Internal combustion engine and operating cycle therefor

Patent · Tue Jan 13 04:00:00 EST 1987

OSTI ID:6838317

Gerace, A

An internal combustion engine is described comprising: block means having at least one cylinder formed therein; first and second pistons located within the cylinder for controlled reciprocating motion to advance toward one another and retract away from one another; valve means located within the cylinder between the first and second pistons and operable between an open position permitting communication between a first chamber defined between the first piston, the cylinder, and the valve means a second chamber defined between the second piston, the cylinder, and the valve means; control means connected to the first and second pistons for controlling the reciprocating motion thereof by causing each of the pistons to advance to a predetermined first position adjacent to the valve means and for permitting each of the pistons to retract away their respective first positions to a respective second position; and introducing means for introducing air into the second chamber when the second piston is in a position other than the first-mentioned predetermined position and for introducing an air and fuel mixture of predetermined ratio into the first chamber. The control means operative to cause the first piston to compress the air and fuel in the first chamber to a predetermined pressure less than that which would effect ignition and to cause the second piston to compress the air in the second chamber to a predetermined pressure that is sufficient to raise the temperature of the so-compressed air to a temperature above the auto-ignition temperature of the compressed air-fuel mixture.

• Assignee: NOV; NOV-87-043496; EDB-87-038783
• Patent Number(s): US 4635590
• OSTI ID: 6838317
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS
330100* -- Internal Combustion Engines
ACTUATORS
AIR
AIR FLOW
COMPRESSED AIR
COMPRESSED GASES
COMPRESSION
CONTROL
CONTROL EQUIPMENT
CONTROL SYSTEMS
CYLINDERS
DESIGN
ENGINES
EQUIPMENT
EXHAUST GASES
EXHAUST SYSTEMS
FLOW REGULATORS
FLUID FLOW
FLUIDS
FUEL-AIR RATIO
GAS FLOW
GASEOUS WASTES
GASES
HEAT ENGINES
IGNITION
INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES
OPERATION
PISTONS
POSITIONING
PRESSURE CONTROL
TEMPERATURE CONTROL
VALVES
WASTES