High-efficiency Otto cycle engine with power generating expander

A combustion engine power system comprising:

• a combustion chamber which burns a fuel with a pressurized mixture of steam and air to generate useful power and waste heat, the combustion chamber producing a steam-containing exhaust stream;
• a compressor in fluid communication with the combustion chamber, the compressor pressurizing air to produce a pressurized air stream;
• a water supply in fluid communication with the pressurized air stream, at least a portion of the water from the supply being heated by waste heat from the power system and evaporating into the pressurized air stream to produce the pressurized mixture of air and steam;
• an expander in fluid communication with the combustion chamber, the expander being driven by the steam-containing exhaust stream to produce a power output in excess of the power required to pressurize the air;
• and
• a power take-off of the excess power from the expander, the power take-off being geared into the system output of the engine.

A combustion engine power system comprising:

• a combustion chamber which burns a fuel with a pressurized mixture of steam and air to generate useful power and waste heat, the combustion chamber producing a steam-containing exhaust stream;
• a compressor in fluid communication with the combustion chamber, the compressor pressurizing air to produce a pressurized air stream;
• a water supply in fluid communication with the pressurized air stream, at least a portion of the water from the supply being heated by waste heat from the exhaust stream of the power system and evaporating into the pressurized air stream to produce the pressurized mixture of air and steam;
• a partial pressure boiler which evaporates water into the pressurized air stream, and is heated by heat exchange with the exhaust stream;
• an expander in fluid communication with the combustion chamber, the expander being driven by the steam-containing exhaust stream to produce a power output in excess of the power required to pressurize the air;
• and
• a power take-off of the excess power from the expander.

A combustion engine power system comprising:

• a combustion chamber which burns a fuel with a pressurized mixture of steam and air to generate useful power and waste heat, the combustion chamber producing a steam-containing exhaust stream;
• a compressor in fluid communication with the combustion chamber, the compressor pressurizing air to produce a pressurized air stream;
• a water supply in fluid communication with the pressurized air stream, at least a portion of the water from the supply being heated by waste heat from the power system and evaporating into the pressurized air stream to produce the pressurized mixture of air and steam, the water supply being heated by an engine cooling system;
• an expander in fluid communication with the combustion chamber, the expander being driven by the steam-containing exhaust stream to produce a power output in excess of the power required to pressurize the air;
• and
• a power take-off of the excess power from the expander.

A combustion engine power system comprising:

• a combustion chamber which burns a fuel with a pressurized mixture of steam and air to generate useful power and waste heat, the combustion chamber producing a steam-containing exhaust stream;
• a compressor in fluid communication with the combustion chamber, the compressor pressurizing air to produce a pressurized air stream;
• multiple water supplies in fluid communication with the pressurized air stream, at least a portion of the water from the supplies being heated by waste heat from the power system and evaporating into the pressurized air stream to produce the pressurized mixture of air and steam, at least one water supply being heated by an engine cooling system;
• an expander in fluid communication with the combustion chamber, the expander being driven by the steam-containing exhaust stream to produce a power output in excess of the power required to pressurize the air;
• and
• a power take-off of the excess power from the expander.

A combustion engine power system comprising:

• a combustion chamber which burns a fuel with a pressurized mixture of steam and air to generate useful power and waste heat, the combustion chamber producing a steam-containing exhaust stream, the fuel comprising a fuel mixture comprising a first fuel component and a second fuel component, the first fuel component facilitating burning of the second fuel component in the presence of steam;
• a compressor in fluid communication with the combustion chamber, the compressor pressurizing air to produce a pressurized air stream;
• a water supply in fluid communication with the pressurized air stream, at least a portion of the water from the supply being heated by waste heat from the power system and evaporating into the pressurized air stream to produce the pressurized mixture of air and steam;
• an expander in fluid communication with the combustion chamber, the expander being driven by the steam-containing exhaust stream to produce a power output in excess of the power required to pressurize the air;
• and
• a power take-off of the excess power from the expander.

A combustion engine power system comprising:

• a combustion chamber which burns a fuel with a pressurized mixture of steam and air to generate useful power and waste heat, the combustion chamber producing a steam-containing exhaust stream;
• a compressor in fluid communication with the combustion chamber, the compressor pressurizing air to produce a pressurized air stream;
• a water supply in fluid communication with the pressurized air stream, at least a portion of the water from the supply being heated by waste heat from the power system and evaporating into the pressurized air stream to produce the pressurized mixture of air and steam;
• an expander in fluid communication with the combustion chamber, the expander being driven by the steam-containing exhaust stream to produce a power output in excess of the power required to pressurize the air;
• a power take-off of the excess power from the expander;
• and
• a condensing apparatus for recovering water from the engine exhaust prior to discharging the exhaust from the system.

A combustion engine power system comprising:

• a combustion chamber which burns a fuel with a pressurized mixture of steam and air to generate useful power and waste heat, the combustion chamber producing a steam-containing exhaust stream;
• a compressor in fluid communication with the combustion chamber, the compressor pressurizing air to produce a pressurized air stream;
• a water supply in fluid communication with the pressurized air stream, at least a portion of the water from the source being heated by waste heat from the power system and evaporating into the pressurized air stream to produce the pressurized mixture of air and steam;
• an expander in fluid communication with the combustion chamber, the expander being driven by the steam-containing exhaust stream to produce a power output;
• and
• a condensing apparatus for recovering water from the engine exhaust prior to discharging the exhaust from the system.

