Power supply systems

• US 8,786,114 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2010
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: University of Sussex
• Original Assignee: University of Sussex
• Inventors: Dunne, Julian Francis
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Tulsidas C
• Assistant Examiner(s): GUGGER, SEAN A
• Application Number:
  US13/318,100
• Publication Number:
  US 20120139260A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,544 Days
• Field of Search: 290/1
• US Class Current: 290/1.A
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 1/02 comprising more than one electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/24 characterised by the combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/32 characterised by the fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: B60K 6/46 Series type
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 1/006 to power outlets
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/423 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/441 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2240/443 Torque
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/16 with provision for separate direct mechanical propulsion
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/61 by batteries charged by engine-driven generators, e.g. series hybrid electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 53/63 in response to network capacity
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 55/00 Arrangements for supplying energy stored within a vehicle to a power network, i.e. vehicle-to-grid [V2G] arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 58/40 for controlling a combination of batteries and fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: F01C 1/063 with coaxially-mounted members having continuously-changing circumferential spacing between them
• CPC Class Codes: F01C 21/007 General arrangements of parts; Frames and supporting elements
• CPC Class Codes: F01C 21/008 Driving elements, brakes, couplings, transmissions specially adapted for rotary or oscillating-piston machines or engines brakes, couplings, transmissions per se F16, B60
• CPC Class Codes: F01C 21/08 Rotary pistons reciprocating pistons in general F16J
• CPC Class Codes: F01C 21/10 Outer members for co-operation with rotary pistons; Casings casings for rotary engines or machines in general F16M
• CPC Class Codes: F01C 9/002 the piston oscillating around a fixed axis
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 53/00 Internal-combustion aspects of rotary-piston or oscillating-piston engines internal-combustion aspects of rotary pistons or outer members for co-operation therewith F02B55/00
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 53/14 : Adaptations of engines for driving, or engine combinations with, other devices
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 63/04 : for electric generators
• CPC Class Codes: F04C 2240/30 : Casings or housings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/00 : Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 : Improving ICE efficiencies
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 : Hybrid vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/64 : Electric machine technologies in electromobility
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 : Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 : Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/12 : Electric charging stations
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/14 : Plug-in electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/16 : Information or communication technologies improving the operation of electric vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 90/40 : Application of hydrogen technology to transportation, e.g. using fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/126 : the energy generation units being or involving electric vehicles [EV] or hybrid vehicles [HEV], i.e. power aggregation of EV or HEV, vehicle to grid arrangements [V2G]

Abstract

A power supply system comprises an internal combustion engine (20) having a pair of opposed pistons (28, 30) and cylinder (32) within which the pistons move in use, the pistons (28, 30) and cylinder together forming a combustion chamber. The pair of opposed pistons (28, 30) and the cylinder (32) are each arranged to rotate, in use, about a common axis of rotation A with respect to an associated electric generator arrangement (22) so as to generate an electric output. The pair of opposed pistons (28, 30) are also arranged to together form a mass-elastic system that is capable of resonance and further arranged such that combustion in the combustion chamber causes the pistons (28, 30) to oscillate relative to each other about the common rotational axis (A).

Claims

1. A power supply system, comprising:

an internal combustion engine having a pair of opposed pistons and one or more cylinders within which the pistons move in use, the pistons and cylinder or cylinders together forming a combustion chamber or chambers of the engine, and wherein the pair of opposed pistons and the one or more cylinders are each arranged to be rotatable in use about a common axis of rotation, the pair of opposed pistons being further arranged such that combustion in the combustion chamber or chambers of the engine can cause the pistons to oscillate relative to each other about their common rotational axis, and the opposed pistons further being arranged to together comprise a mass-elastic system that is capable of resonance wherein the opposed pistons are coupled to one or more resilient members so as to form the mass elastic system that is capable of resonance; and

an electric generator arrangement associated with the pair of opposed pistons for generating an electrical output from the motion of at least one of the pistons in use.

2. The power supply system of claim 1, wherein the generator arrangement comprises a rotor and a stator, the rotor comprising at least one of the opposed pistons and the stator comprising a fixed casing at least partially surrounding the piston or pistons.

3. The power supply system of claim 1, comprising:

a motor-generator arrangement for generating electricity from the motion of at least one of the opposed pistons and for driving or controlling rotational motion of the at least one piston.

4. The power supply system of claim 1, wherein the pair of opposed pistons are each formed as toroidal sections that move within one or more toroidal-section shaped cylinders.

5. The power supply system of claim 1, wherein the pair of opposed pistons are arranged to be rotated in use at a common mean angular velocity about their common axis of rotation and are further arranged such that combustion in the combustion chamber or chambers of the engine can cause the pistons to oscillate relative to each other about the common rotational axis when so-rotating.

6. The power supply system of claim 1, further comprising means for maintaining the alignment of each of the one or more cylinders with respect to a particular relative angular position of the opposed pistons.

