Circulating Piston Engine Dual Sealing Rings for Blowby Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional circulating piston engines face challenges in effectively sealing combustion chambers, leading to inefficiencies and reduced performance due to blowby of combustion gases and inadequate control over fluid access.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of a dual sealing ring system, where a first sealing ring mitigates blowby and a second sealing ring provides selective access to fluid conduits, allowing for controlled airflow and fuel mixture introduction into the combustion chamber, enhancing sealing and operational efficiency.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a single sealing ring is used to seal the combustion chamber, then the structure is simple, but blowby of combustion gases occurs and sealing effectiveness is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesealing effectivenessVSAvoidsealing ring configuration
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The sealing system is divided into two distinct sealing rings: a first sealing ring that mitigates blowby of combustion gases, and a second sealing ring that provides selective access to fluid conduits. This segmentation allows each ring to perform its specific function independently, improving overall sealing effectiveness without requiring a single complex sealing structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of operation

If the second sealing ring provides continuous access to fluid conduits, then fluid flow is unrestricted, but control over airflow timing is lost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefluid access controlVSAvoidairflow management efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The second sealing ring is configured to rotate relative to the fluid conduits, dynamically changing the alignment between openings in the sealing ring and the conduits. This rotational movement enables selective access: when aligned, fluid flows freely; when misaligned, access is controlled or blocked. This dynamic configuration provides precise timing control for airflow and fuel mixture introduction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP3874123B1Air-fuel system for a circulating piston engine
Publication Date: 2024.02.21 WB DEV COMPANY
  • EP3874123B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1B
  • EP3874123B1 patent drawingFigure 1C
  • EP3874123B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

An engine includes a housing and a combustion assembly. The combustion assembly includes an annular bore and a combustion piston assembly disposed within the annular bore. The combustion piston assembly includes a set of pistons, a first sealing ring connected to each piston and a second sealing ring connected to each piston. The second sealing ring is configured to provide selective access between the annular bore and at least one fluid conduit carried by the engine. The engine includes at least one valve configured to move between a first position within the annular bore to allow the combustion piston assembly to travel within the annular bore from a first location proximate to the at least one valve to a second location distal to the at least one valve and a second position within the annular bore to define a combustion chamber.