the engine 1.

Exhaust gas pressure builds up within the storage chambers 3 to a predetermined pressure level. Safety valve 7 are provided to relieve the pressure should it exceed a predetermined safety level.

Regulation of the pressure within the storage chambers is achieved through a pressure control valve 6 communicating with one of the chambers 3 and which acts by controlling supply of fuel from the fuel tank 7 of the vehicle upstream of the fuel pump 8. The construction of the pressure control value 6 will be described in further detail with relation to Figures 10a and b hereinafter.

In alternative to a mechanical pressure control value 6, pressure build up may be regulated through microswitch control.

When the stored exhaust gas within the storage chambers 3 reaches the target pressure level this will open a stop valve 9 in an outlet conduit 10 extending from the storage chamber 3. This outlet conduit 10 directs the stored exhaust gas to an outlet nozel 11, discharging the pressurised gas in a jet or stream over a turbine rotor 12 to turn the rotor 12.

b Rotation of the turbine rotor 12 is transmitted via a turpr(ine transmission 13 of reduction gears to the drive shaft 14 projecting from the engine body 1. This arrangement enables auxiliary power from the turbine rotor 12 to be transmitted to the drive shaft 14 to augment the torque of the drive shaft 14 as it is turned by the pistons of the engine 1.

To provide acceleration control, there is suitably provided a control link between the carburretor or fuel injection unit of the internal combustion engine and the supply of pressurised gas via the nozel 11.

Addressing now Figures 1 to 9, these illustrate in more detail the mechanical components of the combustion engine (suitably modified for the purposes of the invention) and the auxiliary power system.

Figure 1, showing the engine block 21 of the internal combustion engine 1 appears on the face of it not radically different from a conventional engine block layout. However, as will be seen from Figure 2, which is a transverse sectional view of one of the pistons 22, the piston 22 and associated connecting rod 25 have been modified to facilitate channeling of the exhaust gases to the exhaust gas storage chambers 3.

The engine components illustrated in Figure 1 are as follows:

Engine block 21, pistons 22, gudgeon pins 23, piston rings 24, connecting rods 25, crank shafts 26, flywheel (starter motor etc) 27 and crank shaft assembly gears 28.

The features illustrated in Figure 2 comprise:

A high tensile spring coil 31 arround the connecting rod 25; an annular coil spring 32 encircling an upper part of the piston assembly; a metal cap and cover plate 34 to the piston assembly; and a holding bolt 35. This illustrated configuration 6 of modified piston assembly is designed to render the piston assembly more compact and to be able to suit the purposes of the invention.

In Figure 3, which illustrates the cylinder head and valves of the internal combustion engine, the structure comprises: a cylinder head block 41; valves and springs of modified shape 42; valve openings of modified shape 33; camshaft 44; and the exhaust ports 4 with their respective non-return valves 2.

Figures 4,'5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 simply illustrate features already apparent from Figure l a at a larger scale.

Turning now to Figure 1013, this illustrates a first preferred form of acceleration control valve 15.

The acceleration control valve comprises a cylindrical body frame housing 51, spring coils 52 to bias the housing 51 longitudinally of the valve; a valve body chamber 53; a valve piston 54 within the chamber 53 having a washer or a sealing ring 54a; a bellows (rubber or metal) 55; sockets for fixing the bellows 56 together with associated clips, screws, and sealing plates to seal securely, and g'cable and cable pin 57; gas pipe inlets 58 for the compressed exhaust gas of the auxiliary power system and sockets 59 connecting the valve chamber 53 outlet to the outlet conduit 10 and nozzle 11 of the auxiliary power system. The cable with cable pin 57 links the piston 54 with the accelerator cable of the automobile's accelerator pedal to open the control valve 15 in substantially the same fashion as and substantially proportionately to the throttle of the automobile. The Figure 10B embodiment of accelerator control valve is a structural variation of the Figure 10A embodiment.

7 Automobile Experimental and Repairs Powered Turbine Automotive Engine Fig-11.12-12A 1. Modified Exhaust gas valves 2. Original inlet valve 3. Valve springs etc.

4. Camshaft 5. New shape valve piston for exhaust valves 6. Sealing rings for new shape piston or (washers). Non-retum valves 8. Modified valve openings in each side or manifold side as specified.

7 g FIG 13A 1. Pressure Control valve 2. Fuel inlet tube 3. Valve-body Chamber Unit 4. Valve -Cylinder 5. Sealing rings (washer) 6. Coil spring 7. Bellows (Rubber or Metal) 8. Bellow holding socket, linked gas pipes 9. Clips screws as required 10. Lubrication chamber Fig 13B 1. Alternative method pressure control unit 2. Pressure control valve 3. Micro switch 4. Electric motor 5. Valve body Chamber unit 6. Fuel inlet tube 7. Sealing rings (washer) 1 Fig-14 1.

Non-return valve body 2. Metal Ball 3. Spring(Soft Spring) This engine will not be using fuel if it is idle/not moving and any further movement will automatically triggar working of the Engine in full and it does not matter whether moving slower or faster.

Claims

1 An auxiliary power system for an automobile for using the exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine to augment the driving power output from the engine, the system comprising an exhaust gas storage chamber which, in use, is coupled via an inlet conduit to an exhaust port of a said internal combustion engine to receive the exhaust gas from the engine, the inlet conduit having a nonreturn valve to enable accumulation of exhaust gas within the chamber without reverse flow back into the engine, the chamber having an outlet conduit extending therefrom to communicate stored pressurised exhaust gas to an outlet nozzle, the system further comprising a turbine rotor onto which the outlet nozzle selectively emits the stored pressurised exhaust gas to turn the turbine rotor, the system further having a turbine transmission means to mechanically couple the turbine rotor to the drive shaft of the automobile in use to drive the drive shaft of the automobile.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the system further comprises a fuel regulator means to regulate supply of fuel to said internal combustion engine in response to changes in the pressure of the exhaust gases stored in the storage chamber.

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