Active-threshold-control type self-cooling engine

Abstract

The present invention provides an active-threshold control system for the self-cooling engine to improve the energy efficiency of the self-cooling-16-process. The active-threshold-control type self-cooling engine consists of a primary-power-cylinder and a secondary-power cylinder and a cooling-cylinder and an active-threshold-control system that controls the initiation timing of each injection-process with the active-cooling-phase, thereby limiting the maximum compression pressure in each coordinate-channel and reducing the energy loss during the first-cold-compression-process and the second-cold-compression-process.

1 . An active-threshold-control type self-cooling engine comprising:
 a) a primary-power-cylinder ( 10 ) and a secondary-power-cylinder ( 20 ) and a cooling-cylinder ( 30 ) operating in the 12-stroke-sequence and the self-cooling-16-process with an active-threshold-control system;   b) said primary-power-cylinder ( 10 ) contains a reciprocating primary-piston ( 11 ), said secondary-power-cylinder ( 20 ) contains a reciprocating secondary-piston ( 21 ); said primary-piston ( 11 ) and said secondary-piston ( 21 ) are connected to a main-crankshaft ( 190 ); said primary-piston ( 11 ) and said secondary-piston ( 21 ) can be constructed with a dual-phase-difference between 315 degree and 405 degree;   c) said cooling-cylinder ( 30 ) contains a reciprocating cooling-piston ( 31 ), and said cooling-piston ( 31 ) is connected to a sub-crankshaft ( 180 );   d) said sub-crankshaft ( 180 ) is coupled to said main-crankshaft ( 190 ) with a phase-gear ( 188 ), and said phase-gear ( 188 ) can adjust the active-cooling-phase among said primary-power-cylinder ( 10 ) and said secondary-power-cylinder ( 20 ) and said cooling-cylinder ( 30 ) during the engine operation;   e) said active-threshold-control system consists of a first-input-valve ( 61 ), a primary-coordinate-channel ( 60 ), a primary-coordinate-valve ( 65 ), a second-input-valve ( 81 ), a secondary-coordinate-channel ( 80 ), a secondary-coordinate-valve ( 85 ), peak-pressure measuring means for detecting the peak pressure in the first-cold-compression-process and the second-cold-compression-process, an engine ECU for instructing said phase-gear to adjust the active-cooling-phase according to the changes in the peak compression pressure in said cooling-cylinder;   f) said primary-power-cylinder ( 10 ) includes air-intake means ( 12 ), exhaust means ( 18 ), ignition means ( 15 ), fuel supplying means; the four strokes of said 12-stroke-sequence associated with said primary-piston ( 11 ) are the primary-intake-stroke, the primary-compression-stroke, the primary-power-stroke, the primary-exhaust-stroke; said four strokes associated with said primary-piston ( 11 ) will repeat in said primary-power-cylinder ( 10 ) every 720 degree of crankshaft rotation;   g) said secondary-power-cylinder ( 20 ) includes air-intake means ( 22 ), exhaust means ( 28 ), ignition means ( 25 ), fuel-supplying means; the four strokes of said 12-stroke-sequence associated with said secondary-piston ( 21 ) are the secondary-intake-stroke, the secondary-compression-stroke, the secondary-power-stroke, the secondary-exhaust-stroke; said four strokes associated with said secondary-piston ( 21 ) will repeat in said secondary-power-cylinder ( 20 ) every 720 degree of crankshaft rotation;   h) said cooling-cylinder ( 30 ) includes air-intake means ( 32 ); the four strokes of said 12-stroke-sequence associated with said cooling-piston ( 31 ) are the first-recharge-stroke, the first-cooling-stroke, the second-recharge-stroke, and the second-cooling-stroke; said four strokes associated with said cooling-piston ( 31 ) will repeat in said cooling-cylinder every 720 degree of crankshaft rotation;   i) the 8 processes of said self-cooling-16-process performed by said primary-power-cylinder ( 10 ) and said cooling-cylinder ( 30 ) are the primary-intake-process, the first-recharge-process, the primary-compression-process, the first-cold-compression-process, the primary-hot-expansion-process, the first-injection-process, the primary-cold-expansion-process, the primary-exhaust-process;   j) the primary-intake-process is the process to supply air into said primary-power-cylinder ( 10 ); the first-recharge-process is the process to supply air into said cooling-cylinder ( 30 ); the primary-compression-process is the process to compress the air in said primary-power-cylinder ( 10 ), the first-cold-compression-process is the process to compress the air into said primary-coordinate-channel ( 60 ) with said cooling-piston ( 31 ); the primary-hot-expansion-process is the process to ignite the air-fuel mixture in said primary-power-cylinder ( 10 ); the first-injection-process is the process to inject the compressed air of said primary-coordinate-channel ( 60 ) into said primary-power-cylinder ( 10 ) to form a cold-expansion-medium; the primary-cold-expansion-process is the process to generate power with the cold-expansion-medium in said primary-power-cylinder ( 10 ), the primary-exhaust-process is the process to expel the cold-expansion-medium out of said primary-power-cylinder ( 10 );   k) the 8 processes of the self-cooling-16-process performed by said secondary-power-cylinder ( 20 ) and said cooling-cylinder ( 30 ) are the secondary-intake-process, the second-recharge-process, the secondary-compression-process, the second-cold-compression-process, the secondary-hot-expansion-process, the second-injection-process, the secondary-cold-expansion-process, the secondary-exhaust-process;   l) the secondary-intake-process is the process to supply air into said secondary-power-cylinder ( 20 ); the second-recharge-process is the process to supply air into said cooling-cylinder ( 30 ); the secondary-compression-process is the process to compress the air in said secondary-power-cylinder ( 20 ), the second-cold-compression-process is the process to compress the air into said secondary-coordinate-channel ( 80 ) with said cooling-piston ( 31 ); the secondary-hot-expansion-process is the process to ignite the air-fuel mixture in said secondary-power-cylinder ( 20 ); the second-injection-process is the process to inject the compressed-air of said secondary-coordinate-channel ( 80 ) into said secondary-power-cylinder ( 20 ) to form a cold-expansion-medium; the secondary-cold-expansion-process is the process to generate power with the cold-expansion-medium in said secondary-power-cylinder ( 20 ), the secondary-exhaust-process is the process to expel the cold-expansion-medium out of said secondary-power-cylinder ( 20 );   m) the initiation timing of the first-injection-process will be setback by the active-cooling-phase when the overall combusting pressure of the primary-hot-expansion-process increases with higher power output, thereby limiting the maximum air-pressure of said primary-coordinate-channel ( 60 ) and reducing the energy loss caused by the air-compression during the first-cold-compression-process;   n) the initiation timing of the second-injection-process will be setback by the active-cooling-phase when the overall combusting pressure of the secondary-hot-expansion-process increases with higher power output, thereby limiting the maximum air-pressure of said-secondary-coordinate-channel ( 80 ) and reducing the energy loss caused by the air-compression during the second-cold-compression-process;   o) the initiation timing of the first-injection-process will range between the last 10 degree and the last 90 degree of the first-cooling-stroke;   p) the initiation timing of said second-injection-process will range between the last 10 degree and the last 90 degree of the second-cooling-stroke;   q) the active-cooling-phase can be set between 90 degree and 150 degree during the engine operation in the heavy load condition;   r) the active-cooling-phase can be set between 60 degree and 120 degree during the engine operation in the light load condition and the medium load condition.   
   
