Classifications

• • 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
  • F02B53/00—Internal-combustion aspects of rotary-piston or oscillating-piston engines
  • F02B53/02—Methods of operating
• • 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
  • F01C1/356—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 outer member
  • F01C1/3562—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 outer member the inner and outer member being in contact along one line or continuous surface substantially parallel to the axis of rotation
• • 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
  • F02B75/00—Other engines
  • F02B75/02—Engines characterised by their cycles, e.g. six-stroke
• • 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
  • F02B75/00—Other engines
  • F02B75/02—Engines characterised by their cycles, e.g. six-stroke
  • F02B2075/022—Engines characterised by their cycles, e.g. six-stroke having less than six strokes per cycle
  • F02B2075/023—Engines characterised by their cycles, e.g. six-stroke having less than six strokes per cycle one
• • 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
  • F02B75/00—Other engines
  • F02B75/02—Engines characterised by their cycles, e.g. six-stroke
  • F02B2075/022—Engines characterised by their cycles, e.g. six-stroke having less than six strokes per cycle
  • F02B2075/025—Engines characterised by their cycles, e.g. six-stroke having less than six strokes per cycle two
• • 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
  • F02B75/00—Other engines
  • F02B75/02—Engines characterised by their cycles, e.g. six-stroke
  • F02B2075/022—Engines characterised by their cycles, e.g. six-stroke having less than six strokes per cycle
  • F02B2075/027—Engines characterised by their cycles, e.g. six-stroke having less than six strokes per cycle four
• • 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
  • Y02T—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION
  • Y02T10/00—Road transport of goods or passengers
  • Y02T10/10—Internal combustion engine [ICE] based vehicles
  • Y02T10/12—Improving ICE efficiencies

Definitions

• the present invention relates to an engine.
• Reciprocating internal combustion engines are susceptible to a number of problems. In particular, their reciprocation which in turn is converted into rotation causes wear and vibration problems. Their design necessitates the use of a crankshaft, and in slow-speed reciprocating piston engines developing high powers the use of crossheads, piston rods and connecting rods, which result in a bulky engine and may give rise to problems. They operate best on high quality expensive fuels and are inherently ill adapted to using a variety of fuels.
• the engine of the invention is envisaged as an inprovement on such conventional engines and is designed as a reversible rotary one-stroke internal ccmbustion engine.
• the engine comprises a stator which defines a cylindrical chamber, a drive shaft extending coaxially through said chamber, a rotor comprising a cylindrical hub mounted coaxially on said drive shaft and a rotor arm extending radially from said hub.
• the engine also comprises two radially movable wall meribers referred to as the reciprocating radial sealing walls each having a retracted position in which the radially inner face of the wall member lies flush with the inner periphery of the stator and an inserted position in which the said face of the wall member is in contact with the peripheral surface of the hub, means for selecting one of the wall members to lie normally in the inserted position so as to divide said cylindrical stator chamber into a combustion chamber between such wall member and the rotor arm and an air compression chamber.
• the engine is provided with means for introducing air and fuel into the combustion chamber whereby upon ignition of the fuel/air mixture the combustion gasses exert a force on the rotor arm to rotate the rotor in a predetermined direction according to which wall member is selected, and timing means synchronised with the rotation of the rotor to retract the selected normally inserted wall mamber for a period of time sufficient to allow the rotating rotor arm to move through the space occupied by said selected wall member when inserted and then to reinsert such wall member.
• the engine of the invention has been designed with the aim of achieving the following basic features: Its geometry and one revolution cycle of operation is such that in theory the combustion gasses expanding in the rotor space may be allowed to expand throughout 294 degrees of rotation, i.e in excess of 80% of the cycle duration thus, converting a very large portion of their heat energy into useful mechanical work by driving the rotor around its casing hence, resulting in a high engine efficiency. This follows from the fact that the longer the combustion gasses are allowed to expand in the working chamber of the engine sweeping volume and thus converting their heat energy into useful mechanical work, the higher the engine efficiency.
• the gas expansion occurs siirultaneously with the air compression process within the same rotor space thus, the engine operates on the one-stroke principle.
• the engine is reversible thus, it can operate in either the clockwise or the anti-clockwise direction of rotation, and the rotation may easily be reversed by means of suitable comonents fitted onto the engine.
• the engine has the capability of achieving high compression ratios and thus benefits the advantage of operating on a variety of fuels and in particular fuels of low quality such as H.V.F and slurries e.g of coal.
• the rotor which carries the rotary piston rotates concentrically with its driveshaft around the stator casing thus, avoiding the use of eccentric gears.
• the number of moving parts is relatively small resulting in easy maintenance and good reliability.
• the engine occupies substantially less space than a conventional internal combustion reciprocating piston engine and is designed to operate mainly in the low to medium speed range finding its application in ships, power stations, oil fields and industry, operating as a main power/propulsion unit or a generator prime mover however, it may be adapted to operate at higher speeds thus also finding application in the car and aircraft industry.
• the engine is designed as a "Rotary internal combustion reversible one-stroke engine" having a stator casing with opposed spaced sidewalls and an intervening, enclosing transverse cylindrical wall referred to as the peripheral part of the stator casing, defining together therein a cylindrical housing chamber, and a rotor mounted in the cylindrical housing chamber of the casing.
• the rotor is of a key hole cross-section shape and is coaxially mounted upon a driveshaft which is rotatably supported on suitable bearings placed externally and on either side of the opposed sidewalls of the stator casing and mounted on the engine supporting structure, the driveshaft extending coaxially through the cylindrical housing chamber of the stator casing.
• the driveshaft is also rotatably sealed by suitable gaskets which are situated coaxially around the cylindrical shaft opening of each of the aforementioned opposed sidewalls, and it extends through the cylindrical housing chamber of the stator from one sidewall through to the other, one end of the shaft carrying the engine flywheel while its other end is attached to the drive unit.
• the rotor may rotate in either the clockwise or the anti-clockwise direction of rotation around the stator casing, and its axis coincides with that of its driveshaft which passes through the centre of the cylindrical chamber of the stator housing.
• the rotor comprises a cylindrical hub mounted coaxially on said driveshaft and a rotor radial arm extending from said bub outwards of the rotor centre towards the inner circumference of the stator casing, said radial arm referred to as the rotary piston.
• the lateral faces of the rotary piston may span a certain width, say over a 40 degree angle, however this may be chosen accordingly to accomodate different design and operational features of the engine.
• the radially outer end face of the rotary piston is recessed in order to accomodate any movament of the inlet means which may otherwise hinder the rotation of the rotor, and is at all times in contact with the peripheral cylindrical inner surface of the stator casing which is equipped at the position as dictated by the engine cycle of operation with the following components:
• Two identical reciprocating radial sealing walls one operational during the clockwise and the other during the anti-clockwise rotation of the rotor respectively. Both such radial sealing walls are positioned radially with their axes set at fourty degrees to each other forming a fourty degree vee.
• Each radial sealing wall is mounted in a cylinder and is spring or pressure biased outwards of the rotor centre at the retracted position where its radially inner face lies flush with the inner periphery of the stator casing.
• the top of each cylinder which houses a radial sealing wall may be supplied with pressurized hydraulic fluid via a duct which through a two way rotary control valve communicates with a hydraulic cylinder housing a piston which may be activated from its bottom dead centre to its top dead centre position and vice-versa, by the engine camshaft at the exact position of the rotor as dictated by the engine cycle of operation.
• pressurized hydraulic fluid may enter the tcp of the cylinder which houses the operational radial sealing wall and activate the sealing wall inwards towards the rotor centre against the action of its spring, to the inserted position where its radially inner face is in contact with the peripheral surface of the rotor hub.
• the two way rotary control valves mentioned above control the admission of hydraulic fluid to the cylinders which house the radial sealing walls. When one of the above valves is set at its open position it allows compressed hydraulic fluid to flow from the said hydraulic cylinder to the top of the cylinder which houses the operational radial sealing wall and activate it.
• valve When the valve is set at its closed position it blocks the inlet of hydraulic fluid to the cylinder which houses the radial sealing wall and opens a return passage connected to the hydraulic fluid sump hence, rendering the radial sealing wall inactive and retracted to the position where its radially inner face lies flush with the peripheral inner surface of the stator casing.
• the rotary control valve corresponding to the cylinder which houses the radial sealing wall which is operational during the anti-clockwise rotation of the rotor is set at its open position. Accordingly, the rotary control valve corresponding to the cylinder which houses the radial sealing wall which is operational during the clockwise rotation of the rotor is set at its closed position, and vice-versa in the case of the clockwise rotation of the rotor.
• the peripheral wall member of the stator casing is equipped with a charge air inlet timing valve which is disposed in the peripheral wall of the stator in the sector which lies between the planes of the two radial sealing walls and controls the timing and duration of the admission of the compressed charge air supply to the combustion chamber.
• the charge air inlet timing valve communicates with the air outlet of the air receiver by means of suitable piping, and opens at its mouth to the rotor space. This valve is hydraulically activated by the camshaft to open or close similarly to the radial sealing walls.
• one or more fuel injectors are disposed in the peripheral wall member of the stator in the sector which lies between the planes of the two radial sealing walls, which inject a given fuel charge in the combustion chamber of the engine just before the time of ignition, depending on the ignition delay.
• an exhaust gas timing valve is disposed in the peripheral wall of the stator casing for relieying the rotor space from the combustion gasses at the end of the stroke, said valve opening at its mouth to the rotor space and being hydraulically activated to open or close similarly to the above mentioned air timing valve and radial sealing walls.
• the above mentioned radial sealing walls, air inlet and exhaust gas timing valves may be alternatively activated mechanically instead of hydraulically by overhead camshafts, or by a suitable cam/rocker arrangement which may be chain or gear driven by the engine driveshaft.
• the peripheral wall member of the stator casing is fitted with two air outlet ports, each set with its axis about
• Each air outlet port one operational during the clockwise and the other during the anti-clockwise rotation, opens at its mouth to the rotor space and communicates with the air inlet of the air receiver via suitable piping which is fitted with a rotary control valve which is set at its open or closed position according to the rotational direction of the rotor, and a one way non-return air outlet valve which permits air to flew only from the rotor space to the air receiver.
• the peripheral wall member of the stator casing is fitted with an atmospheric air induction port which provides communication between the rotor space and the atmosphere.
• This port is equipped with a one way non-return air inlet valve which permits air to flow only from the atmosphere into the rotor space at about the end of the scavenging process, and with a rotary control valve which is set at its open or closed position according to the rotational direction of the rotor.
• the atmospheric air induction ports open at their mouth to the rotor space while their end is fitted with an air filter.
• the combustion chamber which comprises a space with boundaries defined by the radial reaction face of the rotary piston, the part of the cylindrical surface of the rotor hub and the arc formed by the inner peripheral surface of the stator casing which lie between the radial reaction face of the rotary piston and the forward radial face of the activated radial sealing wall, the forward radial face of the activated radial sealing wall, and enclosed by the opposed sidewalls of the stator casing, and the air compression chamber which comprises a space with boundaries defined by the radial leading face of the rotary piston, the radial back face of the activated radial sealing wall, the part of the cylindrical surface of the rotor hub and the arc formed by the inner peripheral surface of the stator casing which lie between the leading radial face of the rotary piston and the radial back face of the activated radial sealing wall, and enclosed by the opposed sidewalls of the stator casing.
• the engine is provided with means for intennittently supplying fuel and air under suitable pressure to the combustion chamber at the respective positions of the rotor as dictated by the engine cycle of operation, the arranganent being such that on ignition of the injected fuel with the charge air in the combustion chamber, combustion will occur.
• the fuel/air mixture introduced in the combustion chamber may be ignited by one or more spark plugs which may be fitted to the peripheral wall member of the stator casing next to the fuel injectors, and may be fed intermittently with an electrical charge at the point in the cycle when the rotor reaches the firing position.
• the two respective firing positions of the rotor for the clockwise and anti-clockwise rotation are as follows:
• For the anti-clockwise rotation ignition is timed to occur at the instant when the centre of the radially outer end face of the rotary piston coincides with the centre of the radially inner face of the radial sealing wall which is operational during the clockwise rotation of the rotor.
• For the clockwise rotation ignition is timed to occur at the instant when the centre of the radially outer end face of the rotary piston coincides with the centre of the radially inner face of the radial sealing wall which is operational during the anti--clockwise rotation of the rotor.
• the camshaft Since the two abovementioned firing positions of the rotor are 40 degrees apart, in order to reverse the rotation from anti-clockwise to clockwise, the camshaft is rotated by 40 degrees in the clockwise direction, and vice-versa for the reversal from clockwise to anti-clockwise rotation.
• the reversing rotation of the camshaft is achieved by the incorporation of a conventional reversing flap mechanism operating within the drive gear of the camshaft.
• the engine of the invention may be provided with two or more identical rotors mounted on the same driveshaft for rotation in identical stator housings and having identical cycles of operation with any chosen phase difference between them.
• Figure 1 is a cross-section of the rotor of the engine according to the invention taken along the vertical plane which passes through its centre,
• Figures 2 to 4 are views similat to Figure 1 showing successive stages in the working cycle of the engine for the clockwise rotation of the rotor
• Figures 5 to 8 are views similar to Figure 1 shewing successive stages in the working cycle of the engine for the anti-clockwise rotation of the rotor
• Figure 9 is a longitudinal section of the engine taken along the horrizontally inclined plane which passes through the centre line of the activated radial sealing wall at the position of the rotor where its rotary piston is dianetrically opposite the activated radial sealing wall,
• Figure 10 is a schematic diaagram illustrating the hydraulic operation of the radial sealing walls
• Figure 11 is a table of the working cycle of the engine for both directions of rotation of the rotor
• Figure 12 is a cross-section of the rotor similar to Figure 1 but on a larger scale shewing details of the air induction ports and an alternative sealing arrangement
• Figure 13 is an enlarged pictorial view of part of the peripheral wall manber of the stator casing showing the arrangement of a radial sealing wall and the various valves and ports located on either side of it,
• Figure 14 is a cross-section of the air receiver used when a scavenge air timing valve is added to the engine and is taken along the vertical plane which passes through the centre line of the air receiver, and
• Figure 15 is a cross-section of the rotor taken along the vertical plane adjacent to a lateral face of the rotor.
• the engine comprises a rotor 2 mounted for rotation within the rotor space 43 of the housing and secured on the driveshaft 1.
• the rotor comprises a cylindrical hub which extends to a rotary piston 3 having a radically outer end face 44 which is recessed in order to acccmodate any movament of the inlet means which would otherwise hinder the rotation of the rotor.
• the face 44 is also fitted with suitable seals 7 and is at all times in contact with the inner periphery 45 of the peripheral wall member 46 of the stator casing.
• the peripheral wall 46 is fitted with two reciprocating radial sealing walls 4a and 4b which are mounted in cylinders 5a and 5b respectively, and are spring biased outwards of the rotor centre by the springs 6.
• the radially inner face of each radial sealing wall is also fitted with similar seals 7.
• Each cylinder 5 may be supplied with pressurized hydraulic fluid via an inlet duct 9 which through a two way rotary control valve 8 may communicate with a hydraulic cylinder containing the hydraulic fluid and housing a piston which may be activated fran its bottan dead centre to its top dead centre position, and vice-versa, by the engine camshaft.
• valve 8a corresponding to cylinder 5a is set and remains at its open position
• valve 8b corresponding to cylinder 5b is set and remaing at its closed position, and vice-versa for the anti-clockwise rotation.
• the camshaft activates the pistons in the above--mentioned hydraulic cylinders, which correspond to the cylinders which house the radial sealing walls, to their top dead centre position and pressurized hydraulic fluid flows from the said hydraulic cylinders to the valves 8a and 8b. Since during the clockwise rotation valve 8b is set and remains at its closed position, the hydraulic fluid supplied to it returns to its sump via return line 9b.
• valve 8a since valve 8a is set and remains at its open position the hydraulic fluid supplied to it may enter cylinder 5a via inlet duct 9a and activate the radial sealing wall 4a inwards towards the rotor centre to the inserted position where its radially inner face is in contact with the peripheral surface 2a of the rotor hub.
• two chambers are defined within the rotor space 43 between the rotary piston 3 and the activated radial sealing wall 4a, the combustion chamber 47 and the air compression chamber 48.
• the two radial sealing walls 4a, 4b are disposed radially with their axes set at 40 degrees to each other, and between them the peripheral wall 46 is fitted with a charge air inlet timing valve 12 and one or more fuel injectors 13 both disposed in the sector which lies between the planes of the two radial sealing walls. Diametrically opposite the said sector the peripheral wall 46 is fitted with an exhaust gas timing valve 15. All the abovementioned valves open at their mouth to the rotor space 43 and are hydraulically activated to their respective open or closed positions by the engine camshaft in conjunction with the abovementioned hydraulic cylinder/piston arranganent.
• the wall 46 is also fitted with two air outlet ports 16a, 16b which are disposed opposite each other and each opening at its mouth to the rotor space 43 and communicating via a rotary control valve 17 and a one way non-return air outlet valve 49 with the air inlet of the air receiver. Between each air outlet port 16 and its closest radial sealing wall the peripheral wall member 46 is equipped with an atmospheric air induction port which will be described later in detail.
• the rotor valve 17a is set and remains at its open position communicating port 16a with the air inlet of the air receiver, while valve 17b is set and remains at its closed position blocking any outlet of gas from port 16b, and vice-versa for the anti-clockwise rotation of the rotor.
• valve 17b is set and remains at its closed position blocking any outlet of gas from port 16b, and vice-versa for the anti-clockwise rotation of the rotor.
• the same process is repeated for the rotary control valve fitted to each atmospheric air induction port.
• the fuel injector/s 13 are connected to the fuel supply line, and timing and duration of the fuel injection is conveniently controlled by a suitable fuel timing valve -not shown-which is activated by the camshaft, the fuel being supplied to the timing valve under suitable pressure by means of a fuel pump and a fuel pressure regulating valve.
• the exhaust taming valve 15 is hydraulically activated open, and simultaneously the camshaft allows the piston in the hydraulic cylinder which compresses the fluid supplied to the cylinder 5a to move from its top dead centre to its bottom dead centre position. Hence, the hydraulic pressure in cylinder 5a falls and the operational radial sealing wall 4a is biased outwards of the rotor centre under the action of its spring 6 to the retracted position where its radially inner face lies flush with the inner periphery 45 of the peripheral wall member 46 of the stator casing.
• the rotor continues to rotate under the momentum of the engine flywheel and the engine timing may be suitably adjusted to end the exhaust phase by activating valve 15 closed at any chosen point during the interval from the instant the rotor has rotated throughout 310 up to 340 degrees of rotation however, in practice it is preferable to adjust the duration of the exhaust phase accordingly so that the exhaust gas timing valve 15 is activated closed about ten degrees before all of the scavenge air has left the rotor space.
• the charge air inlet timing valve 12 is hydraulically activated open by the canshaft, and compressed air leaves the outlet of the air receiver via duct 12a and through the valve 12 enters the combustion chamber 47 along the arrows shown in Figure 4, to build up the pressure of the air in chamber 47 to that required for the fuel ignition.
• the engine timing may be adjusted so that the valve 12 is activated closed at any point during the interval from the instant the rotor has rotated throughout 355 up to 359 degrees, depending on the ignition delay, and simultaneously the fuel injection begins.
• ignition of the fuel/air mixture occurs in chamber 47, combustion takes place and the above described 360 degree cycle of operation is repeated.
• the fuel injection may be timed to last throughout about ten to twenty degrees of rotation.
• the camshaft is rotated through 40 degrees in the anti-clockwise direction by means of the aforementioned reversing flap mechanism.
• valve 17a will be activated and set from its open to its closed position, while valve 17b will be activated and set from its closed to its open position thus, rendering port 16b operational.
• valves 8a and 8b whereby valve 8a will be activated and set from its open to its closed position while valve 8b will be activated and set from its closed to its open position.
• radial sealing wall 4b will become operational while radial sealing wall 4a will be rendered inoperative at the retracted position where its radially inner face lies flush with the inner periphery 45 of the stator casing.
• the same process is also repeated for the rotary control valves of the two atmospheric air induction ports.
• a suitable control mechanism may be fitted on the engine so that every time the rotation is reversed, all the abovedescribed functions are performed simultaneously at the push of a button.
• the cycle of operation for the anti-clockwise rotation of the rotor is identical to the cycle for the clockwise rotation having a phase difference of 40 degrees, see Figures 5 to 8.
• Figure 11 is a table illustrating the engine cycle of operation for both the clockwise and anti-clockwise rotation of the rotor.
• Figure 9 is a longitudinal section of the engine which has a driveshaft 1 mounted in bearings 27 which are supported in a composite engine fixed structure 11. At one of its ends the shaft 1 carries a flywheel 35 while its other end is attached to the drive unit -not shown. Intermediate the ends of shaft 1 the engine carries a gear 19 which via further gears 19 drives the camshaft 18, said camshaft mounted in bearings 27 which are supported in the composite engine fixed structure 11.
• the camshaft carries six cams 77, said cams hydraulically activating the two radial sealing walls, the exhaust and charge air inlet timing valves, and the fuel pump plunger and fuel timing valve.
• the valves and radial sealing walls are hydraulically activated by pistons 29 which are mounted in cylinders 30 which contain the hydraulic fluid.
• the rotor housing 10 has cooling passages 24 provided in its opposed sidewalls for cooling water circulation and also carries cylindrical gaskets 28 which are fitted in the cylindrical shaft opening of each sidewall on which shaft 1 is supported.
• the peripheral part 46 of the casing is equipped amongst other components with two reciprocating radial sealing walls 4 each mounted in a cylinder 5. Hydraulic fluid may be supplied to each cylinder 5 via the inlet duct 9 and rotary control valve 8 from its corresponding hydraulic cylinder 30.
• Each radial sealing wall 4 may be provided with cooling passages 31 through which oil coolant may flow to cool it.
• the oil coolant may enter each radial sealing wall from a telescopic pipe 32, circulates in passages 31 and leaves via the return telescopic pipe 33.
• the radially inner face of each radial sealing wall and the radially outer end face of the rotary piston are each fitted with suitable seals 7 for peripheral gas sealing.
• Lubrication of the rotor housing peripheral and lateral wall surfaces is achieved by means of a pump in conjunction with a timing device, not shown, which supply oil to the central oil feed bare 25 which is drilled around the centre of shaft 1 and extends axially along part of its length ending at the mouth of a radial bore 26 which extends up to the centre of the radially outer end face of the rotary piston.
• the peripheral lubrication is carried out externally by means of oil injectors disposed around the cylindriceal wall member 46 in conjunction with an oil pump, a timing device and an oil distributor, the pressurized oil which is supplied to the bore 25 may be used to force the seals 7 which are fitted along the radially outer end face of the rotary piston to be always in firm contact with the peripheral cylindrical inner surface 45 of the stator casing, and also to cool the rotor.
• an oil injector is fed ivtermittently with oil at the instant when the radially outer end face of the rotary piston is directly under the tip of the injector.
• Lubrication of the peripheral surface of the rotor hub and the lateral side faces of the rotor is achieved by means of a pump in conjunction with a timing device which supply oil to the telescopic pipe 34 which passes through the activated radial sealing wall 4 and extends up to its radially inner face which is in contact with the peripheral surface of the rotor hub throughout a given part of the engine cycle of operation.
• the oil supplied for lubrication may be suitably adjusted to be recirculated or consumed within the engine.
• FIG. 10 is a schanatic diagram illustrating the hydraulic operation of the radical sealing walls.
• Hydraulic fluid is supplied to the cylinders 5a and 5b which house the radial sealing walls 4a and 4b respectively.
• the pressurized fluid is supplied to the cylinders 5a,5b by the pistons 29 which are mounted in hydraulic cylinders 30 which contain the hydraulic fluid, said pistons being activated to move from their bottom dead centre to their top dead centre position and vice- versa, by cams 77a and 77b of the camshaft 18. Once the above pistons 29 are activated to their top dead centre position, pressurized hydraulic fluid reaches the rotary control valves 8a and 8b via the hydrauilic supply lines 9.
• the rotary control valve 8a For the clockwise rotation the rotary control valve 8a is set at its open position hence, hydraulic fluid may enter the cylinder 5a and activate the radial sealing wall 4a inwards towards the rotor centre against the action of its spring 6.
• the rotary control valve 8b is set at its closed position hence, the hydraulic fluid supplied to it will leave via the return line 9b to return to its sump 36, and vice-versa for the anti-clockwise rotation.
• the hydraulic fluid sump 36 communicates with the cylinders 30 via ducts each equipped with a one way non-return hydraulic valve 50 which allows fluid to flow from the sump 36 into the cylinders 30 only when the pistons 29 move from their respective top dead centre to their bottom dead centre position.
• FIG. 12 is an enlarged cross-section of the rotor taken along the vertical plane which passes through its centre, and shows details of the casing and the various components affixed therearound.
• the rotor space communicates with the atmosphere via one of the aic induction ports 66a or 66b, port 66a being set operational during the clockwise rotation while port 66b is set operational during the anti- clockwise rotation of the rotor.
• Each of the ports 66 is equipped with a rotary control valve 60, valve 60a set at its open position during the clockwise rotation, while valve 60b is set at its open position during the anti-clockwise rotation of the rotor.
• each port 66 is also fitted with a one way non-return air inlet valve 49, which permits air to flow only from the atmosphere into the rotor space, and an air filter 61.
• atmospheric air may enter the rotor space 43 via the operational air induction port 66 and air induction takes place.
• the inlet/outlet directions of the atmospheric air are symbolized by the arrows shown in Figure 12.
• a suitable air pump may be connected to the end of ports 66 so that during the air induction phase there is plenty of air induced under pressure in the rotor space 43.
• the peripheral wall member 46 of the stator casing may be fitted with a cylindrical liner 80, and as the rotor rotates the radially outer end face of the rotary piston is always in contact with the inner peripheral surface 45 of the liner 80.
• Peripheral sealing at the inner periphery of the stator is achieved by the incorporation of suitable seals 7 which are fitted in suitable grooves/supports disposed along the width of the radially outer end face of the rotary piston.
• suitable seals 7 which are fitted in suitable grooves/supports disposed along the width of the radially outer end face of the rotary piston.
• the radially inner face of the radial sealing wall 4b which is operational during the anti-clockwise rotation of the rotor may be provided with similar seals 7.
• a good alternative sealing systan should be provided between the peripheral surface 2a of the rotor hub and the radially inner face of the operational radial sealing wall 4a which is in contact with the surface 2a throughout a given part of the engine cycle of operation during the clockwise rotation, in order to gasket the combustion gasses in chamber 47 against escape from the point of contact between the radial sealing wall 4a and the peripheral surface of the rotor hub.
• the rotor hub surface 2a is provided with a sliding seal which is split in two parts 90a and 90b. Both such parts are secured in suitable grooves 64 which are disposed around the surface 2a, and when the rotor is at the firing position, zero degrees of the scale marked around the casing, parts 90a and 90b are forced into firm contact under the action of springs 63, see Figure 12.
