WO2008081212A1

WO2008081212A1 - Hybrid, dual-rotor engine

Info

Publication number: WO2008081212A1
Application number: PCT/HR2008/000001
Authority: WO
Inventors: Dragan Ivetic
Original assignee: Dragan Ivetic
Priority date: 2007-01-02
Filing date: 2007-12-31
Publication date: 2008-07-10
Also published as: HRP20070001A2

Abstract

Hybrid, dual rotor engine uses two types of drives: electricity for electric motor drive and chemical energy of the fuel for the drive of the thermal part of the motor. These two drives operate in correlation. By alternating starting of the rotor (2) and (3) and stator (1) with fuel usage, the engine produces work, part of which is saved in the form of current in the batteries (8) and (9) via electric motor (4) and (5) voltage transformers (6) and (7), while electrical motors (4) and (5) start the rotors (2) and (3) when the thermal part of the motor is not working. Using the valve branch (10) with valves (11), (12) and (13) motor can work in form of open and closed circular process.

Description

HYBRID, DUAL-ROTOR ENGINE

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Field to which the invention relates

This invention relates to the area of conversion of chemical energy of the fuel to rotary movement of motor axis.

Technical problem

Direct conversion of chemical energy of the fuel to rotary movement of motor axis, with as lower loss of heat as possible in the process (rise of thermal and mechanical operation of the engine).

The state of the art

Process, during which after a series of repeated states of the substance, the working substance goes back to the initial state is called circular (cyclical or closed) process. Because of the simplicity it is considered that the substance is in the gaseous state. The final state of the working substance at the end of the cycle is identical to the initial state and the only effect is heat and mechanical work per cycle.

With processes at which expansion work is greater than work used for compression is called right- handed circular process and the difference in the operation is useful process work. In order to perform such circular process, at least two thermal containers are required: one container for heating and one for cooling, and the temperature of the heating container is always greater than the temperature of the cooling container.

Total heat per one cycle is equal to the difference of the induced heat (Qind) and exhausted heat (Qexh), so mechanical work per cycle is equal to the difference of induced and exhausted heat, that is to the difference of work obtained by expansion and used work during compression of working substance.

In both diesel and Otto processes the chemical structure of the working substance is changed, but closing of the process is theoretically conceivable if the combustion products released into environment form chemical compounds of the working substance as at the beginning of the process. From the viewpoint of pressure and temperature of the working substance such processes are also closed.

The construction of Otto and diesel four-stroke piston engines with internal combustion is similar: the cylinder houses a piston whose in-line movement changes the volume in which the working substance is found. Process is taking place in four strokes: induction, compression, expansion and exhaustion. Otto motors induce the fuel-air mixture through the intake valve when the piston moves from its upper into its lower position in the cylinder. Coming to lower position it closes the intake valve; the piston changes its direction of movement to the upper position and compresses the mixture - a stroke of

SUBSTITUT E SS-IiHcT(F₁L¹LE 2S) compression. When the piston comes to the upper position, the mixture ignites with a special device - the gases expand and the piston changes its direction moving toward the lower position -the expansion stroke produces work. Coming to the lower position, the piston changes its direction and is moving toward the upper position - that is when the exhaust valve is opened and combusted gases are, supported by the piston, exhausted into the environment - exhaust stroke closes the cycle process.

The difference between diesel four-stroke piston engines and Otto engines is in that, that diesel engines induce the air in the intake stroke. It makes greater compression possible, in the expansion stroke, the fuel is injected into compressed, hot air and it self-ignites.

Since in four-stroke piston engines operation is obtained only in the expansion stroke, battery for mechanical energy is fitted on the engine crankshaft - flywheel, which enables piston movement also in other strokes, and is also used for balancing the piston speed. Therefore these engines are also made as multi-cylindrical, so that one of the cylinders is always in the expansion stroke.

From the viewpoint of the mechanical losses of piston engines it is unfavorable that in-line movement of the piston must be converted into the rotary movement of the crankshaft.

Even more unfavorable is the conduction of the thermal process. All four strokes are conducted in the same housing. Intake stroke and compression of working substance need heat to be exhausted so that as less as possible work is needed for the compression, and the expansion stroke needs induction of the heat - those two requests are opposite- in practice the cylinders are getting cooled in order for working temperature to be kept -the heat is unrecurrently exhausted in the environment.

