KR20010041930A - High power density, diesel engine - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to an engine (10) comprising an engine block (12) provided with a compression cylinder (22) and an expansion cylinder (24). The compression piston 34 is located in the compression cylinder 22 and the expansion piston 36 is located in the expansion cylinder 24. Each piston is connected to crankshafts 26 and 28. Rotating prechamber tube 44 with two static combustion chambers 48 is located in housing 14 connected to engine block 12. The induction and expansion ports form a passage connecting the compression cylinder 22 and the expansion cylinder 24 to the combustion chamber 48 of the tube 44. The tube 44 itself is rotatably supported by the housing 14 and directs an axis 46 across the cylinder axis. The engine 10 is in a position to receive and burn fuel from the fuel injector 62 after the chamber 48 is connected with the expansion cylinder 22 through the induction port and then disconnected from the connection with the compression cylinder 22. It is moved and then connected to the expansion cylinder 24 through an expansion port and operated to complete combustion.

Description

High Power High Density Diesel Engine {HIGH POWER DENSITY, DIESEL ENGINE}

As many other engine designs have developed to some extent today, engine design is a mature technology. Two of the most popular gas cycles for operating the engine are autocycles used by internal combustion engines and diesel cycles used by diesel engines.

Spark ignition Internal combustion engines or SI engines use sparks to ignite high volatile fuels such as gasoline and combustion in their cylinders. Both compression and expansion portions of the cycle are done in the same cylinder. While the S-I engine has been developed at high power density (the "high power density" used here means weight-to-horsepower ratio or cubic inch volume-to-horsepower ratio of at least 1.0), two drawbacks are so-called fuel consumption and gasoline volatility. There is this. The volatility of gasoline is well documented and the problems with its storage, transportation and use in remote areas need not be further explained here. With regard to economics and durability, important advances have been made recently regarding the fuel economy and durability of the S-I engine, while these engines still lack the performance of their corresponding diesel engines.

Unlike the S-I engine, diesel compression ignition or CI (I) engines ignite combustion through the development of high pressure and auto ignition temperature in the cylinder. As the temperature and pressure rises, the fuel will ignite automatically without sparks. While the fuel economy and the non-volatility of diesel fuel dominates the S-I engine, the Sea-I engine has a lower power density than the S-I engine. Previous efforts to design diesel engines with increased power densities and smaller sizes have had problems with structural durability due to large two-stroke superchargers, limited pressure cycles, and excessive mechanical and thermal loads and very poor fuel consumption. Suffered considerable difficulties by It will be appreciated that there is a need for high power density diesel engines in view of the various prior art engines described above or other limitations. It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide such an engine. It is also an object of the present invention to provide a new gas cycle for the operation of such an engine.

The present invention relates generally to engines and, more particularly, to high power, high density, diesel engines and their operating cycles.

1 is a diagram schematically illustrating an engine embodying the principles of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of the engine shown in FIG. 1 and further illustrating the compression piston shown near bottom dead center with the main components of the present invention and others associated therewith. FIG.

3A and 3B are schematic views similar to FIG. 2 showing the compression piston at top dead center, as well as defining some design parameters of the present invention.

4A, 4B, and 4C schematically illustrate air flow at various stages of the gas cycle of the present invention.

5A and 5B show a closure of the inlet port of the present invention and an opening of the exhaust port, similar to FIG. 1 showing fuel injection into the combustion chamber, respectively.

6A shows the piston position used to determine the geometric compression ratio of the compressor.

FIG. 6B schematically illustrates a compressor piston positioned in determining a geometric compression ratio comprising both a compression cylinder and a combustion chamber. FIG.

6C shows an expansion piston position that determines the geometric compression ratio of the expansion cylinder.

FIG. 6D is a diagram schematically illustrating the geometric compression ratio of the expansion cylinder and the piston position defining the combustion chamber; FIG.

7 is a perspective view of a rotary prechamber tube used in the present invention, showing one of the combustion chambers formed therein;

FIG. 8 shows a cross section of the tube shown in FIG. 7 and shows a coolant passage through the tube and a removable inlet forming the combustion chamber itself.

9 shows a graph of an ideal gas cycle of the present invention.

