GB2497682A - A Hybrid Internal Combustion and Steam Engine - Google Patents

Abstract

A multi-hybrid engine comprising an Otto four stroke cycle internal combustion engine, a flash point steam engine and an atmospheric (vacuum) engine. A four stroke internal combustion engine supplies hot exhaust gas to a steam engine cylinder wherein a first injection of hot water into the hot exhaust gases contained in the steam engine cylinder causes the water to flash into steam and force the steam engine piston down, wherein a further injection of cold water is injected into the same cylinder causing condensation of the steam creating a vacuum drawing the piston back up the cylinder.

Description

JOBOST' MULTI HYBRID ENGINE Current State of the art' The range of engines in general use today are extremely inefficient and highly atmosphere polluting'. The mechanical inefficiency can readily be ascertained by studying Diagrams 1&2.

These diagrams showing the two rotational cycles of a basic single cylinder "Otto" engine. (These timings derived from a Morris Minor' handbook but are typical of the majority of current engines).

From these diagrams it will be readily observed that of the 720 degrees (2 turns) of the crankshaft, only around 130 degrees results in Power Output (Approx 18% of combined motion)! On top of this, around 230 degrees of this rotational movement is utilised in ejecting the spent gases (The result of fuel consumption) to atmosphere. %Vustine a mite quantity of energy in the form of heat and causing substantial environmental pollution. These are the two effects that my invention seeks to address.

For a fuller understanding of the operation of the engines in current general use, it must be pointed out that they usually comprise a multiplicity of cylinders feeding power into the flywheel (which acts as an energy store) via the crankshaft, this flywheel evens out the power pulses thus obtained and provides energy to the desired load, It also supplies power for the Induction, Compression and Exhaust mechanical strokes. All of which require varying but appreciable amounts of energy to perform their functions and complete the engine cycle.

Objectives of this invention.

The two main objectives of this invention are to address the overall inefficiencies of the current range of engines in use (primarily in the fields of transport and power production plants), and to substantially reduce the atmospheric pollution levels.

If the inefficiency aim can be obtained, the more efficient engines will use far less hydrocarbon fuel permitting smaller capacity engines to perform the same work giving great savings in energy costs to the benefit of the operators.

If the pollution reduction aim can be achieved, all mankind will benefit.

Clarification.

To cIarifj this specification, further explanations may refer to the Otto' engine as the "Master", and the additional cylinders (Atmospheric) as the "Slave", (whether conjoined or not).

Method(s) of implementation.

These must of necessity be divided between the theoretical and practical aspects of obtaining the required objectives. I will start with the theoretical aspects first! Theoretical.

Over the years there has been various suggestions aimed at running or assisting engines with steam.

Unfortunately most are based on producing steam, external to the engine, at high temperature and pressure and containing it in a Pressure Vessel! This is, POTENTIALLY LETHAL.

The intention of my invention is to produce and use steam at medium pressure within the working cylinder, only as required (no storage). This being "Flash Steam" produced by injecting small quantities of water into the spent exhaust gas of the Master engine'. Thereby utilizing the heat content of the previously wasted gas.

The preferred method of enabling this advancement would be to provide additional cylinders (slave), to run in conjunction with the Master engine' the capacity of each being substantially increased to enable them to contain the hot exhaust gases previously discharged to the environment. This gas from the master engine will be charged into the additional cylinder/s.

During the charging of the cylinders it will have a minute quantity of very hot water injected into it, which combined with the hot gas, will provide high pressure steam ("Flash Steam") to force the piston to the end of its stroke. At this stage a minute quantity of cold water will be injected into the cylinder causing condensation of the steam, which will create a vacuum (as in an atmospheric engine) drawing the piston back towards the start of the cycle. Towards the end of this return cycle the cylinder will be purged using exhaust gas from the master engine, ready for the next cycle. The majority of the water recovered from this purging being recovered.

Having included these extra cylinders producing extra power but requiring no extra overall fuel input, it can be said that this would then become a true "Multi-hybrid Engine" incorporating the three existing categories of engine (l)'Otto' internal combustion hydrocarbon. (2) Flash steam' (3) Atmospheric'.

In practice it may well be that the master engine size or cylinder count may be reduced when it comes to producing a working unit as described, this to balance any excess availability of hot exhaust gas. A fbrther saving.

Practical.

It is anticipated that the additional power available due to the incorporation of the Flash Steam / Atmospheric component will enable the capacity of the engine to be reduced, automatically offering fuel savings. This may be accomplished by either smaller physical size of the master cylinders or alternatively converting some of the cylinders to the slave mode, within the existing layout.

As a thither (more preferable) alternative, the slave component would take the form of a separate unit directly coupled (at a reduced speed) to the master component. These slave cylinders may be up to double the capacity of the master cylinders, to utilize the full capacity of the available hot gas.

The speed reduction of the slave engine is necessitated by the slower cyclic rate of energy conversion and the need to optimise the maximum amount of exhaust gas, of which there is a surplus.

The exhaust gas from the master component would be harvested from the exhaust manifold prior to the silencer in order to provide the heat input to the new slave component with only the excess being allowed to continue to the silencer via a biased flap valve. This flap valve would have an emergency bypass to enable the unit to revert to the basic master engine in the event of an emergency. --No hot gas = No steam Safety! By reference to the exhaust timing shown in diagram No 2 it will be apparent that a continuous supply of hot exhaust gas (pulsating) would be available from a multi-cylinder master engine, utilisjg the exhaust manifold as an external cylinder. The aim must be to use as much of this hot gas as possible to convert.

A small extra tank would be required to hold the injection water and water produced from the purge cycle. After treatment it would provide the water required for steam generation and condensation. The heat transfer required for this usage would be obtained via small-bore inserted tubes fed by timed plunger pumps, the heat source being the master engine exhaust and the cooling component of the slave component, being directly driven by it to ensure correct timing.

Should the final engine block incorporate all aspects of this engine, specialist expertise must be obtained to determine a suitable lubricant that will tolerate some water content in the surnp, Safety.

Concern may be felt regarding the use of steam, which was the main reason steam engines went out of grace following disastrous accidents in the past, however these were in respect of riveted boilers containing large quantities of hi2h pressure steam and boiling water, always a potential hazard! Especially when fired by solid fuel which could not be readily quenched. These are no longer used.

The steam aspect of the proposed power-unit of this multi-hybrid engine is operated on the Flash Steam' principle. At any time only a minute quantity of water would be operational. This would enable virtually instantaneous shutdown of the steam aspect in the event of a failure, this in turn disabling the slave component. The engine would then continue to run at a reduced power on the Master component.

Guide to diagrams.

The diagrams accompanying these notes are not specific; they serve to illustrate only the relationship between the Crankshaft and Piston motions. It should be noted that at the top and bottom of the drawn cirdes are some sectors marked "X". These are areas of ineffective piston travel to crankshaft rotational conversion. In effect Non-Working' portions of the piston stroke.