   
       2 . An active-threshold-control type self-cooling engine as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said active-threshold-control system will decrease the value of the active-cooling-phase to advance the initiation timings of the first-injection-process and the second-injection-process to raise the energy efficiency as the engine load decreases; the active-cooling-phase may be adjusted between 45 degree and 75 degree in the extremely light load condition. 
   
   
       3 . An active-threshold-control type self-cooling engine as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said ignition means of said primary-power-cylinder and said secondary-power-cylinder are spark-plugs, and said fuel-supplying means of said primary-power-cylinder and said secondary-power-cylinder are high-pressure fuel injector. 
   
   
       4 . An active-threshold-control type self-cooling engine as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said fuel-supplying means of said primary-power-cylinder and said secondary-power-cylinder can be carburetors or direct-injection or fuel-pumps or converters. 
   
   
       5 . An active-threshold-control type self-cooling engine as defined in  claim 1 , wherein, the process durations of said first-injection-process and said second-injection-process may range from 5 degree to 90 degree of crankshaft rotation during the engine operation. 
   
   
       6 . An active-threshold-control type self-cooling engine as defined in  claim 1 , wherein;
 a) said primary-coordinate-valve will start to shut after the air-pressure of said primary-coordinate-channel has decreased to equal to the pressure in said primary-power-cylinder;   b) said secondary-coordinate-valve will start to shut after the air-pressure of said secondary-coordinate-channel has decreased to equal to the pressure in said secondary-power-cylinder.   
   
   
       7 . An active-threshold-control type self-cooling engine comprising:
 a) a primary-power-cylinder and a secondary-power-cylinder and a cooling-cylinder operating in the 12-stroke-sequence and the self-cooling-16-process with an active-threshold-control system;   b) said primary-power-cylinder contains a reciprocating primary-piston, said secondary-power-cylinder contains a reciprocating secondary-piston, and said primary-piston and said secondary-piston are connected to a main-crankshaft;   c) said cooling-cylinder contains a reciprocating cooling-piston, and said cooling-piston is connected to a sub-crankshaft;   d) said sub-crankshaft is coupled to said main-crankshaft with a phase-gear; said phase-gear can adjust the active-cooling-phase among said primary-piston and said secondary-piston and said cooling-piston;   e) said primary-power-cylinder includes air-intake means, exhaust means, ignition means, fuel-supplying means;   f) said secondary-power-cylinder includes air-intake means, exhaust means, ignition means, fuel-supplying means;   g) said cooling-cylinder includes air-intake means;   h) said 12-stroke-sequence includes the primary-intake-stroke, the primary-compression-stroke, the primary-power-stroke, the primary-exhaust-stroke, the secondary-intake-stroke, the secondary-compression-stroke, the secondary-power-stroke, the secondary-exhaust-stroke, the first-recharge-stroke, the first-cooling-stroke, the second-recharge-stroke, the second-cooling-stroke;   h) the 8 processes of the self-cooling-16-process performed by said primary-power-cylinder and said cooling-cylinder are the primary-intake-process, the first-recharge-process, the primary-compression-process, the first-cold-compression-process, the primary-hot-expansion-process, the first-injection-process, the primary-cold-expansion-process, the primary-exhaust-process;   i) the 8 processes of the self-cooling-16-process performed by said secondary-power-cylinder and said cooling-cylinder are the secondary-intake-process, the second-recharge-process, the secondary-compression-process, the second-cold-compression-process, the secondary-hot-expansion-process, the second-injection-process, the secondary-cold-expansion-process, the secondary-exhaust-process;   j) said active-threshold-control system consists of a primary-coordinate-channel, a primary-coordinate-valve, a secondary-coordinate-channel, a secondary-coordinate-valve, an engine ECU for computing the optimal active-cooling-phase and the initiation timings of the first-injection-process and the second-injection-process, an actuation means controlled by said engine ECU for adjusting the active-cooling-phase with said phase gear;   k) said cooling-piston will compress the air of said cooling-cylinder into said primary-coordinate-channel during the first-cold-compression-process and the first-injection-process;   l) said cooling-piston will compress the air of said cooling-cylinder into said secondary-coordinate-channel during the second-cold-compression-process and the second-injection-process;   m) the initiation timing of the first-injection-process will be setback by the active-cooling-phase to reduce the energy loss caused by the first-cold-compression-process when the power output increases;   n) the initiation timing of the second-injection-process will be setback by the active-cooling-phase to reduce the energy loss caused by the second-cold-compression-process when the power output increases;   o) the initiation timing of the first-injection-process can shift between the last 10 degree and the last 90 degree of the first-cooling-stroke;   p) the initiation timing of said second-injection-process can range between the last 10 degree and the last 90 degree of the second-cooling-stroke.   
   
   
       8 . An active-threshold-control type self-cooling engine as defined in  claim 7 , wherein said active-threshold-control system will decrease the active-cooling-phase to advance the initiation timings of the first-injection-process and the second-injection-process to raise the energy efficiency as the engine load decreases. 
   