7. The power supply system of claim 1, comprising:

means for inducing or applying torques to the pair of opposed pistons so as to drive relative oscillation of the pistons.

8. The power supply system of claim 1, comprising:

a controller that generates periodic combustion in the combustion chamber or chambers of the engine so as to generate resonant oscillation between the pistons.

9. The power supply system of claim 1, comprising:

a controller that induces or applies a control torque to at least one of the opposed pistons that opposes the motion of the respective piston or pistons.

10. A hybrid powertrain, comprising:

a power supply system that generates an electrical output, the power supply system comprising;

an internal combustion engine having a pair of opposed pistons and one or more cylinders within which the pistons move in use, the pistons and cylinder or cylinders together forming a combustion chamber or chambers of the engine, and wherein the pair of opposed pistons and the one or more cylinders are each arranged to be rotatable in use about a common axis of rotation, the pair of opposed pistons being further arranged such that combustion in the combustion chamber or chambers of the engine can cause the pistons to oscillate relative to each other about their common rotational axis, and the opposed pistons further being arranged to together comprise a mass-elastic system that is capable of resonance wherein the opposed pistons are coupled to one or more resilient members so as to form the mass elastic system that is capable of resonance, and

an electric generator arrangement associated with the pair of opposed pistons for generating an electrical output from the motion of at least one of the pistons in use;

a motor-generator arrangement coupled to the power supply system for generating a mechanical output; and

an energy store that stores electrical energy coupled to the power supply system or the motor-generator arrangement.

11. A method of generating an electrical output using an internal combustion engine having a pair of opposed pistons and one or more cylinders within which the pistons move in use, the pistons and cylinder or cylinders together forming a combustion chamber or chambers of the engine, and wherein the pair of the opposed pistons and the one or more cylinders are each arranged to be rotatable in use about a common axis of rotation, the pair of opposed pistons being further arranged such that combustion in the combustion chamber or chambers of the engine can cause the pistons to oscillate relative to each other about their common rotational axis, and the opposed pistons further being arranged to together comprise a mass-elastic system that is capable of resonance wherein the opposed pistons are coupled to one or more resilient members so as to form the mass elastic system that is capable of resonance, the method comprising:

using combustion in the combustion chamber or chambers to cause relative oscillatory motion of the pistons about their common rotational axis; and

using a generator arrangement associated with the pair of opposed pistons so as to generate an electrical output from the motion of at least one of the pistons.

12. The method of claim 11, comprising:

rotationally accelerating the pair of opposed pistons about their common rotational axis to a greater than zero common angular velocity.

13. The method of claim 11, comprising:

maintaining the alignment of each of the one or more cylinders with respect to a particular relative angular position of the opposed pistons.

14. The method of claims 11, comprising:

inducing or applying torques to the pair of opposed pistons to drive relative oscillation between the pistons.

15. The method of claims 11, comprising:

generating periodic combustion in the combustion chamber or chambers of the engine to generate resonant oscillation between the pistons.

16. The method of claim 11, comprising:

inducing or applying a control torque to at least one of the opposed pistons that opposes the motion of the respective piston or pistons.

17. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having computer readable code embodied on said computer readable storage medium, the computer readable code for programming a computer to perform a method of generating an electrical output using an internal combustion engine having a pair of opposed pistons and one or more cylinders within which the pistons move in use, the pistons and cylinder or cylinders together forming a combustion chamber or chambers of the engine, and wherein the pair of the opposed pistons and the one or more cylinders are each arranged to be rotatable in use about a common axis of rotation, the pair of opposed pistons being further arranged such that combustion in the combustion chamber or chambers of the engine can cause the pistons to oscillate relative to each other about their common rotational axis, and the opposed pistons further being arranged to together comprise a mass-elastic system that is capable of resonance, the method comprising:

using combustion in the combustion chamber or chambers to cause relative oscillatory motion of the pistons about their common rotational axis wherein the opposed pistons are coupled to one or more resilient members so as to form the mass elastic system that is capable of resonance; and

using a generator arrangement associated with the pair of opposed pistons so as to generate an electrical output from the motion of at least one of the pistons.

18. A powered system, comprising:

a vehicle, the vehicle includes;

an internal combustion engine having a pair of opposed pistons and one or more cylinders within which the pistons move in use, the pistons and cylinder or cylinders together forming a combustion chamber or chambers of the engine, and wherein the pair of opposed pistons and the one or more cylinders are each arranged to be rotatable in use about a common axis of rotation, the pair of opposed pistons being further arranged such that combustion in the combustion chamber or chambers of the engine can cause the pistons to oscillate relative to each other about their common rotational axis, and the opposed pistons further being arranged to together comprise a mass-elastic system that is capable of resonance wherein the opposed pistons are coupled to one or more resilient members so as to form the mass elastic system that is capable of resonance; and

an electric generator arrangement associated with the pair of opposed pistons for generating an electrical output from the motion of at least one of the pistons in use.