Patent ID: 6199519
Filing Date: 2001-03-13
Classification: B60L,F02B,Y02T

Abstract:
A free-piston, two-stroke, autoignition internal combustion engine that emits near zero NO.sub.x emissions of less than about 20 ppm comprising:a housing including a cylinder having first and second combustion chambers at opposite ends thereof, wherein each combustion chamber includes an inlet and outlet;a double-ended piston that is displaceable between the first and second combustion chambers;a linear alternator means operable with the piston for converting kinetic energy of the piston into electrical energy;a source of fuel and air that supplies a fuel and air mixture into each combustion chamber through the inlets;means for controlling the compression ratio to cause autoignition of the fuel and air mixture in each combustion chamber at a compression ratio of at least about 16:1; andmeans for causing the fuel and air mixture to react following autoignition at a combustion rate so that at least 95% of the fuel is combusted in less than about 80 .mu.sec wherein the engine is characterized by a thermal efficiency of at least about 48%.