Binary Cylinder Engine Lever System for Heat Recovery

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional internal combustion engines are less than 20% efficient, with over 60% of energy lost as wasted heat, and there is a need for a more efficient non-petroleum fueled reciprocating engine that can power motor vehicles without internal combustion.

Innovation Solution

A pressure-driven reciprocating engine with binary cylinder systems and a lever system to convert linear motion from pistons to rotary motion at a crankshaft, utilizing compressed air or heat expansion from a working fluid like refrigerant or natural gas, allowing for enhanced mechanical advantages and efficient energy conversion.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of energy

If conventional internal combustion engines are used, then power output is achieved, but energy efficiency is poor with over 60% loss as wasted heat

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewasted heat energyVSAvoidpower output

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSPower

Solution Approach 1:

The patent captures wasted heat energy from the exhaust and cooling systems and converts it into useful mechanical work through a heat-driven piston system. The exhaust heat and cooling water heat are used to drive pistons that generate additional power, transforming previously wasted thermal energy into beneficial mechanical output.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the operating parameters by introducing a separate heat-driven piston system that operates at different temperature and pressure conditions from the main combustion engine. This allows the system to utilize low-grade heat that would otherwise be wasted, converting thermal energy at various temperature levels into mechanical work through phase change and thermal expansion.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Object-generated harmful factors

If internal combustion engines are used, then power is generated, but emissions are produced

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveemissionsVSAvoidpower generation

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-generated harmful factorsVSPower

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and separates the heat utilization function from the combustion process. By capturing heat from the exhaust and cooling systems to drive separate pistons, the system separates power generation from combustion emissions, allowing the main engine to focus on propulsion while the heat-driven pistons generate additional power without producing additional emissions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Loss of energy

If a non-internal combustion reciprocating engine is used, then energy efficiency is improved, but power and speed demands of motor vehicles are difficult to achieve

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenergy efficiencyVSAvoidpower and speed demand

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSPower

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges a conventional internal combustion engine with a heat-driven reciprocating piston system into a hybrid powertrain. The combustion engine provides high-power output for vehicle propulsion, while the heat-driven pistons capture waste heat to generate additional power and drive a generator for electrical requirements, combining the advantages of both systems to meet both power demand and efficiency requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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

The engine achieves high torque output with low vibrations and balanced operation, converting heat to mechanical energy efficiently, and can be used as a sole power source or auxiliary generator in vehicles, utilizing abundant natural gas and minimizing fluid makeup.

Implementation Method 1

The engine uses a lever system to achieve enhanced mechanical advantages in converting linear motion from pistons to rotary motion at a crankshaft

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical Advantage: Mechanical Advantage

Implementation Method 2

heat expansion from a working fluid like refrigerant or natural gas

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal Expansion: Thermal Expansion

Data Source

PatentUS8342077B1Binary cylinder engine

Publication Date: 2013.01.01 STAUSS RICHARD L

AI summary

A non-internal combustion reciprocating engine has an enhanced mechanical advantage lever system for efficiently converting linear motion from reciprocating pistons to rotary motion at a crankshaft. The engine comprises a chassis, at least two sets of binary cylinder systems mounted on the chassis, a crankshaft and a lever system. Each lever system has a piston lever, two thrust rods and a central drive lever. Each piston lever is pivotally attached to the chassis and pivotally attached to a piston rod extending from a piston cylinder. The two thrust rods are pivotally attached at one terminus to the piston lever and pivotally attached at a second terminus to the central drive lever. The two piston cylinders of each binary cylinder system work in concert to efficiently transfer power to the crankshaft.