High Power Density and Efficiency Epitrochoidal Rotary Engine
AssigneeLiquidPiston, Inc.
InventorsAlexander Shkolnik, Nikolay Shkolnik, Mark Nickerson, Daniele Littera, Alexander Kopache, Kyle Becker
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Various embodiments describe modifications to X-engines, which would utilize a dedicated chamber to implement bottoming Rankine cycle as well as additional improvements in sealing, combustion efficiency—all contributing to high efficiency.
Claims14
A seal assembly for sealing a gap between an axial surface of a rotor of a rotary machine and a side housing of the machine, the seal assembly comprising:
- a face seal having:
- an outer member having (i) an axial contact surface, axially loaded against the side housing, and residing in a peripheral corner cut-out of the rotor, (ii) at least one other fluid-pressure receiving surface and (iii) an inner radial contact surface that is radially loaded against the rotor by fluid pressure;
- the face seal and the peripheral corner cut-out of the rotor being shaped so that the face seal is constrained to be within the cut-out;
- wherein the axial contact surface and the at least one other fluid-pressure receiving surface are shaped so that the fluid pressure causes a net force by which the axial contact surface is urged axially against the side housing and the inner radial contact surface of the outer member is urged radially against the rotor.
A rotor assembly of a rotary machine, the rotor assembly comprising:
- a rotor body having a radial face;
- and
- a sleeve disposed circumferentially over the radial face;
- wherein the sleeve has a tongue projecting radially inward and the rotor body has a corresponding radially indented groove in which to receive the tongue.
An improved rotary engine of the type having a rotor having N lobes, an intake port for intake of a working medium, an exhaust port, and a housing with respect to which the rotor is mounted for rotational motion relative to the housing, the housing having N+1 lobe-receiving regions and (i) a peak disposed between each pair of adjacent N+1 lobe-receiving regions and (ii) a pair of sides, the N+1 lobe-receiving regions further configured in relation to the rotor to successively receive the N lobes as the rotor rotates relative to the housing, so as to establish chambers, a chamber associated with each one of the N+1 lobe-receiving regions, wherein at least one chamber of the established chambers is configured to handle, in succession, intake, compression of the working medium and injection of fuel, combustion, expansion, and exhaust phases, wherein the improvement comprises:
- a recess in the housing associated with each chamber wherein combustion occurs, the recess asymmetrically shaped so as to create a vortex in the working medium in the course of compression and injection of fuel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.