Internal combustion engine utilizing dual compression and dual expansion processes
AssigneeGM Global Technology Operations LLC
InventorsRussell P. Durrett, Venkatesh Gopalakrishnan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Engines and processes for their operation include a compressor cylinder, at least one power cylinder, and an expander cylinder. The outlet of the compressor cylinder is fed to the inlet of a power cylinder, and the outlet of the power cylinder is fed to the expander cylinder. The compressor cylinder and the expander cylinder are operated in two-stroke fashion, and the power cylinder is operated in four-stroke fashion, all of which cylinders share a common crankshaft. Heat may be recuperated from the exhaust gas and directed to the inlet gas of the power cylinder, increasing overall efficiency.
Claims23
An internal combustion engine comprising:
- a compressor cylinder having a bore, a valved inlet port, and a valved outlet port, said bore having a first piston slidably disposed therein, the first piston being operatively connected to a crankshaft;
- at least one power cylinder having a bore, a valved inlet port, and a valved outlet port, said bore having a second piston slidably disposed therein, the second piston being operatively connected to the crankshaft;
- an expander cylinder having a bore, a valved inlet port, and a valved outlet port, said bore having a third piston slidably disposed therein, the third piston being operatively connected to the crankshaft;
- the outlet port of said compressor cylinder being provided with a passage through which gas expelled from the compressor cylinder is directed to the inlet port of said at least one power cylinder, the outlet port of said at least one power cylinder being provided with a passage through which gas expelled from said at least one power cylinder is directed to the inlet port of said expander cylinder;
- said engine further comprising a camshaft operatively connected to said crankshaft sufficient to cause the valves present on said inlet ports and said outlet ports of said compressor cylinder and said expander cylinder to each undergo one open-closed cycle for every revolution of said crankshaft, and to cause said valves present on said inlet port and said outlet port of said at least one power cylinder to each undergo one open-closed cycle for every two revolutions of said crankshaft.
An internal combustion engine comprising a power cylinder, a compressor cylinder and an expander cylinder, wherein said compressor cylinder provides a compressed air charge for said power cylinder and wherein said power cylinder provides combustion gases to said expander cylinder, each of said cylinders being equipped with a reciprocating assembly comprising pistons and a crankshaft, with the pistons of each cylinder each being operatively connected to a common crankshaft.
A process for operating an internal combustion engine comprising:
- providing a piston-driven internal combustion engine having a compression cylinder, at least one power cylinder, and an expander cylinder, each of said cylinders having a valved inlet and a valved outlet, the outlet of the compression cylinder being in effective fluid communication with the inlet of the power cylinder, and the outlet of the power cylinder being in effective fluid communication with the inlet of the expander cylinder, said engine being configured so that the pistons present in each of said cylinders are driven by a common crankshaft, and further configured so that the valves present at the inlet and outlet of said compressor cylinder and said expander cylinder each undergo one open-closed cycle for every revolution of the crankshaft, and the valves present at the inlet and said outlet of said power cylinder each undergo one open-closed cycle for every two revolutions of said crankshaft;
- providing a combustible fuel to said engine;
- and
- providing an ignition source to said engine.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.