# US 5,704,210 A · Intercooled supercharged gas generator engine > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 5,704,210 A - Document ID: US5704210A - Status: Granted - Kind: A - Application number: 08/671,274 - Filed: 1996-06-27 - Granted: 1998-01-06 - Earliest claimed: 1991-12-18 - Inventors: Lin-Shu Wang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5704210A ## CPC - F02B 33/44: Passages conducting the charge from the pump to the engine inlet, e.g. reservoirs - F02B 29/0412: {Multiple heat exchangers arranged in parallel or in series} - F02B 41/10: in exhaust turbines (use of exhaust turbines for charging F02B37/00) - F02C 5/06: the working fluid being generated in an internal-combustion gas generated of the positive-displacement type having essentially no mechanical power output (internal-combustion engines with prolonged expansion using exhaust gas turbines F02B) - F02C 6/12: Turbochargers, i.e. plants for augmenting mechanical power output of internal-combustion piston engines by increase of charge pressure - F02D 13/0242: {Variable control of the exhaust valves only} - F02D 13/0257: {Independent control of two or more intake or exhaust valves respectively, i.e. one of two intake valves remains closed or is opened partially while the other is fully opened} - F02B 29/0418: {the intake air cooler having a bypass or multiple flow paths within the heat exchanger to vary the effective heat transfer surface} - F02G 2250/03: Brayton cycles - Y02T 10/12: Improving ICE efficiencies - Y02T 50/60: Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft - F02B: INTERNAL-COMBUSTION PISTON ENGINES; COMBUSTION ENGINES IN GENERAL (gas-turbine plants F02C; hot-gas or combustion-product positive-displacement engine plants F02G) - F02C: GAS-TURBINE PLANTS; AIR INTAKES FOR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS; CONTROLLING FUEL SUPPLY IN AIR-BREATHING JET-PROPULSION PLANTS (construction of turbines F01D; jet-propulsion plants F02K; construction of compressors or fans F04; generating combustion products of high pressure or high velocity F23R; using gas turbines in compression refrigeration plants F25B11/00) - F02D: CONTROLLING COMBUSTION ENGINES (vehicle fittings, acting on a single sub-unit only, for automatically controlling vehicle speed B60K31/00; conjoint control of vehicle sub-units of different type or different function, road vehicle drive control systems for purposes other than the control of a single sub-unit B60W) - F02G: HOT GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT ENGINE PLANTS (steam engine plants, special vapour plants, plants operating on either hot gas or combustion-product gases together with other fluid F01K; gas-turbine plants F02C; jet-propulsion plants F02K); USE OF WASTE HEAT OF COMBUSTION ENGINES; NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - Y02T: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES RELATED TO TRANSPORTATION ## Abstract A gas generation engine having improved fuel economy and performance comprises a gas generator in the form of a supercharged internal combustion engine coupled to an expander in the form of a gas turbine. The exhaust produced by the internal combustion engine is utilized to drive the turbine. The values for the supercharging pressure ratio and internal combustion engine exhaust back pressure are chosen such that increased thermal efficiency and power output can be simultaneously obtained. The value for the peak cylinder pressure is significantly higher than the typical value for existing diesel engines. The form of internal combustion engine may be a four-stroke cycle piston engine with intercooled supercharging, the internal combustion engine driving the supercharger as well as providing the turbine input. The exhaust for the internal combustion engine may be further divided into two parts, coupled to different stages of the turbine, to more efficiently match the pressure characteristics of the exhaust to the turbine. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An improved gas generator engine, comprising an expander having a high pressure inlet port, a low pressure exhaust port and an output shaft for generating brake work; a gas generator comprising a piston engine unit having an air input port, an exhaust port and an output shaft, an intercooled supercharger driven by said piston engine unit output shaft and coupled to said piston unit air input port, said piston engine output shaft being coupled solely to said supercharger, said piston engine unit being coupled through its exhaust port to said expander inlet port for generating a gas input for said expander and having a elevated output pressure P.sub.Back, said piston engine unit further having means for controlling its back pressure to shift charge expansion enthalpy from said piston unit to said expander, said controlling means comprising means for dividing an exhaust from said piston engine unit into a first portion at pressure P.sub.Back for a maximum portion of an exhaust interval of said piston engine unit and a second portion at a pressure lower than P.sub.Back for a minimum portion of the exhaust interval required and timed to allow input air to be received by a cylinder of the piston engine unit. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The engine of claim 1, wherein said gas generator comprises a supercharged four-stroke piston engine unit having inlet and exhaust ports, the exhaust port thereof being coupled to the input port of said expander. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said means for dividing the exhaust into first and second portions comprises a piston cylinder having first exhaust valve means adapted to operate during a time interval commencing before piston bottom dead center and ending at top dead center during which period said first exhaust portion is defined, and second exhaust valve means adapted to operate during a second time interval commencing at top dead center and ending slightly thereafter during which period said second exhaust portion is defined, said first exhaust valve means being coupled to said expander inlet port and said second exhaust valve means being coupled to said expander second inlet port. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said first and second exhaust valve means are located in the wall of said cylinder. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said first and second exhaust valve means are mounted in an exhaust manifold for said piston engine unit and are adapted to alternatively connect to said expander inlet port and said second inlet port, said exhaust manifold being coupled to said cylinder through a main exhaust valve. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said expander has a high and a low pressure stage, said low pressure stage being coupled to a second expander inlet port and to an outlet of said high pressure stage, said high pressure stage being coupled to said expander inlet port; and means for directing said first and second exhaust portions respectively to said expander inlet port and said second expander inlet port. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The engine of claim 2, wherein said four-stroke piston engine unit is a spark-assisted, direct-injection engine. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The engine of claim 2, wherein said four-stroke piston engine unit is a lean-burning, spark-ignition premixed engine. ### Claim 9 (depends on 2) The engine of claim 2, wherein said four-stroke piston engine unit is a premixed, near-stoichiometric-mixture gasoline engine, said gas generator including a supercharger fluidly coupled to both said gasoline engine unit and directly to said expander.