Wankel's rotary engine has the same problem, because it also conducts all strokes in the same housing.

These engines are mostly built in as power aggregates in motor vehicles. In order to save energy, electric motors supplying power from the battery are built in these engines as an additional power system. During braking, energy which would be lost in the form of heat on brake pads is used for current production by the electric motor which is then working in the generating driving mode - produced current is accumulated in the electrical battery. Since electric motors have great torque, they are used for moving the vehicle and for the vehicle drive at lower speeds. At some level of emptiness of the battery, internal combustion engine is moved, it drives the vehicle and electric motor charges the electrical battery.

Such drives, in which different sources of energy are used, are called hybrid drives.

The essence of the invention

Rotary construction is asserted as the natural solution in direct conversion of chemical energy of the fuel into rotary movement of engine crankshaft.

Thermal conduction of the circular process should be such, that induction and compression are conducted in the environment where heat can be taken away from the working substance and expansion in the environment where the induced heat can be accumulated.

Thermal processes are conducted in the stator with rotors and laps, which are arms of the two-armed lever (with equally long arms), whose center is in the center of the stator. Rotor bodies with the laps

SUBSTITUTE CHEET(RULE 26) with stator walls unify in a mutually air-tight chambers. Alternating rotor movements, volume of the chambers, in which intake, compression, expansion and exhaust strokes are conducted, is changed. Intake and compression strokes are always conducted in one, while expansion and exhaust strokes are conducted in the other part of the heat engine.

Figure 1 shows the initial state, where chambers are without working substance. Rotor movement increases the volume of the chamber and working substance is induced through the intake port 11. When the rotor achieves the position shown in the figure 2 (maximum intake volume is reached) both rotors move with kept volume of all chambers into the position shown in the figure 3. Rotor, which is closer to the movement direction, continues to move, other rotor is being stopped, and new quantity of working substance is induced into the chamber, and previously induced substance is compressed with induction of heat. When the rotor comes into position shown in the figure 4 (maximum intake volume, maximum compression), both rotors are moving into the position shown in the figure 5. One rotor is being stopped, and the other continues to move because of the expansion of the working substance with additional heat induction and it operates, through the intake port 11a, new quantity of the working substance is induced, previously induced is compressed with induction of heat. When the rotor reaches position shown in the figure 6, both rotors move to the position shown in the figure 7. Working medium exhausts in the environment through the exhaust port 13a, rotor is moving because of the expansion of the working substance with heat induction, previously induced working substance is compressed with heat induction, and the new quantity of working substance is induced through the intake port 11a.

All four strokes of the cycle process are conducted in one housing with separated areas of induction and exhaustion of heat for the working substance.

By joining intake port 11a and exhaust port 13a with a by-pass 10a we achieve closed form of cycle process shown in the figure 8. Expanded working substance, which still possesses pressure and temperature values, gets additional expansion volume equal to the volume of maximum compression. Inducing of such working substance in the intake area it has to be returned to the initial state by exhausting the heat.

Inducing heat into expansion area it accumulates in surrounding walls. In one moment the material of those walls reaches critical value of thermal durability and it needs to be cooled off. Exhausting accumulated heat is conducted by working substance itself -in those expansion strokes the working substance gets additional heat from the walls - cooling off the walls produces work. Figure 9 shows the whole system. Rotor axes are united with electric motors with dual function. During rotor starting and positioning, electric motors operate in driving mode of the engine, and when heat engine works, part of that work is saved in the form of current in electrical batteries through electric motors, which then work in generating mode, through voltage transformers.

Electric motors together with voltage transformers and electric batteries replace battery for mechanical energy - the flywheel.

Direct conversion of chemical energy of the fuel in the rotary movement is enabled by stator construction and two rotors, as well as by storing energy in electrical batteries. Thermal conduction of the process is in the construction, which enables for working substance to receive heat induced in the

SUBSTITUTE SnEET(RULE 28) induction and compression stroke, and that heat accumulates in the expansion stroke. Work needed for induction and compression is decreasing, and induced heat is used to the maximum. Increase of both chemical and thermal efficiency leads to altogether greater usage of the engine.

Short description of the figures

Fig.1 shows stator with rotors in the induction stroke

Fig.2 shows stator with rotors in the positioning phase for compression stroke

Fig.3 shows stator with rotors in the compression stroke

Fig.4 shows stator with rotors in the positioning phase for the expansion stroke

Fig.5 shows stator with rotors in the expansion stroke

Fig.6 shows stator with rotors in the positioning phase for the exhaustion stroke

Fig.7 shows stator with rotors in the exhaustion stroke

Fig.8 shows stator with rotors in the form of closed system

Fig.9 is a block scheme of the hybrid, dual rotor engine

Fig.10 shows heat engine construction -front view

Fig.11 shows heat engine construction - rear view

Fig.12 shows heat engine construction - side view

Fig.13 shows rotor construction- side view

Fig.14 shows rotor construction- view from above

Fig.15 shows rotor construction- view from below

Fig.16 shows heat engine construction without front stator cover

Fig.17 is a block scheme of invention usage

Detailed description of one of the ways for invention usage

The block scheme of the invention shown in the figure 9 displays basic parts - stator 1 with rotors 2 and 3, electric motors 4 and 5 with voltage transformers 6 and 7 and electric batteries 8 and 9.

Thermal process is conducted in the stator 1 with rotors 2 and 3 whose construction is shown in figures 10 to 16.

Stator 1 consists of stator ring 30 and 32 with segments made of thermal insulating material 29 and 31 and stator cover 15, 17, 23 and 25 with segments made of thermal insulating material 14, 16, 22 and

24. In the stator ring, between intake port 11a and exhaust port 13a there is a valve branch 10 with intake valve 11 , exhaust valve 13 and a valve on the by-pass 12, then a one-way mechanical brake 33 with a sensor for crossing over the mechanical brake 34 and a fuel injection device 35.

On stator covers there are position sensors 18, 20, 26 and 28, movement speed sensors 19 and 27, as well as temperature sensor 21.

Stator housing comprises rotors 2 and 3 with pads made of thermal insulating material 36a, 36b, 36c and 36d.

Electric motors 4 and 5 supplied by power from the batteries 8 and 9 through voltage transformers 6 and 7 bring rotors 2 and 3 into position shown in figure 1 , which is detected by the position sensors 20 and 26. Electric motor 5 starts the rotor 3, electric motor 4 holds the rotor still 2, intake valve is opened

SUE .HELT(RULE 26) 11 , exhaust valve 13 is opened and by-pass valve 12 is closed. Because of volume increase in the chamber, air gets in through the intake valve 11. Rotor 3 is moving to the position shown in the figure 2, which is detected by the position sensor 28. Intake valve 11 is closed, rotors 2 and 3 are started by electric motors 4 and 5 and they move to the position shown in the figure 3, i.e. by rotor 3 crossing over one-way mechanical brake 33 which is detected by the sensor 34. Rotor 2 continues to move, moved by electric motor 4, rotor 3 is blocked by electric motor 5, intake valve 11 is opened and new quantity of air is induced into the chamber, simultaneously compressing the air induced previously. Detecting the position of the rotor 2 by position sensor 20 - position shown in the figure 4 - exhaust valve is closing 11 , the rotor 3 is started with electric motor 5, until rotor 2 crosses over the one-way mechanical brake 33, which is detected by the sensor 34, and rotors come into position shown in the figure 5. Because of compression the air is hot and its temperature is greater than the temperature of fuel ignition, which is injected by a fuel injecting device 35. The fuel ignites, the pressure and temperature rise - electric motor 5 does not block the rotor 3 any more, which is moving because of gas expansion, and rotor 2 is blocked by one-way mechanical brake 33. Because of rotor 3 movements, the electric motor 5 produces current, which is stored in the electric battery 9 via voltage transformer 7. The intake valve 11 is simultaneously opened; new quantity of air comes into the chamber, simultaneously compressing the air induced previously.

