Rotary Steam Engine with highly efficient reciprocating to rotary motion
Channel: Андрей Волощук
Date: 10/03/2021

Rotary engines are well known alternatives to reciprocating piston machines. A direct rotary movement is generated in rotary engines without requiring a crank mechanism. A major disadvantage of engines based on a crank mechanism is that the overall efficiency of the engine is significantly reduced because of converting a reciprocating motion into a rotational motion. The relatively low efficiency is also caused by the fact that the bearings used in crank drives are often designed as plain bearings on which significantly higher frictional forces act than on roller bearings. Also a disadvantage of an engine with a crank mechanism is a large mechanical friction loss due to the action of powerful lateral forces that press the piston against the walls of the cylinders.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It would be desirable to provide an improved rotary engines especially suited for electrical power generation in thermal power plants, geothermal plants as well as nuclear power plants that is simple, inexpensive, and durable, while being driven by various heat sources. Such a rotary engine may also be used in pumps and compressors.
The present invention solves this problem. According to the present invention, a rotary engine is provided comprising a stator, a first rotor rotatably mounted on the stator about a rotational axis of the first rotor, and a second rotor rotatably mounted on the stator about a rotational axis of the second rotor parallel to the rotational axis of the first rotor such that the second rotor is eccentrically mounted to and surrounding the first rotor, wherein the first rotor comprises a first cylinder with a piston chamber limited by a translationally displaceable first piston with a first rod fixed to an outer side of the second rotor on an end of the first rod outwardly projecting from the first cylinder towards the outer side of the second rotor and fixed to the first piston on the other end of the first rod. The first rotor further comprises at least one second cylinder, each of the at least one second cylinder comprising a piston chamber limited by a translationally displaceable second piston with a second rod coupled to an outer side of the second rotor on an end of the corresponding second rod outwardly projecting from the respective second cylinder towards the outer side of the second rotor and fixed to the corresponding second piston on the other end of the corresponding second rod. While the first rod of the first cylinder is fixed to the outer side of the second rotor, the second rods of the corresponding second cylinders require a particular amount of rotational movement within the second rotor to maintain operation of the rotary engine. The end of each second rod coupled to the outer side of the second rotor is supported such that the end is rotationally displaceable along a limited curved guide path within the second rotor.
In preferred embodiments of the invention, the first and the at least one second cylinders are radially arranged around the rotational axis of the first rotor.