Free Piston Engine Generator Springless Braking and Valve Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electric power generation systems using internal combustion engines with springs face limitations such as fatigue, reduced piston stroke, and limited efficiency due to spring-related complications, leading to unreliable and inefficient power production.
Innovation Solution
The system incorporates a piston valve to control air intake and exhaust gas flow with low resistance, eliminating the need for separate ducts and allowing for faster filling and emptying of the combustion chamber, thereby enhancing efficiency and durability by reducing mechanical stress and optimizing combustion processes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a spring is used to brake the piston movement, then the piston can be decelerated and reversed, but the spring is subject to fatigue stresses that can lead to breakage and the extension of the piston stroke is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the spring from the system entirely, replacing it with a direct mechanical linkage between the piston and the generator rotor. This eliminates the spring's fatigue issues while allowing the piston stroke to be determined solely by the generator's mechanical requirements, thereby extending the possible stroke length without reliability concerns.
Solution Approach 2:
The piston rod serves multiple functions: it directly drives the generator rotor while also providing the braking function previously performed by the spring. This integration eliminates the need for a separate spring component and allows the piston stroke to be optimized for both power generation and braking requirements.
2Reliability
If a spring is used to brake the piston movement, then the piston can be decelerated, but the attainable compression level is limited consequently limiting the engine efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
By removing the spring and its associated braking mechanism, the patent allows the piston to achieve higher compression levels limited only by the generator's mechanical tolerance and the combustion chamber design, thereby significantly improving engine efficiency while maintaining reliable braking through direct mechanical coupling.
3Reliability
If separate ducts are provided for air intake and exhaust gas deduction, then the flow paths are well-defined, but the device complexity and space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the air intake and exhaust gas deduction functions into the piston structure itself. The piston includes openings that directly communicate with the combustion chamber, allowing air to be drawn in and exhaust gases to be expelled through the piston's movement without requiring separate external ducts, thereby simplifying the overall device structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The piston serves multiple functions: it acts as the moving boundary of the combustion chamber, provides the braking force, and simultaneously serves as the flow path for both air intake and exhaust gas deduction through its integrated openings, eliminating the need for separate dedicated ducts for each function.
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 configuration results in a more reliable, durable, and efficient electric power generation system with increased performance and power supply, as well as reduced vibrations and size, by allowing two ignitions per cycle and synchronizing piston movements for improved energy conversion.
Implementation Method 1
The piston valve (205a) being configured for blocking or unblocking a piston opening (200a) in the piston (15a) in order to provide air to the combustion chamber (5a) and/or in order to conduct exhaust gas from the combustion chamber (5a)
Implementation Method 2
the rod (17a) has fastened thereto one or more support means (23a) carrying sets of movable magnetic means (25a), facing sets of stationary magnetic means (27a) for producing electric power when the movable magnetic means (25a) are moved with respect to the stationary magnetic means (27a)
Implementation Method 3
a first combustion chamber (5a) formed in a first portion (3a) of a housing (3) of the apparatus (1) and a first piston (15a) housed within said first portion (3a) of said housing (3) and delimiting said combustion chamber (5a)
Data Source
Figure 1a
Figure 1b
Figure 1c
AI summary
The present invention concerns an apparatus(1) for producing electric power, including a housing in which there are located a first rod (17a) carrying at its opposed ends a first and a third piston (15a, 15c) and a second rod (17b) carrying at its opposed ends a third and a fourth piston (15b, 15d), the first piston (15a) delimiting a first combustion chamber (5a), the second piston (15b)delimiting a second combustion chamber (5b), and the third and fourth pistons (15c, 15d) delimiting a central, common third combustion chamber (5c). Each rod (17a, 17b) moves by a reciprocating linear motion and the movement generated by the ignition in the combustion chamber delimited by the piston located at one end of the rod is braked every time by the compression in the combustion chamber delimited by the piston located at the opposed end of the same rod.Each rod is associated with a set of coils/ permanent magnets (25a, 25b) which face respective sets of stationary permanent magnets/ stationary coils (27a, 27b), so that electric power is generated thanks to the reciprocating linear motion of said rods.