EP1256694A1

EP1256694A1 - Rotor internal combustion engine

Info

Publication number: EP1256694A1
Application number: EP01127350A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Alexander O. Monfor; Philip A. Monfor
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-11-21
Filing date: 2001-11-21
Publication date: 2002-11-13
Anticipated expiration: 2021-11-21
Also published as: ATE257215T1; EP1256694B1; DE60101674D1

Abstract

A rotor internal combustion engine comprising a body (1) within which rotates an elliptic rotor (2) having two edges in sealing contact with the body. A pair of seal shutters (3,4) are located at opposite sides of the body and are kept in sealing contact with the rotor by springs (5) creating combustion (36) and compression (37) chambers in the body (1). A compressed air accumulation chamber (16) connects compression and combustion chambers via an air by-pass valve (9) and a compressed air valve (10) located on either side of one shutter. Air intake (11) and exhaust (12) ports are located on either side of another shutter. Spring loaded sliding vanes (6,7,23) seal space between the shutters (3,4), the rotor (2) and the body (1) and spring loaded sliding ring vanes (8) seal side space between the rotor (2) and the body (1). Cooling centrifugal blades (26) of the rotor cool the rotor (2) and the body (1). Lubrication channels (25) in the rotor (2) lubricate the sealing vanes (6,7,8) using centrifugal forces.

