US20140020384A1 - Positive displacement rotary vane engine - Google Patents
Positive displacement rotary vane engine Download PDFInfo
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- US20140020384A1 US20140020384A1 US14/035,457 US201314035457A US2014020384A1 US 20140020384 A1 US20140020384 A1 US 20140020384A1 US 201314035457 A US201314035457 A US 201314035457A US 2014020384 A1 US2014020384 A1 US 2014020384A1
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- Prior art keywords
- rotor
- cowl
- blades
- rotary vane
- expansion
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- Abandoned
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- 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
- F01C1/02—Rotary-piston machines or engines of arcuate-engagement type, i.e. with circular translatory movement of co-operating members, each member having the same number of teeth or tooth-equivalents
- F01C1/04—Rotary-piston machines or engines of arcuate-engagement type, i.e. with circular translatory movement of co-operating members, each member having the same number of teeth or tooth-equivalents of internal-axis type
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- 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
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- 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
- F01C21/00—Component parts, details or accessories not provided for in groups F01C1/00 - F01C20/00
- F01C21/08—Rotary pistons
- F01C21/0809—Construction of vanes or vane holders
- F01C21/0818—Vane tracking; control therefor
- F01C21/0827—Vane tracking; control therefor by mechanical means
- F01C21/0836—Vane tracking; control therefor by mechanical means comprising guiding means, e.g. cams, rollers
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- 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
- F01C21/00—Component parts, details or accessories not provided for in groups F01C1/00 - F01C20/00
- F01C21/08—Rotary pistons
- F01C21/0809—Construction of vanes or vane holders
- F01C21/0881—Construction of vanes or vane holders the vanes consisting of two or more parts
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
- F02B—INTERNAL-COMBUSTION PISTON ENGINES; COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL
- F02B55/00—Internal-combustion aspects of rotary pistons; Outer members for co-operation with rotary pistons
- F02B55/14—Shapes or constructions of combustion chambers
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
- F04C—ROTARY-PISTON, OR OSCILLATING-PISTON, POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; ROTARY-PISTON, OR OSCILLATING-PISTON, POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS
- F04C2250/00—Geometry
- F04C2250/30—Geometry of the stator
- F04C2250/301—Geometry of the stator compression chamber profile defined by a mathematical expression or by parameters
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F04—POSITIVE - DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; PUMPS FOR LIQUIDS OR ELASTIC FLUIDS
- F04C—ROTARY-PISTON, OR OSCILLATING-PISTON, POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES FOR LIQUIDS; ROTARY-PISTON, OR OSCILLATING-PISTON, POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT PUMPS
- F04C27/00—Sealing arrangements in rotary-piston pumps specially adapted for elastic fluids
- F04C27/001—Radial sealings for working fluid
- F04C27/002—Radial sealings for working fluid of rigid material
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- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02E10/00—Energy generation through renewable energy sources
- Y02E10/40—Solar thermal energy, e.g. solar towers
- Y02E10/46—Conversion of thermal power into mechanical power, e.g. Rankine, Stirling or solar thermal engines
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Geometry (AREA)
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
- Turbine Rotor Nozzle Sealing (AREA)
- Structures Of Non-Positive Displacement Pumps (AREA)
- Control Of Turbines (AREA)
- Supercharger (AREA)
- Engine Equipment That Uses Special Cycles (AREA)
Abstract
The present invention is an engine, which includes a positive displacement compression process, a variably fueled, continuous combustor and/or heat exchanger, and a positive displacement, work-producing expander. This arrangement avoids the traditional stochiometric mixture requirements utilized in spark-ignition based engines and the emission problems associated with diesel engines.
Description
- This application is a divisional of U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 13/233,073 filed Sep. 15, 2011, which is a divisional of U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 12/043,066 filed Mar. 5, 2008, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,037,863, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/892,913 filed Mar. 5, 2007, the entireties of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
- The present invention relates generally to engines. More particularly, this invention relates to positive displacement rotary vane engines.
- Premixed and direct-injection spark-ignition piston engines operating on the Otto cycle and direct injection engines operating on the diesel cycle represent the bulk of known engines used for motor vehicles. These engines are popular for a variety of reasons but, primarily, they are widely used because they offer reasonable efficiencies for a wide range of power settings. One major disadvantage for spark-ignition engines is that they must operate in a mode in which the ratio of the fuel mass to the air mass in the engine at the combustion stage is near stoichiometric. Thus, to operate at partial power, the engine must be throttled, whereby the pressure on the intake side must be deliberately reduced in order to limit air mass flow rate. This effectively limits the compression ratio and, in turn, the efficiency of the engines. This fact is the basis for the success of the hybrid-electric propulsion system.
- The direct-injection spark-ignition and diesel engines are not as limited by this requirement but these two types of engines have significant emissions problems. The problem of varying the mixture ratio away from stoichiometric is solved using high turn-down ratio combustors in Brayton cycle engines based on gas turbine technology. This is possible because the combustion process occurs in a separate physical area of the engine from the compression and expansion, allowing for only part of the air to be burned in combination with the fuel in a highly controlled way. Having a separate physical area where combustion takes place allows the power levels to be controlled by varying only the fuel flow rate to the combustor. The disadvantage to running the Brayton cycle engines at partial power is explained by the fact that known axial flow compressor and turbine systems are inefficient at off-design operating points.
- Another disadvantage of conventional piston engines is that the air is ported to the combustion chamber through valves, which limit the ability of the engine to breathe efficiently and introduce pumping losses even with wide open throttle settings.