10 and 11 schematically illustrate a further embodiment of the invention.

12A, 12B, 13A, and 13B schematically illustrate timing structures that may be used in the present invention.

In view of the foregoing and other objects, the present invention provides a diesel engine with high power density potential which is an advantage and also claims desirable fuel economy. The basic principle of the engine itself is well known: increasing the average effective pressure by reducing the expansion ratio of the working fluid in the reciprocator, while pushing the exhaust energy back into the system. However, unlike conventional diesel engines, which suffer from insufficient auto ignition pressure at start-up and require modern injection technology and heavy components to control the maximum combustion pressure, the design separates the compression process from the expansion process. , Independent compression and expansion ratios were enabled, and permanent volume combustion was combined by port-controlled expansion. This allows the present invention to operate at lower maximum inflation pressures, similar to the features for gasoline engines, along with performing existing engines and gas cycles.

The gas cycle of the present invention occurs simultaneously in three independent chambers (compression cylinder, combustion chamber, expansion cylinder). At start up, the compression cylinder draws in air through the lower intake port, similar to a typical two-stroke diesel. The mass in the compression cylinder is subsequently compressed by the lifting or compression stroke of the compression piston and is transferred to the combustion chamber through the suction port. Immediately after the top dead center (TDC) of the compression piston, the combustion chamber and the mass therein abruptly separate from the compression cylinder. With the minimum head space, only the minimum volume remains in the compression cylinder. The compression piston travels downward in the expansion stroke, and a sudden drop in the initial pressure occurs in the compression cylinder, continuing a gentle drop movement close to vacuum. As the compression piston continues its downward stroke, the lower suction port is opened to push the fresh mixer in to fill the vacuum. Immediately after the suction port is closed while the compression piston is undergoing the next upward stroke or compression stroke, the compression piston begins to compress the second mass. Just before top dead center (BTDC), when the second combustion chamber is suddenly isolated from the compression cylinder, the second combustion chamber is moved to communicate with the second compressed mass until immediately after top dead center. The compression piston then starts the downstroke and repeats the cycle.

After being separated or isolated from the compression cylinder, the combustion chamber with the compressed mass is injected with fuel. The chamber itself is provided with a glow plug, initially fuel is injected onto the glow plug which initiates compression. As the fuel injection timing progresses, the glow plug is moved away from the position of the injection spray which results in the injection spray moving across the chamber by supplying good fuel inside the chamber. In this part of the cycle, constant volume combustion is sufficiently developed and proceeds in the combustion chamber.

A combustion chamber containing a quantity of partially burned is sent to communicate with the expansion cylinder. Before the combustion chamber is moved to the expansion cylinder, the expansion piston starts a compression stroke covering the discharge port and the scavenging port during its upward motion. The mixture of the residual residual mass in the cylinder is compressed as the compression piston approaches top dead center. Here, the partially combusted mass in the combustion cylinder is introduced into the compressed mass of the expansion cylinder. The pressure in the expansion cylinder rises as the high pressure combustion mixture enters the combustion chamber. The expansion cylinder then compresses the mixed mass because combustion continues to occur as a result of the introduction of fresh oxygen.

The expansion piston derives work from the combustion process during its expansion stroke. When the expansion piston strokes downward, the piston opens to the exhaust port and the residual mass is discharged. While the expansion piston continues its downward stroke, the piston opens to the scavenging port, and scavenging of fresh air occurs in the expansion cylinder. After bottom dead center (BDC) the expansion piston closes the scavenging and exhaust ports and begins to compress the scavenged mixture and residual mass therein in preparation for mixing with the combustion mass in the second combustion chamber. After mixing and further compression and combustion, the expansion piston resumes the downstroke movement to bring work back. Thus, the expansion piston repeats its cycle.

After pouring into the expansion cylinder, the combustion chamber is suddenly isolated from the expansion cylinder and opened for scavenging of residual combustion products therein. After the scavenging action, the combustion chamber is closed preparing to open into the compression cylinder and the cycle of the combustion chamber is repeated.

Additional advantages and advantages of the present invention will be fully understood by those skilled in the art from the foregoing embodiments, the appended claims and the accompanying drawings.

