Vacuum Engine

Abstract

An arrangement includes a combustion-free reciprocating engine having a cylinder closed by a cylinder head and a negative pressure chamber.

A piston is coupled to a crankshaft via a connecting rod. The connecting rod and the crankshaft are integrated in a crankcase of the reciprocating engine.

The cylinder head has an inlet valve and an outlet valve. The vacuum chamber is connectable to a working chamber of the cylinder via the outlet valve, to generate a negative pressure in the working chamber, and to the atmosphere (A) surrounding the reciprocating engine via the inlet valve to generate ambient pressure in the working chamber.

A valve control controls the intake and the exhaust valves such that the piston is moved back and forth by alternately applying ambient pressure and negative pressure

There is always a substantially constant pressure, in a region of the piston facing away from the cylinder head.

Claims

1. An arrangement comprising a reciprocating piston engine, which is configured for combustion-free operation, and a vacuum chamber, in which a reduced air pressure can be generated relative to the atmosphere (A) surrounding the reciprocating piston engine, wherein: a) the reciprocating piston engine has at least one cylinder which is closed by a cylinder head and in which a piston can be moved, and the piston being coupled to a crankshaft of the reciprocating piston engine via a connecting rod on a side facing away from the cylinder head, wherein the connecting rod and the crankshaft being are integrated in a crankcase of the reciprocating piston engine; b) the at least one cylinder on the cylinder head has at least one inlet valve and at least one outlet valve, the vacuum chamber being connectable via the outlet valve to a working chamber of the at least one cylinder in a fluid-conducting manner, to generate a negative pressure in the working chamber, and the working chamber being fluid-conductively connectable to the atmosphere (A) surrounding the reciprocating piston engine via the inlet valve to generate ambient pressure in the working chamber; c) wherein a valve control is provided which controls the inlet valve and the outlet valve in operation such that the piston in the at least one cylinder is moved back and forth by alternately applying ambient pressure and negative pressure; d) and the reciprocating piston engine is designed configured in such a way that during operation there is always a substantially constant pressure, in particular an atmospheric pressure (A) surrounding the reciprocating piston engine, in a region of the piston facing away from the cylinder head.

2. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the reciprocating piston engine has at least two cylinders, or four, or six, or eight, or ten or twelve cylinders.

3. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the valve control is realized via at least one camshaft coupled to the crankshaft.

4. The arrangement according to claim 3, wherein the at least one camshaft is coupled to the crankshaft with a gear ratio of 2:1, so that in operation the at least one camshaft has half the speed of the crankshaft.

5. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the valve control is configured such that: in a first stroke, in which the piston moves towards the cylinder head, the outlet valve is open and the inlet valve is closed so that the piston is pulled towards the cylinder head by the negative pressure; and in a subsequent second stroke, in which the piston moves away from the cylinder head, in a first time period the outlet valve is closed and the inlet valve is open and in a subsequent second time period the inlet and outlet valves are closed, so that in the second time period the piston moving away from the cylinder head generates a negative pressure in the working chamber.

6. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein an engine block, the piston, the connecting rod, the crankshaft, the at least one camshaft and/or the crankcase of the reciprocating piston engine comprises plastic, ceramic and/or a composite material.

7. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the vacuum chamber is connected in a fluid-conducting manner to a vacuum-generating device, so that the vacuum chamber can be or is evacuated by the vacuum-generating device.

8. The arrangement according to claim 7, wherein the vacuum generating means includes a venturi tube.

9. The arrangement according to claim 7, wherein the vacuum generating device-(132, 133) includes an electrically operated vacuum pump.

10. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the reciprocating piston engine has a turbocharger, the turbocharger configured to be driven by the air flowing out of the outlet valve and to compress the ambient air supplied via the inlet valve.

11. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the crankshaft of the reciprocating piston engine is coupled to an electric generator so that electric current (E) can be or is generated by the work of the reciprocating piston engine.

12. A method of operating an arrangement according to claim 1, wherein negative pressure and ambient pressure are alternately applied in the working chamber via the inlet valve and the outlet valve, so that the piston is moved back and forth in the at least one cylinder.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the pressure in the vacuum chamber is at least 0.2 bar, lower than the atmospheric pressure (A) surrounding the reciprocating engine.

14. (canceled)

15. The arrangement according to claim 9, wherein the vacuum generating device further comprises a vacuum booster connected between the vacuum chamber and the electrically operated vacuum pump.

16. The arrangement according to claim 9, wherein the electrically operated vacuum pump comprises a rotary vane pump.

17. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the reciprocating piston engine is configured in such a way that during operation there is always an atmospheric pressure (A) surrounding the reciprocating piston engine in a region of the piston facing away from the cylinder head.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0062] The drawings used to explain the embodiment show:

[0063] FIG. 1 a schematic representation of an arrangement according to the invention with a reciprocating piston engine which can be driven without combustion and a vacuum chamber in which a reduced air pressure can be generated compared with the atmosphere surrounding the reciprocating piston engine;

[0064] FIG. 2 a first way of controlling the valves of the reciprocating piston engine of FIG. 1.

[0065] In principle, the same parts are provided with the same reference signs in the figures.

Ways to Carry Out the Invention

[0066] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of an arrangement 100 according to the invention, comprising a reciprocating piston engine 110 designed for combustion-free operation, which is shown in FIG. 1 in a cross-section perpendicular to the crankshaft and comprises, for example, six cylinders arranged in series. The first cylinder 111 can be seen in FIG. 1, while the other five cylinders are located behind the first cylinder and are not visible in the view of FIG. 1. The entire mechanical structure of the reciprocating piston engine 110 is, for example, made entirely of metal.

[0067] The first cylinder 111 of the reciprocating piston engine 110 is arranged in the engine block 117 and closed by a cylinder head 118, a piston 112 being movably mounted in the cylinder 111. On the side of the piston 112 facing away from the cylinder head 118, the piston 112 is coupled to the crankshaft 116 of the reciprocating piston engine 110 via a connecting rod 115. The connecting rod 115 and the crankshaft 116 are integrated in a crankcase 117a. The crankcase 117a is an integral part of the engine block 117 and also has an open crankcase vent 117a.1 in the form of an opening which ensures that, during operation, a substantially constant pressure or the atmospheric pressure surrounding the reciprocating piston engine 110 is always present in a region 114 of the piston 112 facing away from the cylinder head 118.

[0068] An inlet valve 119a and an outlet valve 119b are provided on the cylinder head 118. Via the inlet valve 119a, the internal working volume 113 of the cylinder 111 is fluidly connectable to the atmosphere surrounding the reciprocating piston engine 110 (when the valve 119a is open as shown in FIG. 1) to supply ambient air LZ to the cylinder or working volume 113 to generate ambient pressure. The outlet valve 119b (shown in the closed position in FIG. 1) is fluidly connectable (when the valve 119a is open as shown in FIG. 1) to fluidly connect the working chamber 113 of the cylinder 111 to a negative pressure chamber 130 to discharge exhaust air LA to create a negative pressure in the working chamber 113 (for this purpose, the outlet valve 119b can be opened and the inlet valve 119a can be closed).

[0069] Furthermore, the reciprocating piston engine 110 has a valve control 120 in the form of two parallel camshafts120a, 120b, which are coupled to the crankshaft 116, for example, via a toothed belt 121 (shown symbolically as connecting arrows). The camshafts 120a, 120b, for example, are coupled to the crankshaft 116 with a gear ratio of 2:1, so that in operation the camshafts 120a, 120b have half the speed of the crankshaft 116.

[0070] The valve control 120 is configured to control the inlet valve 119a and the outlet valve 119b in operation such that the piston in the cylinder 111 is moved back and forth by alternately applying ambient pressure and negative pressure. Possible actuations to achieve this are described in more detail in connection with FIGS. 2 and 3. The control of the valves of the other cylinders is analogous, with the pistons in cylinders 1 and 6 running in phase, cylinders 2 and 5 running in phase with each other but out of phase with cylinders 1 and 6, while cylinders 3 and 4 run in phase with each other but out of phase with the other cylinders.

[0071] In operation, air flowing from outlet valve 119b can be used LA to drive an optional turbocharger 122, which compresses ambient air before feeding it through the inlet valve (indicated by a broken connecting line).

