Cylinder for opposed-piston engines
AssigneeAchates Power, Inc.
InventorKevin B. Fuqua
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cylinder for opposed-piston engines includes a liner with a bore and longitudinally displaced intake and exhaust ports near respective ends thereof. An intermediate portion of the liner between the exhaust and intake ports contains a combustion chamber formed when the end surfaces of a pair of pistons disposed in opposition in the bore are in close mutual proximity. A compression sleeve encircles and reinforces the intermediate portion of the liner. An annular grid of pegs disposed between the intermediate portion and the compression sleeve supports the compression sleeve against the liner and defines a turbulent liquid flow path extending across the intermediate portion in a direction that parallels the longitudinal axis of the liner.
Claims15
A cylinder for opposed-piston engines, comprising:
- a liner with a bore and longitudinally displaced intake and exhaust ports near respective ends of the liner;
- the liner including an intermediate portion between the exhaust and intake ports that contains a combustion chamber formed when the end surfaces of a pair of pistons disposed in opposition in the bore are in close mutual proximity;
- a compression sleeve encircling and reinforcing the intermediate portion of the liner;
- and,
- an annular grid of pegs extending between the intermediate portion and the compression sleeve that supports the liner against the compression sleeve and that defines an annular turbulent liquid flow path extending across the intermediate portion in a single longitudinal direction of the liner.
A method of cooling a cylinder of an opposed-piston engine in which the cylinder includes a liner with a bore and longitudinally displaced intake and exhaust ports near respective ends thereof, the method comprising:
- causing a liquid coolant to flow on an external surface of a cylinder liner, toward an intermediate portion of the liner between the exhaust and intake ports that contains a combustion chamber formed when the end surfaces of a pair of pistons disposed in opposition in the bore are in close mutual proximity;
- causing the liquid coolant to flow through a maze of turbulator pegs encircling the intermediate portion;
- and
- causing the liquid coolant to flow in a single longitudinal direction of the liner from the inlet port toward the exhaust port.
A cylinder of an opposed-piston engine, comprising:
- a bore and longitudinally displaced intake and exhaust ports;
- an intermediate portion between the exhaust and intake ports that contains a combustion chamber formed when the end surfaces of a pair of pistons disposed in opposition in the bore are in close mutual proximity,
- an annular grid of pegs formed on an external surface of the intermediate portion that defines an annular turbulent liquid flow path extending across the intermediate portion in a single longitudinal direction of the cylinder, such that in use a liquid coolant flows in an axial direction from near the intake port toward the exhaust port.
A method of cooling a cylinder of an opposed-piston engine in which the cylinder includes a bore and longitudinally displaced intake and exhaust ports near respective ends thereof, the method comprising:
- causing a liquid coolant to flow toward an intermediate portion of the cylinder between the exhaust and intake ports that contains a combustion chamber formed when the end surfaces of a pair of pistons disposed in opposition in the bore are in close mutual proximity;
- causing the liquid coolant to flow in a single longitudinal direction of the cylinder through a maze of turbulator pegs encircling the intermediate portion;
- and,
- causing the liquid coolant to flow from the intermediate portion toward the exhaust port.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.