AU2002301869A1 - In cylinder exhaust stroke quenching - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA PATENTS ACT 1990.

Page One of Twelve STANDARD PATENT APLICATION.

TITLE IN CYLINDER EXHAUST STROKE QUENCHING A METHOD FOR ALTERING THE COMBUSTION PRODUCTS RESULTING FROM THE BURNING OF HYDROCARBON FUELS WITHIN RECIPROCATING FOUR STROKE INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES BY INSERTING A SUBSTANCE BY MEANS OF A TIMED INJECTION MECHANISM INTO THE LUMEN OF THE WORKING ENGINE CYLINDER TO MIX REACTIVELY WITH THESE HOT GASSES OF COMBUSTION RELATIVE TO THE EXHAUST STROKE AND BEFORE EXPULSION FROM THE ENGINE.

My invention relates to reciprocating four stroke internal combustion engines and more particularly relates to a method and means to usefully alter the nature of the hot gases of combustion immediately after the intended work of the power stroke has been achieved and prior to the completion of the attendant exhaust stroke.

I by name Edwin Seymour Marsden propose to introduce an additional event that has not been previously used in relation to what is typically described in part and function as the Exhaust Stroke of Reciprocating Internal Combustion Engines of the common types long derived from the Otto Four Stroke Cycle and irrespective of ignition method or fuel type or number of cylinders or configuration of cylinders or engine employment intended for such machines and this herein described event being a new and inventive step to improve and expand current engine technology and practice.

This additional event is to concur with the usual exhaust stroke of such four stroke internal combustion engines and will be made as an interference put to the hot gasses of combustion within the cylinder lumen as normally shifted by this fourth stroke after the primary work is done during the power or third stroke when such gasses are normally readied for expulsion from within the working cylinder in association with the movement of the piston as it is pushed by the rotation of the crankshaft and connecting rod assemblies from the region of bottom dead centre in the rotation towards top dead centre for that cylinder.

The interference required is an insertion of a liquid or a gaseous substance alternatively a liquid and a gaseous substance into the cylinder lumen of a working four stroke internal combustion engine and this new substance insertion method is to be incorporated into such engines by a manner of manufacture as to take effect in a required relationship to the beginning of the exhaust stroke and occurring as an single insertion or as a multiple insertions and this interference by a substance insertion method being applied in the period pertaining to the exhaust stroke as required such that the hot gasses of combustion therein undergo significant interaction with the substance or substances inserted and that such an insertion procedure could well be termed In Cylinder Exhaust Stroke Quenching.

Page Two To achieve the required substance insertion directly into the cylinder lumen of a working four stroke internal combustion engine at a time related to the exhaust stroke an injector mechanism device is included to pass through the cylinder head or cylinder wall being so positioned and orientated and connected as to achieve the required insertion results with each engine type adopting this new method and structured such that it has an opening and closing action permitting an appropriately timed passage of a suitable injection substance into the lumen of the working cylinder and this action to be repeatedly effective in relation to each exhaust stroke but allowing for the injector device to afterward become an inactive barrier allowing normal engine function with respect to all requirements of the other three strokes to each complete engine cycle.

The timing of the substance insertion through an injector mechanism device into the cylinder lumen of a working four stroke engine is to be taken in relation to the period of each exhaust stroke for that cylinder so relayed by the position of the crankshaft as taken by mechanical linkage through to such as a cam shaft or possibly from associated lay shafts such as a distributor drive or can likewise be controlled by similarly acting electro-mechanical or electro-optical or hydraulic devices or belt drives and thus always be appropriately related with the opening the exhaust valve or valves or other such exhaust gas releasing mechanisms and can be fixed at such a timing as to suit the required interference effect or effects or possibly varied with respect to this fourth stroke to accommodate changing engine conditions such as load and revolutions and rate of change to revolutions and fuel type and ignition type and associated temperatures.

The specialized exhaust stroke into-cylinder injector device designed to achieve the substance insertion into the cylinder lumen of a working four stroke internal combustion engine in relation to the exhaust stroke as described herein will have attendant mechanisms and connections and apparatus so incorporated together as to achieve timed and controlled substance insertion and these engine appendages to be correctly chosen and advantageously placed and lawfully adopted within such engine types permitted to use my interference method spoken of herein but their exact form and action is not claimed part of this Patent application but if a new type or types of approved injector device and attendant mechanisms are to be evolved for use in my herein described insertion method then such will as required be later described by me alone or possibly by myself in concert with others but in separate application.

The nature and amount of the substance inserted through the chosen injector mechanism into the cylinder lumen of a working four stroke internal combustion engine cylinder and timed in relation to the engine exhaust stroke as described herein is to be determined by the desired outcome of an interaction or possibly interactions between the hot gasses of combustion such that intended and favorable alterations of the hot gasses of combustion in significant proportion is achieved thereby enabling internal combustion four stroke reciprocating engines to be better adapted in respect to the future of this vital technology and especially so when in consideration for the environment.

Page Three If the interference intended requires an insertion of a substance such as water or solution of water into the cylinder lumen of a working four stroke internal combustion engine in relation to the exhaust stroke then it should be made such that the hot gasses of combustion therein undergo a significant exchange of heat to the introduced water during that exhaust stroke which in turn can be matched in quantity as is required to the power stroke fuel energy burnt previously and this to repeatedly occur in relation with each engine cycle exhaust stroke as required such that a significant proportion of the inserted water is converted to steam in relation that exhaust stroke as a first requirement plus the possibility of other significant interactions that could be obtained when the products of combustion are also exposed to this water or progressively the water and steam or the resultant steam alone or in concert with other substances that could be included in with the inserted water and with any such combination having been formulated as a desired substance for insertion and the nature of these possible inclusions being further spoken of in this exposition.

If the interference intended requires an insertion of a gaseous substance into the cylinder lumen of a working four stroke internal combustion engine cylinder whether alone or in combination with other insertions then this gaseous insertion is likewise to occur at or in a desired relationship to the beginning of the exhaust stroke and matched in quantity as required to the power stroke fuel burnt previously and this occurring repeatedly in relation with each engine exhaust stroke such that the hot gasses of combustion therein undergo a significant interaction or interactions with the inserted gaseous substance in relation to that exhaust stroke.

To clarify initial references in the choice of water or solution of water readied to be inserted into the lumen of a working internal combustion four stroke engine cylinder in association with the exhaust stroke and when describing the primary aim to such an aqueous interference in relation with the hot gasses of combustion then the term water or solution of water was used as there could be added to this water made ready for insertion a desired substance or substances soluble either in polar or non polar means or by nature suspended by fine particles in the water or any combination of these conditions and these substances so chosen and timed as to achieve the required effect or effects in reaction with the products of combustion as might be required by users of such engines.

Likewise to clarify the initial reference to liquid substance readied for insertion into the lumen of a working four stroke internal combustion engine cylinder then a use could also be made of non aqueous insertion liquids alone or with a desired substance or substances included and to be soluble either by polar or non polar means or by nature suspended by fine particles in the non aqueous insertion liquid or any combination of any of these conditions and these substances so chosen and timed as to achieve the required effect or effects in reaction to the products of combustion as might be required by users of such engines.

Page Four Irrespective of the chosen type or types of substance to be used for insertion into the cylinder lumen of a working four stroke engine in relation to the exhaust stroke and the intended reaction with the hot gases of combustion within that cylinder my interference method is specific to the purposes spoken of herein and has no affinity to any other current or past practices of substance insertion made in direct relationship to any of the other three piston strokes of internal combustion engines working to a four stroke cycle.

The temperature preferred for a liquid or gaseous substance so inserted into the lumen of a working cylinder in relation to the exhaust stroke of an internal combustion four stroke engine can be set or varied as required to best achieve the effect or effects intended.

