Air Start Steam Engine Using Compressed Air
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Solution Overview
Problem
Steam engines face significant start-up delays due to the time required to generate steam and the need for large boiler storage, making them unsuitable for on-demand vehicles like personal automobiles.
Innovation Solution
An external combustion engine system that uses a combination of compressed gaseous and liquid working fluids, where compressed air is used to initiate power generation immediately, and water is heated to produce steam once the system is up to temperature, allowing for rapid steam production and efficient energy use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stress or pressure
If a traditional boiler is used to generate steam, then sufficient steam pressure is achieved, but significant start-up time (5-10 minutes) is required
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-heats water in the boiler before steam generation is needed, and uses compressed air storage to provide immediate power during start-up. This preliminary preparation eliminates the delay between activating the system and achieving operational steam pressure.
Solution Approach 2:
Compressed air serves as an intermediary working fluid that bridges the gap during start-up. It provides immediate power generation capability while the boiler is still heating water, allowing the system to become operational without waiting for steam pressure to build.
2Quantity of substance
If a large-volume boiler is used to store steam, then sufficient steam supply is maintained, but considerable vehicle space is occupied
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and separates the steam storage function from the power generation function. Instead of using a large boiler to store steam, the system generates steam on-demand in a compact boiler and uses compressed air as the primary working fluid, eliminating the need for large steam storage volume.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the physical state and parameters of the working fluid from steam-based to compressed air-based for the storage and immediate power generation components. This allows the use of high-pressure gas storage tanks instead of large-volume steam boilers, significantly reducing the volume required for working fluid storage.
3Speed
If compressed air is used as the working fluid, then immediate power generation is achieved, but the gas must be continuously recompressed
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the engine's own exhaust motion to drive the compressor, creating a self-sustaining cycle. The exhaust gases from the engine directly drive the compressor to recharge the compressed air storage tank, eliminating the need for an external power source to maintain the compressed air supply.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach eliminates start-up delays and reduces the space required for steam storage, enabling immediate vehicle response to power demands and improving efficiency by using compressed air to supplement steam power.
Implementation Method 1
The compressed air is expanded in the engine to move the piston
Implementation Method 2
The water is heated to its boiling point and converted to gas form
Implementation Method 3
the pressurized steam is supplied from the boiler to the cylinders to cause the pistons to move. The movement of the pistons transfers the energy in the steam to the engine
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system using at least two different working fluids to be supplied to an expander to cause it to do mechanical work. The expander is started by providing a compressed gaseous working fluid at a sufficient pressure to the expander. At the same time the compressed gaseous working fluid is provided to the expander, a second working fluid that is liquid at ambient temperatures is provided to a heater to be heated. The second working fluid is heated to its boiling point and converted to pressurized gas Once the pressure is increased to a sufficient level, the second working fluid is injected into the expander to generate power, and the supply of the first working fluid may be stopped. After expansion in the expander, the working fluids are is exhausted from the expander, and the second working fluid may be condensed for separation from the first working fluid. Control circuitry controls the admission of the first and second working fluids responsive to monitoring the load on the expander.