A high pressure continuous combustion rotary engine comprising
- a compressor which includes a first outer housing having an interior surface surrounding a first axis, a first outer hub assembly, disposed inside said first outer housing and surrounding a second axis, said second axis being offset from said first axis, a first inner hub, disposed inside said first outer hub assembly, and surrounding said first axis, a plurality of first blades, each of which has a first portion, which engages said first inner hub such that rotation of said first inner hub about said first axis drives said first portion of each blade about said first axis, and a second portion which extends radially from said first inner hub and passes through said first outer hub assembly to said interior surface of said first outer housing such that rotation of said first outer hub assembly about said second axis drives said second portion of each blade about said second axis, so that, as said blades rotate during rotation of said first inner hub about said first axis and said first outer hub assembly about said second axis, said blades depart from extending radially about said first axis, thereby forming a plurality of relatively airtight first compartments between said interior surface of said first outer housing, said first outer hub assembly, and respective pairs of said first blades, with the volume of said first compartments varying as a function of rotative position about said first axis, and a linkage arrangement, which interconnects said first inner hub with said first outer hub assembly exclusive of said first blades, and is operative to drive said first outer assembly hub about said second axis by the rotation of said first inner hub about said first axis, said compressor further including an inlet port through which a compressible working fluid is supplied to the interior of said first housing, so as to be fed to successively adjacent ones of said first compartments during rotation of said first compartments about said first axis, and an outlet port from which said working fluid, that has been compressed as a result of a decrease in volume of said successively adjacent ones of said first compartments during rotation of said first compartments about said first axis from said inlet port to said outlet port, is vented, whereby the pressure of working fluid on the sides of said first compartments in the direction of rotation thereof increases during rotation of said first blades, thereby providing a compressed working fluid at said outlet port;
- a combustion chamber to which said outlet port is coupled and being operative to effect combustion of a gas containing said compressed working fluid therein and to supply an expandable working fluid at an output thereof;
- and
- an expander which includes a second outer housing having an interior surface surrounding said first axis, a second outer hub assembly, disposed inside said second outer housing and surrounding said second axis, a second inner hub, disposed inside said second outer hub assembly, and surrounding said first axis, a plurality of second blades, each of which has a first portion, which engages said second inner hub such that rotation of said second inner hub about said first axis drives said first portion of each blade about said first axis, and a second portion which extends radially from said second inner hub and passes through said second outer hub assembly to said interior surface of said second outer housing such that rotation of said second outer hub assembly about said second axis drives said second portion of each blade about said second axis, so that, as said blades rotate during rotation of said second inner hub about said first axis and said second outer hub assembly about said second axis, said blades depart from extending radially about said first axis, thereby forming a plurality of relatively airtight second compartments between said interior surface of said second outer housing, said second outer hub assembly, and respective pairs of said second blades, with the volume of said second compartments varying as a function of rotative position about said first axis, and wherein said linkage arrangement interconnects said second inner hub with said second outer hub assembly exclusive of said second blades, and is operative to drive said second inner hub about said first axis by the rotation of said second outer hub assembly about said second axis, said expander further including an expandable working fluid inlet port through which said expandable working fluid is supplied from said combustion chamber to the interior of said second housing, so as to be fed to successively adjacent ones of said second compartments during rotation of said second compartments about said first axis, and an exhaust port from which said expandable working fluid, that has been expanded as a result of an increase in volume of said successively adjacent ones of said second compartments during rotation of said second compartments about said first axis from said expandable working fluid inlet port to said exhaust port, is vented, whereby the pressure of working fluid on the sides of said second compartments in the direction of rotation thereof decreases during rotation of said second blades, thereby providing an expanded working fluid at said exhaust port.