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AssigneeSpread Spectrum
InventorWilliam R. Palmer
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A continuous combustion, pinned vane type, positive displacement, rotary compressor and expander engine system comprises a compressor which outputs compressed air, a combustor which effects continuous combustion of a combustion gas mixture containing fuel and compressed air and produces a combustion gas output. An expander is coupled to receive a mixture of combustion gas and an expansion fluid as an expandable working gas. The expander expands the expandable working gas and performs work to cause rotation of an engine output shaft. The engine system includes an expansion fluid flow path having an input port to which the expansion fluid is supplied, and an output port coupled to combine the expansion fluid with the combustion gas as the expandable working gas. The expansion fluid flow path is in thermal communication with the expander housing such that there is a thermal energy transfer from the housing to the expansion fluid, thereby increasing the thermal energy of the expansion fluid that has been supplied to the input port of the expansion fluid flow path, and is output from the output port for combination with the combustion gas as the expandable working gas. An expansion fluid condensation sub-system coupled in fluid communication with the exhaust manifold includes a heat exchanger and a condensation accumulator. Expansion fluid reclaimed in the condensation accumulator is recirculated to the expander.
An engine system comprising a compressor which is operative to receive intake air and output compressed air, a combustor which is operative to effect continuous combustion of a combustion gas mixture containing fuel and said compressed air and produce a combustion gas output, and an expander to which a mixture of said combustion gas and an expansion fluid is supplied as an expandable working gas, said expander being operative to expand said expandable working gas and perform work which causes rotation of an engine output shaft, said expander having an expander housing including an exhaust manifold through which expanded gas is exhausted, each of said compressor and said expander comprising a respective pinned vane type, positive displacement, rotary device, and wherein said engine system further includes an expansion fluid flow path having an input port to which said expansion fluid is supplied, and an output port coupled to combine said expansion fluid with said combustion gas as said expandable working gas, said expansion fluid flow path being in thermal communication with said expander housing such that there is a thermal energy transfer from said housing to said expansion fluid, thereby increasing the thermal energy of said expansion fluid that has been supplied to said input port of said expansion fluid flow path, and is output from said output port for combination with said combustion gas as said expandable working gas, and further including an expansion fluid condensation sub-system in fluid communication with said exhaust manifold and coupled to receive said intake air, said expansion fluid condensation sub-system being operative to reclaim a portion of expansion fluid contained in said exhaust gas and to supply reclaimed expansion fluid to said expander.
A method of controlling the operation of an engine system having a compressor which is operative to output compressed air, a combustor which is operative to effect continuous combustion of a combustion gas mixture containing fuel and said compressed air and produce a combustion gas output, and an expander to which a mixture of said combustion gas and an expansion fluid is supplied as an expandable working gas, said expander being operative to expand said expandable working gas and perform work which causes rotation of an engine output shaft, each of said compressor and said expander comprising a respective pinned vane type, positive displacement, rotary device, comprising the steps of:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.