Engine having external combustion chamber
First Claim
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1. A method of making rotational energy in an engine comprising:
- filling a high-pressure fuel vessel with a compressed fuel to a pressure of at least 1000 pounds per square inch from a source external to the engine;
supplying compressed fuel to a combustion chamber from the high-pressure fuel vessel;
filling a high-pressure air vessel with air to a pressure of at least 1000 pounds per square inch from a source external to the engine;
supplying compressed air to the combustion chamber from the high-pressure air vessel;
burning said fuel and air in said combustion chamber to form a compressed combustion gas;
opening an intake valve and supplying said compressed combustion gas to a positive displacement chamber containing a reciprocating piston such that said compressed combustion gas expands forcing said piston in a direction that increases the volume of the positive displacement cylinder to form an expanded gas; and
closing said intake valve and opening an exhaust valve and allowing the expanded gas to exit said displacement chamber while said piston is moving in a direction which decreases the volume of the positive displacement chamber to provide a exhaust gas.
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Abstract
Provided is an engine having positive displacement chambers containing pistons and an external combustion chamber which utilizes the energy stored in compressed fuel and compressed air in combination with the energy released during combustion of the fuel to drive the pistons. Energy expended compressing the fuel and air are recovered.
59 Citations
68 Claims
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1. A method of making rotational energy in an engine comprising:
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filling a high-pressure fuel vessel with a compressed fuel to a pressure of at least 1000 pounds per square inch from a source external to the engine;
supplying compressed fuel to a combustion chamber from the high-pressure fuel vessel;
filling a high-pressure air vessel with air to a pressure of at least 1000 pounds per square inch from a source external to the engine;
supplying compressed air to the combustion chamber from the high-pressure air vessel;
burning said fuel and air in said combustion chamber to form a compressed combustion gas;
opening an intake valve and supplying said compressed combustion gas to a positive displacement chamber containing a reciprocating piston such that said compressed combustion gas expands forcing said piston in a direction that increases the volume of the positive displacement cylinder to form an expanded gas; and
closing said intake valve and opening an exhaust valve and allowing the expanded gas to exit said displacement chamber while said piston is moving in a direction which decreases the volume of the positive displacement chamber to provide a exhaust gas. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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35. A method of operating an engine to power a vehicle:
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filling a high-pressure gaseous fuel vessel in the vehicle with a compressed gaseous fuel to a pressure of at least 1000 pounds per square inch from a source external to the vehicle;
supplying compressed fuel to a combustion chamber in the vehicle from the high-pressure fuel vessel;
filling a high-pressure air vessel in the vehicle with air to a pressure of at least 1000 pounds per square inch from a source external to the vehicle;
supplying compressed air to the combustion chamber from the high-pressure air vessel;
burning said fuel and air in said combustion chamber to form a compressed combustion gas in said combustion chamber;
opening an intake valve and supplying said compressed combustion gas to a positive displacement chamber containing a reciprocating piston such that said compressed combustion gas expands forcing said piston in a direction that increases the volume of the positive displacement cylinder to form an expanded gas to thereby move the reciprocating piston;
closing said intake valve and opening an exhaust valve and allowing the expanded gas to exit said displacement chamber while said piston is moving in a direction which decreases the volume of the positive displacement chamber to provide a exhaust gas; and
using power from the reciprocating piston to drive the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68)
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Specification
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Current AssigneeJeffrey S. Melcher
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Original AssigneeJeffrey S. Melcher
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InventorsMehail, James J.
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Primary Examiner(s)Koczo, Michael
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Application NumberUS09/680,468Time in Patent Office452 DaysField of Search60/396, 60/396.2, 60/396.3, 237/12.3 AUS Class Current60/39.6CPC Class CodesF02G 3/02 with reciprocating-piston e...
