Hot Charge Dual Drive Engine with Steam Assist

Abstract

A steam assisted, optional dual drive internal combustion engine with cylinders containing a piston, where the region above a piston is a combustion chamber and a region below a piston is a water injection chamber. The engine generally has a single intake/exhaust valve in the combustion chamber, and an exhaust valve in said water injection chamber. A water injector in the water injection chamber injects water during a compression stroke of the piston which immediately vaporizes to become steam providing an upward second power stroke per cycle. The engine can have an EGR chamber with a regulator to admit a measured exhaust gas recirculation into the combustion chamber on the intake stroke, and it can utilize intake-exhaust heat exchange to pre-heat the intake mixture. In an alternate embodiment, the engine can use different cylinders to separately drive the front and rear wheels of a vehicle so that part of the engine can be shut off when not needed.

1 . A method of providing a steam power stroke to an internal combustion engine comprising:
 providing at least one cylinder containing a piston, with a region above said piston being a combustion chamber and a region below said piston being a double-acting chamber;   injecting water into said double-acting chamber during a compression stroke to provide an upward power stroke.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said combustion chamber utilizes a single valve for both intake and exhaust. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  further including intake-exhaust heat exchange. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  further including an EGR chamber with a regulator to admit a measured exhaust gas recirculation. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  further including a heated air inlet chamber. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said double-acting chamber contains an exhaust valve. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  including a plurality of similar chambers and pistons. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein a first portion of said plurality supply power to a vehicle's rear wheels and a second portion of said plurality supply power to said vehicle's front wheels. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein one of said first or second portions is turned off during operation of the other portion. 
     
     
         10 . A steam assisted internal combustion engine comprising:
 at least one cylinder containing a piston with a region above said piston being a combustion chamber and a region below said piston be a water injection chamber;   a single intake/exhaust valve in said combustion chamber;   an exhaust valve in said water injection chamber;   a water injector in said water injection chamber adapted to inject water during a compression stroke of said piston.   
     
     
         11 . The internal combustion engine of  claim 10  further comprising an EGR chamber with a regulator to admit a measured exhaust gas recirculation into said combustion chamber on an intake stroke. 
     
     
         12 . The internal combustion engine of  claim 10  further comprising intake-exhaust heat exchange. 
     
     
         13 . The internal combustion engine of  claim 10  further comprising a heated air inlet chamber. 
     
     
         14 . The internal combustion engine of  claim 10  further comprising a plurality of similar chambers and pistons. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein a first portion of said plurality supply power to a vehicle's rear wheels and a second portion of said plurality supply power to said vehicle's front wheels. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein one of said first or second portions is turned off during operation of the other portion. 
     
     
         17 . A method of providing steam assist to an internal combustion engine comprising:
 providing at least one cylinder containing a piston with a region above said piston being a combustion chamber and a region below said piston be a water injection chamber;   providing a single intake/exhaust valve in said combustion chamber;   an exhaust valve in said water injection chamber;   providing a water injector in said water injection chamber;   injecting water into said water injection chamber during a compression stroke of said piston.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising providing an EGR chamber with a regulator to admit a measured exhaust gas recirculation into said combustion chamber on an intake stroke. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising providing intake-exhaust heat exchange. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17  further comprising providing a heated air inlet chamber.