(a) Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to an internal combustion engine that uses rotors or turbines to convert energy released from combustion to shaft power or mechanical output. More particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a rotary motor that includes at least one combustion chamber that delivers the products of combustion in a controlled manner to a turbine or rotor.
(b) Discussion of Known Art
The advantages of a rotary type motor have long been recognized. However, the development of a motor that is able to reliably deliver power harnessed from combustion has seen few successful solutions. The need or absence of such an engine has been particularly acute in the area of smaller turbines where the flow of gasses through the turbine must be carefully controlled in order to prevent damage to the surrounding areas from the exhaust.
The use of a separate combustion chamber, which allows the generation of a working fluid is found in the field of steam turbines, where the steam that is used as the working fluid that moves the turbine is generated in a separate boiler that feeds steam to the turbine. This type of system takes advantage of the ease with which steam pressure can be controlled to deliver a desired flow rate of steam to the turbine. Thus, the steam turbine model provides a good model for applications where a working fluid such as steam can be released at a controlled rate. However, this model has proven to be inappropriate for applications where the turbine is to be rotated by the products of combustion of a fuel and oxidant mixture, for example.
Many known turbine applications that use products of combustion in order to turn the blades of a turbine use a series of turbines that harvest the power released from the rapid expansion from combustion to harvest the needed power to compress the fuel and oxidant mixture and provide power to carry out useful work. Thus, these systems employ a set of axially positioned turbine components that depend on high speed rotation of the components, and very high flow rates of the gases used to power the turbines, in order to provide sustained combustion and rotation of the compressor and power generation components.
Furthermore, it is well recognized that turbines offer significant advantages over reciprocating engines, particularly in applications where high revolutions per minute (RPMs) are required. However, it has not been practicable to provide a small turbine that can be used in, for example, automotive applications. A significant drawback to the use of turbines in these applications is the high flow rate of gasses generated and discharged during the operation of the turbine. The temperature and flow rate of the exhaust gases delivered from such a turbine create the possibility of causing serious injury to people and property in the vicinity of the exhaust from the vehicle.
Thus, there remains a need for a turbine based engine that can be driven by gases produced from internal combustion, and that permits a highly controlled flow of these gases through the turbine.
There remains a need for a turbine base engine that uses at least one turbine to harvest the power released upon combustion, and which allows control of the combustion and delivery of the products of combustion to the turbine.
It has been discovered that the problems left unanswered by known art are solve by providing a turbine based engine that includes:
a mixture chamber;
a combustion chamber;
a stationary flow control barrier; and
a turbine. The stationary flow control barrier is located between the combustion chamber and the turbine. It has been discovered that this arrangement allows the system to provide precisely measured and mixed fuel and oxidant mixtures to the mixture chamber where it is burned to produce the expandable gas product that will be expanded through the turbine to turn the turbine.
According to a highly preferred embodiment of the invention the stationary flow control barrier consists of a gas flow control plate that includes ducts that permit gases to flow from the combustion chamber towards the turbine. In a highly preferred embodiment of the invention, these ducts have a tapered or nozzle shaped contour, starting as an aperture of a first dimension near the combustion chamber and progressing to a second, smaller dimension near the turbine. This reduction in the size of the ducts will have the effect of accelerating the flow of the products of combustion as it progresses towards the turbine.
It is further contemplated that the fuel and oxidant mixture will be delivered to the combustion chamber by way of valves that control the flow of mixture gases into the combustion chamber. It is contemplated that these valves may control the flow of a fuel and oxidant mixture or the flow of at least one of the components for the mixture and the remaining components for the mixture provided by of an injector or other delivery device.
According to a highly preferred example of the invention, a generally symmetrical arrangement is provided. In this arrangement an expeller device is position along a place of symmetry for the system. Thus, a turbine is positioned on each side of the expeller. The turbines will allow expansion towards the expeller, and thus allow mounting of the expeller and turbines along a single shaft between a pair of mixture chambers, combustion chambers, and flow control barriers.
It is further contemplated that these examples may include gas flow control systems that are indexed from the shaft that supports the turbines. It is contemplated that these systems may include cams, markers or other triggering mechanisms that may be used to control a signal that is used to control the delivery of the gasses needed for combustion.
Thus, it should also be understood that while the above and other advantages and results of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, showing the contemplated novel construction, combinations and elements as herein described, and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it should be clearly understood that changes in the precise embodiments of the herein disclosed invention are meant to be included within the scope of the claims, except insofar as they may be precluded by the prior art.