US3774391A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Internal combustion engines
Assignee: National Research Development Corp UK
•
Filing: 1971-03-31
•
Granted: 1973-11-27
•
Expires: 1991-03-31
Abstract
Abstract A compression-ignition internal combustion engine power plant is provided with means for submerged operating in the recycle mode in which a proportion of the exhaust gas discharged from the engine is mixed with pure oxygen gas and is supplied to the engine intake for aspiration and combustion with liquid hydrocarbon fuel injected into the combustion chamber, as an alternative to operation with normal aspiration of atmospheric air. Five control valves or valve groups are provided for controlling the oxygen gas supply, the atmospheric air intake, the exhaust outlet to atmosphere, the exhaust gas recycle conduit and the supply of compressed air for starting, and a two-stage electropneumatic control system of pneumatic valves is provided for operating the control valves in accordance with the requirements of the different modes of operation of the engine and for changing between modes. The engine is controlled to run in the recycle mode at a constant maximum speed under varying loads by control of the oxygen gas supply in dependence on the governed fuel input, or vice versa. The gas pressure in the engine intake is controlled to a constant absolute value by being sensed by an aneroid capsule which provides a feedback signal for regulating the speed of the exhaust gas compressor of the engine.
Inventors
- 👤 J Puttick
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-03 05:14
CPC Classifications
B; B63; B63G; B63G8/00; B63G8/08; F; F02; F02B; F02B47/00; F02B47/04; F02B47/08; F02B47/10; F02D; F02D9/00; F02B3/00; F02B3/06; F02D2700/00; F02D2700/09; Y; Y02; Y02T; Y02T10/00; Y02T10/10; Y02T10/12
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
189 words
An internal combustion engine power plant for operation in a submersible hull or capsule, including: an internal combustion engine of the liquid-fuel-injection kind having a gas intake and an exhaust, a supply of compressed air, a supply of pure oxygen gas, a variable-orifice pressure-reducing valve and a criticalflow metering orifice arranged in sequence between the oxygen supply and the engine intake, means for recycling a proportion of the exhaust gas discharged from the engine exhaust; means for supplying oxygen gas from the oxygen supply via the variableorifice pressure-reducing valve and via the critical-flow metering orifice under ''''choked'''' flow conditions for aspiration mixed with the recycled exhaust gas at the engine intake and for combustion with fuel in the engine to operate the engine in the recycle mode, control valves by which the aspiration and exhaust of the engine are controlled, engine-speed-responsive governor means arranged to regulate the fuel input in such a way as to maintain constant engine speed under variable loads, and means for controlling the upstream gas pressure at the metering orifice by automatically adjusting the reducing valve in dependence on the fuel input to the engine.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
189 words
An internal combustion engine power plant for operation in a submersible hull or capsule, including: an internal combustion engine of the liquid-fuel-injection kind having a gas intake and an exhaust, a supply of compressed air, a supply of pure oxygen gas, a variable-orifice pressure-reducing valve and a criticalflow metering orifice arranged in sequence between the oxygen supply and the engine intake, means for recycling a proportion of the exhaust gas discharged from the engine exhaust; means for supplying oxygen gas from the oxygen supply via the variableorifice pressure-reducing valve and via the critical-flow metering orifice under ''''choked'''' flow conditions for aspiration mixed with the recycled exhaust gas at the engine intake and for combustion with fuel in the engine to operate the engine in the recycle mode, control valves by which the aspiration and exhaust of the engine are controlled, engine-speed-responsive governor means arranged to regulate the fuel input in such a way as to maintain constant engine speed under variable loads, and means for controlling the upstream gas pressure at the metering orifice by automatically adjusting the reducing valve in dependence on the fuel input to the engine.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
65 words
A power plant as claimed in claim 1 having a fuel injection pump of the in-line type, the pump having a movable rack which comprises the fuel input control member, and an interconnection between the rack of the pump and the orifice-adjusting means of the reducing valve, the said connection comprising the means for controlling the upstream gas pressure in dependence on the fuel input.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
203 words
An internal combustion engine power plant for operation in a submersible hull or capsule, including an internal combustion engine of the liquid-fuel-injection kind having a gas intake and an exhaust, a supply of compressed air, a supply of pure oxygen gas, a variable-orifice pressure-reducing valve and a critical-flow metering orifice arranged in sequence between the oxygen supply and the engine intake, means for recycling a proportion of the exhaust gas discharged from the engine exhaust, means for supplying oxygen gas from the oxygen supply via the variable-orifice pressure-reducing valve and via the critical flow metering orifice under ''''choked'''' flow conditions for aspiration mixed with the recycled exhaust gas at the engine intake and for combustion with fuel in the engine to operatE the engine in the recycle mode, control valves by which the aspiration and exhaust of the engine are controlled, engine-speed-responsive governor means coupled to the reducing valve and arranged to adjust the gas pressure upstream of the metering orifice so as to regulate the oxygen input to the engine in such a way as to maintain constant engine speed under varying loads and means for controlling the fuel input to the engine automatically in dependence on the said upstream gas pressure.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
