Patent US4936262A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4936262A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Regenerative thermal engine
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1989-05-15
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Granted: 1990-06-26
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Expires: 2009-05-15
Abstract
Abstract An internal combustion engine having a cylinder, a piston reciprocally movable in the cylinder, the cylinder and piston defining in part a chamber for combustion, intake means for introducing air into the cylinder at predetermined intervals, exhaust means for removing combustion gases from the cylinder at predetermined intervals, and a regenerator liner in at least a part of the chamber, the liner having a structure with surfaces defining a plurality of regenerative cells constructed to cyclically admit, hold and discharge compressed air from the cylinder for thermally insulating the cylinder from the heat of combustion, the engine including a mechanism to maintain the piston displaced from the cylinder to avoid contact of the piston with the liner and including a positive displacement, rotary compressor-expander to precompress air delivered to the piston cylinder and receive combustion gases from the cylinder to drive the compressor-expander.
Inventors
- 👤 Marius A. Paul
- 👤 Ana Paul
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 07:40
CPC Classifications
F; F02; F02B; F02B77/00; F02B77/02; F02F; F02F7/00; F02F7/0085; F02F7/0087; F02G; F02G3/00; F05; F05C; F05C2203/00; F05C2203/08
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
192 words
A regenerative thermal engine comprising: an internal combustion apparatus including a cylinder, a piston reciprocally movable in the cylinder, the cylinder and piston defining in part a chamber for combustion, intake means for introducing air into the cylinder at predetermined intervals, exhaust means for removing combustion gases from the cylinder at predetermined intervals, and a regenerator liner lining the cylinder in at least a part of the chamber in which the piston is movable, the liner having a structure with surfaces defining a plurality of regenerative cells constructed to cyclically admit, hold and discharge compressed air from the cylinder for thermally insulating the cylinder from the heat of combustion, and the piston being incrementally spaced from the regenerator liner; and, means for maintaining the piston incrementally spaced from said regenerator liner during cycled operation of the engine, which means includes a dual crank and dual connecting rod mechanism connected to the piston and adapted to eliminate piston side thrust, the mechanism having two connecting rods connected to two counterrotating crank shafts, said mechanism being dynamically balanced wherein contact of the piston with the regenerator liner is prevented during operation of the engine.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
192 words
A regenerative thermal engine comprising: an internal combustion apparatus including a cylinder, a piston reciprocally movable in the cylinder, the cylinder and piston defining in part a chamber for combustion, intake means for introducing air into the cylinder at predetermined intervals, exhaust means for removing combustion gases from the cylinder at predetermined intervals, and a regenerator liner lining the cylinder in at least a part of the chamber in which the piston is movable, the liner having a structure with surfaces defining a plurality of regenerative cells constructed to cyclically admit, hold and discharge compressed air from the cylinder for thermally insulating the cylinder from the heat of combustion, and the piston being incrementally spaced from the regenerator liner; and, means for maintaining the piston incrementally spaced from said regenerator liner during cycled operation of the engine, which means includes a dual crank and dual connecting rod mechanism connected to the piston and adapted to eliminate piston side thrust, the mechanism having two connecting rods connected to two counterrotating crank shafts, said mechanism being dynamically balanced wherein contact of the piston with the regenerator liner is prevented during operation of the engine.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
The engine of claim 1 wherein said regenerative cells at least periodically communicate directly with said chamber.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
81 words
The engine of claim 1 wherein a cyclic process of intake, compression, expansion, exhaust and scavenging specific to a piston engine actuates continuous cyclic movement of compressed air into and out of the regenerative cells whereby the compressed air is integrated into the regenerative cells and absorbs the heat radiated from all the hot structure of the liner whereby the enthalpic content of the compressed air is increased and released in the expansion stroke as recovered energy of a cooling process.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
41 words
The engine of claim 2 wherein the regenerator liner lines the cylinder and the liner structure has a configuration including grooves that forms a labyrinth sealing system with the piston displaced a minimum increment from the structure of the regenerator liner.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
The engine of claim 4 wherein the structure of the regenerator liner comprises a plurality of alternately parallel fins and grooves.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
36 words
The engine of claim 5 wherein the plurality of alternating fins and grooves have an angled orientation, the cells formed thereby having circular openings around the cylinder, angled toward the direction of a piston compression stroke.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
44 words
The engine of claim 6 wherein the grooves are constructed in depth and width and the fins proximally spaced from said piston to inhibit airflow from cell to cell, wherein pressure stratification is generated from the cells proximate the top of the piston stroke.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
46 words
The engine of claim 5 wherein the grooves are constructed in depth, width and orientation wherein the outside radial movement of air during an expansion stroke of a piston is toward the chamber center producing a dynamic separation of the hot gases from the cylinder liner.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
55 words
The engine of claim 4 in combination with means for injecting a liquid spray against the liner when the cells communicate with the chamber prior to or during a compression stroke of the piston wherein liquid spray is carried into the cells for vaporization cooling and expelled during an expansion stroke for added power generation.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
124 words
The engine of claim 4 wherein the regenerator liner includes a cooling jacket means surrounding substantially the entire combustion chamber and defining thin spaces in which a cooling fluid can be heated by heat conducted from the combustion chamber, the thin spaces forming a helicoidal passageway being in continuous communication with the working space within the cylinder; and, injection means for injecting a prescribed amount of cooling fluid through the passageway into the thin spaces defined by the the cooling jacket means at a prescribed time during each complete cycle of the engine, such that the resulting cooling fluid film is heated to produce high pressure, superheated vapor for entry into the working space within the cylinder such that Rankine cycle is thereby provided.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
39 words
The engine of claim 10, wherein the thin space defined by the cooling jacket means is a narrow spiral passageway beginning near the lower end of the combustion chamber and ending near the upper end of the combustion chamber.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
38 words
The engine of claim 11, wherein the narrow spiral passageway defined by the cooling jacket means is in continuous communication with the engine cylinder via at least one injection port adjacent to the upper end of the cylinder.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
44 words
The engine of claim 12, and further including means for recovering at least a portion of the cooling fluid from the exhaust gases and steam expelled from the engine during its exhaust cycle, the recovered cooling fluid being subsequently used by the injection means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
85 words
The engine of claim 1 wherein the cylinder is divided into at least three zones with a first combustion zone having the regenerator liner, a second port zone having air and gas ports and a third guide zone displaced from the first combustion zone by said intermediary port zone, wherein said means for maintaining the piston incrementally spaced from the liner includes a piston guide cylinder in said guide zone, said guide cylinder being of relatively cool temperature by its displacement from said combustion zone.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
37 words
The engine of claim 14 wherein said piston has a differential configuration with a large diameter cap positioned for reciprocation in said first zone and a smaller diameter cross head positioned for reciprocation in said guide zone.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
92 words
The engine of claim 4 wherein said engine includes a second piston which with said first piston forms a mechanism in permanent dynamic balance, constituted from two parallel side-by-side and synchronized reciprocating pistons, dynamically balance connecting rods and oppositely rotating crankshafts, in which the pistons are interconnected by a strap whereby the side thrusts are in continuous opposition, totally cancelling the side contact between the pistons and the cylinder, the mechanism being in permanent dynamic balance and associated with a common combustion chamber which produces an identical pressure evolution in both cylinders.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
27 words
The engine of claim 10 wherein the thin spaces defined by the cooling jacket means surround a substantial portion of an upper wall of the engine cylinder.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
37 words
The engine of claim 17 wherein: the engine further includes a precombustion chamber located immediately above the upper end of the cylinder; and the thin spaces defined by the cooling jacket means further surround the precombustion chamber.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
62 words
The engine of claim 18 wherein the cooling fluid injected by the injection means absorbs substantially all of the heat conducted away from the combustion working space, such that the internal combustion engine is an adiabatic system and is free of any additional means for dissipating heat conducted away from the cylinder working space and the system operates as internal cogeneration system.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
25 words
The engine of claim 9 wherein the cooling fluid comprises a liquid from the group consisting of water, liquefied gases, liquid NO2, hydroamonia, and methanol.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
25 words
The engine of claim 10 wherein the cooling fluid comprises a liquid from the group consisting of water, liquefied gases, liquid NO2, hydroamonia, and methanol.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
15 words
The engine of claim 1, including a surface of the combustion chamber structured with ceramic.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1993-06-25 | 1993-12-25 | 1994-06-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-06-25 | 1997-12-25 | 1998-06-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-06-25 | 2001-12-25 | 2002-06-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |