Rotary Combustion Engine EPIC Cycle Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional rotary engines face disadvantages in terms of size, weight, and efficiency, particularly in comparison to reciprocating piston engines, due to their complex geometries and limited power density.
Innovation Solution
The development of a rotary engine employing an Exhaust Power Intake Compression (EPIC) cycle with a planar housing, elongated rotor, double-concave blades, and a gearbox, which enables continuous circular motion and efficient power multiplication, effectively mimicking a four-cylinder engine in a smaller, lighter package.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If conventional rotary engine geometries are used, then the engine can operate continuously, but the size and weight are excessive compared to reciprocating piston engines
Solution Approach 1:
The engine is divided into modular components including a rotor assembly with multiple blades, a stator assembly with stationary blades, and separate bearing supports. This segmentation allows for a more compact overall configuration while maintaining the continuous rotation capability through the modular architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from traditional reciprocating linear motion to rotary motion in a planar configuration. The rotor blades rotate within a planar housing, utilizing rotational dimensions rather than linear reciprocating dimensions, which reduces the overall engine envelope while maintaining power output.
2Power
If conventional rotary engine designs are used, then simple construction is achieved, but power density is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The rotor and stator assemblies are merged into a single rotating unit where the rotor blades and stator blades work together in a unified combustion chamber configuration. This merging increases the effective combustion surface area and power density while the modular assembly process keeps construction complexity manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotor blades are configured with curved surfaces that optimize gas flow and combustion efficiency. The curved geometry of the blades and housing creates more efficient combustion chambers, increasing power density while the curvature follows simple manufacturable forms.
3Reliability
If conventional rotary engines are used, then fewer moving parts are achieved, but thermal and pressure load resistance is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The housing and blade assemblies incorporate localized reinforcement zones at critical areas experiencing high thermal and pressure loads. The bearing supports and sealing surfaces are specifically designed with enhanced material properties and geometry to withstand localized stress concentrations without requiring overall structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite construction methods where the housing and blade assemblies utilize materials with enhanced thermal and pressure resistance properties. The combination of different materials provides both structural integrity under load and thermal management capabilities.
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 EPIC cycle engine achieves higher power density and scalability, with prototypes demonstrating improved torque production and reduced size and weight, while maintaining robustness against thermal and pressure loads, thus overcoming the limitations of conventional rotary engines.
Implementation Method 1
The invention relates to rotary engines with simple geometries... The invention is a Continuation-in-Part, claims priority to and incorporates by reference in its entirety U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/688,530 filed Oct. 30, 2019 and assigned Navy Case 105803... produce torque (via the EPIC cycle)
Data Source
AI summary
A rotary engine is provided to produce torque. The engine includes a planar housing, an elongated rotor, a pair of double-concave blades, fore and aft cover plates, and a gear box. The housing has a circular center cavity, and a pair of circular lateral cavities overlapping the center cavity and disposed along a longitudinal axis. The rotor is disposed on a rotor shaft along a rotation axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis within the center cavity. The blades flank the rotor and are disposed within their corresponding lateral cavity and turn on corresponding blade shafts parallel to the rotor shaft. The blades flank the rotor disposed within their corresponding lateral cavity and turn on corresponding blade shafts parallel to the rotor shaft. The fore and aft cover plates flank the housing along the rotation axis to cover the center and lateral cavities. The gear box is disposed on the aft cover plate and has a rotor gear wheel with adjacent corresponding blade gear wheels. The rotor gear wheel turns with the rotor shaft while engaging both blade gear wheels along their peripheries. The blade gear wheels turn with the corresponding blade shafts. The blades turn opposite to the rotor.