Description

The invention relates to a rotor internal combustion engine which may be used to power cars, lorries, motorbikes, tractors, ships, aircrafts, helicopters, generators, garden tools as well as to design compressors, pumps, hydraulic and air motors.
The existing types of the rotor engines, namely Wankel rotary engine, are too complicated in their rotor design resulting in sophisticated and unreliable gear to convert rotor movement into shaft rotation and to provide sufficient compression in combustion chamber.
Other known designs of rotor engines (see e.g. UK patent GB 2 348 672 A) with semicircle rotor shapes, reciprocating seal shutters and half piston sealing rings, although exercising direct rotation of shaft mounted rotor by combustion gases, still experience high alternating loads from seal shutters and are still too complicated in their rotor sealing arrangements.
The purpose of this invention is to simplify the design of a rotor engine in order to make it compact, light and technologically easy to manufacture, to reduce to a minimum alternating loads to the rotor from seal shutters to insure vibrationless operation and higher RPM, to make a torque not dependent on PRM in order to make a gear box unnecessary, to employ a built-in capacity to provide supercharging without a turbine and to mix fuel and air without a carburetor prior to introducing into a combustion chamber, to secure means to lubricate moving parts without a lubrication pump, to insure a built-in capability for heated parts to be cooled without special devices, to provide a built-in capacity to start the engine after a short stop without a starter and to accumulate kinetic energy of rotation to be used at the next acceleration,
Accordingly, this invention provides a rotor internal combustion engine comprising a body designed as a hollow disc with a rectangular or other peripheral cross section, a rotor of an elliptic or other shape which rotates within the body with two edges of the rotor in sealing contact with the body, at least one pair of seal shutters located at opposite sides of the body that are kept in sealing contact with the rim of the rotor by springs or other means to create combustion and compression chambers, at least one compressed air accumulation chamber connected to the compression chamber by an automatic air by-pass valve located on one side of one shutter and to the combustion chamber by a compressed air valve located on another side of the same shutter, at least one air intake port and at least one exhaust port located on either side of another shutter, spring loaded sealing sliding vanes in the rotor and in the shutters to seal the space between the shutters, the rotor and the body, spring loaded sealing sliding ring vanes in the rotor to seal the space between the side surface of the rotor and the side surface of the body, cooling centrifugal blades or other centrifugal means in the rotor to cool both the rotor and the body, lubrication channels in the rotor to lubricate the sealing vanes of the rotor using centrifugal forces, lubrication channels in the shutters to lubricate the sealing vanes of the shutters using reciprocal movements of the shutters, a fuel injection located at the point of compressed air entry to the combustion chamber to provide necessary fuel and air mixing.
The purpose of the design is also achieved by some distinguishable signs of the invention.
Transversal sealing sliding vanes of the shutters are located at an angle to corresponding peripheral sealing sliding vanes of the rotor and radial sealing sliding vanes of the shutters are located at an angle to radial sealing sliding vanes of the rotor to allow smooth passage of the rotor under the shutters.
Cooling openings of the body and cooling channels of the rotor and of the body make the air forced through by the cooling centrifugal blades to cool the rotor, the body, the compression chamber and the combustion chamber.
The shutters are provided with shutter locks that lock the shutters at their outermost position to allow free rotation of the rotor to retain its kinetic energy for later acceleration.
The compressed air valve is designed with the capacity to be open by a solenoid to allow compressed air of the compressed air accumulation chamber to enter the combustion chamber and to rotate the rotor thus starting the engine.
The air-cooling system of the engine is designed with the means to provide supercharging of the air introduced to the combustion chamber.
The rotor may be designed with the capability of forced rotation thus to allow the rotor engine to operate as a compressor or a pump.
The compressed air valve, the air by-pass valve and the air intake port may be designed with the capability to allow the engine to operate as a hydraulic motor or an air motor.
A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 shows a longitudinal vertical cross section of the engine with the long axle of the rotor in vertical position.
Figure 2 is a central horizontal cross section of the engine with the long axle of the rotor in horizontal position showing location of all the sealing vanes, which in this case are in one plane (except the sealing sliding ring vanes) as well as location of the cooling centrifugal blades and the cooling fins of the rotor.
Figure 3 is an enlarged part of Fig.2 demonstrating details of major sealing vanes.
Figure 4 shows details of major sealing vanes at the moment of their intersection.
