Rotary engine flow conduit apparatus and method of operation therefor
OwnerMerton W. Pekrulinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A rotary engine is described including: (1) a rotor eccentrically located within a housing, the rotor configured with a plurality of rotor vane slots; (2) a first vane of a set of vanes separating an interior space between the rotor and the housing into at least a trailing chamber and a leading chamber, where the first vane slidingly engages a rotor vane slot; (3) a first conduit within the rotor configured to communicate a first flow between the trailing chamber and the rotor vane slot; and (4) a second conduit within the rotor configured to communicate a second flow between the trailing chamber and the first conduit. Optionally, a vane seal is affixed to the first vane or the rotor, where the vane seal is configured to valve the first conduit or a vane conduit, respectively.
Claims15
A rotary engine apparatus, comprising:
- a rotor eccentrically located within a housing, said rotor and said housing defining an interior space therebetween, said rotor configured with a plurality of rotor vane slots;
- a set of vanes spanning a distance from said set of rotor vane slots to said housing, said set of vanes separating said interior space into a plurality of chambers, said plurality of chambers comprising at least a trailing chamber and a leading chamber separated by a first vane of said set of vanes, said first vane slidingly engaged within a first rotor vane slot of said set of rotor vane slots;
- a first conduit within said rotor configured to communicate a first fuel flow between said trailing chamber and said first rotor vane slot, said first conduit comprising a first cross-sectional area;
- a second conduit within said rotor configured to communicate a second fuel flow between said trailing chamber and said first conduit, said second conduit comprising a second cross-sectional area, said first cross-sectional area larger than said second cross-sectional area;
- and
- a flow booster configured to use flow through said second conduit to enhance flow through said first conduit.
A method for use of a rotary engine, comprising the steps of:
- rotating a rotor, said rotor eccentrically located within a housing, said rotor and said housing defining an interior space therebetween, said rotor configured with a plurality of rotor vane slots;
- separating into a plurality of chambers said interior space using a set of vanes running from said set of rotor vane slots to said housing, said plurality of chambers comprising at least a trailing chamber and a leading chamber separated by a first vane of said set of vanes, said first vane slidingly engaged within a first rotor vane slot of said set of rotor vane slots;
- communicating a first flow between said trailing chamber and said first rotor vane slot using a first conduit within said rotor, said first conduit comprising a first cross-sectional area;
- communicating a second flow between said trailing chamber and said first conduit using a second conduit within said rotor, said second conduit comprising a second cross-sectional area, said first cross-sectional area larger than said second cross-sectional area;
- and
- using a flow booster to enhance flow through said first conduit, said flow booster using flow through said second conduit.
An apparatus, comprising:
- a housing;
- a rotor positioned within said housing, said rotor and said housing separated by a chamber;
- and
- a movable vane configured to span a distance from a vane slot of said rotor to said housing;
- a first passage running through said rotor between said chamber and said vane slot;
- and
- a second passage running between said chamber and said first passage;
- and
- a lower trailing vane seal affixed to said movable vane, said lower trailing vane seal configured to valve said first passage with movement of said movable vane.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.