WO2012147088A1

WO2012147088A1 - Double piston internal combustion engine

Info

Publication number: WO2012147088A1
Application number: PCT/IN2011/000409
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jitendra Kumar Barthakur
Original assignee: Jitendra Kumar Barthakur
Priority date: 2011-04-28
Filing date: 2011-06-17
Publication date: 2012-11-01

Abstract

Described herein is an internal combustion engine that comprises at least one engine cylinder having a central portion configured to operate as an operating head, at least two pistons movable in the engine cylinder and located on opposite sides of the centrally located operating head, at least one inlet port and at least one exhaust port provided on the centrally located operating head for drawing in and forcing out the fuel and an igniting means provided on the centrally located operating head for igniting the fuel in the engine cylinder.

Description

DOUBLE PISTON INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE

TECHNICAL FIELD

The subject matter described herein generally relates to a double piston internal combustion engine and particularly relates to an internal combustion engine having at least two pistons in one cylinder.

BACKGROUND

An internal combustion (IC) engine is known in the art. In a known petrol engine, air and fuel mixture enters into the combustion chamber and a spark is produced by a spark plug when a piston in the engine cylinder compresses the air and fuel mixture. This results in the explosion of the air-fuel mixture in the combustion chamber, thereby providing linear movement to the piston in the combustion chamber. The linear force of the piston is converted to torque, circular motion in a crankshaft and the torque is transmitted to locomotion, or it produces energy.

The modification of IC engine to use hydrogen (H₂) as fuel and oxygen (0₂) in the air, which is ignited in a combustion chamber, is also known in the art. These modifications proved technologically and commercially not viable. There are certain drawbacks in using air as oxidizer where H₂ is fuel. Air, along with 0₂ also contains various other gases such as nitrogen (N₂) and carbon-di-oxide (C0₂). When air is used as an oxidizer, N₂ also oxidizes at high temperature inside the combustion chamber of the IC engine. This leads to the formation of oxides of N₂ while H₂ and 0₂ combine to produce steam. The steam, thus produced, then combines with several types of oxides of N₂ and produces several types of acids having higher molecular sizes than the size ofthe steam rnolecules, and the high temperature induces the carbon to turn out larger molecules of chain and ring products. These are often unstable and create explosion by expansion, and reduce the counteracting impact of the implosion inside the combustion chamber of the IC engine using H₂ as fuel and 0₂ of air as oxidizer. More seriously, acid erodes the combustion chamber of the IC engine and piston head. As a result, the fitment of the piston head with the combustion chamber of the IC engine is affected, thereby affecting both the compression of the mixture and transmission of the motive force to linear motion of the piston. These lead to the general failure of the mechanical contraption put to using H₂ as fuel in the IC engines with air as oxidizer. Additionally, the exhaust of the conventional IC engine using H₂ as fuel oxidized by air, carries acid fumes that interact with the surrounding when discharged to the environment and the pollutant level of the exhaust is found very high and usually unacceptable to the authority working under various norms.

Although conventional IC engines using air-fuel mixture or H₂ and 0₂ gases as fuel transmit a certain amount of torque in different applications, it is always desired that the torque transmitted by IC engines is enhanced in order to generate an increased power.

Further, it is also desired that the power generated by an IC engine is utilized to operate multiple applications without affecting the efficiency of the system. SUMMARY

The subject matter described herein relates to an internal combustion engine that includes at least one engine cylinder having a central portion, which is configured to operate as an operating head. The engine further includes at least two pistons movable in the engine cylinder and located on opposite sides of the centrally located operating head. At least one inlet port and at least one exhaust port is provided on the centrally located operating head for drawing in and forcing out the fuel. An igniting means is provided on the centrally located operating head for igniting the fuel in the engine cylinder.

In one embodiment of the present subject matter, the fuel drawn in the engine cylinder comprises substantially pure compressed hydrogen (H₂) gas and substantially pure compressed oxygen (0₂) gas in cold condition.

In another embodiment of the present subject matter, the substantially pure compressed hydrogen (H₂) gas and the substantially pure compressed oxygen (Q₂) gas are drawn in the engine cylinder separately through separate inlet ports.

In yet another embodiment of the present subject matter, a mixture of the substantially pure compressed hydrogen (H₂) gas and the substantially pure compressed oxygen (0₂) gas is drawn in the engine cylinder through the at least one inlet ports.

In yet another embodiment of the present subject matter, separate storage units are provided for storing substantially pure hydrogen (H₂) gas and substantially pure oxygen (0₂) gas respectively. In yet another embodiment of the present subject matter, compressor chambers are provided between storage units and the engine cylinder for compressing the substantially pure hydrogen (H₂) gas and the substantially pure oxygen (0₂) gas respectively.

