Combustion chamber system
AssigneesJoseph S. Adams, Illinois Tool Works Inc.
InventorJoseph S. Adams
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A combustion chamber system of a spark-ignition linear engine includes a pre-combustion chamber and a main combustion chamber separated by a combustion control wall. The pre-combustion chamber has a length substantially greater than its width to support the propagation of more organized flame fronts that push unburned fuel and air into the main combustion chamber. The pre-combustion chamber can be arranged to define a multi-stage annular structure comprising a plurality of pre-combustion chamber sections fluidically connected together in an axially stacked array wherein the main combustion chamber can be co-axially housed or accommodated internally within the annular pre-combustion chamber structure.
Claims83
A combustion chamber system, comprising:
- a pre-combustion chamber comprising a first end wall, a second end wall disposed opposite said first end wall such that the distance defined between said first and second end walls defines the length of said pre-combustion chamber, a first side wall, and a second side wall disposed opposite said first side wall such that the distance defined between said first and second side walls defines the width of said pre-combustion chamber, wherein said length of said pre-combustion chamber is substantially greater than said width of said pre-combustion chamber;
- a main combustion chamber fluidically connected to said pre-combustion chamber;
- an ignition device operatively associated with said pre-combustion chamber so as to initiate combustion of a combustible mixture within said pre-combustion chamber;
- said pre-combustion chamber comprising a plurality of pre-combustion chamber sections fluidically connected together and arranged within a multi-stage axially stacked annular array around an axis and having a predetermined axial extent;
- and
- wherein said main combustion chamber, having a predetermined axial extent is accommodated internally within said multi-stage axially stacked annular array of said pre-combustion chamber sections.
A combustion chamber system for use in connection with the driving of a working piston, comprising:
- a pre-combustion chamber comprising a first end wall, a second end wall disposed opposite said first end wall such that the distance defined between said first and second end walls defines the length of said pre-combustion chamber, a first side wall, and a second side wall disposed opposite said first side wall such that the distance defined between said first and second side walls defines the width of said pre-combustion chamber, wherein said length of said pre-combustion chamber is substantially greater than said width of said pre-combustion chamber;
- a main combustion chamber fluidically connected to said pre-combustion chamber;
- an ignition device operatively associated with said pre-combustion chamber so as to initiate combustion of a combustion mixture within said pre-combustion chamber;
- said pre-combustion chamber comprising a plurality of pre-combustion chamber sections fluidically connected together and arranged within a multi-stage axially stacked annular array around an axis and having a predetermined axial extent;
- and
- wherein said main combustion chamber, having a predetermined axial extent is accommodated internally within said multistage axially stacked annular array of said pre-combustion chamber sections.
20 The combustion chamber system as set forth in claim 16, wherein said pre-combustion chamber and said main combustion chambers are coaxially disposed with respect to each other.
22 The combustion chamber system as set forth in claim 16, wherein a combustion control wall, having an aperture defined therein, is interposed between and separates said pre-combustion chamber and said main combustion chamber.
A combustion chamber system, comprising:
- a pre-combustion chamber comprising a first end wall, a second end wall disposed opposite said first end wall such that the distance defined between said first and second end walls defines the length of said pre-combustion chamber, a first side wall, and a second side-wall disposed opposite said first side wall such that the distance defined between said first and second side walls defines the width of said pre-combustion chamber, wherein said length of said pre-combustion chamber is substantially greater than said width of said pre-combustion chamber;
- and said pre-combustion chamber comprises at least two sections wherein a first one of said at least two sections is disposed in a nested manner with respect to a second one of said at least two sections;
- a main combustion chamber fluidically connected to said pre-combustion chamber;
- and
- an ignition device operatively associated with said pre-combustion chamber so as to initiate combustion of a combustible mixture within said pre-combustion chamber.
A combustion chamber system for use in connection with the driving of a working piston, comprising:
- a pre-combustion chamber comprising a first end wall, a second end wall disposed opposite said first end wall such that the distance defined between said first and second end walls defines the length of said pre-combustion chamber, a first side wall, and a second side wall disposed opposite said first side wall such that the distance defined between said first and second side walls defines the width of said pre-combustion chamber, wherein said length of said pre-combustion chamber is substantially greater than said width of said pre-combustion chamber, and said pre-combustion chamber comprises at least two sections wherein a first one of said at least two sections is disposed in a nested manner with respect to a second one of said at least two sections;
- a main combustion chamber fluidically connected to said pre-combustion chamber;
- and
- an ignition device operatively associated with said pre-combustion chamber so as to initiate combustion of a combustible mixture within said pre-combustion chamber.
A method of initiating combustion in a combustion system of a spark-ignition linear engine comprising steps of:
- pre-establishing mixtures of ignitable fuel and air within both a pre-combustion chamber and a main combustion chamber;
- igniting the pre-established mixture of fuel and air at one end of the pre-combustion chamber producing an organized flame front separating burned from unburned portions of the pre-established mixture of fuel and air within the pre-combustion chamber;
- propagating the flame front along a length of the pre-combustion chamber that exceeds a width of the pre-combustion chamber by an aspect ratio of at least 2 to 1 so that the flame front remains organized while propagating along the length of the pre-combustion chamber;
- compressing a remaining portion of the pre-established mixture of unburned fuel and air in advance of the organized flame front so that the remaining mixture of unburned fuel and air within the pre-combustion chamber is discharged into the main combustion chamber in advance of the flame front;
- and
- initiating combustion of the pre-established mixture of fuel and air within the main combustion chamber together with the remaining mixture of unburned fuel and air discharged from the pre-combustion chamber into the main combustion chamber upon introduction of the propagating flame front into the main combustion chamber.
A combustion system of a spark-ignition linear engine comprising:
- a pre-combustion chamber having a length extending a distance between an ignition end and a discharge end and a width being an average distance separating side walls that extend between an ignition end and a discharge end of the pre-combustion chamber;
- a main combustion chamber connected to the discharge end of the pre-combustion chamber;
- both the pre-combustion chamber and the main combustion chamber being adapted to receive a pre-established mixture of fuel and air in advance of an ignition cycle;
- a spark igniter located at the ignition end of the pre-combustion chamber that ignites the pre-established mixture of fuel and air at the ignition-end of the pre-combustion chamber producing an organized flame front between the side walls separating burned from unburned portions of the pre-established mixture of fuel and air within the pre-combustion chamber;
- the length of the pre-combustion chamber exceeding the width of the pre-combustion chamber by an aspect ratio of at least 2 to 1 supporting propagation of the organized flame front along the length of the pre-combustion chamber;
- and
- a check valve located at the discharge end of the pre-combustion chamber that allows passage of a remaining portion of the pre-established mixture of fuel and air pushed by the flame front from the pre-combustion chamber into the main combustion chamber but limits passage of burned fuel and air from the main combustion chamber into the pre-combustion chamber during combustion in the main combustion chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.