   
       9 . An active-threshold-control type self-cooling engine as defined in  claim 7 , wherein said engine ECU will be input with the information of the air-fuel ratio and the air-intake volume of each said cylinder to compute the threshold angles of the first-injection-process and the second-injection-process, thereby adjusting the active-cooling-phase to optimize the energy-efficiency. 
   
   
       10 . An active-threshold-control type self-cooling engine as defined in  claim 7 , wherein said phase-gear can be actuated with hydraulic mechanisms or gears to shift the active-cooling-phase from 45 degree to 150 degree. 
   
   
       11 . An active-threshold-control type self-cooling engine as defined in  claim 7 , wherein said primary-piston and said secondary-piston can be constructed with a dual-phase-difference between 315 degree and 405 degree. 
   
   
       12 . An active-threshold-control type self-cooling engine as defined in  claim 7 , wherein said ignition means can be high pressure fuel injectors or spark plugs; said primary-power-cylinder can be ignited between 35 degree before the TDC of said primary-piston and 40 degree after the TDC of said primary-piston; said secondary-power-cylinder can be ignited between 35 degree before the TDC of said secondary-piston and 40 degree after the TDC of said secondary-piston. 
   
   
       13 . An active-threshold-control type self-cooling engine as defined in  claim 7 , wherein, the active-cooling-phase will be set between 90 degree and 150 degree during the engine operation in the heavy load condition; the active-cooling-phase will be set between 60 degree and 120 degree during the engine operation in the medium load condition and the light load condition. 
   
   
       14 . An active-threshold-control type self-cooling engine comprising:
 a) a primary-power-cylinder and a secondary-power-cylinder and a cooling-cylinder operating in the 12-stroke-sequence and the self-cooling-16-process with an active-threshold-control system;   b) said primary-power-cylinder contains a reciprocating primary-piston, and said primary-piston is connected to a primary-crankshaft;   c) said secondary-power-cylinder contains a reciprocating secondary-piston, and said secondary-piston is connected to a secondary-crankshaft;   d) said cooling-cylinder contains a reciprocating cooling-piston, and said cooling-piston is connected to a sub-crankshaft;   e) said primary-crankshaft and said secondary-crankshaft are synchronized with gears or chains at the same speed to generate power to an output shaft;   f) said sub-crankshaft is coupled to said primary-crankshaft or said secondary-crankshaft with a phase-gear to receive the torque required for the operation of said cooling-piston, and said phase-gear can adjust the active-cooling-phase among said primary-piston and said secondary-piston and said cooling-piston;   g) said primary-power-cylinder includes air-intake means, exhaust means, ignition means, fuel supplying means;   h) said secondary-power-cylinder includes air-intake means, exhaust means, ignition means, fuel-supplying means;   i) said cooling-cylinder includes air-intake means and a peak-pressure sensor;   j) said 12-stroke-sequence includes the primary-intake-stroke, the primary-compression-stroke, the primary-power-stroke, the primary-exhaust-stroke, the secondary-intake-stroke, the secondary-compression-stroke, the secondary-power-stroke, the secondary-exhaust-stroke, the first-recharge-stroke, the first-cooling-stroke, the second-recharge-stroke, the second-cooling-stroke;   k) the 8 processes of the self-cooling-16-process performed by said primary-power-cylinder and said cooling-cylinder are the primary-intake-process, the first-recharge-process, the primary-compression-process, the first-cold-compression-process, the primary-hot-expansion-process, the first-injection-process, the primary-cold-expansion-process, the primary-exhaust-process;   l) the primary-intake-process is the process to supply air into said primary-power-cylinder; the first-recharge-process is the process to supply air into said cooling-cylinder; the primary-compression-process is the process to compress the air in said primary-power-cylinder, the first-cold-compression-process is the process to compress the air into said primary-coordinate-channel; the primary-hot-expansion-process is the process to ignite the air-fuel mixture in said primary-power-cylinder; the first-injection-process is the process to inject the air of said primary-coordinate-channel into said primary-power-cylinder to form a cold-expansion-medium; the primary-cold-expansion-process is the process to generate power with the cold-expansion-medium in said primary-power-cylinder, the primary-exhaust-process is the process to expel the cold-expansion-medium out of said primary-power-cylinder;   m) the 8 processes of the self-cooling-16-process performed by said secondary-power-cylinder and said cooling-cylinder are the secondary-intake-process, the second-recharge-process, the secondary-compression-process, the second-cold-compression-process, the secondary-hot-expansion-process, the second-injection-process, the secondary-cold-expansion-process, the secondary-exhaust-process;   n) the secondary-intake-process is the process to supply air into said secondary-power-cylinder; the second-recharge-process is the process to supply air into said cooling-cylinder; the secondary-compression-process is the process to compress the air in said secondary-power-cylinder, the second-cold-compression-process is the process to compress the air into said secondary-coordinate-channel; the secondary-hot-expansion-process is the process to ignite the air-fuel mixture in said secondary-power-cylinder; the second-injection-process is the process to inject the air of said secondary-coordinate-channel into said secondary-power-cylinder to form a cold-expansion-medium; the secondary-cold-expansion-process is the process to generate power with the cold-expansion-medium in said secondary-power-cylinder, the secondary-exhaust-process is the process to expel the cold-expansion-medium out of said secondary-power-cylinder;   o) said active-threshold-control system consists of a first-input-valve, a primary-coordinate-channel, a primary-coordinate-valve, a second-input-valve, a secondary-coordinate-channel, a secondary-coordinate-valve, an engine ECU for computing the optimal active-cooling-phase, and said phase-gear can set the active-cooling-phase between 45 degree and 150 degree according to the commands of said engine ECU; said active-threshold-control system will detect or calculate the peak compression pressure in the first-cold-compression-process and the second-cold-compression-process with said peak-pressure sensor, and said engine ECU will instruct the phase-gear to adjust the value of the active-cooling-phase in order to regulate the peak compression pressure of the cooling cylinder during each cold-compression-process within an acceptable range for continuous high power output operation;   p) the initiation timing of the first-injection-process will be setback by the active-cooling-phase to reduce the energy loss caused by the first-cold-compression-process when the power output increases;   q) the initiation timing of the second-injection-process will be setback by the active-cooling-phase to reduce the energy loss caused by the second-cold-compression-process when the power output increases;   r) the initiation timing of the first-injection-process can shift between the last 10 degree and the last 90 degree of the first-cooling-stroke;   s) the initiation timing of said second-injection-process can range between the last 10 degree and the last 90 degree of the second-cooling-stroke.   
   
