Internal combustion engine and method for generating power

An internal combustion engine comprising:

• a compression cylinder having a first internal diameter, an inlet, an outlet, and a compression piston in said compression cylinder;
• an expansion cylinder having a second internal diameter, and inlet, an outlet, and an expansion piston in said expansion cylinder;
• and
• a conduit extending from said compression cylinder outlet to said expansion cylinder inlet;
• wherein said first diameter is substantially smaller than said second diameter;
• and
• wherein said conduit is provided with a volumetric capacity exceeding a single charge volume delivered by said compression cylinder and exceeding a single charge volume taken into said expansion cylinder.

A method for generating power, the method comprising the steps of:

• compressing air in a compression cylinder;
• flowing the compressed air through a heat exchanger first passageway to increase the temperature of the air;
• flowing the compressed air from said heat exchanger into an expansion cylinder combustion chamber;
• flowing fuel into said combustion chamber to provide a fuel and air mixture in said combustion chamber;
• combusting the fuel and air mixture in said combustion chamber;
• expanding combusted gas in said expansion cylinder to a volume substantially larger than the volume of said compression cylinder to produce a power stroke;
• and
• flowing combustion exhaust gases from said expansion cylinder and through a second passageway of said heat exchanger to impart heat to further compressed air in said first passageway of said heat exchanger;
• wherein the step of flowing compressed air through said heat exchanger includes flowing a charge of compressed air from the compression cylinder into said heat exchanger, the charge being of substantially less volume than the volumetric capacity of said heat exchanger.

A method for generating power, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a compression cylinder having an inlet and an outlet;
• providing an expansion cylinder having an inlet and an outlet;
• providing a conduit extending from said compression cylinder outlet to said expansion cylinder inlet;
• providing a heat exchanger disposed in said conduit and having a first passageway for flowing compressed air from said compression cylinder to said expansion cylinder;
• said expansion cylinder outlet being in communication with a second passageway in said heat exchanger for flowing exhaust gases from said expansion cylinder through said heat exchanger;
• flowing air through said compression cylinder inlet into said compression cylinder;
• compressing the air in said compression cylinder;
• flowing the compressed air from said compression cylinder through said first passageway of said heat exchanger and through said expansion cylinder inlet into said expansion cylinder;
• admitting fuel to said expansion cylinder to provide a fuel and air mixture;
• combusting the fuel and air mixture in said expansion cylinder;
• expanding combustion gas in said expansion cylinder to a substantially larger volume than a compression cylinder volume to produce a power stroke;
• and
• flowing combustion exhaust gases from said expansion cylinder and through said second passageway in said heat exchanger to transfer heat therefrom to further compressed air in said first passageway;
• wherein the step of flowing compressed air through said heat exchanger includes flowing a charge of compressed air from said compression cylinder into said heat exchanger, said charge being of substantially less volume than the volumetric capacity of said heat exchanger;
• and
• wherein the step of flowing compressed air from said heat exchanger into said expansion cylinder includes flowing a charge of compressed and heated air from said heat exchanger into said expansion cylinder, said compressed and heated air charge being of a volume less than a volumetric capacity of said heat exchanger.