[0072] The reciprocating piston engine 110 is connected via the outlet valve 119b to the vacuum chamber 130, in which there is a pressure of 0.2 bar, for example. The pressure in the vacuum chamber 130 is thus approx. 0.8 bar lower than the ambient pressure or the atmospheric pressure in which the reciprocating piston engine 110 is located. The vacuum in the vacuum chamber 130 can be measured with a pressure gauge 131.

[0073] The vacuum chamber 130 is fluidly connected to a vacuum generating device 132. This may be an electrically operated vacuum pump 132a, such as a rotary vane pump, which is operated in combination with an electrically operated vacuum booster 132b connected between the vacuum chamber 130 and the electrically operated vacuum pump. The air delivered from the vacuum chamber 130 is discharged into the atmosphere A. Additionally or alternatively, there may be a second vacuum generating device 133 in the form of a venturi tube which is mounted, for example, in a watercourse, and which also evacuates air from the vacuum chamber 130 and discharges it into the atmosphere.

[0074] The electrically powered vacuum pump 132a and vacuum booster 132b may be supplied with electrical power (shown as a dashed line) via an optional power storage device 150, e.g., an accumulator, which is charged by an external power source 160, e.g., a solar panel and/or the electrical grid.

[0075] During operation, the pressure in the vacuum chamber is kept in the range of, for example, 0.1-0.3 bar.

[0076] The crankshaft 116 of the reciprocating piston engine 110 is further coupled to an electric generator 140 via a gearbox 141 (indicated by a connecting arrow in FIG. 1), so that usable electric energy E can be generated by the work of the reciprocating piston engine 110.

[0077] It is also possible to supply a portion of the energy generated in the generator to the electricity storage 150. For example, electrical energy generated using the venturi tube can be temporarily stored in the form of electricity in the current storage150 and used at a later time to operate the vacuum motor 110.

[0078] The crankshaft 116 can optionally be coupled to a mechanical machine M via a second gearbox 142 to directly drive the mechanical machine M.

[0079] FIG. 2 shows a first way of controlling the valves of the first cylinder 111 of the reciprocating piston engine 110. The valves of the other cylinders are controlled in a similar way, but in such a way that the phase relationships described above are maintained. Specifically, the inlet valve 119a (left horizontal arrow) and the outlet valve 119b (right horizontal arrow) are controlled as described below. In each case, the closed position is indicated as (X) and the open position is indicated as O.

[0080] In a first stroke 201, in which the piston 112 moves towards the cylinder head (indicated by the arrow pointing upwards), the outlet valve 119b is open (O) and the inlet valve 119a is closed (X), so that the piston is pulled towards the cylinder head by the negative pressure.

[0081] In a subsequent second stroke 202, in which the piston 112 moves away from the cylinder head (indicated by the arrow pointing downwards), in a first time period (left side) the outlet valve is closed (X) and the inlet valve is open (O) and in a subsequent second time period (right side) both valves are closed (X/X), so that in the second time period the piston moving away from the cylinder head generates a vacuum in the working chamber.

[0082] In the following stroke 203, the valves are switched as in the first stroke 201, while in the following stroke 204, the valves are switched as in the second stroke. The cycle then starts again.

[0083] In the cycle shown, each of the strokes corresponds to a half revolution of the crankshaft 116, so that the crankshaft has executed exactly two revolutions after one cycle. The camshafts 120a, 120b rotate exactly once in the process.

[0084] The embodiment shown is to be understood as an example only, which can be modified as desired within the scope of the invention.

[0085] For example, it is possible to provide a radial engine or a V-engine instead of an in-line engine 110. Also, the engine can have more or less than six cylinders.

[0086] Likewise, the valve control can be designed differently. For example, the closing and opening times can be adapted or the control can be performed by a single camshaft.

[0087] It is also possible to manufacture individual components or the entire mechanical structure of the reciprocating piston engine 110 from a material other than metal, e.g., plastic, ceramic, and/or a composite material.

[0088] The power storage 150 can also be omitted. In this case, the electrically operated vacuum pump 132a and the vacuum booster 132b can be connected directly to the external power source 160, for example.

[0089] In summary, a particularly advantageous arrangement comprising a reciprocating piston engine and a vacuum chamber has been provided, which can be used for the economic production, conversion, storage and utilization of energy in different forms.