- To combat these problems, many efforts have been made to develop successful high volumetric flow rate positive displacement compressors of the rotary vane type. Previously known engines of the rotary vane type have substantially depended on intermittent spark-ignition and/or fuel injection in a small volume for combustion. This inherently limits the performance in the same way that piston engine performance is limited by combustion stoichiometry.
- Additionally, the sealing of rotary vane devices for high temperature applications such as combustion engines has eluded inventors to date and excessive wear has hampered the success of known rotary vane devices of all types. In order to create a successful rotary vane engine, positive sealing of the vanes must occur along the outer edge of each vane, along the sides of each vane, along the base area of each vane and between the rotor and the case. Without proper sealing, adequate compression and expansion cannot take place. Additionally, the high wear rates associated with the centrifugal forces of known rotary vane engines must be reduced for longevity of the device.
- Thus it can be seen that needs exist for improvements to combustion engines and particularly those of the rotary vane type. Additionally, it can be seen that needs exist for rotary vane combustion engines that effectively seal the compression and expansion cavities while reducing component wear, such that an extended service rotary vane engine can be implemented. It is to the provision of these needs and others that the present invention is primarily directed.
- In example forms, the present invention is an engine that employs a positive displacement compression process, a variably fueled, continuous combustor (such as a combustor used in a gas turbine) and/or a heat exchanger, and a positive displacement, work-producing expander. This arrangement avoids the stochiometric mixture requirements with traditional spark-ignition engines based on the entire engine air mass flow rate and the inefficiencies of off-design compressor and turbine performance. Additionally, this arrangement is not compression ratio limited as spark-ignition engines are. Furthermore, the engine of the present invention significantly reduces engine emissions typical with the operation of diesel engines. Example embodiments of this engine as described herein are in the form of a sealable rotary vane device.
- In one aspect, the present invention relates to an improvement to a rotary vane internal combustion engine having an external housing and an eccentrically mounted rotor therein. The rotor is operable for rotational movement within the housing to define compression and expansion cavities. The improvement to the engine includes a plurality of blades in mechanical communication with the rotor and extending radially therefrom. The blades are expandable for engagement with at least one interior confronting face of the external housing.
- In another aspect, the present invention relates to a rotary vane engine including a cowl that defines an internal chamber and a rotor rotatably mounted with the internal chamber. The rotor includes a plurality of radially configured splines spaced to define slots between successive splines. The engine also includes a plurality of rotary blades and each blade is received in a corresponding one of the slots. The rotary blades are in sliding engagement with the splines. The rotary blades are expandable.
- In another aspect, the present invention relates to a rotary vane engine including an external housing defining a hollow chamber therein and a rotor eccentrically mounted within the chamber. The rotor includes a plurality of rotary blades extending radially therefrom. The engine also includes a race that is substantially contained within the rotor. The race is in mechanical engagement with at least a portion of the blades to limit the radial extension of the blades in relation to the rotor.
- In still another aspect, the present invention relates to a rotary vane engine including a cowl defining a hollow chamber therein and a rotor eccentrically mounted within the chamber. The rotor includes a plurality of rotary blades extending radially outwardly therefrom for sealing engagement with an interior confronting face of the cowl. At least a portion of the interior face of the cowl defines a substantially exponential curvature.
- In yet another aspect, the present invention relates to a continuously combusting rotary vane engine comprising a cowl and a rotor rotatably mounted within the cowl. The rotor includes a plurality of radially mounted blades configured to compress a working fluid from the rotor. The engine also includes a combustor in fluid communication with the cowl to receive compressed working fluid from the rotor. At least a portion of the compressed working fluid is mixed with a fuel source to form a mixture and the mixture is substantially continuously combusted within the combustor.
- In another aspect, the present invention relates to a heat powered rotary vane engine including a cowl and a rotor rotatably mounted within the cowl, the rotor having a plurality of radially mounted blades configured to compress a working fluid. The engine also comprises a heat exchanger in fluid communication with the cowl to receive compressed working fluid from the rotor. Energy is transferred from the heat exchanger to at least a portion of the compressed working fluid received therein. Optionally, the heat exchanger is a solar thermal collector.
- Is still another aspect, the present invention relates to a rotary vane engine including an external housing defining a hollow chamber therein, a first rotor eccentrically mounted within the chamber, and a second rotor eccentrically mounted within the first rotor. The second rotor includes a plurality of rotary blades extending radially therefrom. The blades extend outwardly through the first rotor to maintain sealing engagement with a confronting interior face of the external housing.
- These and other aspects, features and advantages of the invention will be understood with reference to the drawing figures and detailed description herein, and will be realized by means of the various elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following brief description of the drawings and detailed description of the invention are exemplary and explanatory of preferred embodiments of the invention, and are not restrictive of the invention, as claimed.