The herein described substance insertion function as made into a working cylinder in relation to the exhaust stroke of an internal combustion four stroke engine may be controlled such that it will not interfere with particular engine situations such as engine start up or engine shut down or engine idling and is to be adapted to suit individual engine and fuel type and ignition method.

Of the chosen type or types to all substances intended for use for insertion into the lumen of a working cylinder in relation to the exhaust stroke of a four stroke internal combustion engine by my method then the users are to be held responsible for lawful assurance that suitable substances are chosen to achieve correct and safe operation and that impurities within any of the substances used do not contaminate the user or the engine or the environment.

In describing my four stoke internal combustion engine substance insertion method the requirement is for the substance to be directed into the majority of the cylinder lumen volume and that other engine cylinder design factors that could offer a possible supplementary or partial containment of the working gases such as precombustion chambers or any other concavity such as might be formed within a cylinder head or such as a piston head that departs significantly from a plain surface are not to be considered as alternatives areas for others to claim practice of the aims related in this exposition.

An alteration of the exhaust valve timing as made to a limited degree with respect to the movement of its associated piston will offer opportunity to change cylinder content volume and pressure when seeking to enhance the outcome of interactions between the injected substance and the contained gasses of combustion during the period pertaining to the exhaust stroke within four stroke internal combustion engines employing the herein described substance injection method.

Page Five Advantageously the coming together of the hot gases of combustion present in the cylinder lumen in relation to the exhaust stroke of a working four stroke internal combustion engine with an inserted water or solution of water will lead to the vaporization of the water and a consideration of the effects of the latent heat of vaporization of this inserted water in balance with the thermodynamics of the hot gases of combustion will show the effects of this interference to be an overall decrease in both temperature and pressure of the exiting gaseous mixture and offering a possible change to current design requirements to such components as the exhaust valve and exhaust valve seat.

Advantageously if the resultant gaseous mixture within the cylinder lumen in relation to the exhaust stroke of a working four stroke internal combustion engine after substance insertion is of lesser temperature and pressure to that which the same four stroke engine would show without an insertion of substance into the working cylinder lumen in relation to the exhaust stroke as described herein then there will be three significant changes made apparent as now listed.

One There will be a lessened energy loss caused by exhaust gas backpressure impeding piston advance during the exhaust stroke.

Two The lessened exhaust gas pressure will show a decrease in the acoustical impulse apparent to the gasses proceeding out of the engine so offering change in the external exhaust path component design when it is required to reduce engine noise.

Three There will be this beneficial cooling event caused by the substance insertion being immediately active within the engine cylinder lumen itself allowing possible changes to current engine cooling methods.

Advantageously with an aqueous insertion into the cylinder lumen of a working four stroke internal combustion engine in relation to the exhaust stroke an overall steam enriched gaseous exhaust mixture may also lend itself to further use or uses once out of such an engine and this depending upon individual power plant design requirements such as this steam enriched gaseous mixture being elected for immediate discharge out of the cylinder direct to the atmosphere or first subjected to a condensation of the water component giving opportunity for re-use with such as my herein described in-cylinder aqueous insertion process or put to use driving such known devices as a turbine wheel within a engine supercharging mechanism or separate reciprocating piston assembly or heat exchanger in the performance of required externally achieved mechanical or thermal work before a final discharge or through any such devices then followed by a recovery of the water for whatever reason before eventual discharge to atmosphere of the remaining gases and these possible external exhaust path mechanisms and processes although being externally attendant to are not part of my claims to the novelty of an insertion of a substance into the lumen of a working engine cylinder in relation to the exhaust stroke of a four stroke internal combustion engine..

Page Six Advantageously however that benefits from improved engine operating factors such as mechanical or thermal or acoustical efficiencies could be found or that advantageous physical or chemical conversions of combustion gases leading to a reduction to or change in the emission of noxious or polluting by-products of engine combustion may be made to happen by this insertion method into the working cylinder in relation to the exhaust stroke of a four stroke internal combustion engine and these advantages having been derived from my method then any such improvement or conversion or reduction is claimed to be part of the novelty of my method.

