ROTARY VANE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE

Abstract

Rotary vane internal combustion engine comprises of two rotors, nested in each other, placed in a cylindrical housing, wherein each rotor has at least two radial vanes rigidly attached to the rotor that form chambers for intake, compression, combustion, and exhaust. Each rotor, alternately engages with a shaft by overrunning one-way clutches and held from turning back, through the cushioning mechanisms, mounted on flywheels, which are rigidly attached on the shaft, wherein the assembled rotors from the outside are rigidly closed by flanges on each of which is mounted at least one blade, which are placed into formed cavity between rotors and caps of the housing thereby forming two cooling chambers through which coolant circulates around rotors through openings in the housing and through longitudinal grooves in the shaft. On the vanes mounted cylindrical and conical seals that exclude the need for lubrication.

Claims

1. Rotary vane internal combustion engine, rotary machine comprising: placed in the cylindrical housing two rotors, nested one inside the other said rotor, each having at least two radial vanes, rigidly attached to said rotor, which forms at least four chambers in which occurs intake, compression, combustion and exhaustion, wherein each said rotor alternately engages with a shaft by the overrunning one-way clutches, which are rigidly fixed to the said shaft, and which alternately enter into engagement with the said shaft and rotate it continuously.

2. Rotary vane internal combustion engine, rotary machine as recited in claim 1, wherein on the said shaft rigidly mounted two flywheels that relate to said rotors through holding cushioning mechanism that holds the alternately unlocked said rotors from turning back, wherein the said holding cushioning mechanism has adjustable stroke.

3. Rotary vane internal combustion engine, rotary machine as recited in claim 1, wherein each outer side of said rotor assembly is rigidly closed by side flanges, thereby ensuring tightness of the assembly, and at least one blade is mounted on each of them.

4. Rotary vane internal combustion engine, rotary machine as recited in claim 3, wherein in between said assembled rotors with outer said blades and the covers of said cylindrical housing two cooling chambers are formed through which circulates cooling liquid circulates using openings in said housing and through at least two longitudinal grooves in said shaft.

5. Rotary vane internal combustion engine, rotary machine as recited in claim 1, wherein in that cylindrical seals are installed between the cylindrical surfaces of said blades and said housing, and conical seals are installed between the side surfaces of said blades and the inner surfaces of said flanges, which eliminating the need for lubrication.

6. Rotary vane internal combustion engine, rotary machine as recited in claim 1, wherein engine start is carried out by disposable injection the fuel by compressor into said compression and combustion chambers at the same time after which the engine enters normal mode.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0049] FIG. 1 is a section view along the axis line of rotary vane internal combustion engine of the present invention;

[0050] FIG. 2 is a transverse section along the lines A-A of FIG. 1 of rotary vane internal combustion engine of the present invention;

[0051] FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the nested rotors of rotary vane internal combustion engine;

[0052] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the assembled rotor of rotary vane internal combustion engine of the present invention;

[0053] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the assembled disclosed middle part of rotary vane internal combustion engine of the present invention;

[0054] FIG. 6 is a detail out of the section view D in FIG. 1 of rotary vane internal combustion engine;

[0055] FIG. 7 is a transverse section along the lines B-B on FIG. 1 of the rotor holding cushioning mechanism of rotary vane internal combustion engine, the present invention;

[0056] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the assembled rotary vane internal combustion engine with the disclosed mechanism of the rotor holding cushioning mechanism of the present invention;

[0057] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the assembled rotary vane internal combustion engine of the present invention;

[0058] FIG. 10 is an engine starting schema with forcible fuel injection of rotary vane internal combustion engine of the present invention;

[0059] FIG. 11 is schematically illustrated multivariate relationship of chambers volume and torque, which provide optimize the efficiency of a rotary vane internal combustion engine of the present invention;

[0060] FIG. 12 is a section and perspective views of the roller and conical seals of rotary vane internal combustion engine of the present invention;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0061] The present invention is one embodiment of a rotary vane internal combustion engine where torque on the shaft is produced due to alternating interaction of the rotors within. The rotors placed in housing between two cooling chambers, around which cooling fluid is circulated, have conical and cylindrical graphite seals to eliminate friction between the work surfaces. This invention relates to improvement of rotary vane internal combustion engine and will be described with reference to the following drawings.

[0062] As shown on the drawing FIG. 1, rotary vane internal combustion engine related to one embodiment of the present invention comprising a housing 9, inside which set a shaft 1, which interacts with rotors 3 and 4 through one-way overrunning clutches 8, which are rigidly joined with rotors 3 and 4 by adapters 2. The one side of each rotor is rigidly closed by flanges 5, which are formed with caps 6 the chambers for circulation the cooling fluid to use mounted on flanges 5 the right and left blades 28 and 29. The drawing in FIG. 1 shows the mechanism of the rotor holding cushioning mechanism where flywheels 12, rigidly mounted on shaft 1, interact with rotors 3 or 4 using the damper 14, fitted on the guide 16. The one end of the guide 16 is rigidly mounted on flywheel 12 using adjustable holder 13, the other end using holder 11, mounted on washer 10, which is rigidly connected with rotor 3 or 4 using adapters 2. The drive shaft 1 is installed on the two bearings 30 and on the middle bearing shells 7, hereby are supported in three places that provide good conditions of work, and at least one end of the shaft is for transferring torque.

[0063] For the purpose of demonstration of the principles of work the present invention is illustrated on the drawing FIG. 2, section A-A, where the rotors 3 and 4, having four (at least two) vanes, which established in the housing 9, to provide eight (at least four) chambers, as intake I, compression C, explosion S, and exhaustion E, accordingly chambers I and E have fitting systems of 23, 24 for provide fuel supply and exhaust gases. On the rotors 3, 4 that are rigidly connected with adapter 2, we can see the seals 18 and 19. Engine start is carried out by the forcible fuel injection using the inlet valves 26 manageable by pressure-sensitive valves 27 that provides balanced compression ratio one time in two chambers.

[0064] Drawing FIG. 3 shows an exploded and on the FIG. 4 assembled nested rotors 3 and 4, which closed by two flanges 5 with the cylindrical 19 and conical 17 seals. On the said flanges are mounted bland 29 for pumping cooler.

[0065] On the drawing FIG. 6, a demonstration of the principle of cooling system, which is a detailed out of the cut-away D of FIG. 1 of rotary vane internal combustion engine of the present invention with traced all the way (a, b, c, d, f and e) of following the coolant. The coolant enters the engine through the holes—a from the tank, distributed into cavity of the housing—9 and cavity between rotor and housing cap of left side, passes through holes—f of the adapter—2 and through groove—e of the shaft—1 enters into cavity of right side—d, then coolant returns in to tank through hole—c. The right and left blades 28 and 29 located on flange 5 provide circulation of the coolant. As well on the cut-away section D, shown the conical 17, cylindrical 18 and 19 graphite seals with sealing rings 20 and 21 that are installed in the assembled rotor. The proposed solution to place the overrunning clutches 8 outside of the heating area of the engine to provide reliable operation of the engine. On the cut-away D is illustrated one of the important decisions of the present invention.

[0066] The principle of work a holding cushioning mechanism, which holds the rotor 3 or 4 from turning back is illustrated on the drawings FIG. 7, which is section B-B of FIG. 1, and on the perspective view FIG. 8, where the shaft 1 is in engagement alternately with one of rotor (for example 3) and passes freely through the other rotor (is 4), which rotates with the shaft 1 due to a damper 14, which holds the said rotor 4 until the cycle changes. The process of the disconnecting rotor 3 or 4 from the shaft 1 is controlled by said holding cushioning mechanism that can be adjusted by holder 13 that is rigidly mounted on the washer 10 which in its turn is rigidly connected with adapter 2. On the drawing FIG. 9 showed a perspective view of the assembled rotary vane internal combustion engine, where the shaft 1 installed on to bearings 30 and on the bearing shells 7 that provide reliable operation of the engine of the present invention. Transmission of engine torque from the drive shaft 1 is carried out through belt or gear connector 22.

[0067] FIG. 10 shows schematically the optimization of the relationship between volume of chambers and torque of rotary vane internal combustion engine of the present invention.

[0068] FIG. 11 shows schematically the optimization of the relationship between volume of chambers and torque of rotary vane internal combustion engine of the present invention. Design is made in such a manner that it enables calculation of the optimal size of the radius R2 of force application P, for the planned volume of the chambers, as P×R1<P×R2, given constant volume of chambers.

[0069] On the drawing FIG. 12 shows section and perspective views of the roller 18 and 19, and conical 17 graphite seals that is detailed on the cut-away D of FIG. 6 of rotary vane internal combustion engine of the present invention;

DESCRIPTION AND OPERATION OF THE INVENTION

[0070] The present invention will now be explained in greater detail with the reference to embodiments, which are represented in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0071] Engine start is carried out by the forcible fuel injection using the inlet valves 26 managed by pressure-sensitive valves 27, FIG. 10. The fuel supply is carried out at the same time, into chambers compression C and combustion S, where pressure is the same. When pressure is sufficient, the sensor gives command to start ignition. Delivery of fuel into chambers C and S occurs only at the moment of engine start. Ignition is activated at a certain pressure in the system and due to expansion of gas the vanes of rotors begin move in different directions, with one of the rotors 3 or 4 entering into gearing with leading shaft 1 due to the overrunning clutch 8, the other rotor stationary on the shaft and is holding on the shaft by flywheel 12 from returnable rotation, but continues to rotate together with it. After the forcible fuel injection into two chambers C and S, first start-up begins the combustion in chamber S, where the ignition of fuel occurs and vane provide moving a shaft thereby swapping for igniting the next chamber C. The two movements of the chambers are enough for engine to begin work in regular cycle: absorption, compression, combustion, exhaustion. The leading shaft 1 attached to the one of the rotor 3 or 4 and free passing through the other rotor alternately connecting with the one way clutch 8 to provide moving rotors apart.

