Pneumatic engine system with air circulation

A pneumatic engine system uses gas circulation to recycle exhausted air, so as to reduce gas consumption, save energy, protect the environment, operate for a longer duration, and slow down the attenuation of the power output thereof. The pneumatic engine system includes a pneumatic engine, a gas storage device, a transit gas storage tank, and a suction device. The pneumatic engine receives a compressed air to generate power output. The gas storage device stores the compressed gas and supplies the compressed gas to the pneumatic engine. The transit gas storage tank receives gas discharged from the pneumatic engine. The suction device extracts gas from the transit gas storage tank and transport the extracted gas to the gas storage device for recycle.

BACKGROUND

1. Technical Field

The present application relates to a pneumatic power apparatus, and more particularly, to a gas engine system with air circulation.

2. Related Art

Invention of the internal combustion engine drove Industrial Revolution and brought flourish development in human civilization. However, the internal combustion engine using fossil fuels produces carbon dioxide after combustion. In addition to causing air pollution, the greenhouse effect and global warming, carbon dioxide has already endangered the survival of human and biological. Pneumatic engine mainly makes use of high pressure air to transforming gas into rotation power. Since its discharge is also air, there are no foul odor and no pollution. Cost is also lower than gasoline and diesel. Therefore, the pneumatic engine is a good power generation choice. The use of high pressure gas of pneumatic engine is from a high pressure gas cylinder where gas is compressed. Gas consumption of pneumatic engine is in a large volume. High pressure gas cylinder to supply pneumatic engine cannot last long. This causes the power output from pneumatic engine to attenuate; and consequently, the pneumatic engine cannot continue to operate. It is thus an important topic to reduce gas consumption with the same amount of gas supply, so as to increase the operation duration of the engine and slow down the attenuation of the power output.

BRIEF SUMMARY

A pneumatic engine system with gas circulation operable to reduce gas consumption rate is provided. The pneumatic engine system with gas circulation allows gas exhausted from the engine to be recycled to solve the problem of traditional gas supply by the high pressure gas cylinders. This system comprises a pneumatic engine, a gas storage device, a transit gas storage tank, and a suction device. The pneumatic engine accepts a compressed gas to produce power output. The gas storage device stores the compressed gas and provides it to the pneumatic engine. The transit gas storage tank retrieves a gas discharged from the pneumatic engine. The suction device extracts gas from the transit gas storage tank and delivers the extracted gas to the gas storage device. Then gas can thus be recycled.

The gas storage device comprises three gas tanks. The first gas tank is used to store the compressed gas and to provide the compressed gas to the pneumatic engine. The second gas tank also stores the compressed gas. The pressure in the second gas tank is less than the pressure in the first gas tank. Therefore, a first booster pump located between the first and second gas tank is used to pressurize output gas from the second gas tank. The pressurized compressed gas is then delivered to the first gas tank. The third gas tank stores the compressed gas and the pressure in the third gas tank is less than the pressure in the second gas tank. A second booster pump located between the second and third gas tanks is used to pressurize gas output from the third gas tank. The pressurized gas is stored in the second gas tank. Gas discharged from the first and second booster pumps output to the transit gas tank for recycling. The suction device transports the recycled gas from the transit gas storage tank to the second and third gas tanks.

In some embodiments, a pneumatic engine system may further comprise an air compressor/gas storage cylinder set. When the pressure in the third gas tank is insufficient, the air compressor/gas storage cylinder set supplements the pressure in the third gas tank.

The suction device comprises a cylinder block possessing piston cylinder. The piston cylinder has an intake valve and an exhaust valve. A piston moves in the piston cylinder. A crank chamber is provided in one side of the piston cylinder. Crank member located in the crank chamber and the piston are pivotally connected together by a connecting rod. When the crank member is rotated, the piston in the piston cylinder moves up and down. A spindle structure having a right spindle and a left spindle is provided. The left spindle located in crank chamber is pivotally connected to crank members and protrudes from one side of crank chamber. The right spindle located in the crank chamber is pivotally connected to the crank member and protrudes from the other side of crank chamber. The left and right spindles rotate synchronously. An intake cam is fixed on the left spindle and an exhaust cam is fixed on the right spindle. An intake switch in the intake valve opens or closes the intake valve by means of the intake cam. An exhaust switch in the exhaust valve opens or closes the exhaust valve by means of the exhaust cam. A motor drives the spindle to rotate and makes the intake valve and the exhaust valve open or close. The spindle also drives the piston to move up and down. Gas enters into the transit gas storage tank from the intake valve and discharges from the exhaust valve through piston compression.

Gas discharged from the pneumatic engine, the first booster pump, the second booster pump, and the third booster pump has residual pressure. This discharged gas will be recycled to the transit gas storage tank. The suction device is used to withdraw the gas to the second and third gas tanks. The recycled residual pressure can reduce gas consumption. In addition to energy saving and environmental protection, the present application also allows the pneumatic engine to maintain a longer running time and reduce attenuation speed of power output.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring toFIG. 1, a pneumatic engine system with gas circulation100including the pneumatic engine10, the gas storage device20, the transit gas storage tank30and the suction device40is provided.

The pneumatic engine10accepts compressed gas to produce power output. This is a way to convert compression energy of gas into kinetic energy. The pneumatic engine used in this embodiment is a power apparatus such as U.S. Pat. No. 7,866,251 B2 (corresponding cases include PCT/CN2007/001994, CN665571, and TWI327621, which are incorporated by reference by its entirety). The gas storage device20can store the compressed gas and provide it to the pneumatic engine10. The gas storage device20in this embodiment includes the first gas tank21, the second gas tank22, the first booster pump23, the third gas tank24and the second booster pump25. The first gas tank21stores the compressed gas and supplies it to the pneumatic engine10. The second gas tank22also stores the compressed gas. The pressure in the second tank22is less than the pressure in the first gas tank21. Therefore, the first booster pump23located between the first gas tank21and the second gas tank22is used to pressurize output gas from the second gas tank22. The pressurized compressed gas is then delivered to the first gas tank21. There are two first booster pumps23used in this embodiment. The third gas tank24stores compressed gas and the pressure in this tank is less than the pressure in the second gas tank22. The second booster pump25located between the second gas tank22and the third gas tank24is used to pressurize gas output from the third gas tank24. The pressurized gas is stored in the second gas tank22.

InFIG. 1, the gas storage device20includes a high pressure gas supplement tank26, the third booster pump29and a regulator valve31. The high pressure gas supplement tank26is for the storage of compressed gas and the pressure is greater than the pressure in the first gas tank21. When pressure in the first gas tank is below the set value, the regulator valve31is opened. The high pressure gas supplement tank26replenishes pressurized gas to the first gas tank21. The regulator valve31is closed to stop supplying gas until the pressure in the first gas tank21is higher than the set value. The third booster pump29located between high pressure supplement tank26and the third gas tank24is used to pressurize output gas from the third gas tank24. The pressurized compressed gas is then delivered to the high pressure supplement tank26.

As described above, gas discharged from the pneumatic engine10, the first booster pump23, the second booster pump25and the third booster pump29still has residual pressure. The transit gas storage tank30is used to retrieve gas discharged. The suction device40is used to withdraw gas discharged to the second gas tank22and/or the third gas tank24in the gas storage device20. The recycled residual pressure can reduce gas consumption. In addition to energy saving and environmental protection, the present application also allow the pneumatic engine to maintain a longer running time and reduce attenuation speed of power output.

The check valves71,72,73are installed in the first booster pump23, the second booster pump25and the transit gas storage tank30, respectively. The check valve74and75are installed between the suction device40, the second gas tank22, and the third gas tank24. The check valve76is installed between the first gas tank21and the pneumatic engine. The check valve78is installed between the second gas tank22and the first booster pump23and the check valve77is located between the high pressure gas supplement tank26and the first gas tank21. The check valves are operable to avoid gas reversing.

Referring toFIGS. 2 to 12, the suction device40in this embodiment includes a cylinder block41, a piston42, a crank chamber43, a crank member44, a spindle45, an intake cam46, an exhaust cam47, an intake switch48, an exhaust switch49and a motor50.

The cylinder block41includes the piston cylinder411, which has the intake valve412and the exhaust valve413. The piston42is located and operable to move in the piston cylinder411. The crank chamber43is provided at one side of the piston cylinder411. In this embodiment, the crank chamber is located on the bottom side. The crank member44is disposed in crank chamber43. The crank member44has a connecting rod441. The crank member44and the piston42are pivotally connected together by the connecting rod441. When the crank member44is rotated, the piston42in the piston cylinder411moves up and down. In this embodiment, the spindle45having a left spindle451and a right spindle452is provided. The left spindle451located in the crank chamber43is pivotally connected to the crank member44and protrudes from one side of crank chamber43. The right spindle452located in the crank chamber43is pivotally connected to the crank member44and protrudes from the other side of crank chamber43. The left spindle and right spindle rotates synchronously. The intake cam46is fixed on the left spindle451and the exhaust cam47is fixed on the right spindle452. In addition, the intake switch48located in the intake valve412opens or closes the intake valve412by means of the intake cam46. The exhaust switch49located in the exhaust valve413opens or closes the exhaust valve413by means of the exhaust cam47.