1 shows an engine 10 in accordance with the principles of the present invention. The engine is in principle dependent on the number of cylinders of the lower unit or engine block 12, the upper unit or tube housing 14, the timing belt shown below the closed cover 16, the exhaust manifold 18 (engine 10). And scavenging manifold 20 shown in relation to the housing 14. Before entering the discussion of the internal work of the engine 10, a discussion of the ideal gas cycle shown in FIG. 9 is needed.

As shown in FIG. 9, an ideal gas cycle consists of two related cycles, one for a compression cylinder or compressor and one for an expansion cylinder or expander. Compression cylinder cycles will be discussed first. The volume shown in this discussion of the ideal cycle is clearly for illustration purposes and will in fact depend on the particular addition of the engine 10.

At the bottom of the stroke, the volume of the bottom dead center (BDC) compression cylinder is shown to be greater than 8 inch³. When opening the combustion chamber with a compression cylinder, the combined volume exceeds almost 9 inch³. Thus, the compression piston performs an upward or compression stroke that compresses the mass and volume of air in the combined volume of the compression cylinder and the combustion chamber until it reaches a pressure greater than 35 times the atmosphere and a volume less than 2 inches³. do. At the point of compression piston at top dead center, the combustion chamber is suddenly disconnected from the compression cylinder. Thus, the volume of the compression cylinder is reduced to less than 1 inch 3. The compression piston then starts a downward or expansion stroke, the pressure in the compression cylinder first dropping sharply, slowly dropping until near vacuum at bottom dead center. Thus, the cycle is repeated.

For an ideal cycle in the expansion cylinder, at the bottom dead center of the expansion piston, the volume of the expansion cylinder is less than 13 inches³. When the expansion cylinder starts the compression stroke, the volume decreases drastically and the pressure gradually increases initially. As the expansion piston approaches top dead center, the pressure increases rapidly up to a peak of about 47 times the atmospheric pressure in a volume of about 2 inches³. At this point, the combustion chamber opens to the expansion cylinder and there is a corresponding volume increase and pressure increase due to the constant volume heat addition occurring within the combustion chamber before the blow down port is opened to the expansion cylinder. During the initial period after top dead center, the volume in the combined combustion chamber and expansion cylinder increases and the pressure therein remains constant. This is the result of constant pressure heat addition. At about 4 inch volume, the continued downward stroke of the expansion piston causes a decrease in pressure and an increase in volume. During the expansion stroke, work is derived. When the expansion piston reaches top dead center, for volumes smaller than 14 inches³, the combustion chamber is suddenly disconnected from the expansion cylinder, and the volume in the expansion cylinder decreases. At pressures close to atmospheric pressure and volumes below 13, the expansion cylinder repeats the cycle.

2 schematically shows the internal work of the engine 10. At a minimum, the engine 10 comprises two cylinders, a compression cylinder 22 and an expansion cylinder 24. The crankshafts 26, 28 are connected to the compression piston 34 and the expansion piston 36 by connecting rods 30, 32, respectively. Generally suction ports 38, 40 are located towards the lower ends of each cylinder 22, 24. This suction port is exposed or opened when the pistons 34, 36 approach bottom dead center, allowing a fresh amount of air to enter the compression cylinder 24, with combustion double products and residual mass from the expansion cylinder 24. Let it be An exhaust port 42 is further provided to the expansion cylinder 24 to promote the scavenging action in the expansion cylinder 24. The exhaust port 42 may be positioned to open before the intake port 40 is opened.

Rotating prechamber tube 44 is generally located centrally between the two upper ends of compression and expansion cylinders 22, 24. The tube 44 is rotatably mounted in the housing 14 and supported to rotate about the tube axis 46 extending in the longitudinal direction through the tube 44 (shown as extending into the page interior of FIG. 2). . Tube 44 is generally cylindrical as shown in FIG. 7 and formed in the combustion chamber 48 and the two prechambers of its body.

The combustion chamber 48 forms an outwardly recessed dish in the tube 44 and is further formed by an inserter 50 that is removably compression coupled into the cavity 52 formed in the tube 44. This structure allows inserter 50 and its replacement to be removed by inserting in a different volume. Accordingly, the engine 10 of the present invention may modify the volume of the combustion chamber 48 to vary the effective compression and expansion ratio of the engine 10.

