Apparatus and method for rotating sleeve engine hydrodynamic seal

A poppet valved rotating sleeve internal combustion engine comprising at least one cylinder, each cylinder comprising:

• a cylinder head;
• a cylindrical rotating sleeve means comprising a first end in proximity to the cylinder head;
• a piston means which reciprocates within the rotating sleeve means;
• a combustion chamber, the chamber being the variable volume between the reciprocating piston means, the rotating sleeve means, and the cylinder head;
• a piston sealing means, such that the piston sealing means provides a seal between the piston means and the rotating sleeve means;
• a sleeve driving means, such that the sleeve driving means causes the rotating sleeve means to rotate in order to maintain hydrodynamic lubrication between the piston sealing means and the rotating sleeve means;
• an intake means, such that fuel and air may be introduced into the combustion chamber;
• an exhaust means;
• such that combustion gasses can be removed from the combustion chamber;
• and
• a hydrodynamic face seal comprising
• a face which may be positioned in proximity to the first end of the rotating sleeve;
• the face comprising
• an inner sealing zone, and
• an outer loading zone, such that the loading zone comprises a plurality of hydrodynamic lift features, and
• a lubricant supply means, such that the lubricant supply means provides lubricant to the mating surface, and such that a lubricant layer can be maintained between the mating surface and the rotating sleeve.

A method of sealing between the combustion chamber and the cylinder head of a rotating sleeve internal combustion engine, the engine comprising a rotating sleeve which may be rotated during the operation of the engine, the method comprising

• providing a hydrodynamic face seal, the face seal comprising a face which may be positioned in proximity to a first end of the rotating sleeve;
• the face comprising
• a sealing zone, and
• a loading zone, such that the loading zone comprises a plurality of lift features;
• providing a flow of lubricant to the mating surface so that a lubricant layer is maintained between the face and the rotating sleeve;
• pre-loading the face seal;
• maintaining a lubricant layer thickness of about 1 to 10 micrometers in the inner sealing zone;
• distributing cyclic gas pressure forces from the combustion chamber during engine operation to the loading zone;
• and
• providing lift forces with the face seal loading zone lift features to maintain the lubricant layer within the desired thickness range.

A poppet valved rotating sleeve internal combustion engine comprising at least one cylinder, each cylinder comprising:

• a cylinder head;
• a cylindrical rotating sleeve means comprising a first end in proximity to the cylinder head, the first end comprising a plurality of hydrodynamic lift features;
• a piston means which reciprocates within the rotating sleeve means;
• a combustion chamber, the chamber being the variable volume between the reciprocating piston means, the rotating sleeve means, and the cylinder head;
• a piston sealing means, such that the piston sealing means provides a seal between the piston means and the rotating sleeve means;
• a sleeve driving means, such that the sleeve driving means causes the rotating sleeve means to rotate in order to maintain hydrodynamic lubrication between the piston sealing means and the rotating sleeve means;
• an intake means, such that fuel and air may be introduced into the combustion chamber;
• an exhaust means;
• such that combustion gasses can be removed from the combustion chamber;
• and
• a hydrodynamic face seal comprising
• a face which may be positioned in proximity to the first end of the rotating sleeve;
• the face comprising
• an inner sealing zone, and
• an outer loading zone, such that the outer loading zone is positioned substantially over the plurality of hydrodynamic lift features on the first end of the rotating sleeve;
• and
• a lubricant supply means, such that the lubricant supply means provides lubricant to the mating surface, and such that a lubricant layer can be maintained between the mating surface and the rotating sleeve.

A poppet valved rotating sleeve internal combustion engine comprising at least one cylinder, each cylinder comprising:

• a cylinder head;
• a cylindrical rotating sleeve means comprising a first end in proximity to the cylinder head, the sleeve means including an inset portion in proximity to the first end;
• a piston means which reciprocates within the rotating sleeve means;
• a combustion chamber, the chamber being the variable volume between the reciprocating piston means, the rotating sleeve means, and the cylinder head;
• a piston sealing means, such that the piston sealing means provides a seal between the piston means and the rotating sleeve means;
• a sleeve driving means, such that the sleeve driving means causes the rotating sleeve means to rotate in order to maintain hydrodynamic lubrication between the piston sealing means and the rotating sleeve means;
• an intake means, such that fuel and air may be introduced into the combustion chamber;
• an exhaust means;
• such that combustion gasses can be removed from the combustion chamber;
• and
• a hydrodynamic face seal comprising
• a face which may be positioned in proximity to the first end of the rotating sleeve;
• the face comprising
• an inner sealing zone, and
• an outer loading zone, such that the outer loading, and
• a lubricant supply means, such that the lubricant supply means provides lubricant to the mating surface, and such that a lubricant layer can be maintained between the mating surface and the rotating sleeve, and
• a gas pressure activated closing force surface area, such that gas pressure on the surface area substantially offsets the axial component of gas pressure acting on the inset portion of the sleeve means.