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FIG. 1 schematically shows an example embodiment of a rotary vane engine cycle according to the present invention. -
FIG. 2 is cross sectional plan view of a rotary vane engine according to an example embodiment of the present invention. -
FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a rotor used in conjunction with the engine ofFIG. 2 . -
FIG. 4 is a side view of the rotor ofFIG. 3 , shown mounted with an output gear. -
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a rotor spline used with the rotor ofFIG. 3 . -
FIG. 6 is a perspective partial cut-away view of the rotor ofFIG. 3 , an example blade race, and a fixed shaft according to an example embodiment of the present invention. -
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the blade race and fixed shaft ofFIG. 6 . -
FIG. 8 is a perspective view an example embodiment of a rotary blade used in conjunction with the engine ofFIG. 2 . -
FIG. 9 is a perspective partial cut-away view of the rotor, blade race, and fixed shaft ofFIG. 6 , shown mounted with the blade ofFIG. 8 . -
FIG. 10 shows a prior art sealing configuration between an engine housing and rotary blade. -
FIG. 11 shows another prior art sealing configuration between an engine housing and rotary blade. -
FIG. 12 shows an example configuration according to the present invention of an optimal arrangement for sealing a blade against an engine housing. -
FIG. 13 is a mathematical depiction used to configure the optimal arrangement between the blade and engine housing. -
FIG. 14 is a blown-up perspective view of the blade sealing surfaces of the blade ofFIG. 8 . -
FIG. 15 is an alternative embodiment of a rotary blade used in conjunction with the engine ofFIG. 2 . -
FIG. 16 is a perspective partial cut-away view of the engine ofFIG. 2 , shown without the combustor. -
FIG. 17 is a cross sectional plan view of a solar powered rotary vane engine according to an alternate example embodiment of the present invention -
FIG. 18 is a side view of a dual bodied rotor assembly according to another example embodiment of the present invention. -
FIG. 19 is a plan view of the dual bodied rotor assembly ofFIG. 18 shown without the bearings or synchronizing gears. - The present invention may be understood more readily by reference to the following detailed description of the invention taken in connection with the accompanying drawing figures, which form a part of this disclosure. It is to be understood that this invention is not limited to the specific devices, methods, conditions or parameters described and/or shown herein, and that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments by way of example only and is not intended to be limiting of the claimed invention. Also, as used in the specification including the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” include the plural, and reference to a particular numerical value includes at least that particular value, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Ranges may be expressed herein as from “about” or “approximately” one particular value and/or to “about” or “approximately” another particular value. When such a range is expressed, another embodiment includes from the one particular value and/or to the other particular value. Similarly, when values are expressed as approximations, by use of the antecedent “about,” it will be understood that the particular value forms another embodiment.
- In general, the engine of the present invention includes a plurality of vane-type blades that are radially positioned around an offset axis, in such a way as to allow movement in and out of a slotted rotor as the blades are rotated thereabout. The blade tips ride against and are biased towards a variable radius outer housing or cowl, wherein variable volume gas cavities are formed between the blades and the outer housing. The rotation of the blades provides for compression and expansion of air by their circular movement against the variable radius outer surface. The compression ratio of the various example embodiments as described below is determined primarily by the distance between successive blades and by the precise positioning of the intake port and the combustor ports. The example embodiments shown and described below represent a substantially constant volume combustion device and have been found to exhibit a compression ratio of approximately 15:1; however, the invention also includes embodiments exhibiting higher or lower compression ratios.
- With specific reference now to the drawing figures, the operational engine cycle of an
engine 10 according to an example embodiment of the present invention is shown inFIG. 1 . Generally, theengine 10 of the present invention includes an outer housing orcowl 20, an expansion/compression cavity 30, aninternal rotor 40, and anexternal combustor 50. In example embodiments, rotation of therotor 40 compresses fresh air, or alternate working fluid, brought in through anintake port 60 and into the compression side of the expansion/compression cavity 30 a and deposits the same into thecombustor 50. Compressed air is deposited into thecombustor 50 through acompression port 80. Upon entering thecombustor 50, fuel is introduced into a portion of the air stream at high pressure. The resulting fuel/air (fuel/working fluid) mixture is ignited in thecombustor 50 and the ensuing combustion that takes place rapidly heats the air before it is reintroduced into the expansion side of the compression/expansion cavity 30 b for expansion, before ultimately being rejected to the external environment through anexhaust port 70. The heated air is reintroduced into theexpansion cavity 30 b via anexpansion port 85. The rapid expansion of the air after combustion induces rotation of therotor 40 to complete the engine cycle of the present invention. As shown in the drawing figures, example embodiments of theengine 10 comprise asingle rotor 40 that is used for both compression and expansion. Alternatively, theengine 10 can utilize two or more rotors 40. Depending on the particular locations that the air is ported into and out of the combustor 50 from the compression/expansion cavity 30, example embodiments of theengine 10 can be operated on various engine cycles such as: a constant volume combustion process such as the Otto Cycle and/or the Atkinson Cycle, a constant pressure combustion process such as the Brayton Cycle, or the engine can be operated on a cycle in-between the two as the Diesel cycle is often modeled. - In example embodiments of the present invention the
combustor 50 of theengine 10 only allows for a fraction of the air to be burned while maintaining combustible mixtures necessary for continuous combustion. In this embodiment, thecombustor 50, as shown schematically inFIG. 2 , includes aducting system 52 and overall shape, such as an oval, circle, ellipse etc. (but not limited to such), to allow for continuously recirculating air, fuel and combustion products. This design permits a variable level of fuel injection through a ported cylindrical device. The primary consideration for the recirculating design is to ensure continuous combustion of the fuel at high turn-down ratios with minimum emissions. For example, as compressed air is brought into thecombustor 50, theducting system 52 routes a portion of the air away from afuel injecting source 54 through aduct 53, such that the intake air is segregated. By segregating the air, not all of the intake air is immediately combusted (and not all of the air will necessarily be combusted) and is circulated through thecombustor 50. In example embodiments, fuel is introduced into thecombustor 50 through a high-pressure fuel injector 54, which directly injects fuel into at least a portion of the intake air stream from thecompression port 80. Anigniter 56, such as for example a spark or glow plug, is located in proximity to thefuel injector 54 to ignite the fuel/air mixture. In preferred example embodiments, theigniter 56 is only needed during start-up to initially combust the fuel/air mix, as continual combustion takes place within thecombustor 50. Delivery of compressed air into thecombustor 50 via the compression port 80 (and expanding gases being delivered back into the expansion/compression cavity 30) further enables continuous combustion in preferred example embodiments, as compression and expansion is permitted to continuously occur within the compression/expansion cavity 30 rather than intermittent compression, ignition, and expansion typical with known engines. Because air is introduced into thecombustor 50 at constant volume and pressure, a user need only reduce the amount of fuel injected into thecombustor 50 to reduce overall engine output. Most known engines operating on the Otto cycle require a user to reduce (throttle) both the air and fuel that is delivered to the combustion chamber in order to reduce engine output, which reduces both the compression ratio and efficiency of the engine. Additonally, the continuous combustion that occurs within thecombustor 50 significantly reduces harmful emissions produced by theengine 10, when compared to the emissions produced by known spark-ignition and direct injection engines. Specifically, thecombustor 50 has a larger relative volume and higher resonance times than known spark-ignition and direct injection engines. Furthermore, the recirculation of combustion products within thecombustor 50 minimizes CO, NO, and soot emissions. In alternate example embodiments, theigniter 56 ignites the fuel/air mix intermittently, such that semi-continuous or intermittent combustion occurs within thecombustor 50. - A more detailed image of an example embodiment of the
engine 10 is depicted inFIG. 2 . As seen therein, therotor 40 and thecowl 20 are axially offset, such that the volume of the compression/expansion cavity 30 is variable throughout the compression/expansion cycle. Therotor 40 is further comprised of a plurality of individual pie-shaped wedges orsplines 100 and a pair ofrotor side plates 44 that are mated to each side of thesplines 100 to keep the splines in proper alignment as depicted inFIGS. 2-4 . Therotor side plates 44 are coaxially aligned with thesplines 100 and each spline can be mated thereto with bolts and/or nuts, or other mechanical fasteners or attachment means. In example embodiments, therotor side plates 44 include a plurality of bolt holes 46 that correspond to a plurality of bolt holes 47 in each spline for receiving a bolt therethrough, such that the two can be rigidly secured together. For example, bolt holes 46 a, 46 b, 46 c in therotor side plates 44 correspond to boltholes splines 100, as shown inFIG. 3 . The bolt holes 46, 47 can be tapped to receive threaded bolts/screws or can be bored as desired. Alternatively, therotor side plates 44 can be welded in whole, or in combination with other fasteners, to thesplines 100. Eachspline 100 further includes at least one, and preferably a series of,concentric grooves 102 positioned near the radial end of the spline, as shown inFIG. 5 . Theconcentric grooves 102 are adapted to receive compression seals or rings to prevent blow-by from reaching the interior of therotor 40 and seal the rotor against thecowl 20. As such, therotor 40 is fully sealable. - Referring again to
FIG. 2 , therotor 40 further includes a rotatinghub 42, which rotates about a fixedshaft 90. In example embodiments, thehub 42 is disengaged from the fixedshaft 90, such that a gap exists between same. In such embodiments, bearings 92 (FIGS. 4 and 16 ) can be included between thehub 42 and thecowl 20 to keep therotor 40 in proper alignment within the cowl. In alternate embodiments, thehub 42 comprises a hollow sleeve that is rotatably coupled to theshaft 90, and can include one or more bearings (not shown), such as ball, sleeve, or other bearings, to reduce friction between the hub and shaft. Alternatively, lubricant such as oil and/or grease, can be applied between thehub 42 and fixedshaft 90 to reduce mechanical wear and friction between the same. - The
rotor 40 is adapted to slidably receive a plurality of expandable vanes orblades 110 between the plurality ofsplines 100 as shown inFIG. 2 . Theblades 110 are received in gaps orslots 45 located betweensuccessive splines 100 and are free to slide within the slots, such that the radial extension of the blades from the splines is variable. Generally, theblades 110 extend outwardly from thesplines 100 to maintain sealing contact with the confronting inner face of thecowl 20. In example embodiments, the number ofblades 110 corresponds to the number ofsplines 100, such that therotor 40 includes an equal number of blades and splines. Alternative embodiments of theengine 10 can includemore blades 110 thansplines 100, or vice versa, as desired by a user. It has been found that the compression ratio of theengine 10 increases as the number ofsplines 100 andblades 110 increases. At relatively high rotating speeds, theblades 110 in example embodiments of the rotary vane device shown in the drawing figures can be pressed against theouter housing 20 by centrifugal forces much larger than the force that is needed for creating a seal between the two. In fact, such forces are responsible for the relative inefficiencies of known rotary vane engines, as the forces cause rapid wearing of the rotary vanes. Therefore, therotor 40 of the present invention also houses an internal blade guide orrace 120, to guide the sliding movement of theblades 110 within theblade slots 45. In general, therace 120 limits the radial distance eachblade 110 extends from therotor 40, which will be explained in detail below. As shown inFIG. 5 , eachspline 100 includes acutout 104 for receiving therace 120 therethrough, such that the race is contained within the splines. However, in preferred embodiments therace 120 is not in direct engagement with thesplines 100, as better seen inFIG. 6 , which demonstrates the relative relationship between therotor side plates 44, splines, and race. - Rather than engaging the splines, the