In addition, the passage 54 is generally formed centrally through the tube 44. Cooling fluid, such as oil, circulates through the passage 54 to cool the combustion chamber 48 as well as to lubricate the seal 44 and the tube 44 itself provided in one or more axial and radial grooves 56. Lubricating oil is provided in tube 44 via a centrifugal duct, not shown.

As the tube 44 rotates, the combustion chamber 48 alternately communicates with the compression cylinder 22 and the expansion cylinder 24. The communication with the compression cylinder 22 takes place through the inlet port 58, while the communication with the expansion cylinder 24 takes place through the downward blowdown port 60.

Chamber 48 rotates between compression cylinder 22 and expansion cylinder 24 to inject fuel from fuel injector 62 into the chamber.

In addition, the coolant passage 64 is formed in the housing 14 and the engine block 12. The passage 64 allows a coolant, such as a mixture of water and glycol, to circulate to cool the entire engine 10.

The correlation of various features of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 3B. The bank angle indicated by arrow 66 is formed between the central axis of the expansion cylinder 24 and the central axis of the compression cylinder 22. The bank angle 66 between the compression cylinder and the expansion cylinders 22, 24 is in the range of 60 degrees to 90 degrees. This range is the angle that allows the use of a single tube 44 on both cylinders 22, 24. The port angle is shown as '68', between the line drawn from the tube axis 46 through the center of the downward blow port 60 and the line drawn from the tube axis 46 through the center of the inlet port 58. Formed at an angle. The port angle 68 is in the range of 85 degrees to 95 degrees for high speed. The port angle is closed therebetween between the cylinders 22 and 24 to allow fuel injection while the combustion chamber 48 starts combustion before the chamber 48 is directed to the expansion cylinder 24. The phase angle 70 is formed as the forward angle of the expansion piston correlated to the compression piston 34 at the TDC. Preferably, the phase angle 70 permits a change in the compression ratio of the expansion cylinder and is in the range of 55 degrees to 65 degrees. The bowl angle 72, as shown in FIG. 3B, includes the trailing edge 76 of the combustion chamber 48 and the line from the tube axis 46 and the induction edge of the combustion chamber 48. leading edge 74 and the line drawn from the tube axis 46 at an angle. Bowl angle 72 is in the range of 45 degrees to 65 degrees. Similar to the port angle 68, the angle is the injection of fuel during the onset of combustion before the chamber 48 is directed to the expansion cylinder 24 and the combustion chamber 48 is closed therefrom between the cylinders 22, 24. Is the angle to allow.

While the engine 10 is operating at approximately 120 degrees after the TDC, the opening of the inlet port 38 allowing the compression piston 34 to flow into the compression cylinder 22 in the direction of the arrow 78 is indicated. Retracted enough to be achieved. In this regard, it can be seen that the scavenging combustion chamber 48 has not yet been communicated with the compression cylinder 22.

At approximately 120 degrees before the TDC, the compression piston 34 has been moved upwards enough to close the inlet port, and the combustion chamber 48 is open relative to the compression cylinder 22 via the inlet port 58. . Compression piston 34 continues its upward stroke, as shown in FIG. 4B, and the mass / volume in compression cylinder 22 into combustion chamber 48 as indicated by arrow 80. Compression through inlet port 58. At the TDC of the compression piston 34, a minimum amount of head space is present in the compression cylinder 22. After a while, the combustion chamber 48 is momentarily separated from the compression cylinder as shown in FIG. 5A. The compression piston 34 then initiates a downward stroke or expansion stroke, as shown in FIG. 4C, which results in an increase in volume and a decrease in pressure (nearly vacuum) in the compression cylinder. In this regard, the compression piston is retracted to a sufficient extent to open the inlet port 38, as can be seen in FIG. 4A. In this respect, the compression piston 34 repeats the cycle described above except that the mass / volume in the compression cylinder 22 is compressed into the other of the two compression chambers.