In yet another embodiment of the present subject matter, the exhaust gas is steam. In yet another embodiment of the present subject matter, the fuel drawn in the engine cylinder comprises air-mixed hydrocarbon (POL) gas.

In yet another embodiment of the present subject matter, free ends of the at least two pistons are connected to separate crankshafts provided on opposite sides of the engine cylinder. In yet another embodiment of the present subject matter, the igniting means is a spark plug.

A system including a plurality of double piston internal combustion engines provided in two rows parallel to each other is also described herein.

In one embodiment of the present subject matter, the system comprising a common central crankshaft provided between the two rows of internal combustion engines, wherein the common central crankshaft is connected to one of the pistons of the internal combustion engines.

A method of operating an internal combustion engine is also described herein. The method comprising supplying substantially pure compressed hydrogen (H₂) gas and substantially pure compressed oxygen (0₂) gas inside an engine cylinder in cold condition through at least one inlet port provided on the operating head of the engine cylinder when at least two pistons are displaced from approximately central positions in the engine cylinder to extreme end positions in the engine cylinder, thereby forming a combustion chamber between the two pistons in the engine cylinder; igniting the substantially pure compressed hydrogen (H₂) gas and substantially pure compressed oxygen (0₂) gas within the combustion chamber by an ignition means provided on the operating head of the engine cylinder, thereby producing implosion in the combustion chamber and causing the pistons to shift from the extreme end positions in the engine cylinder to the approximately central positions in the engine cylinder; forcing out the exhaust gas, that is steam, from the engine cylinder through at least one exhaust port provided on the operating head of the engine cylinder when the pistons travel from the extreme end positions in the engine cylinder to the approximately central positions in the engine cylinder; and repeating the steps.

A method of operating an internal combustion engine comprising supplying air- mixed hydrocarbon gas inside an engine cylinder through at least one inlet port provided on the operating head of the engine cylinder when at least two pistons are displaced from approximately central positions in the engine cylinder to extreme end positions within the engine cylinder, thereby forming a combustion chamber between the two pistons in the engine cylinder; compressing the air-mixed hydrocarbon gas present in the combustion chamber by displacing the pistons from the extreme end positions in the engine cylinder to the approximately central positions in the engine cylinder, thereby forcing out the exhaust gas from the engine cylinder through at least one exhaust port provided on the operating head of the engine cylinder; igniting the compressed air-mixed hydrocarbon gas within the combustion chamber by an ignition means provided on the operating head of the engine cylinder, thereby producing explosion in the combustion chamber and causing the pistons to shift from the approximately central positions in the engine cylinder to the extreme end positions within the engine cylinder; and repeating the above steps. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood when the following detailed description is read with reference to the accompanying drawings in which like characters represent like parts throughout the drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 illustrates a schematic representation of different stages of working of a double piston internal combustion engine using substantially pure compressed hydrogen (H₂) gas and substantially pure compressed oxygen (0₂) gas in cold condition as fuel in accordance with one embodiment of the present subject matter.

Fig. 2 illustrates a schematic representation of different stages of working of a double piston internal combustion engine using air-mixed hydrocarbon (POL) gas as fuel in accordance with another embodiment of the present subject matter.

Fig. 3 illustrates a schematic representation of a system comprising a plurality of double piston internal combustion engines provided in two rows parallel to each other in accordance with yet another embodiment of the present subject matter. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Fig. 1 illustrates a schematic representation of different stages of working of a double piston internal combustion (IC) engine (100) using substantially pure compressed hydrogen (H₂) gas and substantially pure compressed oxygen (0₂) gas in cold condition as fuel in accordance with one embodiment of the present subject matter. The IC engine (100) of the present subject matter comprises a plurality of components. Various components of the IC engine (100) of the present subject matter include, but are not limited to, an engine cylinder (1), two pistons (2, 2') movable in the engine cylinder (1) and connected to separate crankshafts (3, 3') respectively, two inlet ports (5, 6) for drawing substantially pure compressed hydrogen (H₂) gas and substantially pure compressed oxygen (0₂) gas respectively inside the engine cylinder (1), two exhaust ports (4, 4') to force out the exhaust gas, that is steam, from the engine cylinder (1), and igniting means (7) for igniting the substantially pure compressed hydrogen (H₂) gas and the substantially pure compressed oxygen (0₂) gas in the combustion chamber of the engine cylinder (1). In the present embodiment, the substantially pure compressed hydrogen (H₂) gas and the substantially pure compressed oxygen (0₂) gas are drawn in the engine cylinder (1) separately through the inlet port (5) and the inlet port (6) respectively.

