COMBUSTION ENGINE HEAT REMOVAL AND TEMPERATURE CONTROL

• US 3,838,668 A
• Filed: 12/26/1972
• Issued: 10/01/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 12/26/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Biphase Energy Company
• Original Assignee: John Torola Jr, Lance G. Hays
• Inventors: Hays, Lance G., Torola, John Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Antonakas, Manuel A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): O'Connor, Daniel J.
• Application Number:
  US05/317,947
• Time in Patent Office: 644 Days
• Field of Search: 123/41.2,41.21,41.26 165/105 418/90
• US Class Current: 123/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2003/2278 Heat pipes
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 2050/16 Motor-cycles
• CPC Class Codes: F01P 9/02 Cooling by evaporation, e.g. by spraying water on to cylinders evaporation and condensation of liquid coolant in closed cycles F01P3/22 ; evaporation or evaporation apparatus for physical or chemical purposes, e.g. evaporation of liquids for gas phase reactions B01B1/005
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 2053/005 Wankel engines
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 2075/025 two
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 61/02 for driving cycles

Abstract

A casing extends about an internal combustion engine cylinder to define an evaporator region containing a liquid subject to evaporation during engine heat transfer thereto; a heat exchanger structure receives vapor from the evaporator region for condensation and return to the latter; and an expansion chamber offset from the casing is in closed communication with the evaporator region via the heat exchanger structure, the chamber containing a non-condensable gas for the purpose of temperature control.

Claims

1. In combination with an internal combustion engine combustion cylinder wherein heat is developed, the cylinder having a wall and a head, a. a casing extending in proximity to the cylinder and defining therewith a common evaporator region adjacent both said wall and head and containing a liquid subject to evaporation in response to heat transfer thereto via said wall during engine operation, b. a heat exchanger structure having interior passage means adapted to receive vapor produced upon evaporation of said liquid for condensation and return flow in liquid state to said evaporator region, and c. an expansion chamber relatively offset from both the casing and heat exchanger structure and in closed communication with said evaporator region solely via said heat exchanger structure, the chamber closed to the exterior and containing a sufficient volume of non-condensable gas that the temperature of the cylinder wall remains substantially constant during engine operation.

2. The combination of claim 1 including ducting intercommunicating said chamber, said heat exchanger structure and said casing, and capillary means within said ducting to conduct said return flow.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein said capillary structure comprises a mesh screen carried by the duct, and located therein.

4. The combination of claim 2 wherein said capillary structure is carried to extend along the duct boundary and from a point above the level of the cylinder to said evaporator region.

5. The combination of claim 8 including metallic mesh carried to extend adjacent the cylinder and proximate the top of the cylinder, within said region.

6. The combination of claim 2 wherein said ducting incluDes a horizontal section, and a vertical section extending to said expansion chamber and carrying integral cooling fins, the expansion chamber located above the level of all said fins, the volume of the expansion chamber substantially exceeding that of the heat exchanger interior passage means.

7. The combination of claim 1 including a motor vehicle powered by said engine.

8. The combination of claim 1 wherein said casing extends about the cylinder and over the head end thereof, the casing maximum outer diameter being less than 50% greater than the cylinder maximum diameter.

9. The combination of claim 1 wherein the engine is of two-stroke cycle type, the cylinder having a side wall with staggered fuel intake and exhaust ports traversed by the engine piston during engine operation, said casing extending proximate the exhaust port.

10. The combination of claim 1 wherein the engine is of rotary piston type.