WO1996001365A2

WO1996001365A2 - Cyclic energy conservation system

Info

Publication number: WO1996001365A2
Application number: PCT/US1994/006058
Authority: WO
Inventors: John Carroll Phillips
Original assignee: John Carroll Phillips
Priority date: 1994-07-01
Filing date: 1994-07-01
Publication date: 1996-01-18
Also published as: AU2459695A; WO1996001365A3

Abstract

Gas is expanded and compressed simultaneously in two chambers for half of the cycle and moves the gases through a heat exchanger (17) in opposite directions so heat from the hotter expanded gas exiting expansion cylinder (101) is progressively transferred to the cooler compressed gas exiting compression cylinder (127) before adding the heat of combustion internally in incandescent combustion space (38) or externally, through heater (69). This sequence provides a four stroke cycle and one power impulse every revolution of the crankshaft (121).

Description

CYCLIC ENERGY CONSERVATION SYSTEM

BACKGROUND

This invention relates generally to a cyclic energy conservation system, more particularly to an energy conversion system that applies to combustion engines, refrigerators, heat pumps and air compressors.

The main drawbacks of contemporary combustion engines are the loss of most of the thermal energy produced, the production of excessive amounts of air pollutants and the use of complicated systems that attempt to reduce these obvious deficiencies. Refrigerators, heat pumps and air compressors also waste available energy by not using a progressive phased transfer of thermal energy between expanded and compressed gas during the energy conversion cycle.

A primary object of this invention is to provide an ideal reversible energy conservation cycle that fulfills the conditions, as closely as possible, necessary to obtain maximum efficiency. During this cycle gas compression and gas expansion are simultaneous for half the cycle as is the progressive transfer of thermal energy between said gases for the remainder of the cycle.

A system operated in this cycle, as a refrigerator, converts an input of mechanical energy into an output of thermal energy. A system operated in this cycle, as an engine, converts an input of chemical and thermal energy into an output of mechanical energy. The construction of refrigerators and engines shown are substantially the same, only heat exchangers, intake and exhaust manifolds are modified.

A system operated in this cycle, as an engine, expands and compresses equal volumes of gas simultaneously in two chambers during half the cycle. During the second half of the cycle the gases are moved through a heat exchanger in opposite directions, so heat from the hotter expanded gas is progressively transferred to the cooler compressed gas before adding the heat of combustion. This sequence provides a four stroke cycle and one power impulse for each revolution of the crankshaft.

A system operated in this cycle, as a refrigerator, expands and compresses equal volumes of gas simultaneously in two chambers during half the cycle. During the second half of the cycle the gases are moved through a heat exchanger in opposite directions, so heat from the hotter compressed gas is progressively transferred to the cooler expanded gas before it is expanded. This sequence provides a four stroke cycle that returns mechanical energy to the system each revolution of the crankshaft and provides thermal energy for cooling.

A heat pump connects two systems by a common crankshaft with their crankpins 180° apart and operates one as an engine and the other as a refrigerator. An extra chamber is added to each heat exchanger and a fluid or gas is circulated through the engine chamber for heating and through the refrigerator chamber for cooling. All or part of the coolant leaving the refrigerator chamber can be used to cool the refrigerator and engine compression chambers to increase the efficiency and output of the heat pump.

A further object is to add a burner to the system that can be adapted to burn most liquid or gaseous fuel and reduce pollutants significantly.

A further object of this system is to obviate complicated ignition, spark advance, fuel injection and valve actuating systems as well as eliminate parts in the exhaust, muffler and emission control systems.

A further object of this system is to provide cylinder heads for conventional engines so they can operate in this cycle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One embodiment of a system, used as an engine, shows the housing as generally cylindrical in shape defining a cylindrical bore therein to permit axial movement of a two headed piston between the cylinder heads to form a compression chamber at one end and an expansion chamber at the other end. The compression chamber cylinder head is provided with an inlet valve to admit an inflammable mixture of gases and an exhaust valve to exhaust the compressed mixture into one end of the inner member of the heat exchanger, its other end is connected to the expansion chamber cylinder head and includes or is connected to a burner section capable of supporting combustion. The expansion chamber cylinder head is provided with an inlet valve to admit the burned gases for expansion and an exhaust valve to exhaust the expanded gases, moved by the piston, into the outer shell of the heat exchanger. The piston heads are connected by a yoke and in combination with an eccentric crank mechanism remove mechanical energy from the system.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a plan view illustrating, somewhat schematically, the relationship of the external parts and partially broken away to show the major internal parts;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross sectional view through two cylinders of a conventional engine block showing a cylinder head combining the structures shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 and a fuel injection system;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of the expansion chamber cylinder head taken substantially along line 3-3 of FIG. 1 showing the expansion chamber exhaust passages;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of the expansion chamber cylinder head and outlet valve taken substantially along line 4-4 of FIG. 7 showing the air-fuel and coolant passages. Air-fuel passages in the cylinder head are rotated 90° to show their angular relationship to the passages in the outlet valve;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of the center portion of the compression chamber cylinder head cover taken substantially along line 5-5 of FIG. 3 showing its coolant passages and chamber;

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal cross sectional view of the cylinder block taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 1 showing the piston, eccentric crank mechanism and coolant chambers for the compression and expansion chambers;

FIG. 7 is a longitudinal cross sectional view of an expansion chamber cylinder head and associated parts taken substantially along line 7-7 of FIG. 3, this view shows parts of the heat exchanger, burner, inlet and outlet valves and provisions for cooling certain parts;

FIG. 8 is a longitudinal cross sectional view of a compression chamber cylinder head taken substantially along line 7-7 of FIG. 3, this view shows part of a refrigerator heat exchanger, inlet manifold, inlet and outlet valves and means for cooling the compression chamber and cylinder head.

DESCRIPTION

Referring to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 1, the system is generally designated by the numeral 10 and essentially comprises an engine 11, primary heat exchanger shell members 16, 17, 18, and secondary heat exchanger shell member 110. Inner heat exchanger member 15 is connected to compression chamber cylinder head 82 by nut 87, passes through said shells and is fastened to expansion chamber cylinder head 22 by fitting 23. Outer split cylindrical shell members 18 and inner split cylindrical shell members 17 are made of a suitable ceramic material formed with an inside spiral passage to confine the exhaust gas around inner member 15. The coolant system includes tube 25 connected between pump 12 and coolant chambers in cylinder head 82 and block 30, tube 28 connects said chambers and radiator 14 and tube 21 returns the coolant to pump 12. Tube 29 connects oil pump 19 to coolant chambers in cylinder head 22, inlet valve 43 and outlet valve 75. Tube 31 connects said chambers to secondary heat exchanger shell 110, tube 111 connects heat exchanger shell 110 to radiator 13 and tube 32 returns the oil to pump 19. Passages in block 30 and crankshaft 122 connect all bearing surfaces to the oil pump. The radiators pumps and plumbing are illustrated somewhat schematically to show their connection and relationship. Actual size and connections would depend on system use and coolant requirements. The major components of the embodiments are shown in FIGS. 1 through 8. FIG. 7 illustrates the expansion chamber cylinder head 22 and the parts connected or associated with it. The flange portion 27 of sleeve 33 is fastened to cylinder block 30 by studs 129, washers 131 and nuts 130. Sleeve 33 flange 27, surface 34 and groove 35 define annular heat exchanger chamber 47 which sealingly fits split cylindrical shell members 17 and 18 as fasteners 24 are tightened. A plurality of exhaust passages 26 extend through sleeve 33 near surface 34 and are tangent to its inner diameter as shown in FIG. 3. An annular coolant chamber 37 is formed between the heat exchanger chamber 47 and combustion chamber 38. Porous ceramic disks 39,40,41 and 42 fit in annular recess 49. Disks 39 and 40 are insulating disks and combustion chamber 38 is formed between disks 41 and 42. Coolant chamber 66 is formed between the sleeve portions 50 and 52 of cover 48. Passages 45 pass through sleeve 44, are tangent to inside diameter 46 and connect combustion chamber 38 to inlet valve seat 67 as shown in FIGS. 4 and 7. Expansion chamber inlet valve 43 is provided with a sleeve portion that tightly fits the outside diameter of valve stem 63 and its annular portion presses against the end of stem 63, its outside diameter slidably fits the inside diameter of exhaust valve guide 59 in sleeve 52 and its conical head fits seat 67. Expansion chamber outlet valve 75 is provided with a conical head that fits seat 74 in cylinder head 22 and a stem portion 76, centered by inlet passage 70, sealingly fits a bore in valve stem 63, a flange portion 77 and outlet valve head 75 form a coolant chamber and are permanently joined together. A baffle plate 78 directs the coolant flowing from chamber 62 through two inlet passages 71 to the hot surfaces first, then through two outlet passages 73 between coolant chambers 64 and 65. Spring 60 closes inlet valve 43 and opens outlet valve 75. Cylinder liner 101 fits a cylindrical chamber in cylinder head 22. Piston cap 102 has a head 103, skirt 104 and center column 105 centered by a threaded bore and held in place by stud 106 and an annular groove in piston head 114. Set screw 107 or other suitable means locks it in place. These parts are made of a heat resistant metal or suitable ceramic material.

Cover 48 is fastened to cylinder head 22 by studs 54 washers 56 and nuts 55. The center portion of the cover is shown in FIG. 5. Coolant inlet passage 57 connects with an annular chamber above the annular end of inlet valve 43 and coolant flows from said chamber through the clearance between cylinder 51 and the stem of valve 43 into distribution chamber 62. Tubular extension 53 slidably fits the inside diameter of fixed washer 61 in stem 63 and directs the coolant to outlet passage 58.

FIG. 8 illustrates the compression chamber cylinder head 82 and the parts connected to or associated with it. Cylinder head 82 is fastened to cylinder block 30 by studs 83, washers 84 and nuts 85. Studs 83 have a central bore and radial hole to provide coolant flow from chamber 123 to 124. A shoulder on fitting 86 is tapered to fit a mating taper in cylinder head 82, is held in place by nut 87 and permanently attached to inner member 15. Compression chamber inlet valve 88 and outlet valve 89 have a common axis with their conical heads fitting conical seats 90 and 96 respectively and their stems slidably fitting bore 91 in cylinder head 82. The small stem diameter of outlet valve 89 slidably fits the bore in the inlet valve stem. The head of bolt 93 and spring 95 slidably fit the bore in outlet valve 89. Pressure by spring 95 on shoulder 92 and the head of bolt 93 hold said valves together and keep them normally closed. Plug 98 sealingly fits tapered threads in outlet valve 89 to prevent gas from by-passing valve seat 96. Passages 94 through the inlet valve and passages 97 in outlet valve 89 direct gas to outlet valve seat 96.

Intake manifold 125 is sealingly held between cylinder block 30 and compression chamber cylinder head 82. FIG. 8 shows it connected to end 99 and heat exchanger shell 16 so the system can be used as a refrigerator, FIG. 1 shows it connected to carburetor 126 so the system can be used as an engine burning an air-fuel mixture, FIG. 2 shows air intake manifold 78 when the system is used as a fuel injected engine.

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view through cylinder block 30 and illustrates the parts associated with it. Block 30 is a modified cylinder flanged at the compression at the mounting ends. Flat faces are added to mount coolant pump 12, oil pump 19 and mounting bosses 112, suitable bosses are also provided for main journal bearings 113. It contains coolant chamber 108 for the expansion chamber, coolant chamber 109 for the compression chamber and a central bore that slidably fits piston heads 114 and 115. Piston 116 includes yoke 117 attached to or integrally formed with said heads. Bore 118 in yoke 117 fits eccentric crank disk 119, made from two halves, held together by bolt 120 locked by suitable means and having bearing surfaces for crankpin 121 and yoke bore 118. Crankshaft 122 is counterbalanced, has two main journal bearings and is drilled to provide oil passages to all bearing surfaces and oil pump 19, water pump 12 and flywheel 20 are also attached to it. Oil plug 100 fits like threads in block 30.

FIG. 2 illustrates a conventional engine broken away to show a crankshaft with the crankpins 180° apart. The conventional cylinder head has been replaced by a head that is substantially a combination of the structures shown for cylinder heads 22 and 82. Intake manifold 78, fuel injector 79 and fuel line 128 replace intake manifold 125 and carburetor 126 to show the connections of fuel injection parts.

When the system is operated as an engine piston 116 moves away from cylinder head 82 and air is drawn through carburetor 126 to form an air-fuel mixture, through inlet manifold 125 passages 36, and inlet valve 88 to fill compression chamber 127. Piston 116 reverses direction, forcing outlet valve 88 to close passages 36 and compresses the air-fuel mixture until the rising pressure opens outlet valve 89. The mixture is then transferred to inner heat exchanger member 15 and outlet valve 89 is closed by spring 95. The compressed air-fuel mixture is then progressively heated by the exhaust gas from the expan¬ sion chamber surrounding the inner heat exchanger member 15.

This member is shown as one tube but could be a plurality of tubes selected so the velocity of the air-fuel mixture will exceed the flame propagation velocity to make auto-ignition impossible, also the flames of most gases can not be propagated through tubes smaller than a critical diameter. The air fuel mixture enters combustion chamber 38 tangentially between porous ceramic disks 41 and 42. A glow plug 81 or other suitable ignition device will start the combustion that will form an incandescent combustion zone at the surface of said porous disks which will transfer radiant heat to the gases. The mixture leaves combustion chamber 38 when inlet valve 43 is opened and outlet valve 75 is closed by piston head 103. It then flows through passages 72 which are tangent to bore 80 to form a vortex and through passage 70 in the center of outlet valve stem 76. This vortex leaves passage 70 and expands spirally in the hot expansion chamber to move piston 116 axially and follow the inside diameter of insert 101 to exhaust passages 26. During the expansion stroke pressure increases in combustion chamber 38 until it exceeds the pressure in the expansion chamber. This closes inlet valve 43 and opens exhaust valve 75. The expansion chamber is exhausted by piston 116 into the spiral chamber between outer heat exchange members 17 and 18, where it progressively heats the compressed air-fuel mixture in inner heat exchanger member 15, before being exhausted through exhaust pipe 16.

When the system is operated as a refrigerator crankshaft 122 is rotated by suitable means and piston 116 moves away from cylinder head 82 and refrigerant is drawn from the outer shell 16 of the heat exchanger through inlet manifold 126, passages 36 and inlet valve 88 to fill compression chamber 127. Piston 116 reverses direction forcing inlet valve 88 to close passages 36 and compresses the refrigerant until the rising pressure opens outlet valve 89. The refrigerant is then transferred to the inner heat exchanger member 15 and outlet valve 89 is closed by spring 95. The compressed refrigerant is progressively cooled by the expanded refrigerant surrounding it and leaves the heat exchanger when inlet valve 43 is opened and outlet valve 75 is closed by piston 116, it then flows through throttling passage 70 into the expansion chamber. This throttling and expansion of the refrigerant while doing work cools it and piston 116 exhausts it through outlet valve 75 into the outer heat exchanger shell. End 99 in FIG. 8 sealingly connects inner member 15 and outer member 16 of the heat exchanger to inlet manifold 126. This regenerative cooling cycle cools the refrigerant to its working temperature. Sealed chamber 134 is added to the heat exchanger by adding ends 69, shell 136, and inlet and outlet members 132 and 133 respectively. A gas or fluid circulated through chamber 134 can be used as a coolant. Selection of the refrigerant would determine if chamber 134 would be a heat exchanger, evaporator, or both.

Sealed chamber 135 ,substantially the same as chamber 134 can also be added to outer shell member 16 in FIG. 1 and a gas or fluid can be circulated through it for heating. Secondary heat exchanger shell 110 is connected to inlet tube 31 and outlet tube 111 to use the thermal energy available from the oil circulating through the engine, chambers in the expansion chamber cylinder head and its inlet and outlet valves.

It should be recognized that the engines shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are simplified and arranged so as not to obscure the invention. For example, the cooling and heating means are somewhat schematic with certain fittings, insulation and fasteners omitted. Conventional seals are shown but would be changed or other seals added to meet use requirements of the system. A burner using surface combustion between porous refactory disks is shown, however, other conventional burners force an air-fuel mixture through cylindrical walls made of porous refactory material, refactory lined tubes etc.. These and other conventional burners could be adapted for use with certain fuels.

Multiple systems can be connected together in conventional configurations for balancing, increasing displacement, efficiency and satisfying space requirements.

It should also be recognized that this cycle and system can be used as an external combustion engine and utilize thermal energy from an external source such as solar energy. These applications would connect the inner heat exchanger member 15 to passages 45 by suitable means heated by an external energy source.

While in the foregoing I have disclosed several embodiments of the invention in considerable detail for purposes of illustration, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that many of these details can be varied without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

I claim :

1. A cyclic energy conservation system comprising: means for simultaneously compressing and expanding gas in separate chambers, means controlling heat transfer between said compressed and expanded gas, means changing the temperature of said compressed and expanded gas and means utilizing energy produced by said system.

2. A system according to Claim 1 in which said compressing and expanding means includes a housing having at least one cylindrical bore permitting axial movement of a two headed piston between two cylinder heads to form a compression chamber at one end and an expansion chamber at the other end provided with inlet and outlet valves controlling the gas flow in and out of said chambers.

3. The structure of claim 2 in which said piston heads are connected by a yoke, an eccentric crank disk rotatably mounted in a bore in said yoke and about a crankpin of a crankshaft journaled in said housing and connected to a flywheel.

4. A system according to Claim 1 in which said heat transfer controlling means is a heat exchanger that includes an inner member for containing the compressed gas and an outer member for containing the expanded gas around said inner member.

5. A system according to Claim 1 in which said heat transfer controlling means is a heat exchanger that includes concentric tubular members, and a sealed chamber with inlet and outlet members through which a gas or fluid can be circulated for adding or removing heat energy from the system.

6. A system according to Claim 4 in which said compressed gas flows through said inner member and said expanded gas flows through said outer member in opposite directions so heat is transferred progressively from the hotter to the cooler gas.

7. A system in accordance with Claim 6 in which at least one sealed chamber, provided with inlet and outlet members, is added to said inner member through which a gas or fluid can be circulated to add or remove heat energy from said system.

8. A system according to Claim 1 in which said temperature changing means includes a carburetor attached to the inlet manifold of the compression chamber and a fuel line connecting said carburetor to a fuel supply.

9. A system according to Claim 1 in which said temperature changing means includes a fuel injector connected to the inner member of the heat exchanger and a fuel line connecting said fuel injector to a fuel supply.

10. A system according to Claim 1 in which said temperature changing means includes a burner section, for an inflammable mixture, attached to or formed in the expansion chamber cylinder head.

11. A system according to Claim 10 in which said burner section includes means for igniting said inflammable mixture.

12. A system according to Claim 1 in which said temperature changing means includes coolant chambers around the compression chamber and in the compression chamber cylinder head connected to a radiator and coolant circulating means.

13. A system according to Claim 1 in which said temperature changing means includes coolant chambers around the expansion chamber and in the expansion chamber cylinder head connected to a radiator and coolant circulating means.

14. A system according to Claim 1 in which said compression and expansion means include a conventional housing having at least two cylindrical bores permitting axially movement of two pistons and forming a compression chamber and an expansion chamber between said pistons and a cylinder head provided with inlet and outlet valves controlling gas flow in and out of said chambers.

15. The structure of claim 14 in which said pistons are operatively associated with connecting rods and a crankshaft, having crankpins 180° apart, journaled in said housing and connected to a flywheel.

16. A system according to Claim 1 in which the inlet and outlet valves of said expansion and compression chambers are mounted for axial movement along a common valve seat axis in their respective heads.

17. A system according to Claim 16 in which the compression chamber inlet and outlet valves and the expansion chamber inlet valve are held closed by spring means.

18. A system according to Claim 16 in which said inlet and outlet valves have a common stem axis with at least one gas passage through the large valve head leading to the smaller valve head.

19. A system according to Claim 16 in which cooling means are provided for the expansion chamber inlet and outlet valves including coolant chambers with inlet and outlet coolant passages.

20. A system according to Claim 16 in which means are provided for directing incoming and exhaust gas to spin spirally around the stem axes of said inlet and outlet valves of said chambers.

21. A system according to Claim 16 in which pressure on said expansion chamber inlet and outlet valve heads combine to close said inlet valve and pressure on the piston side of said outlet valve head will close said outlet valve and open said inlet valve.

22. A system according to Claim 16 in which coolant chambers are provided in the expansion chamber cylinder head and cover, with passages leading to and from said expansion chamber inlet and outlet valves connected to a radiator and coolant circulating means .

23. A system according to Claim 2 in which said expansion chamber cylinder head includes a cylinder liner permitting axial movement of a piston cap, said liner and cap being made from heat resistant metal or suitable ceramic material.

24. A system according to Claim 4 in which the expansion end of said inner member is formed into or attached to a burner section.

25. A system according to Claim 24 in which said burner section includes means for igniting an inflammable mixture.

26. A system according to Claim 4 in which the expansion end of said inner member is lengthened and formed so it can be heated by an external energy source.

27. A system according to Claim 24 in which said burner section includes means for directing the compressed air-fuel mixture tangent to the outside diameter of the combustion chamber over or through porous refactory members so an incandescent combustion zone is formed at the surface of said refactory members.

28. A system according to Claim 4 in which said outer members are two split concentric cylinders each including a mating spiral groove for containing the expanded gas around said inner member, the outer split cylinders include a boss and sealable clamp an exhaust pipe and expansion chamber cylinder head sleeve when suitable fasteners through said split cylinders and boss are tightened.

29. A system according to Claim 28 in which said confining members are made of ceramic material.

30. A system according to Claim 4 in which said inner member is operatively connected by suitable means between the outlet valve of the compression chamber, the combustion chamber, and the expansion chamber inlet valve and said outer member is operatively connected by suitable means between the outlet valve of the expansion chamber and an exhaust pipe.

31. A system according to Claim 4 in which said inner member is operatively connected by suitable means between the compression chamber outlet valve and the expansion chamber inlet valve and said outer member is operatively connected by suitable means between the expansion chamber outlet valve and the compression chamber inlet valve.

32. A system according to Claim 30 in which a sealed chamber, with inlet and outlet members, is added to said exhaust pipe through which a gas or fluid can be circulated and heated to utilize heat energy produced by said system.

33. A system according to Claim 31 in which a sealed chamber, with inlet and outlet members, through which a gas or fluid can be circulated and cooled to utilize heat energy produced by said system.

34. At least two systems according to Claim 7 connected by a common crankshaft, one system operated as an engine with a gas or fluid circulated through said sealed chamber and removed for heating, the other system operated as a refrigerator with a gas or fluid circulated through said chamber and removed for cooling.

35. The system of Claim 34 in which air is circulated through said sealed chamber of said system operated as a refrigerator and through the compression chambers of both systems to cool them before being mixed with fuel and compressed for said system operated as an engine.