Split-cycle internal combustion engine
AssigneeFpt Industrial S.P.A.
InventorEnzo Pierro
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A split-cycle internal combustion engine is provided with an engine block and an expansion section having a plurality of expansion cylinders and a rotating drive shaft, which is supported by a first portion of the engine block and is operated by the expansion cylinders; the engine is further provided with a compression section having a volumetric compressor with a rotating driven shaft, which is supported by a second portion of the engine block and is distinct and spaced apart from the rotating drive shaft; the volumetric compressor has at least one compression cylinder extending along an axis, which is inclined relative to the axes of the expansion cylinders so as to form an angle.
Claims7
A split-cycle internal combustion engine (2) comprising:
- an engine block (43) comprising a first portion and a second portion (43b,43a);
- an expansion section (10b) comprising:
- a) a plurality of expansion cylinders (16b) arranged in said first portion (43b) and
- b) a rotating drive shaft (23b) supported by said first portion (43b) and driven by said expansion cylinders (16b);
- a compression section (10a) comprising a volumetric compressor (12), which has a rotating driven shaft (23a) and is a reciprocating compressor comprising at least a compression cylinder (16a) arranged in said second portion (43a);
- said rotating driven shaft (23a) being supported by said second portion (43a) and being distinct and spaced from said rotating drive shaft (23b);
- said first portion (43b) and said second portion (43a) being arranged side by side along a direction (44) orthogonal to a rotation axis (41b) of said rotating drive shaft (23b);
- wherein said expansion cylinders (16b) and said compression cylinder (16a) comprise respective pistons (18b,18a) movable along respective axes (42b,42a) which are inclined with respect to one another so as to form an angle (A), said respective axes (42b, 42a) intersecting at an intersection point that lies below the split-cycle internal combustion engine (2), wherein rotating axes of the rotating driven shaft (23a) and said rotating drive shaft (23b), respectively, are arranged between the intersection point and said pistons (18b, 18a), and wherein said respective axes (42b, 42a) diverge from one another in a direction from said rotating axes of said rotating driven shaft (23a) and said rotating drive shaft (23b) toward said compression cylinder (16a) and said plurality of expansion cylinders (16b).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.