As can be seen in FIG. 5A, immediately after being separated or isolated from the compression cylinder 22, fuel is injected by the fuel injector 62 into the combustion chamber 48. In the beginning, fuel is injected directly into the glow plug 82. During the start-up operation of the engine 10, the glow plug serves to improve the initiation of fixed volume combustion in the combustion chamber 48. Then, after the engine 10 is operated and warmed up, the temperature and pressure conditions in the combustion chamber 48 are sufficient to cause automatic ignition. Optionally, a high compression ratio can be used at cold start and later change the relative pahsing between the pre-chamber tube 44 and the compression cylinder 22. It is reduced when warmed.

In order to eliminate the need for a fluid plug during cold start, a high start-up compression ratio of effective low operating compression ratio is used. Delaying the tube 44 reduces the effective compression ratio of the warmed up engine, thereby lowering the peak pressure in the combustion chamber 48. The delay or advancement of the tube 44 relative to the compression cylinder 22 is accomplished by deflecting the timing belt or chain 104 of the tube. This is illustrated in FIGS. 12A and 12B, where the tube 44 is individually advanced and retarded during the off drive of the expansion crankshaft 28 and FIGS. 13A and 13B show that the tube 44 is It is shown to be individually advanced and delayed during the off driving of the compression crankshaft 26. Timing member 106 is deflected crosswise such that belt 104 performs a delay or forward operation.

12A and 12B and 13A and 13B, the compression and expansion crankshafts are timing off from each other by the belt / chain 108. The correlating phase operation of the cylinder can be delayed as seen in FIGS. 12B and 13B or changed to advance as seen in FIGS. 12A and 13A through the use of similar timing members 110. This change allows the engine to be optimal with a change in operating conditions that can be foreseen by one skilled in the art.

The tube 44 rotates about its central axis 46 and because of the fixed position of the fuel injector 62 in the engine block 12, fuel is not continuously injected into the same zone 82. Preferably, during the fuel injection cycle, the fuel spray operates progressively from the leading edge of the combustion chamber 48 to spread the spray spray across the combustion chamber 48 as shown in FIG. 5B. With a strong sweep of the spray spray across the combustion chamber 48, good fuel distribution is provided to the combustion chamber 48 to allow for more complete mixing and combustion within the chamber 48. As a result of the ongoing combustion within the fixed volume of the combustion chamber, the pressure in the combustion chamber 48 increases rapidly. In an ideal cycle, the pressure in the combustion chamber 48 is set to be approximately 85 atmospheres at a capacity less than one cubic inch prior to opening of the downward blow port 60 between the expansion cylinder 24 and the combustion chamber 48. . The state of the combustion chamber in the ideal cycle shown in FIG. 9 is represented by '84'.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, three fuel injectors 62 are utilized. Each injector 62 performs an injection operation once every third time to perform the high speed operation of the engine 10. The injector 62 consists of a single hole, so that the turbulent field created as mass and the low pressure component due to the fairly long constant volume of injection are transferred from the combustion chamber 48 to the expansion cylinder 24. Therefore, the present invention can utilize a standard injector and a injection pump.

In the combustion state progressing within the combustion chamber 48, the tube 44 rotates the combustion chamber 24 which effectively opens the downward blow port 60 toward the expansion cylinder 24. At this point, the expansion piston 36 approaches the TDC as shown in FIG. 4C and the compression mass in the expansion cylinder 24 combines with the combustion and residual mass in the combustion chamber 48. The mixing of the compression mass and the introduction of fresh air into the expansion cylinder 24 with the combustion and residual mass in the combustion chamber results in a second heat release which improves the combustion efficiency of the engine. As described above, injection of fuel into the combustion chamber 48 is performed based on the fuel rich. By fuel rich injection, the second heat release occurs after initiating downward blow through the downward blow port 60 and mixes with the newly evacuated expansion cylinder. By providing this second heat release, combustion efficiency is increased and NOx formation is reduced. The mixing of the combustion mass from the combustion chamber 48 and the residual mass with the compression mass in the expansion cylinder 24 is indicated by the arrow 86. Additional compression of this mixture ensures that auto-ignition occurs as the piston reaches the TDC.

Heat dissipation is managed during the downward blown from the combustion chamber 24 through the downward blower port 60 to the expansion cylinder 24 to align the downward blower port 60 with the steel insert 100. . Insert 2 is best described in FIG. 2. As combustion chamber 48 continues to dump through downward blow port 60 into expansion cylinder 24, expansion piston 36 causes its expansion or downward stroke to be driven out of engine 10 and with continuous combustion. Initiate. Subsequently, the exhaust gas and some residual mass are dumped from the combustion chamber 48 where the final gas is identified by arrows 88 and 90, respectively, and exhausted through the exhaust port 42. Before the expansion piston 36 reaches the BDC, the inlet port 40 is opened and the evacuated air identified by arrow 92 is utilized to scaveng the residual mass and material by combustion from the expansion cylinder 24. do. 4B is a view for explaining the scavenging operation of the expansion cylinder 24. In order to ensure efficient scavenging of the expansion cylinder 24, a positive pressure scavenging air source is installed in the induction port 40. The positive pressure air source can be provided through a variety of techniques including, without limitation, the use of blowers, superchargers or crankcase scavenging techniques.

Continuous advancement of the expansion piston during the compression stroke of the expansion cylinder 24 closes both the scavenging port and the exhaust port 42 off and the refill mass in the expansion cylinder 24 is compressed. Thereafter, the second combustion chamber 48, which is under its own cycle, is ported toward the expansion cylinder 24 through the downward blower port 60. Thereafter, the expansion cylinder 24 repeats the above-described cycle for the second combustion chamber 48.

6A-6D illustrate the geometric compression ratios for the compression cylinder 22 and the expansion cylinder 24, respectively. The geometric and effective compression ratios are distinguished by the effective compression ratio being formed based on the piston position where all cylinder ports are exactly closed, while the geometric compression ratio is formed based on the piston at the bottom dead center. Moreover, the expansion ratio to the compression ratio is defined by combining the volume of the combustion chamber with the effect of each cylinder in the compression ratio state of both the compression cylinder 22 and the expansion cylinder 24. Both the expansion ratio of the expander and the compression ratio of the compressor have a combustion volume, while the expansion ratio of the compressor and the compression ratio of the expander are not.

A timing chain or belt is provided to engage the crankshafts 26, 28 of the cylinders 22, 24 so that the expansion cylinder 24 moves upon movement of the compression cylinder 22. In addition, the rotation of the tube 44 is controlled through a similar timing chain or belt that engages the crankshaft 28 of the expansion cylinder 24 or the crankshaft 26 of the compression cylinder. The tube rotates at half the crankshaft rotational speed.

The tube 44 is generally received axially in a cylindrical chamber 94 formed in the housing 14. Tube 44 is supported by a bearing (not shown) that correlates with housing 14 and allows rotation of tube 44 within chamber 94. As the tube 44 and the housing 14 are in excessive temperature to improve structural integrity and heat dissipation of the engine 10, a steel sleeve liner 96 is provided in line with the chamber 94. Further, for isolation and hermeticity of the combustion chamber 48 which prevents leakage of combustion gas during combustion, the tube 44 is provided along the tube 44 axially and between the combustion chamber 48 and the combustion chamber 48. Airtight portions (not shown) are installed at both ends of the tube circumferentially extending around the tube 44. In order to receive the airtight portion, the tube 44 is formed with the above-described axial radial grooves 56. As one of ordinary skill in the art would anticipate, confidential work may be carried out in a variety of structures.

After disconnecting from the expansion cylinder 24 and before opening to the compression cylinder 22, the combustion chamber 48 is evacuated to remove residual mass in the chamber 48. Scavenging of the combustion chamber 48 may be accomplished through the use of a positive pressure scavenging system, by a variety of mechanisms including, but not limited to, crankcase scavenging operations. In achieving the scavenging operation, a port (not shown) is provided in the housing 14, and an upstream blower (not shown) is used where the positive pressure scavenging operation is utilized.

Simulation of the engine 10 as described above shows that the total power density for the diesel engine reaches greater than 1.0. In a turbocharged hybrid engine based on the following design parameters, 1.78 hp / inch ³ power density is achieved. The design parameters are as follows.