Figure 5 is a close-up of the cooling centrifugal blades, the cooling fins of the rotor and the cooling openings of the body.
Figure 6 illustrates a cross section of a sealing sliding vane.
Figures 7, Figure 8 and Figure 9 show the shutter locks and their operation.
Figure 10 is a side view of the engine showing the cooling openings of the body, the compressed air accumulation chamber and the supercharged air duct.
Figure 11 is a transversal vertical cross section of the engine with the long axle of the rotor in horizontal position showing the flow of cooling air and supercharged air through the engine.
Figures 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17 illustrate different phases of the engine's cycle.
As shown in Fig.1, the rotor engine has the body 1 with the shape of a hollow disc. Inside the body 1 rotates the rotor 2 of an elliptical shape and with its peripheral cross section similar to that of the body 1. The peripheral sealing sliding vanes 7 are located at the edges of the long axle of the rotor 2 to seal the space between the rim of the rotor 2 and the internal surface of the body 1. Two shutters - the left shutter 3 and the right shutter 4 - located on opposite sides of the body 1 are always kept in sealing contact with the rim of the rotor 2 by the shutter springs 5. With rotation of the rotor 2 combustion chambers and compression chambers are continuously created between the internal surface of the body 1, the rim of the rotor 2 and the shutters 3 and 4. The air intake port 11 and the exhaust port 12 are located close to the left shutter 3. The air by-pass valve 9 and the compressed air valve 10 are situated adjacent to the right shutter 4. The compressed air accumulation chamber 16 connects the two valves. The fuel injection 17 is provided to inject fuel and the spark plug 18 is mounted nearby in Petrol version of the engine. The cooling centrifugal blades 26 are aimed to force ambient air through the cooing fins 29 of the rotor 2 as well as to supercharge air to the compression chamber.
Design of the seals' arrangements, lubrication system and cooling system is presented in Fig.2 and Fig.3. There are two peripheral sealing sliding vanes 7, four radial sealing sliding vanes 23 and two sealing sliding ring vanes 8 in the rotor 2. There are two radial sealing sliding vanes 22 and one transversal sealing sliding vane 6 in each shutter. All the vanes are spring loaded in necessary directions by the springs 24. With rotation of the rotor 2 the lubrication oil drawn in by centrifugal forces enters the rotor 2 through the lubrication channels 25 in the shaft 19 and in the rotor 2 and is distributed to the sealing vanes of the rotor 2. Each time a sealing vane of the rotor 2 travels through a shutter, centrifugal forces bring a portion of the lubrication oil onto the corresponding sealing vanes of the left shutter 3 or the right shutter 4. The oil is then distributed to all necessary surfaces through the lubrication channels 13 in the left shutters 3 and the right shutter 4. The lubrication valve 27 in each shutter removes a portion of the lubrication oil with each reciprocal movement of the shutter thus providing oil circulation. The air pressure release channels 21 are provided to equalize air pressure in air pockets on opposite sides of the left shutter 3 and the right shutter 4 with their reciprocal movements within a closed space of the body 1. The cooling air 38 drawn in by the cooling centrifugal blades 26 enters the rotor 2 near the shaft 19 and then is forced through the cooling fins 29 removing heat from the rotor 2. The coupling bolts 35 fasten together two halves of the body 1.
Interactions of the sealing vanes of the rotor 2 and those of the shutters are further illustrated in Fig.4. The transversal sealing sliding vane 6 of a shutter is located at an angle to the peripheral sealing sliding vane 7 of the rotor 2 to reduce the area of their sides' encounter to one edge. As shown in cross section E - E, this area of encounter is further reduced to a minimum by an inclined incoming edge of the peripheral sealing sliding vane 7. A similar arrangement is provided to eliminate clashing of the sides of the radial sealing sliding vanes 22 of the shutters with the radial sealing sliding vanes 23 of the rotor 2. As shown in cross section D - D, the radial sealing sliding vane 22 of a shutter is located at an angle to the radial sealing sliding vane 23 of the rotor 2 to reduce the area of their sides' encounter to one edge. As shown in cross section F - F, this area of encounter is further reduced to a minimum by an inclined incoming edge of the radial sealing sliding vane 23 of the rotor 2. Fig.4 also shows position of the sealing sliding ring vanes 8 of the rotor 2 that have one edge imbedded into the rotor and the other - into the body.
Further illustrations of the sealing vanes arrangements are presented in Fig.5. Due to changing inclination of the incoming rim of the rotor 2 to the transversal sealing sliding vane 6 of the shutter 3 (as well of the shutter 4), the transversal sealing sliding vane 6 is designed with the capacity to adjust its position to always stay perpendicular to the rim of the rotor 2. Fig.5 also depicts shapes and positions of the cooling centrifugal blades 26 and the cooling fins 29 of the rotor 2 as well as shapes and positions of the cooling openings 28 of the body 1.
Fig. 4 and Fig.5 also show interconnection of the air by-pass valve 9 and the compressed air valve 10 via the compressed air accumulation chamber 16.
