Methods and systems for managing a clearance gap in a piston engine
AssigneeEtaGen, Inc.
InventorsJohn Lawler, Matt Svrcek
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A piston engine may include a non-contact bearing between a piston assembly and a cylinder. The piston may be configured to translate in a bore of the cylinder, and a non-contact bearing may be included in a clearance gap between the piston assembly and the bore. A bearing fluid may be supplied to the clearance gap via the piston assembly and/or cylinder to create the non-contact bearing. A bearing element may be used to direct or otherwise manage the flow of bearing fluid in the clearance gap. The bearing element may include one or more holes, porous portions, and/or passages to direct the bearing fluid to the clearance gap.
Claims29
An assembly comprising:
- a cylinder comprising a bore and a section capable of containing a fluid;
- a piston assembly capable of translating axially along an axis of the bore, wherein the piston assembly comprises a piston face;
- at least one bearing element affixed to the piston assembly and configured to provide a flow of a bearing fluid into a clearance gap formed between the piston assembly and the cylinder, wherein the bearing fluid is comprised of a gaseous bearing fluid;
- and
- at least one or more passages configured to route blow-by gas away from a portion of the clearance gap adjacent to the bearing element.
An assembly configured to translate axially along an axis of a cylinder comprising a section capable of containing a fluid, the assembly comprising:
- a piston face configured to contact the section;
- at least one bearing element affixed to the assembly and configured to provide an outward flow of a bearing fluid to a surface of the assembly, wherein the assembly does not contact the cylinder;
- and
- at least one or more passages configured to route blow-by gas from the section away from the bearing element.
A cylinder of a piston engine, the cylinder comprising:
- a bore capable of housing a piston movable along an axis of the bore;
- at least one bearing element configured to provide a flow of a bearing fluid to the bore, wherein the piston does not contact the cylinder;
- and
- a feed passage configured to receive the bearing fluid from a fluid source and provide the bearing fluid to the bearing element, wherein the bearing element comprises a porous annular element configured to allow the bearing fluid to flow radially inward through pores from the feed passage to the bore.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.