1. Field of Invention
This invention pertains generally to engines and, more particularly, to a pulsed plasma engine and method of operating the same.
2. Related Art
A pulsed plasma engine is a type of internal explosion engine that is generally similar in principle to an internal combustion engine except that it uses non-combustible gases such as air, oxygen, nitrogen or inert gas(es) instead of the combustible gases which are used in internal combustion engines.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,076,950 discloses an internal explosion engine and generator which has a cylinder, a piston which divides the cylinder into a pair of chambers that vary in volume in an opposite manner as the piston travels back and forth within the cylinder, a charge of non-combustible gas sealed within each of the chambers, means for alternately igniting the non-combustible gas in the two chambers in an explosive manner to drive the piston back and forth, and means coupled to the piston for providing electrical energy in response to movement of the piston.
Other examples of internal explosion engines are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,670,494 and 4,428,193.