US 4,226,294 A · Engine system using liquid air and combustible fuel

Abstract

An automobile engine runs on liquid air and gasoline. The liquid air is initially pumped up to a high pressure such as 200 atmospheres (or 200 bars) and is then warmed toward the ambient temperature in a heat exchange and changes to the gaseous state. Subsequently, it is permitted to expand, doing useful work on a piston or other known type of expansion engine. The gas is then passed through an additional heat exchanger where heat is absorbed from the ambient, and is combined with a small amount of fuel such as gasoline. The gasoline is ignited, under constant volume conditions thereby bringing the pressure back up to approximately 200 bars and at a temperature in the order of 1200 degrees. The gas is then allowed to expand in a cylinder containing an additional piston, and as a final cycle, additional fuel is added and ignited, and the resultant gases expand to drive an additional piston and provide further power to the engine. The pistons may all be coupled together to supply power to a single output drive shaft in the manner of an air motor. The exhaust gases are employed to warm the high pressure liquid air in a counter-current heat exchanger where exposure to moist ambient air would cause excessive ice buildup.

Claims16

Dependent claims

An automobile expansion engine system employing a combination of liquid air and combustible fuel as energy sources comprising:

an insulated storage tank for liquid air;
means for pumping liquid air from said storage tank to an elevated pressure above 50 bars;
heat exchanger means coupled to said pump for warming the liquid air toward the ambient to change it to the gaseous state substantially at said elevated pressure;
expansion engine means, connected to receive air from said heat exchanger means, for permitting said air at high pressure to expand and perform useful work;
additional heat exchange means for receiving air from said expansion engine means and for further warming the partially expanded air toward the ambient;
means for supplying combustible fuel to said partially expanded air;
means for burning said fuel with a part of the oxygen in said partially expanded air and raising the temperature and pressure of said partially expanded air;
and
additional expansion engine means for further expanding said heated air and the associated combustion products and obtaining additional useful work therefrom.

6 more elements

A combinational engine for operating on liquified cryogenic gas and fuel as energy sources comprising:

an insulated tank for storing liquified cryogenic gas;
means for pumping said liquified gas to an elevated pressure above 100 bars;
heat exchanger means for warming said high pressure liquified gas toward the ambient whereby it changes to the gaseous state;
multi-stage expansion engine means for receiving said pressurized gas, permitting it to expand, and obtaining useful work therefrom, said multi-stage expansion engine means including at least three stages, the first stage including first expansion engine means for receiving said gas from said heat exchanger and for expanding said air and obtaining useful work therefrom;
means for supplying combustible fuel to said multistage engine;
first means for burning a portion of said fuel to heat said gas from said first expansion engine means;
second stage expansion engine means forming part of said multi-stage engine for expanding said heated air and obtaining useful work therefrom;
second means for burning a portion of said fuel and heating the gases from the output of said second stage;
and
third stage expansion engine means forming part of said multi-stage engine for expanding said heated air from said second burning means and obtaining useful work therefrom;
whereby the energy in said cold liquified air and that obtained from burning said fuel are uniquely combined to produce more output energy that the sum of each of the two sources of power used separately.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Engine system using liquid air and combustible fuel

Life of this patent

Engine system using liquid air and combustible fuel

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims16