Variable bandwidth striated charge for use in a rotary vane pumping machine

• US 6,386,172 B1
• Filed: 08/02/2000
• Issued: 05/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mallen Research Limited Partnership
• Original Assignee: Mallen Research Limited
• Inventors: Mallen, Brian D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Denion, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRIEU, THAI BA
• Application Number:
  US09/631,691
• Time in Patent Office: 650 Days
• Field of Search: 123/243, 123/242, 123/688, 123/568.12, 418/159, 418/100, 138/45, 138/46, 55/84, 602/84, 602/97
• US Class Current: 123/243
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 2075/027 four
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 53/02 Methods of operating
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies

Abstract

A rotary vane combustion engine is provided that has a plurality of vane cells. This rotary vane combustion engine includes a rotor having a plurality of vanes; a stator enclosing the rotor to form a plurality of vane cells between the plurality of vanes; one or more intake ports for providing intake charge to the vane cells; one or more exhaust ports for removing exhaust gas from one of the vane cells; and a variable bandwidth fuel-air source connected to at least one of the intake ports for providing a discrete band of mixed fuel and air having a desired axial width to each of the plurality of vane cells. By providing a discrete band of fuel and air to each of the vane cells, this rotary vane combustion engine will allow the machine or engine to run at lower power without requiring it to run a vacuum to lower the density of mixed fuel and air. As a result, vacuum pumping losses can be substantially eliminated and the machine or engine can operate more efficiently.

Claims

1. A rotary vane combustion engine comprising:

a rotor having a plurality of vanes spaced from each other in a circumferential direction of the rotor;

a stator enclosing the rotor to form a plurality of vane cells between the plurality of vanes;

said rotor and said stator being rotatable relative to each other about an axis of rotation, and the width of each of said vane cells lying in the direction of said axis of rotation;

one or more intake ports for providing an intake charge to the vane cells;

one or more exhaust ports for removing exhaust gas from the vane cells; and

a variable bandwidth fuel-air source connecting a source of a fuel and air mixture to at least one of the intake ports, said variable bandwidth fuel-air source comprising an intake line having an effective width, in the direction of said axis of rotation, that can be varied such that the variable bandwidth fuel-air source can selectively provide to the plurality of vane cells any one of discrete bands of a fuel and air mixture of respective widths that differ in the direction of said axis of rotation.

2. A rotary vane combustion engine, as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more intake ports further comprises one or more supplemental air lines for providing supplemental air to a portion of the plurality of vane cells not filled with the selected discrete band of mixed fuel and air.

3. A rotary vane combustion engine, as recited in claim 2, wherein the variable width intake line comprises first and second movable intake walls that vary the width of the discrete band of mixed fuel and air provided to each of the plurality of vane cells.

4. A rotary vane combustion engine, as recited in claim 3, wherein the variable bandwidth fuel-air source further comprises first and second fixed intake hinges to which the first and second movable intake walls are attached, respectively, and each of which intake walls can rotate via said hinges to vary the width of the discrete band of mixed fuel and air provided to each of the plurality of vane cells.

5. A rotary vane combustion engine, as recited in claim 3, wherein the first and second movable intake walls are moved laterally with respect to each other, such that each remains parallel to the other, to vary the width of the discrete band of mixed fuel and air provided to each of the plurality of vane cells.

6. A rotary vane combustion engine, as recited in claim 1, wherein the variable width intake line comprises a movable intake wall, and a stationary intake wall, wherein the movable intake wall moves in relation to the stationary intake wall to vary the width of the discrete band of mixed fuel and air provided to each of the plurality of vane cells.

7. A rotary vane combustion engine, as recited in claim 1, and further comprising a fuel injector attached to the variable-width intake line for receiving fuel and fresh air and providing the mixed fuel and air.

8. A rotary vane combustion engine, as recited in claim 7, wherein the variable bandwidth fuel-air source further comprises a fixed width intake line formed between the fuel injector and the variable-width intake line, the fixed width intake line having at least one vortex generator for mixing the combined fuel and air.

9. A rotary vane combustion engine, as recited in claim 8, wherein the variable bandwidth fuel-air source further comprises a vorticity reducer downstream of the at least one vortex generator for straightening a flow of mixed fuel and air prior to induction into the vane cell.

10. A rotary vane combustion engine, as recited in claim 9, wherein the vorticity reducer comprises a grid of separate passages housed within the intake line through which mixed fuel and air can flow.

11. A rotary vane combustion engine, as recited in claim 9, wherein the variable bandwidth fuel-air source further comprises a mixing portion formed between the at least one vortex generator and the vorticity reducer to allow vortices generated by the at least one vortex generator to further mix the combined fuel and air.

12. A rotary vane combustion engine, as recited in claim 9, wherein the temperature of the combusted fuel-air mixture is maintained at 200°

C. or greater.

13. A rotary vane combustion engine, as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more exhaust ports includes one or more supplemental air exhaust ports for removing supplemental air, and a combusted gas exhaust port for removing a combusted fuel-air mixture.

14. A rotary vane combustion engine, as recited in claim 13, wherein the combusted gas exhaust port further comprises a variable-width exhaust line for removing the combusted fuel-air mixture from the plurality of vane cells, along an exhaust width of the vane cells lying in said direction of the axis of rotation of the rotor.

15. A rotary vane combustion engine, as recited in claim 14, wherein the exhaust width is greater than the axial width of the discrete band of mixed fuel and air selected by the variable bandwidth fuel-air source.

16. A rotary vane combustion engine, as recited in claim 14, wherein the variable width exhaust line comprises first and second movable walls that vary the exhaust width.

17. A rotary vane combustion engine, as recited in claim 16, wherein the first and second movable exhaust walls are attached to first and second fixed exhaust hinges, respectively and each of which exhaust walls can rotate via said hinges to vary the exhaust width.

18. A rotary vane combustion engine, as recited in claim 16, wherein the first and second movable exhaust walls are moved laterally with respect to each other, such that each remains parallel to the other, to vary the exhaust width.

19. A rotary vane combustion engine, as recited in claim 14, wherein the variable width exhaust line comprises a movable exhaust wall, and a stationary exhaust wall, wherein the movable exhaust wall moves in relation to the stationary exhaust wall to vary the exhaust width.

20. A rotary vane combustion engine, as recited in claim 13, and further comprising a catalytic converter connected to the combusted gas exhaust port.

21. A rotary vane combustion engine, as recited in claim 1, and further comprising a supplemental air recirculation line between the one or more exhaust ports and the one or more intake ports for carrying supplemental air from the one or more exhaust ports to the one or more intake ports.

22. A rotary vane combustion engine, as recited in claim 21, and further comprising an intercooler disposed along the supplemental air recirculation line for cooling the supplemental air.