Patent ID: 8499727

Claim:
A parallel cycle internal combustion steam engine system comprising: a compressor for compressing air according to a compression ratio; a main compressed air channel for conveying compressed air from said compressor toward a combustion chamber; a reservoir, in fluid communication with said main compressed air channel at a location between said compressor and said combustion chamber, for storing compressed air compressed by said compressor; a valve for regulating flow of compressed air between said main compressed air channel and said reservoir; the combustion chamber for combusting air received from said reservoir or from said compressor with a fuel to create a motive fluid; a one-way valve which prevents backflow of compressed air from said combustion chamber toward said compressor or said reservoir; a valve for regulating flow of compressed air between said main compressed air channel and said combustion chamber; an expansion chamber, separate from said combustion chamber, in which the motive fluid expands according to an expansion ratio as a result of combustion; an inlet manifold, in fluid communication with said combustion chamber, through which motive fluid flows from said combustion chamber to said expansion chamber; and a timing valve for regulating intake of motive fluid from said inlet manifold into said expansion chamber; wherein thermodynamic functions of intake, compression, combustion, and expansion are performed continuously and independently in distinct parallel zones, and said compression and expansion ratios are independently variable.