The motor50drives the spindle45to rotate and makes the intake valve412and the exhaust valve413open or close. The spindle45also drives the piston42to move up and down. Gas enters into the transit gas storage tank30from the intake valve412and discharges from the exhaust valve413through the piston42compression. In the embodiment as shown inFIGS. 11 and 12, rotation of the right spindle452in the spindle45is driven by the motor50through the belt51and the pulley52. In addition, the left spindle451has an idler53. The moment of inertia from the idler53assists the operation of the suction device40.

Referring toFIG. 13, the piston42as shown inFIGS. 2-4is at the highest point for the beginning of a cycle. The intake valve412and the exhaust valve413are in the close state. When the spindle45rotates to about 4°, the intake valve412starts to open and the exhaust valve413is still in the closed state. Referring toFIGS. 5 to 7, when the spindle45rotates to about 30°, the intake valve412is fully open and the exhaust valve is still in the closed state. While the piston42goes down, gas enters into the piston cylinder411. When the spindle45rotates to about 149°, the intake valve412starts to close and the exhaust valve still remains in the closed state. When the spindle45rotates to about 176°, the intake valve412is fully closed and the exhaust valve413is still in the closed state. When the spindle45rotates to about 180.5°, the exhaust valve413starts to open and the intake valve412is closed. The piston42starts to rise and gas is then pushed out. Referring toFIGS. 8 to 10, when the spindle45rotates to about 193.5°, the exhaust valve413is fully open and the intake valve412is closed. When the spindle45rotates to about 346.5°, the exhaust valve413starts to close and the intake valve412is still in the closed state. When the spindle45rotates to about 359°, both the intake valve412and the exhaust valve413are closed. When the piston42reaches the highest point, gas in the piston cylinder42is pushed out completely. When the spindle45rotates to about 360°, both the intake valve412and the exhaust valve413are closed. A full cycle of piston42has been completed. Gas in the transit gas storage tank30can be effectively pumped into the second gas storage tank22and the third gas storage tank24by the suction device40.

This embodiment further comprises an air compressor/gas storage cylinder set80. When the third gas tank24is insufficient pressure, the air compressor/gas storage cylinder set80supplements the pressure in the third gas tank24.

InFIG. 1, a switch valve27is provided to a pipeline28which is used to connect the first gas tank21, the second gas tank22and the third gas tank24. The switch valve27can open and close the external path and can also be conveniently inflated in advance for the first gas tank21, the second gas tank22and the third gas tank24.

Operation instructions for this embodiment are as follows. Firstly, the high pressure gas supplementary tank26, the first gas tank21, the second gas tank22and the third gas tank24are filled with sufficient gas. In this embodiment, the pressure in the high pressure gas supplementary tank26should be maintained between about 25 kg/cm2and about 40 kg/cm2. The pressure in the first gas tank21is at about 16 kg/cm2. The pressure of the second gas tank22is at about 8 kg/cm2. The pressure of the third gas tank24is at about 6 kg/cm2. When the pneumatic engine10opens, the first gas tank21starts to supply gas. Gas discharged from the pneumatic engine10is recycled by he the transit gas storage tank30and the suction device40withdraws gas discharged to the second gas tank22or/and the gas tank24for recycling. After the second booster pump25pressurizes the gas from the third gas tank24, the pressurized gas is then sent to the second gas tank22. After the first booster pump23pressurizes gas discharged from the second gas tank22, the pressurized gas discharged is sent to the first gas tank for recycling. When the pressure of the first gas tank21is insufficient, the high pressure gas supplementary tank26is responsible for replenishing. Gas discharged in the first booster pump23, the second booster pump25and the third booster pump is all sent to the transit gas storage tank30to complete a recycling loop. Of course, the air compressor/gas storage cylinder set80should replenish gas if any gas consumption occurs during this time period. Therefore, this embodiment attenuates gas consumption to a minimum level by using recycling gas.