Patent ID: 6125813
Filing Date: 2000-10-03
Classification: F01C,F02B,Y02T

Abstract:
A fuel combustion system for use in a rotary internal combustion engine of the direct injection, heavy fuel type, comprising:a. a housing having a cavity to provide three working chambers;b. a troichoidal rotor mounted for rotation within said housing, said rotor and said housing defining said three working chambers, said rotor successively expanding and contracting respective volumes within said three chambers during rotation;c. an unthrottled air induction port communicating with a first one of said working chambers for communicating air thereto;d. an exhaust port juxtaposed to said air induction port communicating with a second one of said working chambers for expelling combustion products therefrom;e. a prechamber communicating with a third one of said working chambers, said prechamber disposed generally opposite said air induction and exhaust ports and having a volume about 25% to 40% of a minimum volume of said third one of said working chambers;f. a fuel injector disposed within said prechamber for introducing an amount of fuel into said prechamber;g. a passage interconnecting said prechamber and said cavity, said passage having an internal open diameter about 20% to 32% of the diameter of a sphere having a volume equivalent to the volume of said prechamber;h. an externally powered heating element to ignite said amount of fuel; andi. means operably associated with said prechamber for maintaining a surface within said prechamber at a temperature sufficient to cause ignition of said amount of fuel introduced therein, said maintaining means supplementing said heating element to maintain said surface at a sufficiently elevated level to enhance ignition.