In addition to providing an output from the engine 10 via the crankshaft 28 of the expansion cylinder 24, the tube 44 is coupled directly or indirectly to the crankshaft 28, thereby providing 1.5 times the engine speed. Various devices can operate by turning off the output end 102 of the tube 44, which is provided to extend through the housing 14 and beyond. As non-limiting and for purposes of explanation, two devices or elements that operate off of the end 102 of the tube 44 provide coolant to the propeller and engine block 12 and the housing 14 of the aircraft. And a water pump 104 (shown in FIG. 1).

Although engine 10 is shown as employing dual crankshafts 26 and 28, the engine 10 is a single common by modifying the position of compression and expansion cylinders 22 and 24 relative to tube 44. It can be deformed for use in a crankshaft. Two or more cylinders (one compression cylinder and one expansion cylinder) were used, but a single crankshaft or a double crankshaft may also be used. Although a dual crankshaft is provided with an inwardly facing cylinder, a single tube 44 may also be used. Although a single crankshaft was used, four cylinder engines facing outwards could also be provided. In this arrangement, two tubes for each pair of cylinders facing outwards may be used to directly timing the common crankshaft. Four cylinders in the form of a double crankshaft and a single tube facing inward are schematically illustrated in FIG. 10, and four cylinders in the form of a double crankshaft and a double tube facing outward are schematically illustrated in FIG. 11.

The present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments, and is not limited thereto, and one of ordinary skill in the art should recognize that various modifications and changes can be made to the present invention without departing from the appended claims.

Claims (45)