   
       15 . An active-threshold-control type self-cooling engine as defined in  claim 14 , wherein said active-threshold-control system will decrease the active-cooling-phase to advance the initiation timings of the first-injection-process and the second-injection-process to raise the energy efficiency when the engine load decreases. 
   
   
       16 . An active-threshold-control type self-cooling engine as defined in  claim 14  can further comprise addition pressure sensors in the primary-coordinate-channel and the secondary-coordinate-channel to provide more accurate peak pressure information to said engine ECU. 
   
   
       17 . An active-threshold-control type self-cooling engine as defined in  claim 14 , wherein said primary-piston and said secondary-piston can be constructed with a dual-phase-difference between 315 degree and 405 degree. 
   
   
       18 . An active-threshold-control type self-cooling engine as defined in  claim 14 , wherein said ignition means can be high pressure fuel injectors or spark plugs; said primary-power-cylinder can be ignited between 35 degree before the TDC of said primary-piston and 40 degree after the TDC of said primary-piston; said secondary-power-cylinder can be ignited between 35 degree before the TDC of said secondary-piston and 40 degree after the TDC of said secondary-piston. 
   
   
       19 . An active-threshold-control type self-cooling engine as defined in  claim 14 , wherein said fuel-supplying means of said primary-power-cylinder and said secondary-power-cylinder can be carburetors or direct-injection or fuel-pumps or converters. 
   
   
       20 . An active-threshold-control type self-cooling engine as defined in  claim 14 , wherein, the process durations of said first-injection-process and said second-injection-process may change from 5 degree to 90 degree of crankshaft rotation during the engine operation.