[0072] In this way each rotor alternately engages with the shaft and continues to rotate even when it is disengaged from the shaft due to retention by a flywheel 12, as shown on FIGS. 1, 7, 8. The flywheels consist of two parts, washer 10 and flywheel 12, where one of them, washer 10 is connecting with rotor and the other, body of 12 is connecting with shaft 1. Between them there is a damper, with one end mounted on the washer 10 and the other on the body of flywheel 12. Damper force is adjusted by means of the holder 11 so that the back movement is sufficient only when disconnected the shaft from a rotor.

[0073] The one of main point of the present invention is that the whole system (rotors, shaft, and clutches) is rotating with high speed, but inside system is the alternating movement of the rotors and other components that has eliminated impact and loads and provides good reliability, and not used reciprocating movement mechanisms, such as crankshaft, rocker arm or others.

[0074] The two rotors are assembled so that they form at least four closed chambers and pressure inside chambers have a positive effect on friction between rotors 3 and 4 (zone Z, FIG. 6), which keeps them without contact. In order to provide better conditions for the engine to eliminate friction between surfaces applied the cylindrical 18, 19 and conical ferrite seals 17 and to decrease the gap between seals rings are used 20, 21.

[0075] The next major advantage of the present invention is that the design is carried out in such a manner that the whole system (rotors, shaft, and clutches) is inside the circulating lubricating coolant. This is made possible due to the existing cavity between the rotor 3, 4 and the housing cap 6 as a built-in pump. It means that on each outer side of the assembled rotor, on flange 5, mounted the left/right blade 28/29, that provides circulation of the cooling fluid around rotors through housing and groove in the shaft. The coolant enters the engine from the tank through the holes a, distributed into cavity of the housing 9 and cavity between rotor and housing cap 6 of left side FIG. 6, passes through holes f in the adapter 2 and through groove e of the shaft 1 enters into cavity of right side d, then coolant returns into tank through hole c, that means that engine can be readily cooled and lubricated, that mean it is not susceptible to overheating. The presented design of the engine allows for working conditions of one-way overrunning clutches 8, which is separated from the heating zone by a cavity of cooling pump.

Advantages

[0076] The main advantages of the invention are reliability, simple of manufacture and ease of maintenance, durability and high efficiency of the proposed rotary vane internal combustion engine, in which: [0077] Reciprocating movement mechanisms are not used; [0078] No need to synchronize the rotation of the rotors, since the rotors do not have a rigid connection with each other; [0079] The engine is not subject to overheating, since the main working assembly of the rotors, closed by the side flanges, is located in the cooling bath.

[0080] The present invention eliminates the disadvantages of existing designs of rotary vane internal combustion engines by efficiently utilizing a system of alternately-rotating vanes using overrunning clutches and by efficiently utilizing the rotors holding cushioning mechanism that provides continuous shaft rotation, being in favorable environment, due to the efficient use of the cooling system.

[0081] The working chambers formed by the vanes are rigidly closed by flanges on both sides, which reduces the number of rubbing surfaces, and roller and conical seals are installed on the remaining rubbing surfaces, which ensure the engine runs without lubrication;

[0082] In the proposed embodiment, a simplified engine starts due to a single injection of fuel into two adjacent compression and combustion chambers using a high pressure compressor, after which the engine continues to operate normally.

[0083] The possibility of creating a wide range of engines in terms of power and fuel consumption is also expanded, which is due to the lack of a direct relationship between the volume of the chambers and the working diameter of the cylinder of a rotary vane internal combustion engine.

[0084] The present invention aims to increase efficiency up to 70%.

[0085] The engine proposed in this work is equivalent to an eight-piston engine when using two vanes on each rotor, at this time four working cycles are carried out in one revolution, or to a 16 piston engine when four vanes are used on each rotor, that is, in one revolution it implements eight working cycles.

The present invention of a rotary vane internal combustion engine can more effectively be used for sports cars and hybrid cars.

CONCLUSION

[0086] Rotary vane engines, the most promising of all currently used internal combustion engines. In serial industrial production, there is no working sample from this rather large family. There are only a few experimental models that are still very far from perfect.

[0087] The main reason for the lack of a working design for this engine type is that during rotation, due to the enormous inertial load, the mechanisms used to coordinate the rotation of the rotors and the associated rotor vanes are quickly destroyed, and the difficulty of removing heat from the working zone is no less important. The proposed design of the rotary vane internal combustion engine eliminated these drawbacks, which allowed us to create a new type of rotary vane machines that are easy to manufacture, reliable and highly efficient. The significant advantages of the present rotary vane internal combustion engine of the present invention are reflected in the “Advantages” section. We can expect that they are destined for a great and bright future.