An engine block formed with a compression cylinder and an expansion cylinder, A compression reciprocator positioned in the compression cylinder, an expansion reciprocator positioned in the expansion cylinder, A prechamber tube having two static combustion chambers and a longitudinal tube axis, A housing having a portion forming a cavity therein for receiving the tube; Timing means for harmonizing the movement of the reciprocator and the rotation of the tube; A fuel injector arranged to inject fuel into the combustion chamber, The reciprocators are each connected to a crankshaft and mounted to reciprocate in a cylinder, the chamber being located on an opposite side of the tube and concave outwardly, the housing connected to the engine block and connected to the induction port and A portion forming an expansion port, the port defining a passage between the tube and the compression cylinder and between the tube and the expansion cylinder, the tube being rotatably supported by a housing for rotating the tube; Directing the tube axis transverse to the cylinder axis formed by the compression cylinder and the expansion cylinder, the tube being moved to connect with the compression cylinder through the induction port, and then disconnected from the connection with the compression cylinder, the fuel from the fuel injector Is moved to a position to receive a connection to the expansion cylinder through the expansion port Engine rotates so as to move continuously. The engine of claim 1, wherein the induction port and the expansion port form a port angle of 20 ° or less. The engine of claim 1, wherein the induction port and the expansion port form a port angle in the range of 85 ° to 100 °. The engine of claim 1, wherein the induction port and the expansion port form a port angle of 90 ° to 95 °. The engine of claim 1, wherein the induction port and the expansion port form a bank angle of 90 degrees or less. The engine of claim 1, wherein the bank angle is in the range of 40 ° to 70 °. The engine of claim 1, wherein the combustion chamber forms a bowl angle of 90 degrees or less. The engine of claim 1, wherein the bowl angle ranges from 45 ° to 65 °. The engine of claim 1, wherein the housing includes a portion forming a coolant passage. 10. The engine of claim 9, wherein water is circulated through the coolant passage. The engine of claim 1, wherein the tube comprises a portion forming a coolant passage. 12. The engine of claim 11 wherein oil is circulated through the coolant passage. 13. The engine of claim 12, wherein the oil lubricates the seal ring on the tube. 14. The engine of claim 13, wherein the oil is centrifugally supplied to the sealing ring through a duct formed in the tube. The engine of claim 13, wherein the radial pin prevents relative rotation of the seal ring relative to the tube. 2. An engine according to claim 1, wherein the timing means is variable to vary the advance of the expansion reciprocator relative to the compression reciprocator. 2. The engine of claim 1, wherein the timing means is variable to advance or delay the tube for either or both of the compressed and expanded reciprocator. The engine of claim 1, wherein the reciprocator is connected to a common crankshaft. The engine of claim 1 wherein the reciprocator is connected to a separate crankshaft. The engine of claim 1, wherein the combustion chamber is formed by an insert removably mounted to the tube. 21. The engine of claim 20, wherein the insert is interchangeable with other inserts of different volumes. 21. The engine of claim 20, wherein the insert is made of steel. The engine of claim 1, wherein the expansion port comprises a liner insert. 24. The engine of claim 23, wherein the liner is made of steel. The engine of claim 1, wherein the cavity of the housing comprises a sleeve liner insert. 27. The engine of claim 25, wherein the sleeve liner is made of steel. The engine of claim 1, wherein the expansion cylinder comprises a scavenging port and a discharge port. 28. The engine of claim 27 wherein the scavenging port is connected to a crankcase surrounding the crankshaft and providing positive air pressure for the crankcase scavenging the expansion cylinder. The engine of claim 1, wherein the compression cylinder includes a scavenging port and an intake valve, the intake valve being located in the cylinder and provided for filling of the compression cylinder during an expansion stroke. 2. An engine according to claim 1, further comprising scavenging means for scavenging said combustion chamber. 31. The engine of claim 30, wherein said scavenging means comprises a blower. The engine of claim 1, further comprising a water pump connected to and driven by the output shaft of the tube. The engine of claim 1, wherein the engine is a diesel engine. Introducing an air volume into the compression cylinder, Compressing the air volume to the first cylinder of the engine, Transferring the compressed air volume from the first cylinder to the static combustion chamber, Mixing the compressed air volume in the combustion chamber, Igniting a mixture of fuel and air volume in a combustion chamber, The mixture is combusted in a combustion chamber; Porting the burned mixture for mixing with the compressed air volume in the expansion cylinder of the engine, Further burning the mixture in the expansion cylinder by further compressing the burned mixture after the initial port to the expansion cylinder to enhance the combustion efficiency of the engine, Expanding the volume of the combusted mixture in the expansion cylinder and the combustion chamber; Deriving work during volume expansion of the mixture combusted in the expansion cylinder and the combustion chamber; Exhausting the combustion double product from the expansion cylinder. 35. The method of claim 34, further comprising isolating the compressed air volume from the compression cylinder in the combustion chamber. 35. The method of claim 34, wherein the mixing comprises injecting fuel into the combustion chamber and moving the combustion chamber relative to the fuel injection point when the fuel is injected. 35. The method of claim 34 wherein the ignition step is induced to compress. 35. The method of claim 34, wherein the mixing comprises moving the compressed air volume past the fuel injector in the combustion chamber and injecting the fuel into the compressed air volume in the combustion chamber while the compressed fuel is moved. Characterized in how the engine works. 39. The method of claim 38, wherein the injection occurs when the combustion chamber is moved. 35. The method of claim 34, wherein said fuel mixing step produces a fuel rich mixture. In a method of deriving work from a combustible fluid, Compressing the air volume, Injecting fuel into the compressed air volume producing a fuel / air mixture, Burning the fuel / air mixture while maintaining a constant volume during some of the combustion, Partially compressing the second air volume; Forming a third volume by potting the fuel / air mixture into the partially compressed second air volume during combustion to enhance combustion of the fuel / air mixture; Compressing the third volume to continue combustion; Expanding the third volume and deriving the work during expansion of the third volume. 42. The method of claim 41 further comprising isolating a compressed air volume after said compressing step. 42. The method of claim 41 wherein the step of injecting comprises varying the point of injection of fuel relative to the volume of compression, wherein the step of changing occurs during the duration of the combustion phase. 42. The method of claim 41, further comprising a compression cycle operation step comprising the step of compressing the air volume, further comprising isolating a portion of the compressed air volume from the remaining volume, inflating and restoring the remaining volume. Reducing pressure to near vacuum, and inhaling the air volume to replace the vacuum and compressing the air volume to repeat the cycle. 42. The method of claim 41, further comprising operating an expansion cycle, wherein the expanding step partially compresses the second air volume, and wherein the fuel / air mixture in combustion to form the third volume is secondly formed. Potting the air volume, compressing the third volume to further compress the fuel / air mixture, expanding the third volume to discharge the third volume, and using the air volume; And partially compressing the air volume and repeating the cycle.