203 words
An internal combustion engine power plant for operation in a submersible hull or capsule, including an internal combustion engine of the liquid-fuel-injection kind having a gas intake and an exhaust, a supply of compressed air, a supply of pure oxygen gas, a variable-orifice pressure-reducing valve and a critical-flow metering orifice arranged in sequence between the oxygen supply and the engine intake, means for recycling a proportion of the exhaust gas discharged from the engine exhaust, means for supplying oxygen gas from the oxygen supply via the variable-orifice pressure-reducing valve and via the critical flow metering orifice under ''''choked'''' flow conditions for aspiration mixed with the recycled exhaust gas at the engine intake and for combustion with fuel in the engine to operatE the engine in the recycle mode, control valves by which the aspiration and exhaust of the engine are controlled, engine-speed-responsive governor means coupled to the reducing valve and arranged to adjust the gas pressure upstream of the metering orifice so as to regulate the oxygen input to the engine in such a way as to maintain constant engine speed under varying loads and means for controlling the fuel input to the engine automatically in dependence on the said upstream gas pressure.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
62 words
A power plant as claimed in claim 3 having a fuel injection pump of the in-line type, the pump having a movable rack which comprises the fuel input control member, and actuating means responsive to the upstream gas pressure and connected to the rack of the pump, to control the fuel input to the engine in dependence upon the said gas pressure.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
188 words
An internal combustion engine power plant for operation in a submersible hull or capsule, including an internal combustion engine of the liquid-fuel injection kind having a gas intake and an exhaust, a supply of compressed air, a supply of pure oxygen gas, and means for recycling a proportion of the exhaust gas discharged from the engine exhaust mixed with oxygen gas from the oxygen supply to the engine intake for combustion with fuel in the engine to operate the engine in the recycle mode, control valves by which the aspiration and exhaust of the engine are controlled, a variable-output exhaust gas compressor by which the recycled exhaust gas is supplied to the engine inlet at an inlet gas pressure determined by the volumetric output of the compressor, and means for controlling the volumetric output of the compressor in response to variations in the said inlet gas pressure, a variation of the inlet gas pressure from a predetermined absolute value causing a corresponding feedback signal to be applied to the said output control means of the compressor so as to restore the inlet gas pressure to said predetermined value.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
188 words
An internal combustion engine power plant for operation in a submersible hull or capsule, including an internal combustion engine of the liquid-fuel injection kind having a gas intake and an exhaust, a supply of compressed air, a supply of pure oxygen gas, and means for recycling a proportion of the exhaust gas discharged from the engine exhaust mixed with oxygen gas from the oxygen supply to the engine intake for combustion with fuel in the engine to operate the engine in the recycle mode, control valves by which the aspiration and exhaust of the engine are controlled, a variable-output exhaust gas compressor by which the recycled exhaust gas is supplied to the engine inlet at an inlet gas pressure determined by the volumetric output of the compressor, and means for controlling the volumetric output of the compressor in response to variations in the said inlet gas pressure, a variation of the inlet gas pressure from a predetermined absolute value causing a corresponding feedback signal to be applied to the said output control means of the compressor so as to restore the inlet gas pressure to said predetermined value.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
43 words
A power plant as claimed in claim 5 which includes an aneroid capsule exposed to the gas pressure in the engine inlet and a connection between the aneroid capsule and the speed control means of the compressor to provide the said feedback signal.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
53 words
A power plant as claimed in claim 6 including a hydraulic actuator mechanically coupled to the output control means of the exhaust gas compressor to control the compressor output, the hydraulic actuator being controlled by a hydraulic servo valve whose movable valve member is coupled to the movable member of the aneroid capsule.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
31 words
A power plant as claimed in claim 5 in which the hydraulic actuator is energised via the servo valve by pressure oil derived from a pressurized lubricating system of the engine.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US1133488A
Cited
US2645216A
Cited
US2681645A
Cited
US2720856A
Cited
US3507260A
Cited
US3618576A
Cited
US3621825A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-11-26 | 1977-05-28 | 1977-11-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-11-26 | 1981-05-28 | 1981-11-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-11-26 | 1985-05-28 | 1985-11-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |