Circulating Piston Engine Tangential Torque Generation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional piston engines face inefficiencies in torque generation, thermal efficiency, and pollutant reduction due to their crankshaft-based design, which limits torque output and increases pollutant formation.
Innovation Solution
A circulating piston engine design featuring an annular bore with moveable valves and pistons configured to generate torque tangentially, allowing for continuous combustion and precise fuel delivery, resulting in higher torque and thermal efficiency, and reduced pollutant formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If a crankshaft-based piston engine design is used, then the engine structure is conventional and easier to manufacture, but the torque generation is limited and thermal efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional crankshaft mechanism by eliminating it entirely and using a circulating piston design where pistons move in a circular path around a central axis. The force application is inverted from radial (conventional) to tangential (circulating), creating a direct torque-generating mechanism that eliminates the need for crankshaft conversion mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from linear reciprocating motion in conventional engines to circular/rotational motion in the circulating piston engine. The pistons circulate around a central axis in a planar circular path, adding a rotational dimension to the traditional linear piston motion, which directly generates torque without requiring crankshaft conversion.
2Loss of energy
If conventional piston engines are used, then the design is simpler, but thermal efficiency is lower and pollutant formation is higher
Solution Approach 1:
The circulating piston engine achieves continuous combustion action with multiple pistons firing in sequence around the circular bore. This continuous operation eliminates the idle periods between power strokes found in conventional engines, maintaining continuous useful work output and improving thermal efficiency through sustained combustion processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The engine incorporates a pre-combustion chamber that prepares and pre-heats the air-fuel mixture before it enters the main combustion chamber. This preliminary action ensures optimal combustion conditions are established in advance, improving combustion efficiency and reducing energy losses.
3Measurement precision
If conventional fuel delivery systems are used, then the system is simpler, but fuel ratio precision and combustion completeness are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The fuel delivery system uses the engine's own operating parameters (piston position, combustion chamber pressure, and airflow) to automatically regulate fuel injection timing and quantity. The system self-adjusts fuel delivery based on real-time engine conditions, ensuring precise fuel ratios without requiring complex external control mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The engine incorporates feedback mechanisms that monitor combustion quality and fuel consumption, adjusting fuel injection parameters in real-time to maintain optimal fuel-air ratios. This closed-loop control ensures precise fuel delivery and complete combustion while adapting to varying operating conditions.
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 significantly higher torque and thermal efficiency compared to conventional engines, with reduced pollutant emissions and the need for fewer gear ratios, enhancing performance and reducing contaminants.
Implementation Method 1
a spark plug ignites the mixture. Combustion of the mixture generates a corresponding force on each piston
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A
Figure 2B
AI summary
An engine, such as a circulating piston engine, includes a housing that defines an annular bore, a piston assembly, and a valve. The piston assembly is disposed within the annular bore and is configured to be coupled to a drive mechanism. The valve is configured to be intermittently disposed within the annular bore to define a combustion chamber relative to the piston assembly.