Supercharged internal combustion engine

A supercharged internal combustion engine system comprising:

• an internal combustion engine (ICE) and an ejector pump for supercharging said ICE;
• said internal combustion engine having at least one combustion chamber and an intake passage;
• said intake passage being fluidly coupled to said combustion chamber and configured for flowing intake air thereinto;
• said ejector pump having at least one supersonic driving nozzle, a suction port, and a discharge port;
• said driving nozzle being fluidly coupled to a source of high-pressure air;
• said suction port being fluidly coupled to a source of intake air;
• said discharge port being fluidly coupled to said intake passage.

A supercharged internal combustion engine system comprising:

• an internal combustion engine (ICE) and an ejector pump for supercharging said ICE;
• said internal combustion engine having at least one combustion chamber, an intake passage and an exhaust passage;
• said intake passage fluidly coupled to said combustion chamber and configured for flowing intake air thereinto;
• said exhaust passage fluidly coupled to said combustion chamber and configured for flowing exhaust gases therefrom;
• said ejector pump having a suction chamber, a supersonic driving nozzle, and a diffuser duct;
• said suction chamber fluidly coupled to a source of atmospheric air;
• said diffuser duct having a first end and a second end;
• said first end of said diffuser duct fluidly coupled to said suction chamber;
• said second end of said diffuser duct fluidly coupled to said intake passage;
• said driving nozzle fluidly coupled to a supply of high-pressure air and configured to direct a high velocity air jet into said first end of said diffuser duct.

A supercharged internal combustion engine system comprising:

• (a) an internal combustion engine (ICE) having at least one combustion chamber, an intake passage, and an exhaust passage;
• said intake passage configured for flowing intake air to said combustion chamber;
• said exhaust passage configured for flowing combustion products from said combustion chamber;
• said ICE is chosen from the group consisting of a compression ignition engine, carbureted spark ignition engine, fuel injected spark ignition engine, reciprocating engine and rotary engine;
• (b) an ejector pump for supercharging said ICE;
• said ejector pump having a driving nozzle, a suction port, and a discharge port;
• said ejector pump configured to receive intake air through said suction port and discharge pressurized intake air through said discharge port;
• i) said driving nozzle being fluidly coupled to a source of high-pressure air for admitting high-pressure air therefrom;
• ii) said suction port being fluidly coupled to a source of said intake air to receive said intake air therefrom;
• iii) said discharge port being fluidly coupled to said intake passage to discharge said pressurized intake air thereto;
• (c) a means for sensing ICE power demand;
• and
• (d) a flow control means for regulating a mass flow rate of said high-pressure air through said driving nozzle in accordance with ICE power demand.

A method for supercharging an ICE comprising the steps of:

• providing an ICE having a combustion chamber;
• providing an intake passage for flowing intake air into said combustion chamber;
• providing an ejector pump having a suction port, driving nozzle, and a discharge port;
• providing an intake air supply;
• providing a high-pressure air supply;
• feeding high-pressure air from said high-pressure air supply into said driving nozzle;
• producing a supersonic flow through said nozzle;
• producing a pumping action in said ejector;
• admitting intake air from said intake air supply into said suction port;
• pumping said intake air with said ejector pump;
• and
• feeding air discharged from said discharge port into said intake passage to supercharge said combustion chamber.

A method for operating a supercharged ICE comprising the steps of:

• providing an ICE having a combustion chamber and an intake passage for flowing intake air thereto;
• providing an ejector pump having a suction port, driving nozzle, and a discharge port;
• operating said ICE;
• providing an intake air supply;
• providing a high-pressure air supply;
• sensing ICE output power demand;
• determining appropriate flow rate of high-pressure air for feeding into said driving nozzle;
• feeding high-pressure air from said high-pressure air source at a predetermined flow rate into said driving nozzle to produce pumping action within said ejector pump;
• admitting intake air from said intake air supply into said suction port;
• pumping said intake air with said ejector pump;
• feeding air discharged from said discharge port into said intake passage to supercharge said combustion chamber.

A method for operating a supercharged ICE comprising the steps of:

• providing an ICE having a combustion chamber and an intake port for flowing intake air thereto;
• providing an ejector pump having a suction port, driving nozzle and a discharge port;
• operating said ICE;
• providing an intake air supply;
• providing a high-pressure air supply with air pressure value p1;
• sensing ICE output power demand;
• determining appropriate flow rate of high-pressure air for feeding into said driving port;
• flowing high-pressure air from said high-pressure air source through said driving nozzle to form a high-velocity jet;
• drawing a second air stream into said suction port at pressure value p2;
• mixing said high-velocity jet and said second stream to form a third stream at pressure value p3 wherein pressure value p3 is higher than pressure value p2 and smaller than pressure value p1;
• and
• feeding said third stream from said discharge port to said combustion chamber.