Patent ID: 8661817
Filing Date: 2014-03-04
Classification: F01B,F02B,Y02T

Abstract:
1. A combined internal combustion and Rankine cycle engine for recovering waste combustion heat comprising, at least one cylinder having a combustion piston slidably and sealingly mounted therein between a combustion chamber and a steam expansion chamber, the combustion chamber being outward of the piston and including a combustion intake valve and a combustion exhaust valve communicating therewith, the steam expansion chamber being located in the cylinder inward of the piston, at least one steam inlet valve enclosed by the piston and connected to be operated in timed relationship to the piston movement for admitting steam produced by waste combustion heat into the steam expansion chamber through a fixed cylinder cap that is sealingly and slidingly mounted within the piston, at least one steam exhaust port communicating with the expansion chamber to exhaust steam therefrom, a cooling jacket at least partially surrounding the combustion chamber, a helical flow guide comprising a spiral flange in the cooling jacket for causing a coolant to flow therethrough in a circuitous pathway wherein the coolant flows in a convoluted or winding course within the cooling jacket while in thermal contact with the combustion chamber whereby a mass velocity of the coolant is increased through at least one flow channel to thereby increase a net heat transfer coefficient between the combustion chamber cooling jacket and the coolant, a pump for transferring coolant between a portion of the cooling jacket adjacent the cylinder and a cylinder head cooling jacket for cooling the combustion chamber, a heat exchange coupling between the coolant and the steam or a steam condensate to transfer heat thereto from the coolant, and a duct connected to transfer the condensate to a heater fired by exhaust gases from the combustion chamber for providing steam produced from the condensate to the steam expansion chamber.