race 120 is fixedly positioned within thecowl 20 and is anchored to the fixedshaft 90; the relationship between the race and shaft can be seen inFIG. 7 . The fixedrace 120 can be rigidly coupled to theshaft 90 with splines, keys, cotters, or other conventional fasteners, or the race can be permanently mated to the shaft through welding. Alternatively, therace 120 and theshaft 90 can be cast as one piece. In example embodiments, theshaft 90 is rigidly coupled to the housing orcowl 20, to ensure that the shaft andrace 120 are fixedly positioned within the same. As shown in bothFIGS. 6-7 , therace 120 includes a lip orblade guide surface 122 for contacting a portion of theblade 110 thereon. Eachblade 110 includes ablade collar 112, as can be seen inFIG. 8 , for rotatable and/or slidable engagement along theblade guide surface 122. Additionally, eachblade 110 includes anarrow cutout 114 that extends above theblade collar 112 and around the collar's distal edge for receiving therace 120 and theblade guide surface 122 therethrough.FIG. 9 depicts ablade 110 in engagement with theblade guide surface 122 of therace 120. It can be seen that theblade collar 112 is pressed against the inside edge of the blade guide surface 122 (and is firmly held there by centrifugal motion when in operation) and that the race and guide surface fit into and through thecutout 114. Referring back toFIG. 2 , it can be seen that as therotor 40 andblades 110 rotate within thecowl 20, theblade collar 112 maintains contact with theblade guide surface 122, such that the radial extension of the blades from thesplines 100 varies as the blades circumnavigate therace 120. For example, theblades 110 reach maximum radial extension (fully extended position) from thesplines 100 just as each blade passes theexhaust port opening 70, and are minimally extended (or are flush with the rotor) as the blades pass the compression port 80 (retracted position). - In preferred embodiments of the present invention, the curvature of the
cowl 20 is in the shape of an exponential curve, as seen inFIG. 2 . While other embodiments can utilize various elliptically or otherwise shaped cowl designs, it has been found that engine performance is optimized when thecowl 20 is shaped as an exponential curve. Additionally, it has been found that engine performance is optimized when the shape of therace 120 is substantially geometrically similar (same shape or similar shape, but different scale) to the curvature of thecowl 20, or vice versa, as shown inFIG. 2 . Specifically, sealing between theblades 110 and thecowl 20 can be maintained over extended service cycles when the blades are forced to follow arace 120 having an exponential curve coupled with a substantially geometrically similar, or approximately similar, curve for the cowl. Known rotary vane type engines are inefficient and often fail after few service cycles due to the lack of an effective sealing surface between the blades and housing. For example, most known rotary vane engines depend upon blade tip sealing arrangements as shown inFIGS. 10-11 .FIG. 10 depicts a square tipped blade riding against a curved surface. This arrangement has been unsuccessful because an effective seal cannot be created between the blade and the housing due to the minimal contact area between the same. Additionally, the minimal contact area results in a high rate of wear that quickly reduces the efficiency of an engine employing this arrangement.FIG. 11 depicts an improved arrangement (over the arrangement depicted inFIG. 10 ), wherein the blade tip is rounded to reduce the amount of wear. However, because the contact area between the blade tip and housing is still relatively small, blow-by and compression losses result in significant engine inefficiencies. Instead, it has been found that seals between the rotary blades and the housing offer better sealing qualities and improved lubrication characteristics when intimate contact is effected between two nearly flat surfaces, as opposed to those known seals between a substantially curved surface and a nearly flat surface. Additionally, it has been found that a blade tip having a relatively large flat contact area that is angled to match the surface contour of the cowl provides for maximum sealing (and engine) efficiency, as depicted inFIG. 12 . - The optimal shape for the curvature of the
cowl 20 andrace 120 can be mathematically determined with the following analysis and reference toFIG. 13 . The distance from the origin of the rotating motion of the blade to the curving cowl wall is “R” and the angle between a flat blade tip and an otherwise perpendicular blade tip surface is “β”. As the blade moves through a differential angle Δθ, the change in the radial distance between the origin of blade motion and the surface of the cowl, ΔR will be: -
ΔR=R(Δθ)(tan β) - For differential changes in the angle θ, this equation can be rewritten as:
-
dR=(tan β)R(dθ) - For intimate contact between the blade tip and the cowl surface to be maintained, the angle β will be constant not only for the fixed geometry blade but also for the surface upon which it slides. Taking β to be constant and separating the variables yields:
-
- Integrating this equation from a reference starting value of Ro at θ=0 gives:
-
ln R| R o R=(tan β)θ -
or -
R=R o e (tan β)θ - Hence the most ideal shape for sealing between the blade tip and cowl with a fixed geometry blade is exponential. To demonstrate the optimal curve shape in another way, the sealing of the blade tips against the cowl can be optimized by recognizing that a short line segment at a practically perpendicular radial line can slide in nearly intimate contact with a cowl containing the rotating vanes if the shape of the cowl is an exponential curve described by the equation:
-
r=r0ekθ - where “r” is the radius of the curve at a given angle θ from a reference line, “ro” is the reference radius (approximately the radius of the rotor), and “k” is a small constant determined based on desired engine flow rates and mechanical considerations. In addition, the relationship between the curvature of the
race 120 and the curvature of thecowl 20 can be represented as: -
r cowl =r race +d - wherein the radius of the cowl at any given point is equal to the radius of a corresponding point on the race plus some constant “d” representing the radial distance between the corresponding points. Therefore, it is preferred, but not required, that
race 120 andcowl 20 follow corresponding exponential curves to optimize blade sealing capacity and engine performance. - In order for the
blades 110 to optimally seal against the curvature of thecowl 20 as the blades rotate through both the compression and expansion cycles, the tip of eachblade 115 is fitted with ablade tip seal 130, as better seen inFIG. 14 . In example embodiments, eachblade tip seal 130 is comprised of a dual headed tip having twoflat surfaces cowl 20. As each blade rotates from theexhaust port 70 towards thecompression port 80, theflat surface 132 is in engagement with thecowl 20, and when the blade moves from compression back into expansion, the oppositeflat surface 134 engages the cowl. In this manner, a flat surface of theblade tip seal 130 is in constant engagement with thecowl 20 at all times during expansion and compression. Alternatively, theblade tip seal 130 can be rounded or include a single flat surface. In still other embodiments, theblade tip seal 130 can comprise more than two flat surfaces as desired. - Returning to
FIG. 8 , in example embodiments, the sides of eachblade 110 are fitted with first and second side seals 140 to seal each blade against the sides of thecowl 20 to prevent blow-by and/or compression loss. Generally, the side seals 140 are as thick as theblades 110, as depicted in the drawing figures, but in alternate embodiments the side seals are a fraction of the blade thickness. The side seals 140 can be rigidly coupled to theblade tip seal 130 through any number of conventional joints, such as a bridle joint, dovetail joint, lap joint, T-joint, mortise and tenon joint, and/or any other conventional method of joining the same. In preferred example embodiments, a bridle joint 142 is used to couple the side seals 140 to theblade tip seal 130. In other embodiments, the side seals 140 andblade seal 130 can be formed as a unitary part, separately or in conjunction with theblade 110. - During operation, the internal components of the
engine 10 expand due to the heat from internal combustion, including the cowl, the expansion/compression cavity 30 and theblades 110. Unfortunately, once tight tolerances between these components at startup grow significantly as the components are exposed to high heat. Known rotary vane engines have been unsuccessful in resolving these changes in tolerances, which typically result in increased engine wear and large inefficiencies due to compression losses. The present invention solves this problem by engineering the blades to expand to maintain sealing across a range of thermal expansion and contraction. One such embodiment of an expandable blade is seen inFIG. 8 , wherein theexpandable blade 110 is comprised of three main components: twoblade halves expansion wedge 150 therebetween. Alternatively, theblade 110 can be divided into thirds or fourths or fifths, etc. and two or more expansion wedges can be used as desired. In depicted example embodiments, the twohalves expansion wedge 150 is positioned within arecess 152 into the face of the twoblade halves wedge 150 also includes aprotrusion 154 that is received by acomplementary recess 156 in theblade 110 to further provide a frictional force to retain the wedge therein. In example embodiments, thewedge 150 is triangular, wherein the narrowest angle of the triangle is directed towards theblade tip 115 and the wider end of the triangle is directed towards the root of the blade. In preferred embodiments, two ormore wedges 150 can be used perblade 110. In still other embodiments, theblade body 110 can be comprised of a unitary unit. However, regardless of the particular embodiment used, as the engine components are exposed to heat from the internal combustion, thecowl 20 begins to expand. This expansion causes gaps to occur between theblade tip seal 130, side seals 140, and the expanding cowl, such that efficiency losses would occur without the expansion capabilities of theblade 110. The centrifugal forces that theblade 110 is subjected to in normal operation, biases theexpansion wedge 150 radially outwards (towards the cowl 20), such that the triangular wedge drives the twohalves blade 110 to expand widthwise and maintain a seal against thecowl 20. - Numerous other embodiments of expanding blades can be used with the present invention, such as the alternative blade design depicted in
FIG. 15 . The main segments of theblade 210 are shown in this figure. In this particular embodiment, there are five different components that can be edge fitted using a tongue and groove arrangement surrounded by the three seal sections (130, 140) in a similar arrangement as described above. The five components include three blade components, 212, 214, and 216 and further include twowedge components blades 110 can be engineered to expand by constructing the blades out of a material that has a different thermal rate of expansion than thecowl 20, such that as the cowl and blades are heated, the blades expand to fill in the gap created by the thermal expansion of the cowl. However, nothing herein is intended to limit the present the invention to a particular expanding blade design, as numerous blade embodiments can be conceived based on the expanding blade concept disclosed herein to prevent blow-by and compression losses during normal operating conditions. - A sectional view of an example engine according to the present invention is depicted in
FIG. 16 , showing the components (without the combustor) interconnected within thecowl 20. It can be seen that at least onegear 160 is connected to therotor hub 42 for outputting power to be used as desired. In alternate embodiments, therotor hub 42 can be directly coupled to a transmission system or gear box for use in an automobile or other vehicle. Although a method of operation has already been described above, it can be better seen how anexample engine 10 according to the present invention operates inFIG. 16 . The outer housing orcowl 20 defines a chamber, which houses the eccentrically mountedrotor 40. Therotor 40 includes the plurality ofsplines 100 radially configured and spaced apart to defineslots 45 between successive splines. The plurality ofrotary blades 110 are received in the correspondingslots 45, wherein the blades are permitted to slide within the slots, such that the blades can be radially extended or retracted in respect to therotor 40. The radial extension of theblades 110 is limited by therace 120, which includes theblade guide surface 122. Eachblade 110 includes ablade collar 112 to engage theblade guide surface 122 and limit the radial extension of the blades. Theblades 110 include atip sealing surface 130 and side sealing surfaces 140, which engage confronting faces of thecowl 20, to seal the blades against the cowl. Therace 120 permits theblades 110 to engage the interior face of thecowl 20, such that blade sealing can be maintained, but prevents the blades from being subjected to high wear forces. As therotor 40 andblades 110 are rotated about the fixedshaft 90, intake air is compressed and deposited into the combustor 50 (not shown) where the air is mixed with a fuel source and combusted. Once combusted, the exhaust is received into theexpansion side 30 b of the expansion/compression cavity 30, where the exhaust is allowed to expand and further drive the rotation of therotor 40. The at least onegear 160 is coupled to therotor 40 to output power generated by theengine 10. - In example embodiments of the present invention, the engine components are generally made from 4140 hardened steel and the wear surfaces are coated with nitrites to prolong engine use. The blade seals 130, 140 are formed from a bronze alloy and the combustor is formed from stainless steel. In other embodiments, the engine components can be interchangeably formed from stainless steel, hardened steel, chromium alloyed steel, titanium, aluminum, cast iron, high temperature alloys, composite or thermoplastic materials, nickel, and/or other various types of metals and metal alloys. Nothing herein, is intended to limit the present invention to being constructed from a particular type(s) of material and the materials listed above are for example purposes only.
- In an alternate embodiment of the present invention, the
engine 10 is implemented in the form of a dual rotary vane stage in which partial compression in the first stage is followed by cooling in a specifically designed intercooler such as those found on some turbocharged piston designed automobile engines. The final stage would compress the cooled air further before introducing it into a combustor. The output gases from the combustor would then drive the two stages in series. The two stages would be tied together in a direct drive arrangement to mechanically ensure flow continuity and thus efficiency of compression. - In another alternate embodiment of the present invention, the
engine 10′ can include a solarthermal collector 50′ instead of a combustor as described above, as depicted inFIG. 17 . Other than the solarthermal collector 50′ the remainder of theengine 10′ comprises the same or similar components as described in the example embodiments above, and are designated with a prime designation. As shown inFIG. 17 , air or other working fluids are compressed ingas cavities 30′ formed between theblades 110′ and thecowl 20′ by the rotation of therotor 40′. The working fluid is ported into the solarthermal collector 50′ through thecompression port 80′, where the working fluid is heated. The solarthermal collector 50′ can utilize energy collected from the sun to heat the working fluid deposited therein. The heated working fluid can then be ported back into therotor 40′ through theexpansion port 85′, where the working fluid is allowed to expand and power the rotor. In example embodiments, the working fluid is atmospheric air. Alternatively, the working fluid can be argon (for greater efficiency), or other fluid types as desired by a user. - In other alternate embodiments, the combustor can be replaced with any known heat exchanger to deliver energy to heat the working fluid. As such, the heat exchanger can be powered by coal fuel, nuclear energy, solar power, etc.
- In still another alternate example embodiment, the present invention includes an engine 310 having a dual
bodied rotor 340 that is eccentrically mounted within acowl 320, as seen inFIGS. 18-19 . Therotor 340 is comprised of two rotor bodies, aninner rotor 342 and anouter rotor 344. In example embodiments, thecowl 320 androtor bodies cowl 320, theblades 410 remain in substantially perpendicular sealing engagement with the cowl, such that a sealing arrangement is maintained. In fact, a cross-section of thecowl 320, as seen inFIG. 18 , can be substantially circular in shape. The present embodiment can be utilized with, or without, a race as desired. To maintain sealing between theblades 410 and thecowl 320, at least two synchronizinggears rotor bodies FIG. 18 . In addition, theblades 410 can pivot at one or more pivot points, as seen inFIG. 19 to maintain a substantially perpendicular sealing arrangement between thecowl 320. - While the invention has been described with reference to preferred and example embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that a variety of modifications, additions and deletions are within the scope of the invention, as defined by the following claims.
Claims (23)
1. A rotary vane engine comprising:
an external housing defining a hollow chamber therein;
a rotor eccentrically mounted within the chamber, the rotor having a plurality of rotary blades extending radially therefrom;
a race substantially contained within the rotor, the race being in mechanical engagement with at least a portion of the blades to limit the radial extension of the blades in relation to the rotor.
2. A rotary vane engine of claim 1 , wherein the engine further comprises a fixed shaft coupled to the housing.
3. A rotary vane engine of claim 2 , wherein the race is rigidly coupled to the fixed shaft.
4. The rotary vane engine of claim 3 , wherein the rotor is operable for rotational movement about the fixed shaft and race.
5. The rotary vane engine of claim 1 , wherein the race limits the radial extension of the blades from a retracted position to an extended position.
6. The rotary vane engine of claim 5 , wherein the race comprises a blade guide surface to engage the blades.
7. The rotary vane engine of claim 6 , wherein the blades comprise a blade collar for engagement with the blade guide surface.
8. A rotary vane engine comprising:
a cowl defining a hollow chamber therein; and
a rotor eccentrically mounted within the chamber, the rotor having a plurality of rotary blades extending radially outwardly therefrom for sealing engagement with an interior confronting face of the cowl;
wherein at least a portion of the interior face of the cowl defines a substantially exponential curvature;
wherein the engine further comprises a race substantially contained within the rotor, the race being in mechanical communication with at least a portion of the blades to limit the radial extension of the blades in relation to the rotor, and wherein the race is substantially elliptical in shape.
9. A heat powered rotary vane engine comprising:
a cowl;
a rotor rotatably mounted within the cowl, the rotor having a plurality of radially mounted blades configured to compress a working fluid; and
a heat exchanger in fluid communication with the cowl to receive compressed working fluid from the rotor;
wherein energy is transferred from the heat exchanger to at least a portion of the compressed working fluid received therein.
10. The heat powered rotary vane engine of claim 9 , wherein the heat exchanger is a solar thermal collector.
11. A continuously combusting rotary vane engine comprising:
a cowl defining an internal curvature;
a rotor rotatably mounted within the cowl, the rotor having a plurality of blades extending therefrom, wherein an expansion/compression cavity is defined between the cowl and the rotor, the expansion/compression cavity comprising an expansion side wherein a working fluid expands to rotationally drive the rotor, and a compression side wherein the working fluid is compressed by rotation of the rotor;
a race mounted within the rotor and fixedly positioned relative to the cowl, the race defining a guide surface corresponding to the internal curvature of the cowl and guiding the plurality of blades to maintain sealing contact between seal elements at tip portions of the blades and the internal curvature of the cowl; and
an external combustor receiving the compressed working fluid from the compression side of the expansion/compression cavity, wherein at least a portion of the compressed working fluid is mixed with a fuel source to form a mixture and the mixture is substantially continuously combusted within the combustor and discharged to the expansion side of the expansion/compression cavity.
12. The continuously combusting rotary vane engine of claim 11 , wherein the cowl further comprises an intake port and an exhaust port.
13. The continuously combusting rotary vane engine of claim 12 , wherein the expansion side increases in cross-sectional area between the combustor and the exhaust port, and the compression side decreases in cross-sectional area between the intake port and the combustor.
14. The continuously combusting rotary vane engine of claim 13 , wherein the cowl and the rotor are axially offset such that the expansion/compression cavity is generally crescent shaped in cross-section.
15. The continuously combusting rotary vane engine of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of blades are expandable to maintain contact with the cowl upon rotation of the rotor.
16. The continuously combusting rotary vane engine of claim 11 , wherein the race is fixed in position relative to the cowl by a fixed shaft about which the rotor rotates.
17. The continuously combusting rotary vane engine of claim 16 , wherein the shaft extends through side plates on both sides of the rotor and is fixed to side portions of the cowl.
18. The continuously combusting rotary vane engine of claim 17 , wherein power is output from the rotor through at least one gear operatively coupled to a hub portion of the rotor.
19. The continuously combusting rotary vane engine of claim 11 , wherein the race limits radial extension of the plurality of blades to limit frictional contact between the internal curvature of the cowl and the tip portions of the blades.
20. A continuously combusting rotary vane engine comprising:
a cowl comprising an intake port and an exhaust port;
a rotor rotatably mounted within the cowl, the rotor and the cowl being axially offset to define a shared expansion/compression cavity comprising a compression side and an expansion side, the shared expansion/compression cavity being in fluid communication with both the intake port and the exhaust port, said rotor comprising a plurality of wedge-shaped splines secured between a pair of rotor side plates and coupled to a rotor hub for transferring power from the engine, said rotor further comprising a plurality of blades slidably mounted within slots between adjacent splines, the rotor side plates sealingly contacting the splines and the blades; and
an external combustor in fluid communication with the expansion and compression sides of the expansion/compression cavity;
wherein a working fluid is delivered through the intake port into the compression side of the expansion/compression cavity, compressed in the compression side by rotation of the rotor, mixed with a fuel source to form a mixture and the mixture is substantially continuously combusted within the combustor, discharged from the combustor to the expansion side, expanded through the expansion side to rotationally drive the rotor, and exhausted through the exhaust port.
21. The continuously combusting rotary vane engine of claim 20 , wherein the expansion/compression cavity is generally crescent shaped in cross-section, the expansion side tapering from narrower to wider in cross-section between the combustor and the exhaust port, and the compression side tapering from wider to narrower in cross-section between the intake port and the combustor.
22. The continuously combusting rotary vane engine of claim 20 , wherein the rotor comprises a plurality expandable blades extending therefrom.
23. A rotary vane engine comprising:
an external housing defining a hollow chamber therein;
a first rotor eccentrically mounted within the chamber; and
a second rotor eccentrically mounted substantially within the first rotor, the second the rotor having a plurality of rotary blades extending radially therefrom;
wherein the blades extend outwardly through the first rotor to maintain sealing engagement with a confronting interior face of the external housing.
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US14/035,457 US20140020384A1 (en) | 2007-03-05 | 2013-09-24 | Positive displacement rotary vane engine |
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US89291307P | 2007-03-05 | 2007-03-05 | |
US12/043,066 US8037863B2 (en) | 2007-03-05 | 2008-03-05 | Positive displacement rotary vane engine |
US13/233,073 US8567178B2 (en) | 2007-03-05 | 2011-09-15 | Positive displacement rotary vane engine |
US14/035,457 US20140020384A1 (en) | 2007-03-05 | 2013-09-24 | Positive displacement rotary vane engine |
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US13/233,073 Active US8567178B2 (en) | 2007-03-05 | 2011-09-15 | Positive displacement rotary vane engine |
US14/035,457 Abandoned US20140020384A1 (en) | 2007-03-05 | 2013-09-24 | Positive displacement rotary vane engine |
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US13/233,073 Active US8567178B2 (en) | 2007-03-05 | 2011-09-15 | Positive displacement rotary vane engine |
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-
2008
- 2008-03-05 US US12/043,066 patent/US8037863B2/en active Active
- 2008-03-05 CA CA2680200A patent/CA2680200C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 2008-03-05 CN CN201310053004.1A patent/CN103195482B/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 2008-03-05 WO PCT/US2008/055960 patent/WO2008109704A2/en active Application Filing
- 2008-03-05 CN CN2008800142984A patent/CN101675224B/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 2008-03-05 EP EP08731472.0A patent/EP2134945A4/en not_active Withdrawn
-
2011
- 2011-09-15 US US13/233,073 patent/US8567178B2/en active Active
-
2013
- 2013-09-24 US US14/035,457 patent/US20140020384A1/en not_active Abandoned
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
WO2008109704A2 (en) | 2008-09-12 |
US8037863B2 (en) | 2011-10-18 |
CN103195482A (en) | 2013-07-10 |
CA2680200C (en) | 2014-03-04 |
EP2134945A2 (en) | 2009-12-23 |
US20080216792A1 (en) | 2008-09-11 |
CA2680200A1 (en) | 2008-09-12 |
EP2134945A4 (en) | 2015-07-29 |
US20120000199A1 (en) | 2012-01-05 |
CN101675224B (en) | 2013-03-27 |
CN101675224A (en) | 2010-03-17 |
CN103195482B (en) | 2016-05-04 |
US8567178B2 (en) | 2013-10-29 |
WO2008109704A3 (en) | 2009-01-15 |
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