Producing work, rotor 3 looses speed, which is detected by speed sensor 27, and if necessary electric motor 5 brings it into the position shown in the figure 6, while rotor 2 blocks electric motor 4. When rotor 3 comes in the position shown in figure 6, which is detected by the position sensor 28, both rotors are moving with intake valve 11 closed, until rotor 3 crosses over the one-way mechanical brake, which is detected by the sensor 34, and the rotors come into the position shown in figure 7. Rotor 3 is blocked, combusted gases exhaust through the exhaust valve 13, new quantity of fuel is added to compressed air, and rotor 2 starts moving because of gas expansion, and electric motor 4 working in generating mode charges the electric battery 8 through voltage transformer 6. Intake valve 11 is simultaneously opened, new quantity of air is induced, air induced previously is compressed- all four strokes are conducted simultaneously- induction, compression, expansion and exhaustion. By fuel combustion, part of the heat accumulates in surrounding walls. Because of thermal insulating segments, and rotor pads, transition of heat from the area of expansion and exhaustion to the area of induction and compression is very low, i.e. thermal losses are low. In one moment material temperature in the area of expansion reaches critical value, which is detected by the temperature sensor 21. The fuel is not injected in the next expansion stroke, but the heat from the walls transfers to the air keeping its internal energy- on the basis of accumulated heat in the walls, it operates simultaneously, cooling the walls.

In that driving mode- without fuel injection, combusted gases, still having certain pressure and temperature, are via by-pass 10a with the valve 12 opened, and valves 11 and 13 closed, brought into the intake chamber. Expansion volume is thereby increased for volume size of maximum compression -expanding the gases to that additional volume gives additional work.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET(RULE 25) Gases are additionally cooled in the intake zone, and the cycle is continued through compression stroke, expansion with getting heat from the walls and the exhaustion, until the moment when temperature of the walls falls below optimum value.

Ways of invention usage

One of the invention usage ways is shown in the block scheme of the motor vehicle driven by hybrid, dual rotor engine in the figure 17.

There are one-way transmitters 37 and 38 fixed on motor axis connected by clutches 39 and 40.

Electric motors 41 and 42 are connected to them and wheels 43 and 44 are connected to electric motors.

Alternating movement of rotors 2 and 3 is transmitted via electric motors 4 and 5, via one-way transmitters 37 and 38, via clutches 39 and 40, electric motors 41 and 42 on the wheels 43 and 44, simultaneously charging electric batteries 8 and 9 via voltage transformers 6 and 7.

In the braking mode the braking energy is converted via electric motors 41 and 42, which operate in the generating mode, into current, which is saved in electric batteries 8 and 9 via voltage transformers

6 and 7.

To start the vehicle, to reverse and driving at lower speeds, electric motors 41 and 42 use the energy from the battery. When battery is emptied below certain level, the hybrid, dual engine takes over the role of the main drive.

Using this engine exclusively in the current production mode, the need for one-way transmitters 37 and 38 and clutches 39 and 40 is eliminated, which simplifies transmission in vehicles.

Concerning the way of heat supply in expansion stroke, the engine could be used even if there existed external heat sources, which could heat up the engine expansion zone - e.g. solar energy, heated waste water in industrial processes.

Zb)

Claims

PATENT CLAIMS

1. Hybrid, dual rotor engine consisting of stator (1) with the intake port (1 Ia) and exhaust port (13a), and rotors (2) and (3) which together with the stator (1) create mutually airtight chambers in which the four-stroke diesel electro process is taking place and electric motors (4) and (5) with voltage transformers (6) and (7) with batteries (8) and (9) through which part of the work is saved in the form of current, and which are used for positioning of rotors (2) and (3), is characterised by that the rotor axis (2) and (3) are mutually independent, and rotor axis (2) is tightly joint with the electric motor axis (4), while rotor axis (3) is tightly joint with electric motor axis (5).

2. Hybrid, dual rotor engine according to the claim 1, is characterised by that between intake port (lla) and exhaust port (13a) there is a fixed by-pass (10a).

3. Hybrid, dual rotor engines according to the claims 1 or 2, is characterised by that on the stator (1) there are fixed segments made of thermal insulating material (14) (16) (22) (24) (29) and (31), which are a thermal insulation for two parts of the stator (1) and are made of thermal conducting material.

4. Hybrid, dual rotor engine according to the claim 3, is characterised by that between the intake port (lla) and exhaust port (13a) there is a fixed valve branch (10) with intake valve (11); exhaust valve (13) and by-pass valve (12).

c._{; ι},_r, . _τ,

T(RULE 26)