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US 2009/0314005 A1Published application
Piston engine systems and methods
AssigneeGreen Partners Technology GmbH
InventorHans-Peter Messmer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The method for operating a piston engine system that includes modifying valve timing such that the gas displaced from the piston chamber is at a pressure and temperature nearly equivalent to the temperature and pressure at the end of the combustion stroke rather than being throttled as is the case for traditionally valve timings. When the high temperature and pressure gas enters an exhaust channel, thermally isolating means may line the exhaust channel such that the high temperature of the exhaust gas is maintained. A heat exchanger and an expander may be placed along the exhaust channel such that the high temperature and pressure of the exhaust gas are captured for useful work.
Claims46
A reciprocating piston engine system comprising:
- a cylinder comprising:
- an inner chamber, and
- an exhaust port in fluid communication with the inner chamber;
- an exhaust collection pipe in fluid communication with the exhaust port of the cylinder, the exhaust collection pipe including an inner surface and an interior volume, wherein the interior volume is substantially maintained at a first pressure;
- and
- a piston reciprocatingly disposed in the inner chamber of the cylinder, the piston operable to cycle through a power cycle;
- wherein the power cycle includes a combustion stroke, the combustion stroke having a start and an end;
- wherein an exhaust gas in the inner chamber of the cylinder has a second pressure at the end of the combustion stroke;
- and wherein the first pressure is substantially equal to the second pressure.
6 more elements
A method for operating an internal combustion engine, the internal combustion engine comprising a cylinder having an inner chamber, an intake port in fluid communication with the inner chamber, an intake valve operable to open and close the intake port, an exhaust port in fluid communication with the inner chamber, and an exhaust valve operable to open and close the exhaust port, the method comprising the steps of:
- moving the intake valve to an open position to open the intake port;
- introducing a working gas to the inner chamber through the intake port;
- moving the intake valve to a closed position to close the intake port;
- compressing the working gas to produce a compressed working gas;
- combusting the compressed working gas to produce an exhaust gas;
- moving the exhaust valve to an open position to open the exhaust port;
- exhausting the exhaust gas through the exhaust port;
- and
- moving the exhaust valve to a closed position prior to a subsequent movement of the intake valve to the intake valve open position.
6 more elements
A method for operating a piston engine, the method comprising the steps of:
- combusting a working gas to produce an exhaust gas having a first pressure;
- and
- exhausting the exhaust gas into an exhaust gas flow path having a second pressure, wherein the second pressure is substantially equal to the first pressure.
A cylinder head for use with an internal combustion engine, the cylinder head comprising:
- an exhaust channel having an inner surface;
- and
- an exhaust isolation member located in the exhaust channel.
An reciprocating piston engine system comprising:
- a combustion chamber for receiving a working gas and combusting the working gas to produce an exhaust gas at a first pressure;
- and
- an exhaust collection pipe in fluid communication with the combustion chamber, the exhaust collection pipe operable to receive the exhaust gas, wherein the exhaust collection pipe is maintained at a second pressure, and wherein the first pressure is substantially equal to the second pressure.
A reciprocating piston engine system comprising:
- a compressor for receiving a working gas, the compressor operable to compress the working gas to produce a compressed working gas;
- a vaporizable fluid delivery device associated with the compressor for delivering a vaporizable liquid to the working gas;
- a recuperator in fluid communication with the compressor, the recuperator operable to provide thermal energy to the compressed working gas to produce a heated, compressed working gas;
- a combustion chamber in fluid communication with the recuperator, the combustion chamber operable to combust the heated, compressed working gas to produce an exhaust gas;
- and
- a first expander in fluid communication with the combustion chamber and the recuperator, the expander operable to expand the exhaust gas to produce an expanded exhaust gas, wherein the expanded exhaust gas provides thermal energy to the recuperator.
3 more elements
A reciprocating piston engine system comprising:
- a first compressor for receiving a working gas, the first compressor operable to compress the working gas to produce a compressed working gas;
- a first recuperator in fluid communication with the first compressor, the first recuperator operable to provide thermal energy to the compressed working gas to produce a heated, compressed working gas;
- a second compressor in fluid communication with the first recuperator, the second compressor operable to compress the heated, compressed working gas to produce a heated, twice-compressed working gas;
- a vaporizable fluid delivery device associated with the second compressor for delivering a vaporizable liquid to the heated, twice-compressed working gas;
- a second recuperator in fluid communication with the second compressor, the second recuperator operable to provide thermal energy to the heated, twice-compressed working gas to produce a twice-heated, twice-compressed working gas;
- a combustion chamber in fluid communication with the second recuperator, the combustion chamber operable to combust the twice-heated, twice-compressed working gas to produce an exhaust gas;
- and
- a first expander in fluid communication with the combustion chamber, the first recuperator and the second recuperator, the first expander operable to expand the exhaust gas to produce an expanded exhaust gas, wherein the expanded exhaust gas provides thermal energy to at least one of the first and second recuperators.
5 more elements
A reciprocating piston engine system comprising:
- a compressor for receiving a working gas, the compressor operable to compress the working gas to produce a compressed working gas;
- a vaporizable fluid delivery device associated with the compressor for delivering a vaporizable liquid to the working gas;
- a recuperator in fluid communication with the compressor, the recuperator operable to provide thermal energy to the compressed working gas to produce a heated, compressed working gas;
- a first expander in fluid communication with the recuperator, the first expander operable expand the heated, compressed working gas to produce a heated, expanded working gas;
- a combustion chamber in fluid communication with the first expander, the combustion chamber operable to combust the heated, expanded working gas to produce an exhaust gas;
- and
- a second expander in fluid communication with the combustion chamber and the recuperator, the expander operable to expand the exhaust gas to produce an expanded exhaust gas, wherein the expanded exhaust gas provides thermal energy to the recuperator.
4 more elements
A reciprocating piston engine system comprising:
- a compressor for receiving a working gas, the compressor operable to compress the working gas to produce a compressed working gas;
- a vaporizable fluid delivery device associated with the compressor for delivering a vaporizable liquid to the working gas;
- a recuperator in fluid communication with the compressor, the recuperator operable to provide thermal energy to the compressed working gas to produce a heated, compressed working gas;
- a first expander in fluid communication with the recuperator, the first expander operable expand the heated, compressed working gas to produce a heated, expanded working gas;
- a combustion chamber in fluid communication with the first expander and the recuperator, the combustion chamber operable to combust the heated, expanded working gas to produce an exhaust gas, wherein the exhaust gas provides thermal energy to the recuperator;
- and
- a second expander in fluid communication with the recuperator, the expander operable to expand the exhaust gas to produce an expanded exhaust gas.
4 more elements
A reciprocating piston engine system comprising:
- a compressor for receiving a working gas, the compressor operable to compress the working gas to produce a compressed working gas;
- a vaporizable fluid delivery device associated with the compressor for delivering a vaporizable liquid to the working gas;
- a recuperator in fluid communication with the compressor, the recuperator operable to provide thermal energy to the compressed working gas to produce a heated, compressed working gas;
- a combustion chamber in fluid communication with the recuperator, the combustion chamber operable to combust the heated, compressed working gas to produce an exhaust gas, wherein the exhaust gas provides thermal energy to the recuperator;
- and
- an expander in fluid communication with the recuperator, the expander operable to expand the exhaust gas to produce an expanded exhaust gas.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.