Advantageously the opportunity to alter the hot gasses of combustion in four stroke internal combustion engines by subjecting them to a catalyst substance active on the hot gasses of engine combustion within the working cylinder lumen of the engine in relation to the exhaust stroke may now be attempted with the desired catalytic substance being suitably inserted by my method.

Advantageously that a non aqueous substance be chosen alone or with other substances and readied for insertion into the cylinder lumen of a working four stroke internal combustion engine in relation to the exhaust stroke will offer single or multiple forms of control or change to the hot gases of combustion as they proceed to ejection from the cylinder.

Advantageously the timed start for any of the intended substance insertion into the cylinder lumen of a working four stroke internal combustion engine could if preferred be made just before Bottom Dead Centre of the crankshaft for that cylinder at a point leading into and therefore directly related with the beginning of the exhaust stroke when the hot gases of combustion having completed the intended or primary work of the proceeding power stroke and are prepared to be expelled from the cylinder and this to permit an early reactive start with the substance or substances inserted as all then proceed into and through the exhaust stroke.

Advantageously the timing to the opening or closing of the exhaust valve or valves or other such exhaust gas releasing mechanisms made to handle exiting gases with respect to piston movement could be independently changed in a limited degree to enhance reaction of the substance inserted into the lumen of its cylinder and the degree of this time change could be fixed or varied to suit the engine type and fuel type and overall operating conditions to best achieve a preferred outcome.

Advantageously by adopting a timed insertion device that offers no significant impediment or change to the essential operating requirements of the previous three strokes namely the induction and compression and power strokes active within the working cylinder of a four stroke internal combustion engine then my exhaust stroke related insertion method will not detract significantly from established design criteria common to the many types of engines that it could be adapted to.

Page Seven AN OVERALL SUMMARY 1. A method of directly working upon the hot gasses of combustion within the lumen of the working cylinder of a four-stroke internal combustion engine by substance insertion in relation to the exhaust stroke.

2. A method in accordance to Summary 1.wherein the water component of an aqueous liquid inserted into the cylinder lumen of a working four stoke internal combustion engine in relation to the exhaust stroke when subjected to the heat energy present in the hot gases of combustion will result in a transition to steam of the water injection with attendant reduction of exhaust gas temperature and pressure.

3. A method in accordance to Summary 1. and 2.wherein the opportunity to add a substance or substances to the water comprising an inserted aqueous solution that will offer methods to physically or chemically alter one of more of the components of the hot gases of combustion commonly emitted by four stroke internal combustion engines of which some are categorized as atmospheric pollutants.

4. A method in accordance to Summary 1. wherein the opportunity to insert a non aqueous substance or substances to give methods to physically or chemically alter one or more of the hot gasses of combustion commonly emitted by four stroke internal combustion engines of which some are categorized as atmospheric pollutants and giving opportunity for further and independent external process of these altered gases in a manner best suited to requirements such as rendering possible noxious substance control or recovery.

A method in accordance to Summary 1. and 2. and 3.wherein steam formed from the injection of water into the lumen of a working four stroke engine cylinder in relation to the exhaust stroke and forming a mixture with remaining products of combustion and this to include steam previously formed from the power stroke burning of hydrocarbon fuels common to internal combustion engines and this overall mixture then being emitted by an engine so adapted gives opportunity for further independent external process of these altered gases in a manner best suited to requirements such as rendering possible noxious substance control and recovery.

6. A method in accordance to any of Summary 1 or 2 or 4 or 5. wherein the insertion of a substance into the lumen of a working engine in relation to the exhaust stroke will influence acoustical noise levels commonly experienced during the release into the atmosphere of the exhaust gasses normal to four stroke internal combustion engines.

Page Eight 7. A method in accordance with Summary 1 and 2 and 5 wherein the exchange of heat energy via the latent heat of vaporization of the water injected into the lumen of a working cylinder in relation to the exhaust stroke acting upon the hot gasses of combustion to form steam will show an overall decrease in gaseous temperature and pressure so lessening gaseous resistance in the exhaust outflow path.