A combustion engine power system comprising:

• a combustion chamber which bums a fuel mixture with a pressurized mixture of steam and air to generate useful power and waste heat, the fuel mixture comprising at least two fuel components, wherein a first fuel component facilitates combustion of a second fuel component in the presence of steam, the combustion chamber producing a steam-containing exhaust stream;
• a compressor in fluid communication with the combustion chamber, the compressor pressurizing air to produce a pressurized air stream;
• a water supply in fluid communication with the pressurized air stream, at least a portion of the water from the supply being heated by waste heat from the power system and evaporating into the pressurized air stream to produce the pressurized mixture of air and steam;
• and
• an expander in fluid communication with the combustion chamber, the expander being driven by the steam-containing exhaust stream to produce a power output.

A method of operating a combustion engine power system comprising:

• compressing air to provide a pressurized air stream;
• evaporating water into the pressurized air stream, using waste heat from the power system, to produce a pressurized steam-air mixture;
• burning fuel with the pressurized steam-air mixture in a combustion chamber to produce useful power and waste heat, the burning also producing a steam-containing exhaust stream;
• expanding the steam-containing exhaust stream through an expander to produce an output power in excess of the power required to provide the pressurized air stream;
• and
• taking-off excess power from the expander, the combustion engine power system comprising at least one of an Otto cycle engine and a Diesel engine.

A method of operating a combustion engine power system comprising:

• compressing air to provide a pressurized air stream;
• evaporating water into the pressurized air stream, using waste heat from the power system, to produce a pressurized steam-air mixture;
• burning fuel with the pressurized steam-air mixture in a combustion chamber to produce useful power and waste heat, the burning also producing a steam-containing exhaust stream;
• expanding the steam-containing exhaust stream through an expander to produce an output power in excess of the power required to provide the pressurized air stream;
• and
• taking-off excess power from the expander and gearing the expander power output into the system power output from the engine.

A method of operating a combustion engine power system comprising:

• compressing air to provide a pressurized air stream;
• evaporating water into the pressurized air stream, using waste heat from the power system, to produce a pressurized steam-air mixture, at least a portion of the water evaporated into the pressurized air stream being warmed by waste heat from an engine cooling system;
• burning fuel with the pressurized steam-air mixture in a combustion chamber to produce useful power and waste heat, the burning also producing a steam-containing exhaust stream;
• expanding the steam-containing exhaust stream through an expander to produce an output power in excess of the power required to provide the pressurized air stream;
• and
• taking-off excess power from the expander.

A method of operating a combustion engine power system comprising:

• compressing air to provide a pressurized air stream;
• evaporating water into the pressurized air stream at multiple locations along a fluid flow path between a compressor and the combustion chamber, using waste heat from the power system, to produce a pressurized steam-air mixture;
• burning fuel with the pressurized steam-air mixture in a combustion chamber to produce useful power and waste heat, the burning also producing a steam-containing exhaust stream;
• expanding the steam-containing exhaust stream through an expander to produce an output power in excess of the power required to provide the pressurized air stream;
• and
• taking-off excess power from the expander.

A method of operating a combustion engine power system comprising:

• compressing air to provide a pressurized air stream;
• evaporating water into the pressurized air stream, using waste heat from the power system, to produce a pressurized steam-air mixture;
• burning fuel with the pressurized steam-air mixture in a combustion chamber to produce useful power and waste heat, the burning also producing a steam-containing exhaust stream, the fuel comprising a fuel mixture comprising a first fuel component and a second fuel component, the first fuel component facilitating burning of the second fuel component in the presence of steam;
• expanding the steam-containing exhaust stream through an expander to produce an output power in excess of the power required to provide the pressurized air stream;
• and
• taking-off excess power from the expander.

A method of operating a combustion engine power system comprising:

• compressing air to provide a pressurized air stream;
• evaporating water into the pressurized air stream, using waste heat from the power system, to produce a pressurized steam-air mixture;
• burning fuel with the pressurized steam-air mixture in a combustion chamber to produce useful power and waste heat, the burning also producing a steam-containing exhaust stream;
• expanding the steam-containing exhaust stream through an expander to produce an output power in excess of the power required to provide the pressurized air stream;
• taking off excess power from the expander;
• and
• recovering condensed steam from the engine exhaust before the exhaust is discharged from the system.

A method of operating a combustion engine power system comprising:

• compressing air to provide a pressurized air stream;
• evaporating water into the pressurized air stream, using waste heat from the power system, to produce a pressurized steam-air mixture;
• burning fuel with the pressurized steam-air mixture in a combustion chamber to produce useful power and waste heat, the burning also producing a steam-containing exhaust stream;
• expanding the steam-containing exhaust stream through an expander to produce additional power;
• and
• recovering condensed steam from the engine exhaust before the exhaust is discharged from the system.

A method of operating a combustion engine power system comprising:

• compressing air to provide a pressurized air stream;
• evaporating water into the pressurized air stream, using waste heat from the power system, to produce a pressurized steam-air mixture;
• providing the pressurized steam-air mixture and a fuel mixture to a combustion chamber, the fuel mixture comprising at least two fuel components, wherein a first fuel component facilitates burning of a second fuel component in the presence of steam;
• burning the fuel mixture with the pressurized steam-air mixture in the combustion chamber to produce useful power and waste heat, the burning also producing a steam-containing exhaust stream;
• and
• expanding the steam-containing exhaust stream through an expander to produce additional power.