Abstract: A continuous combustion system for an internal combustion engine includes a reaction vessel external to the engine cylinders. The reaction vessel contains a combustion chamber for sustaining continuous combustion of an air fuel mixture during the operation of the associated engine. The reaction vessel contains an incoming air chamber and an exhaust gas chamber that are each in communication with the combustion chamber. Injected fuel vapor is mixed with scavenged exhaust gas for pre-heating and with compressed air from each cylinder provided during the compression stroke of each piston. The compressed air and fuel vapor mixture sustains the ignited combustion continuously, while exhaust gas is fed to the cylinders to provide working fluid to the engine during the power stroke of each piston. A valve mechanism is provided to control the flow of air from and working fluid to the cylinders at the appropriate times in order to sustain operation of the engine.

Abstract: The present invention is a system to utilize slow burning fuels that contain ash with a piston that is utilized as a compressor and an expander, a pair of combustion chambers, an ash bin with a pathway on each side of the ash bin and a cylinder that houses the piston that is integral to the y-shaped pathway and produces gases that are produced by the piston emitted from the cylinder as well as a connecting rod and a crank shaft. The combustion chambers can be cone-shaped and have one or more fan blades that are made of a nonconductive material and have a positive charge. The present invention also creates a rotating body in a single combustion chamber that provides heat energy for evaporation of water and initiation of ignition of fuels that contain more than 5% water that can be connected to an ash bin to expel ash.

Abstract: The present invention provides an engine comprising a housing that defines a chamber. The engine also includes a driveshaft positioned within the housing such that the driveshaft extends from the chamber and passes through a wall of the housing such that devices may couple to the engine. The engine includes a rotatable piston positioned within the housing, coupled to the driveshaft, and configured to rotate about the driveshaft axis. A backstop valve couples to the housing such that the backstop valve directs expansive gas toward the rotatable piston. The housing further defines an exhaust outlet configured to exhaust used expansive gas. Finally, the engine includes ignition and timing controls coupled to the housing and configured to combust a fuel.

Abstract: A combustion engine that has at least a plurality of power strokes during a complete cycle of engine operation that is of compact packaging and Brayton cycle operable. In a preferred embodiment, a piston-cylinder arrangement used to compress air and deliver it to a combustion chamber where it is combusted along with fuel. The combustion gases are returned back to the piston-cylinder arrangement where they act on the piston to output power in a power stroke. A second power stroke can be implemented where additional combustion gases are available to extract additional power from. In a preferred embodiment, the same piston-cylinder arrangement receives the additional combustion gases from the combustion chamber in the second power stroke.

Abstract: A split-cycle aircraft engine includes a crankshaft rotatable about a crankshaft axis. A power piston is slidably received within a power cylinder and is operatively connected to the crankshaft such that the power piston reciprocates through an expansion stroke and an exhaust stroke during a single rotation of the crankshaft. A compression piston is slidably received within a compression cylinder and is 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. A gas crossover passage operatively interconnects the compression cylinder and the power cylinder. An air reservoir is operatively connected to the gas crossover passage by a reservoir passage. The air reservoir is selectively operable to receive and deliver compressed air. The engine is mounted to an aircraft and the air reservoir is disposed within the aircraft.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an internal combustion engine for making suction, compression, explosion, expansion and exhaust strokes in an operating chamber of variable volume defined between a housing and a piston. The internal combustion engine includes: an independent combustion chamber of fixed volume, formed in the housing and provided with a fuel supply device, for independently producing combustion therein; at least one communication passage for communicating the independent combustion chamber with the operating chamber of variable volume; and a control valve for allowing introduction of compressed air from the operating chamber into the independent combustion chamber and providing injection of combustion gas from the independent combustion chamber into the operating chamber at specified timing. The internal combustion engine is configured to independently produce main combustion without communication with the operating chamber.

Abstract: An engine includes a compressor, and combustor, and an expander. The compressor compresses ambient air. The combustor burns the compressed air, and produces exhaust gasses. The expander receives the exhaust gases from the combustor, and expands the exhaust gasses. The compressor may be a gerotor compressor or a piston compressor having variable-dead-volume control. The expander may be a gerotor expander or a piston expander having variable-dead-volume control. Moreover, the engine may include a regenerative brake. The regenerative brake may include one or more valves coupled to the compressor, an expander clutch, and a compressor clutch. Specifically, during braking, the expander clutch is disengaged and the compressor clutch is engaged.

Abstract: Provided is an engine having positive displacement chambers containing pistons and an external combustion chamber which utilizes the compression energy in compressed natural gas from a high pressure main line and compressed air in combination with the energy released during combustion of the fuel to drive the pistons. Energy expended compressing the natural gas and air are recovered. Also provided is an electrical generator driven by the engine.

Abstract: Provided is an engine having positive displacement chambers containing pistons and an external combustion chamber which utilizes the energy stored in compressed fuel and compressed air in combination with the energy released during combustion of the fuel to drive the pistons. Energy expended compressing the fuel and air are recovered.