Fig.6 details the design of the radial sealing sliding vanes 23 of the rotor 2 with the lubrication holes 30 drilled in the vanes.
Fig.7, 8 and 9 depict the design of the shutter locks 31 that are provided to lock the shutters in their outermost position to allow the rotor 2 to rotate almost free to store its kinetic energy for later acceleration. As shown in Fig.7, the shutter lock 31 consists of the solenoid 32, the pin 33 and the pin spring 34. In normal position the pin spring 34 retains the pin 33 inside of the shutter 3, so the pin 33 travels up and down within the shutter, as shown in Fig.8. In case a throttle pedal is released at high RPM, the solenoid 32 is energized pulling the pin 33 out of the shutter 3 and locking the shutter 3 in its top position, as is illustrated in Fig.9. As soon as the rotor 2 is back to its idle RPM, the solenoid 32 is deactivated and the pin spring 34 returns the pin 33 in its normal position inside the shutter and the shutter 3 is back to its normal operation.
Fig.10 shows the side view of the engine with positions of the cooling openings 28 indicated. Ambient air is drawn in through central openings 28 due to centrifugal action of the cooling centrifugal blades 26 and then is distributed to the rim of the rotor 2 for cooling purposes and to the supercharged air duct 44 for air charging purposes.
Arrangements of the air-cooling and air-supercharging system is presented in Fig.11. The cooling centrifugal blades 26 of the rotor 2 draw in the cooling air 38 through the central cooling openings 28 of the body 1 and distribute it in three directions. A part of the air that cools the bottom part of the body 1 housing the compression chamber 37 with lower cooling needs, passes through the cooling fins 29 of the rotor 2 and leaves the body 1 through the round bottom cooling openings 28 on the right side of the body 1. Another part of the cooling air 38 after passing through the cooling fins 29 of the rotor 2 goes up to cool the top part of the body 1 which houses the combustion chamber 36 with higher cooling needs, passes through the cooling fins 15 of the body 1 around the combustion chamber 36 and leaves the body 1 through holes at the top of the body 1. A third part of the cooling air 38 after passing through the cooling fins 29 of the rotor 2 enters the supercharged air duct 44 and goes to the air intake port 11 to charge the engine.
The rotor engine works in the following way.
As the rotor 2 turns anticlockwise as shown in Fig.12, the volume of the space below the left shutter 3 and between the body 1 and the rotor 2 is increasing and supercharged air is drawn into the space. The intake stroke 39 begins. At the same time the volume of the space below the right shutter 4 and between the body 1 and the rotor 2 is decreasing and the air drawn in during the previous stroke is being compressed. This is the compression stroke 40. As soon as the air pressure across the air by-pass valve 9 equalizes, the valve opens and the compressed air comes into the compressed air accumulation chamber 16. The compressed air valve 10 is closed.
As soon as the peripheral sealing sliding vane 7 of the rotor 2 passes the position of the air by-pass valve 9 as shown in Fig.13, the air by-pass valve 9 is closed by a pressure differential across it. The compressed air valve 10 is closed. The compressed air is accumulated in the compressed air accumulation chamber 16.
As the peripheral sealing sliding vane 7 of the rotor 2 passes the position of the spark plug 18 (for Petrol version of the engine) or the position of the fuel injection 17 (for Diesel version of the engine), as shown in Fig.14, the compressed air valve 10 is open by a drive and the compressed air accumulated in the compressed air accumulation chamber 16 enters the space above the right shutter 4 and between the body 1 and the rotor 2. In Petrol version of the engine fuel is then injected into the stream of the compressed air through the fuel injection 17 thus providing a necessary mixing of the fuel and air. The compressed air valve 10 is closed by the drive and the spark plug 18 is activated. In Diesel version of the engine the compressed air valve 10 is then closed by the drive and fuel is injected through the fuel injection 17.
Next, (as shown in Fig.15) the working stroke 41 develops in this space while the intake stroke 39 and the compression stroke 40 begin in the two previously described spaces. The compressed air valve 10 and the air by-pass valve 9 are closed.
As shown in Fig.16, with further rotation of the rotor 2 all the details are at the same positions as in Fig.12 except the rotor 2, which has turned through 180 degrees. Thus there are 2 working strokes per rotation.
As soon as the peripheral sealing sliding vane 7 of the rotor 2 passes the position of the exhaust port 12 as shown in Fig. 17, the exhaust stroke 42 begins. On the opposite side of the rotor 2 there is the intake stroke 39, while with the air by-pass valve 9 and the compressed air valve 10 closed the compressed air accumulation chamber 16 is filled with the compressed air accumulated during the previous stroke. The cycle repeats.
The purpose of the engine start solenoid 43 depicted in Fig.17 is to open the compressed air valve 10 in case there is a need to start the engine after a short brake. As there is still some compressed air accumulated in the compressed air accumulation chamber 16, this air will act as combustion gases in the combustion chamber and will rotate the rotor 2 similar to a starter motor.

There are two full cycles exercised by the engine per each rotation. With different shape of the rotor 2, different number of the shutters, different number of the air by-pass valves 9, the compressed air valves 10, the air intake ports 11, the exhaust ports 12, the compressed air accumulation chambers 16, the fuel injections 17 and the spark plugs 18, the number of the cycles will be different.

References
Body
	1	Radial sealing sliding vane of the rotor	23
Rotor	2	Springs of the sealing sliding vanes	24
Left shutter	3	Lubrication channels of the rotor	25
Right shutter	4	Cooling centrifugal blades	26
Shutter spring	5	Lubrication valve of the shutter	27
Transversal sealing sliding vane of the shutter	6	Cooling openings of the body	28
Peripheral sealing sliding vane of the rotor	7	Cooling fins of the rotor	29
Sealing sliding ring vane of the rotor	8	Lubrication holes	30
Air by-pass valve	9	Shutter lock	31
Compressed air valve	10	Solenoid	32
Air intake port	11	Pin	33
Exhaust port	12	Pin spring	34
Lubrication/cooling channels of the shutter	13	Coupling bolts of the body	35
Cooling channels of the rotor	14	Combustion chamber	36
Cooling fins of the body	15	Compression chamber	37
Compressed air accumulation chamber	16	Cooling air	38
Fuel injection	17	Intake stroke	39
Spark plug (if petrol)	18	Compression stroke	40
Shaft	19	Working stroke	41
Bearings	20	Exhaust stroke	42
Air pressure release channels	21	Engine start solenoid	43
Radial sealing sliding vane of the shutter	22	Supercharged air duct	44

Claims

A rotor internal combustion engine comprising a body designed as a hollow disc with a rectangular or other peripheral cross section, a rotor of an elliptic or other shape which rotates within the body with two edges of the rotor in sealing contact with the body, at least one pair of seal shutters located at opposite sides of the body that are kept in sealing contact with the rim of the rotor by springs or other means to create combustion and compression chambers, at least one compressed air accumulation chamber connected to the compression chamber by an automatic air by-pass valve located on one side of one shutter and to the combustion chamber by a compressed air valve located on another side of the same shutter, at least one air intake port and at least one exhaust port located on either side of another shutter, spring loaded sealing sliding vanes in the rotor and in the shutters to seal the space between the shutters, the rotor and the body, spring loaded sealing sliding ring vanes in the rotor to seal the space between the side surface of the rotor and the side surface of the body, cooling centrifugal blades or other centrifugal means in the rotor to cool both the rotor and the body, lubrication channels in the rotor to lubricate the sealing vanes of the rotor using centrifugal forces, lubrication channels in the shutters to lubricate the sealing vanes of the shutters using reciprocal movements of the shutters, a fuel injection located at the point of compressed air entry to the combustion chamber to provide necessary fuel and air mixing.
A rotor internal combustion engine as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the transversal sealing sliding vanes of the shutters are located at an angle to the corresponding peripheral sealing sliding vanes of the rotor and the radial sealing sliding vanes of the shutters are located at an angle to the radial sealing sliding vanes of the rotor.
A rotor internal combustion engine as claimed in Claim 2, wherein cooling openings of the body and cooling channels of the rotor and of the body make the air forced through by the cooling centrifugal blades to cool the rotor, the body, the compression chamber and the combustion chamber.
A rotor internal combustion engine as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the shutters are provided with shutter locks that lock the shutters at their outermost position to allow free rotation of the rotor.
A rotor internal combustion engine as claimed in Claim 4, wherein the compressed air valve is designed with capacity to be open by a solenoid to allow compressed air of the compressed air accumulation chamber to enter the combustion chamber and to rotate the rotor thus starting the engine.
A rotor internal combustion engine as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the air-cooling system of the engine is designed with means to provide supercharging of the air introduced to the combustion chamber.
A rotor internal combustion engine as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the rotor may be designed with the capability of forced rotation thus to allow the rotor engine to operate as a compressor.
A rotor internal combustion engine as claimed in Claim 3, wherein the the rotor may be designed with the capability of forced rotation thus to allow the rotor engine to operate as a pump.
A rotor internal combustion engine as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the compressed air valve, the air by-pass valve and the air intake port may be designed with the capability to allow the engine to operate as a hydraulic motor.
A rotor internal combustion engine as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the compressed air valve, the air by-pass valve and the air intake port may be designed with the capability to allow the engine to operate as an air motor.