As shown in Fig. 1, the central portion of the engine cylinder (1) acts as an operating head and accommodates inlet ports (5, 6), exhaust ports (4, 4'), and the igniting means (7). As can also be seen from Fig. 1, the pistons (2, 2') are located on opposite sides of the centrally located operating head within the engine cylinder (1).

The subject matter described above can be embodied in many ways as would be obvious to a person skilled in the art. For example, the layout and configuration of inlet ports (5, 6), exhaust ports (4, 4'), and the igniting means (7) on the operating head of the engine cylinder (1) can be varied as is obvious to a person skilled in the art. Similarly, the number of engine cylinders, pistons (2, 2'), inlet ports, exhaust ports (4, 4') and igniting means etc. can also be varied as is obvious to a person skilled in the art.

Further, the fuel, i.e. substantially pure compressed hydrogen (H₂) gas and substantially pure compressed oxygen (0₂) gas in cold condition, used in the present embodiment of the subject matter can also be varied to perform the desired operation of the IC engine (100) as would be obvious to a person skilled in the art.

In one embodiment of the present subject matter, a mixture of the substantially pure compressed hydrogen (H₂) gas and the substantially pure compressed oxygen (0₂) gas can also be supplied through inlet ports (5, 6) instead of supplying the substantially pure compressed hydrogen (H₂) gas and the substantially pure compressed oxygen (<¾) gas separately. In the present embodiment of the present subject matter, separate storage units are provided for storing substantially pure hydrogen (H₂) gas and substantially pure oxygen (0₂) gas respectively. Further, separate compressor chambers are provided between storage units and the engine cylinder for compressing the substantially pure hydrogen (H₂) gas and the substantially pure oxygen (0₂) gas respectively.

The working of the IC engine (100) of the present embodiment is described in stages (1) to (4) of Fig. 1. As shown in Fig. 1(1), both the pistons (2, 2') are located in approximately central positions (A, A') in the engine cylinder (1). At this stage, the inlet port (5) for substantially pure compressed hydrogen (H₂) gas and the inlet port (6) for substantially pure compressed oxygen (0₂) gas are open.

During starting of the IC engine (100), an external force is applied to move the pistons (2, 2') from approximately central positions (A, A') to extreme end positions (B, B') in the engine cylinder (1) respectively, thereby forming a combustion chamber between two pistons (2, 2') in the engine cylinder (1). As the two pistons (2, 2') move extreme end positions (B, B'), substantially pure compressed hydrogen (H₂) gas and substantially pure compressed oxygen (0₂) gas are drawn inside the engine cylinder (1) through the inlet port (5) and the inlet port (6) separately by suction. When the pistons (2, 2') are at extreme end positions (B, B') in the engine cylinder (1), inlet ports (5, 6) close, and the ignition means (7) is operated. In one embodiment of the present subject matter, the ignition means (7) is a spark plug. Nevertheless, in different embodiments, the ignition means can be varied as is obvious to a person skilled in the art. The ignition means (7) produces a spark in the combustion chamber, thereby resulting in an implosion inside the engine cylinder (1). This stage of the IC engine (100) is shown in Fig. 1(2). The implosion in the engine cylinder (1) draws the pistons (2, 2') from extreme end positions (B, B') to approximately central positions (A, A') in the engine cylinder (1). As the pistons (2, 2') move to approximately central positions (A, A'), the exhaust ports (4, 4') open and the exhaust gas is forced out of the engine cylinder (1). In the present embodiment, the exhaust gas forced out of the engine cylinder (1) is steam. This stage of the IC engine

(100) is shown Fig. 1(3).

Now, the momentum of crankshafts (3, 3') starts moving the pistons (2, 2') back to extreme end positions (B, B'). While this happens, the inlet ports (5, 6) open and the substantially pure compressed hydrogen (H ) gas and substantially pure compressed oxygen (0₂) gas are sucked in the combustion chamber through inlet ports (5, 6) respectively as is shown in Fig. 1(4), which stage is similar to that shown in Fig. 1(1). The only difference in the stage of working of the IC engine (100) in Fig. 1(4) from Fig. 1(1) is that in the stage depicted in Fig. 1(4), the momentum of crankshafts (3, 3') assists in shifting of the pistons (2, V) in the engine cylinder (1) instead of an external force.

The above cycle continues repeatedly, thereby providing the required torque to crankshafts (3, 3') connected to pistons (2, 2').

Fig. 2 illustrates a schematic representation of different stages of working of a double piston internal combustion engine (100) using air-mixed hydrocarbon (POL) gas as fuel in accordance with another embodiment of the present subject matter. The components of the present embodiment are similar to those described in the embodiment of Fig. 1. The only differences being the fuel used in the present embodiment is air-mixed hydrocarbon (POL) gas instead of substantially pure compressed hydrogen (H₂) gas and substantially pure compressed oxygen (0₂) gas, and the creation of explosion in the combustion chamber of the engine cylinder (1) instead of implosion. Further, the present embodiment comprises only one inlet port (5) for drawing the air-mixed hydrocarbon (POL) gas in the engine cylinder (1) instead of two inlet ports (5, 6) described in the embodiment of Fig. 1.

The working of the IC engine (100) of the present embodiment is described in stages (1) to (7) of Fig. 2. As shown in Fig. 2(1), the pistons (2, 2') are at approximately central positions (A, A') in the engine cylinder (1) and the inlet port (5) is open. During operation, an external force is applied to move pistons (2, 2') from approximately central positions (A, A') to extreme end positions (B, B') in the engine cylinder (1). As the two pistons (2, 2') move, air-mixed POL Gas is drawn in the combustion chamber by suction through the inlet port (5).

When the pistons (2, 2') are at extreme end positions (B, B'), as shown in Fig 2(2), all the ports (4, 4', 5) close, and the external force moves pistons (2, 2') from extreme end positions (B, B') to approximately central positions (A, A'), thereby compressing the air- mixed POL gas in the combustion chamber. This stage of the IC engine (100) is shown in FIG 2(3). At the stage shown in Fig. 2(4), a spark is generated by the ignition means (6), thereby creating an explosion in the combustion chamber. This leads to pushing of the pistons (2, 2') from approximately central positions (A, A') to extreme end positions (B, B') in the engine _^cylinder (1). Once this stage- is completed, the momentum of the crankshaft starts moving the pistons (2, 2') back to approximately central positions (A, A'). As this happens, exhaust ports (4, 4') open and the exhaust gas is forced out of exhaust ports (4, 4'). This is shown in Fig. 2(5) & (6). Then the momentum of crankshafts (3, 3') starts moving the pistons (2, 2') back to extreme end positions (B, B') in the engine cylinder (1). While this happens, the inlet port (5) for air-mixed POL gas opens and the gas is sucked in from the inlet port (5) as is shown in Fig. 2(7). The stage as shown in Fig. 2(7) is similar to that shown in Fig. 2(1). The only difference in the working of IC engine (100) in Fig. 2(7) from Fig. 2(1) is that in the stage depicted in Fig. 2(7), the momentum of crankshafts (3, 3') assists in shifting of the pistons (2, 2') in the engine cylinder (1) instead of the external force.

The above cycle continues repeatedly, thereby providing required torque to crankshafts (3, 3') connected to pistons (2, 2').

Fig. 3 illustrates a schematic representation of a system (200) comprising a plurality of double piston internal combustion engines (100) provided in two rows parallel to each other in accordance with yet another embodiment of the present subject matter. As shown herein, engines (100) are provided in two rows (X, Y) and the torque produced by the engines (100) is transmitted to three crankshafts (A, B & C). Each engine (100) comprises two pistons as depicted in the embodiments described above. One of the pistons of each parallel engines (100) is connected to the central prime moving crankshaft (B), which receives the prime force from two-engine-outputs at the same time. On the other hand, other pistons of the engines (100) are connected to crankshafts (A & C) respectively, which receive prime force from one-engine-output.

The above system ensures that the power transmitted to the rotating crankshaft (B) is twice as compared to power transmitted to rotating crankshafts (A & C).

The system described in Fig. 3 can be embodied in different ways as is obvious to a person skilled in the art. For example, and by no way limiting the scope of the present invention, one or more rows of engines can be added to the system of Fig. 3. Addition of one more row would provide two prime moving crankshafts.

Moreover, more than two rows of engines could be fixed to the same prime crankshaft at different levels, giving enormous power to the central prime crankshaft, which remains at the centre of a cylinder like placement of the external pairs of the engines at different levels of the system.

The Double Piston Internal combustion engine described above is extremely superior for the machines that require much power to the prime motivating section compared to the other utilities. Examples easily come to mind as helicopter, ship, submarine, heavy-duty crane, heavy-duty earthmovers, heavy-duty truck, heavy-duty dredger, heavy-duty driller, heavy-duty mining equipment, power-generating units in general, automobile engineering in general, and so on.

Further, by using a series of double piston internal combustion engines in parallel, it is possible to reduce the size of an individual engine drastically.

Although the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments, this description is not meant to be construed in a limiting sense. Various modifications of the disclosed embodiments, as well as alternate embodiments of the invention, will become apparent to persons skilled in the art upon reference to the description of the invention. It is therefore contemplated that such modifications can be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention as defined.

Claims

We Claim:

1. An internal combustion engine comprising:

at least one engine cylinder having a central portion, the central portion of the engine cylinder being configured to operate as an operating head;

at least two pistons movable in the engine cylinder, each piston being located on opposite sides of the centrally located operating head;

at least one inlet port provided on the centrally located operating head for drawing fuel inside the engine cylinder;

an igniting means provided on the centrally located operating head for igniting the fuel in the engine cylinder; and

at least one exhaust port provided on the centrally located operating head to force out the exhaust gas from the engine cylinder.

2. The internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fuel drawn in the engine cylinder comprises substantially pure compressed hydrogen (H₂) gas and substantially pure compressed oxygen (0₂) gas in cold condition.

3. The internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 2, wherein the substantially pure compressed hydrogen (¾) gas and the substantially pure compressed oxygen (0₂) gas are drawn in the engine cylinder separately through separate inlet ports.

4. The internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 2, wherein a mixture of the substantially pure compressed hydrogen (H₂) gas and the substantially pure compressed oxygen (0₂) gas is drawn in the engine cylinder through the at least one inlet ports.

5. The internal combustion engine as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein separate storage units are provided for storing substantially pure hydrogen (H₂) gas and substantially pure oxygen ((¾) gas respectively.

6. The internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 5, wherein compressor chambers are provided between storage units and the engine cylinder for compressing the substantially pure hydrogen (H₂) gas and the substantially pure oxygen (0₂) gas respectively.

7. The internal combustion engine as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein the exhaust gas is steam.

8. The internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 1, wherein the fuel drawn in the engine cylinder comprises air-mixed hydrocarbon (POL) gas.

9. The internal combustion engine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein free ends of the at least two pistons are connected to separate crankshafts provided on opposite sides of the engine cylinder.

10. The internal combustion engine as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the igniting means is a spark plug.

11. A system comprising a plurality of internal combustion engines as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10 provided in two rows parallel to each other.

12. The system as claimed in claim 1 1 comprising a common central crankshaft provided between the two rows of internal combustion engines, the common central crankshaft being connected to one of the pistons of the internal combustion engines.

13. A method of operating an internal combustion engine, the method comprising:

supplying substantially pure compressed hydrogen (H₂) gas and substantially pure compressed oxygen (0₂) gas inside an engine cylinder in cold condition through at least one inlet port provided on the operating head of the engine cylinder when at least two pistons are displaced from approximately central positions in the engine cylinder to extreme end positions in the engine cylinder, thereby forming a combustion chamber between the two pistons in the engine cylinder;

igniting the substantially pure compressed hydrogen (H₂) gas and substantially pure compressed oxygen (0₂) gas within the combustion chamber by an ignition means provided on the operating head of the engine cylinder, thereby producing implosion in the combustion chamber and causing the pistons to shift from the extreme end positions in the engine cylinder to the approximately central positions in the engine cylinder; forcing out the exhaust gas, that is steam, from the engine cylinder through at least one exhaust port provided on the operating head of the engine cylinder when the pistons travel from the extreme end positions in the engine cylinder to the approximately central positions in the engine cylinder; and

repeating steps a to c.

14. The method of operating an internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 13, wherein the substantially pure compressed hydrogen (H2) gas and the substantially pure compressed oxygen (02) gas are supplied to the engine cylinder separately through separate inlet ports.

15. The method of operating an internal combustion engine as claimed in claim 13, wherein a mixture of the substantially pure compressed hydrogen (H2) gas and the substantially pure compressed oxygen (02) is supplied in the engine cylinder.

16. A method of operating an internal combustion engine, the method comprising:

supplying air-mixed hydrocarbon gas inside an engine cylinder through at least one inlet port provided on the operating head of the engine cylinder when at least two pistons are displaced from approximately central positions in the engine cylinder to extreme end positions within the engine cylinder, thereby forming a combustion chamber between the two pistons in the engine cylinder;

compressing the air-mixed hydrocarbon gas present in the combustion chamber by displacing the pistons from the extreme end positions in the engine cylinder to the approximately central positions in the engine cylinder, thereby forcing out the exhaust gas from the engine cylinder through at least one exhaust port provided on the operating head of the engine cylinder;

igniting the compressed air-mixed hydrocarbon gas within the combustion chamber by an ignition means provided on the operating head of the engine cylinder, thereby producing explosion in the combustion chamber and causing the pistons to shift from the approximately central positions in the engine cylinder to the extreme end positions within the engine cylinder; and

repeating steps a to c.