A thermal energy power device is disclosed. A gasification reactor is arranged on a TDC of a cylinder bulk of an internal combustion engine, wherein the gasification reactor includes gasifying plates (19) and gas holes (23). The gasifying plates are arranged with gaps on the TDC of the cylinder. The gas holes (23) are distributed evenly, in an array, or in a staggered manner on the gasifying plate (19). A cylinder head above the gasification reactor is provided with an atomizer (12). Heat absorption plates (26) are arranged inside the exhaust passage in parallel with an air flow direction. The heat absorption plates (26) absorb thermal energy of exhaust gas and transfer the thermal energy to the gasification reactor. The internal combustion engine is wrapped with an insulation layer. An added working stroke enables the temperature of the cylinder bulk to be lowered. The compression ratio is high.

A six stroke high thermal efficiency engine and a method for operating such an engine are disclosed. Oxygen or oxygen-enriched air is used as the oxidizer, heat is recovered from the two exhaust strokes, superheated steam is used in the second power stroke, and high levels of exhaust gas from stroke four are recirculated. Lean burn combustion is utilized to produce an oxygen rich exhaust which results in very low levels of particulates, unburned hydrocarbons, and carbon monoxide. Due to high thermal efficiency, carbon dioxide emissions are reduced per unit of power output. Use of oxygen or oxygen-enriched air as the oxidizer produces an exhaust containing very low levels of nitrogen oxides. The engine is insulated to conserve heat, resulting in reduced engine noise. An engine with high thermal efficiency, quiet operation, and low emissions is the result.

A telescopic piston and crankshaft assembly includes a crankshaft that has a plurality of rod journals. Each of the rod journals has a center portion and a pair of lateral portions. The center portion is offset from each of the lateral portions with respect to an axis of rotation extending through the crankshaft. The center portion leads the lateral portions when the crankshaft is rotated. A plurality of piston units is each rotatably coupled to the crankshaft. Each of the piston units has an outer section and an inner section. The outer section of each of the piston units is rotatably coupled to each of the lateral portions of an associated one of the rod journals. The inner section of the piston units is rotatably coupled to the center portion of an associated one of the rod journals. The inner section leads the outer section when the crankshaft rotates.

In one instance, disclosed herein is a controller configured for operating an engine in an extra-stroke mode, the controller comprising: a processor; and a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the electronic control module to generate commands for operations including: transitioning operation of the engine from a four-stroke mode to the extra-stroke mode or from the extra-stroke mode to the four-stroke mode, wherein the four-stroke mode includes an intake stroke, a compression stroke, a power stroke, and an exhaust stroke, and wherein the extra-stroke mode includes at least six strokes of a piston disposed within a combustion chamber of an engine cylinder of the engine, during which an exhaust valve of the engine cylinder is opened only once, during or immediately preceding a final upward stroke of the at least six strokes.

A fuel reforming system for a vehicle on which a reciprocating engine is mounted is provided can comprise a decomposer to decompose hydrocarbon fuel into carbon and hydrogen gas by using heat and a pressure of combustion gas and a catalyst and to hold carbon. The decomposer can communicate with a combustion chamber via an openable/closable third port. A reforming space in which a reforming member including the catalyst is installed can be on the side of a connection portion of the decomposer with the third port. On an opposite side of interior of the connection portion of the decomposer with the third port, an additional space is provided to accommodate residual gas that remains in the third port and the decomposer when combustion gas is introduced into the decomposer through the third port.

A system and method can include a decomposer to decompose hydrocarbon fuel into carbon and hydrogen gas by using heat and a pressure of combustion gas produced in a combustion chamber, and to separate the hydrogen gas by causing the hydrogen gas to permeate a hydrogen permeable membrane. The decomposer can be adjacent to an intake port in a state of communicating with the intake port via the hydrogen permeable membrane, and can be configured to be able to supply the separated hydrogen gas as fuel to the combustion chamber through the intake port.