• springs 63 see Figure 12.
• seal 90a remains in firm contact with the radially inner face of the activated radial sealing wall 4a and slides along the surface
• seal 90b follows the rotary piston.
• a suitable stepper s is fitted in groove 64.
• the operational radial sealing wall 4a is foeced by its spring outwards of the rotor centre to its fully retracted position, and as it lifts seal 90a is forced by spring 63 to slide in the clockwise direction along the surface 2a until it cones into firm contact with seal 90b, and this is shown by the dotted lines in Figure
• Both of the abovementioned radial sealing walls extend laterally beyond the width of the peripheral wall member 46 of the stator casing, see Figure 13, and are firmly supported in suitable radial guides 100 which are provided along part of the inner lateral surface of both opposed sidewalls.
• the inner surfaces of the guides 100 may be coated with suitable sealing material.
• one or more turbochargers may be connected between the exhaust manifold and the air inlet of the air receiver.
• a scavenge air inlet timing valve 14 may be fitted to the peripheral wall member of the stator easing disposed in the sector which lies between the planes of the two radial sealing walls, said valve positioned radially opening at its mouth to the rotor space, and being hydraulically activated to open or close by the engine camshaft.
• the air receiver 37 is divided in two portions, see Figure 14, the charging and the scavenging portion respectively, by a partition 38 which is fitted with a pressure sensitive valve
• the peripheral wall member 46 of the stator casing may be fitted with more than one fuel injectors for better distribution of the injected fuel charge in the combustion chamber, or alternative fuel injection means may be used e.g carburetters.
• the rotor rotates concentrically and the engine is reversible therefore, it dispenses with the crankshaft, crossheads, piston and connecting rods or a reversing gearbox which are commonly used in conventional two and/or four stroke reciprocating piston engines, and it also dispenses with eccentric gears commonly used in "Wankel" type rotary engines.
• stator casing is of a uniform cylindrical shape the angle of contact between the seals fitted along the radially outer end face of the rotary piston and the inner peripheral surface of .the stator housing, as well as the angle of contact between the seals fitted along the radially inner face of the operational radial sealing wall and the peripheral surface of the rotor hub are constant throughout the rotation of the rotor thus, restricting seal wear to a minimum.
• the engine operates on the one-stroke principle therefore, its geometry and 360 degree cycle of operation allow the combustion gasses to expand against the rotary piston in the rotor space throughout up to 294 degrees of rotation, i.e in excess of 80% of the engine cycle of operation thus, minimizing the exhaust gas losses and hence resulting in an outstandingly high engine efficiency.
• the engine benefits the capability of achieving gas expansion and air compression simultaneously within the same rotor space and is therefore distinguished as a one-stroke rotary internal combustion reversible engine.
• the engine is also capable of achieving high compression ratios thus benefiting the capability of operating on a variety of fuels and in particular on cheap fuels such as H.V.F and slurries e.g of coal.
• the air pressure charging of the combustion chamber is achieved under constant pressure, and this will contribute positively towards the engine efficiency.
• Two or more identical rotors may be mounted on the same driveshaft for rotation in identical housings and having identical cycles of operation with any chosen phase difference between them.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
• Valve Device For Special Equipments (AREA)
• Ignition Installations For Internal Combustion Engines (AREA)

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• 1984
  • 1984-11-29 WO PCT/GB1984/000408 patent/WO1985003549A1/en active Application Filing
  • 1984-11-29 DE DE19843490653 patent/DE3490653T1/de not_active Ceased
  • 1984-11-29 CH CH4365/85A patent/CH667132A5/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1984-11-29 GB GB08618091A patent/GB2182722B/en not_active Expired
  • 1984-11-29 EP EP85900142A patent/EP0204695A1/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 1984-11-29 KR KR1019850700245A patent/KR850700268A/ko not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1984-11-29 AU AU36776/84A patent/AU3677684A/en not_active Abandoned
• 1988
  • 1988-01-19 US US07/144,740 patent/US4819594A/en not_active Expired - Fee Related

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