Patent ID: 8091520

Claim:
A split-cycle engine comprising: a crankshaft rotatable about a crankshaft axis of the engine; a compression piston slidably received within a compression cylinder and operatively connected to the crankshaft such that the compression piston reciprocates through an intake stroke and a compression stroke during a single rotation of the crankshaft; an expansion piston slidably received within an expansion cylinder and operatively connected to the crankshaft such that the expansion piston reciprocates through an expansion stroke and an exhaust stroke during a single rotation of the crankshaft; and a crossover passage interconnecting the compression and expansion cylinders, the crossover passage including a crossover compression (XovrC) valve and a crossover expansion (XovrE) valve defining a pressure chamber therebetween; a control means operatively coupled to the crossover compression valve, the control means configured to open the crossover compression valve when the pressure in the compression cylinder is less than the upstream pressure in the crossover passage at the crossover compression valve.