Internal combustion engine and working cycle
First Claim
1. A method of operating a four-stroke internal combustion engine having a chamber and at least one moving component partially defining the chamber and moving through successive, four-stroke power cycles, each four-stroke power cycle involving at least an intake stroke, compression stroke, an expansion stroke and an exhaust stroke, aided by combustion taking place within the chamber, said method including the steps of,during each cycle of a plurality of power cycles, establishing a compression ratio for the engine which is less than 50% of the expansion ratio for the engine, wherein each cycle of the plurality of power cycles is a four-stroke power cycle;
- pre-compressing air outside the chamber;
cooling the pre-compressed air outside the chamber;
during each cycle of the plurality of power cycles, directing the cooled, pre-compressed air into the chamber through at least one inlet port;
introducing fuel into the chamber; and
igniting a fuel/air mixture in the chamber.
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Reexamination
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Abstract
The invention is concerned with a method of deriving mechanical work from a combustion gas in internal combustion engines and reciprocating internal combustion engines for carrying out the method. The invention includes methods and apparatuses for managing combustion charge densities, temperatures, pressures and turbulence in order to produce a true mastery within the power cylinder in order to increase fuel economy, power, and torque while minimizing polluting emissions. In its preferred embodiments, the method includes the steps of (i) producing an air charge, (ii) controlling the temperature, density and pressure of the air charge, (iii) transferring the air charge to a power cylinder of the engine such that an air charge having a weight and density selected from a range of weight and density levels ranging from below atmospheric weight and density to heavier-than-atmospheric weight and density is introduced into the power cylinder, and (iv) then compressing the air charge at a lower-than-normal compression ratio, (v) causing a pre-determined quantity of charge-air and fuel to produce a combustible mixture, (vi) causing the mixture to be ignited within the power cylinder, and (vii) allowing the combustion gas to expand against a piston operable in the power cylinders with the expansion ratio of the power cylinders being substantially greater than the compression ratio of the power cylinders of the engine. In addition to other advantages, the invented, method is capable of producing mean effective cylinder pressures ranging from lower-than-normal to higher-than-normal. In the preferred embodiments, the mean effective cylinder pressure is selectively variable (and selectively varied) throughout the mentioned range during the operation of the engine. In an alternate embodiment related to constant speed-constant load operation, the mean effective cylinder pressure is selected from the range and the engine is configured, in accordance with the present invention, such that the mean effective cylinder pressure range is limited, being varied only in the amount required for producing the power, torque and speed of the duty cycle for which the engine is designed.
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Citations
82 Claims
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1. A method of operating a four-stroke internal combustion engine having a chamber and at least one moving component partially defining the chamber and moving through successive, four-stroke power cycles, each four-stroke power cycle involving at least an intake stroke, compression stroke, an expansion stroke and an exhaust stroke, aided by combustion taking place within the chamber, said method including the steps of,
during each cycle of a plurality of power cycles, establishing a compression ratio for the engine which is less than 50% of the expansion ratio for the engine, wherein each cycle of the plurality of power cycles is a four-stroke power cycle; -
pre-compressing air outside the chamber; cooling the pre-compressed air outside the chamber; during each cycle of the plurality of power cycles, directing the cooled, pre-compressed air into the chamber through at least one inlet port; introducing fuel into the chamber; and igniting a fuel/air mixture in the chamber. - 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, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 68, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79)
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58. A four-stroke, internal combustion engine having a chamber with at least a first inlet port associated therewith and at least one moving component partially defining the chamber and moving through successive, four-stroke power cycles, each four-stroke power cycle involving at least an intake stroke, a compression stroke, an expansion stroke and an exhaust stroke, aided by combustion taking place within the chamber, said engine further comprising:
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a control system configured to direct a cooled, pre-compressed mixture of fuel and air into the chamber during each cycle of a plurality of power cycles, and to establish during each cycle of the plurality of power cycles, a compression ratio for the engine which is less than 50% of the expansion ratio, wherein each cycle of the plurality of power cycles is a four-stroke power cycle; and a spark ignition system configured to spark ignite the fuel/air mixture within the chamber. - View Dependent Claims (59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 69, 82)
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- 70. A four-stroke, spark-ignited, internal combustion engine having a chamber and at least one piston partially defining the chamber and moving in a reciprocating manner in at least one cylinder through at least one four-stroke power cycle involving at least a compression stroke and an intake stroke immediately preceding the compression stroke, and involving an expansion stroke and an exhaust stroke, aided by combustion taking place within the chamber, wherein the compression stroke results in compressing of air within the chamber, said engine characterized by a four-stroke power cycle having a compression ratio less than 50% of the expansion ratio end by the presence in the chamber during said power cycle of a cool, dense, heavy gaseous charge comprising a mixture of fuel and air, which fuel/air mixture was pre-compressed and pre-cooled outside the chamber and was captured in the chamber.
Specification