8. A method in accordance with Summary 1 and 3 wherein different additives if made to the substance readied for insertion into the lumen of a working cylinder in relation to the exhaust stroke can be planned to best suit engine application and fuel type and ignition type to achieve one or more of the purposes spoken of herein.

9. A method in accordance with Summary 1 and 4 wherein substance insertion could allow an early method of catalytic conversion to be made directly to the hot gasses of combustion transient within the engine cylinder in relation to the exhaust stroke.

A method in accordance to Summary 1 and 3 and 4 and 8 and 9 wherein chemical or physical reaction between an inserted substance and a component of the hot gasses of combustion could then lead to a change of state such as to a liquid or precipitate formation so offering opportunities for the use of independent external devices and processes aimed at the retention of substances that are undesirable when vented to the atmosphere.

11. A method in accordance to Summary 1 and 2 wherein a substance such as water when inserted into the working cylinder of a four stroke internal combustion engine in relation to the exhaust stroke could induce an engine cooling event within the lumen of the cylinder itself and this to be held distinct to the usual practice of engine cooling by heat passage conducted out through the cylinder walls and cylinder head for it to be carried away by flow of a liquid coolant such as water or a gaseous coolant such as air plus any additional practices such as external cooling of engine lubricant or any substance contained within exhaust valve stems or by any other of the presently established engine cooling methods.

Page Nine 12. A method in accordance with Summary 1 whereby a specifically designed and timed and controlled interference substance injector mechanism can be independently adopted for use to achieve any of the requirements of this exposition by allowing substance insertion into the lumen of a working cylinder of a four stroke internal combustion engine by opening and closing only in required relation to the exhaust stroke and will afterwards remain an inactive barrier preventing interference or change to the normal operation of the other three strokes of the engine.

13 A method whereby the timing of the opening and closing of the exhaust gas releasing valves or such mechanisms handling the gases of combustion associated with the herein described substance insertion method can be independently set or varied to best suit engine type or fuel type or operating conditions.

Page Twelve

DIAGRAMS

An outline to the embodiment of my basic exhaust stroke insertion invention as applied to the otherwise conventional four stroke internal combustion engine principle will now be shown and described by way of diagrammatic examples of engine components and movements as typified in the accompanying drawings:- Figure ONE is a schematic cross sectional drawing of a single cylinder of an otherwise typical four stroke internal combustion engine so changed as to operate in accordance with an embodiment of the my insertion method invention and showing a typical period related to start of the exhaust stroke in which a piston E is moved by connecting rod H to slide within the cylinder F containing the hot gasses of combustion from the previous power stoke and these moving components being propelled in reciprocal motion by rotating crankshaft I plus the associated inlet valve C and exhaust valve D and including substance insertion path A injector mechanism and with all necessary engine parts constructed and connected and timed to correctly respond to the sequence of events normal to a four stroke engine that has in addition an embodiment of my substance insertion event. The method of engine ignition plus the passage of the three previous or the three succeeding stokes will not the displayed as the present invention is not intended to modify or influence these other strokes or alter any ignition type typical to the conventional four stroke method.

Figure TWO is a continuation of movement from Figure ONE position in which the piston E has been progressed into cylinder F for the exhaust stroke and accompanied by an attendant substance insertion event into the lumen G of the cylinder F that contains the hot gasses of combustion and also showing an opening movement of the exhaust valve D.

Figure THREE is a continuation of movement from Figure TWO position in which the piston E is further progressed through the exhaust stroke and including a closing movement of the exhaust valve D with cessation of substance insertion and these marking the end of an exhaust stroke as changed by my substance insertion method and before the engine then processes into the first or induction stroke of the next cycle of this otherwise typical four stroke engine.

While the accompanying drawings only need to illustrate the embodiment of my insertion method to a single cylinder of as internal combustion four stroke engine it will be understood that the method can be applied to any number of cylinders within the typical multi-cylindered engine with the insertion path and attendant mechanism having the form necessary for each engine type.

END