Patents by Inventor Andrew Farquhar Atkins
Andrew Farquhar Atkins has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
-
Patent number: 11391198Abstract: A split cycle internal combustion engine includes a combustion cylinder accommodating a combustion piston and a compression cylinder accommodating a compression piston. The engine also includes a controller arranged to receive an indication of a parameter associated with the combustion cylinder and/or a fluid associated therewith and to control an exhaust valve of the combustion cylinder in dependence on the indicated parameter to cause the exhaust valve to close during the return stroke of the combustion piston, before the combustion piston has reached its top dead centre position (TDC), when the indicated parameter is less than a target value for the parameter; and close on completion of the return stroke of the combustion piston, as the combustion piston reaches its top dead centre position (TDC), when the indicated parameter is equal to or greater than the target value for the parameter.Type: GrantFiled: June 24, 2021Date of Patent: July 19, 2022Inventors: Robert Morgan, James Eatwell, Andrew Farquhar Atkins, Adam Gurr
-
Publication number: 20210324787Abstract: A split cycle internal combustion engine includes a combustion cylinder accommodating a combustion piston and a compression cylinder accommodating a compression piston. The engine also includes a controller arranged to receive an indication of a parameter associated with the combustion cylinder and/or a fluid associated therewith and to control an exhaust valve of the combustion cylinder in dependence on the indicated parameter to cause the exhaust valve to close during the return stroke of the combustion piston, before the combustion piston has reached its top dead centre position (TDC), when the indicated parameter is less than a target value for the parameter; and close on completion of the return stroke of the combustion piston, as the combustion piston reaches its top dead centre position (TDC), when the indicated parameter is equal to or greater than the target value for the parameter.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 24, 2021Publication date: October 21, 2021Applicant: Dolphin N2 LimitedInventors: Robert Morgan, James Eatwell, Andrew Farquhar Atkins, Adam Gurr
-
Patent number: 10557440Abstract: A method of operating an internal combustion engine comprising a cylinder and a piston, the method including injecting into the cylinder, as a liquid, a fuel which has been condensed into its liquid phase via a refrigeration process, such that the fuel vaporises into its gaseous phase during a compression stroke of the piston and before combustion such that a rise in temperature caused by the compression stroke is limited by the absorption of heat by the fuel.Type: GrantFiled: July 31, 2015Date of Patent: February 11, 2020Assignee: Ricardo UK LimitedInventor: Andrew Farquhar Atkins
-
Publication number: 20170306890Abstract: A method of operating an internal combustion engine comprising a cylinder and a piston, the method including injecting into the cylinder, as a liquid, a fuel which has been condensed into its liquid phase via a refrigeration process, such that the fuel vaporises into its gaseous phase during a compression stroke of the piston and before combustion such that a rise in temperature caused by the compression stroke is limited by the absorption of heat by the fuel.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 31, 2015Publication date: October 26, 2017Applicant: Ricardo UK LimitedInventor: Andrew Farquhar Atkins
-
Patent number: 9718343Abstract: An apparatus is provided comprising a flywheel (112) for storing kinetic energy and an electrical machine (190) mechanically coupled to the flywheel and arranged for conversion between mechanical and electrical energy. The apparatus is arranged for transferring energy between the flywheel and a vehicle transmission via a variable ratio transmission (182). The electrical machine is coupled to the flywheel via a disconnect clutch which comprises a magnetic coupling (116).Type: GrantFiled: April 20, 2012Date of Patent: August 1, 2017Assignee: Ricardo UK LimitedInventors: Andrew Farquhar Atkins, Simon Shepherd, Jonathan Davis
-
Patent number: 9704631Abstract: An apparatus includes first and second movable members for coupling force therebetween and a magnetic flux coupling element. Each of the first and second movable members has an array of magnetic poles. The first and second movable members are arranged concentrically for relative rotation therebetween. The magnetic flux coupling element is arranged between the first and second movable members, thereby providing a flux density region of relatively high magnetic flux density between a pole of the first movable member and a pole of the second movable member. The magnetic flux coupling element is split along an axis orthogonal to a direction of motion of the first and second movable members into a plurality of flux coupling parts.Type: GrantFiled: July 23, 2014Date of Patent: July 11, 2017Assignee: Ricardo UK LimitedInventors: Andrew Farquhar Atkins, Joshua Jonathan Dalby
-
Patent number: 9391489Abstract: A coupling apparatus (20) is provided for transferring energy to or from a flywheel. The coupling apparatus comprises first (22) and second (24) movable members, each having one or magnets (30, 34) arranged thereon, wherein the first movable member (22) is arranged to be coupled to a flywheel. The magnetic strength of a first magnet (30) arranged on the first movable member (22) exceeds the magnetic strength of a second magnet (34) arranged on the second movable member (24).Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 2011Date of Patent: July 12, 2016Assignee: Ricardo UK LimitedInventors: Andrew Farquhar Atkins, Hing Wung To, Joshua Jonathan Dalby, Simon Shepherd, Jonathan Davis, Matthew George Child
-
Publication number: 20160172957Abstract: A magnetic gear comprising: first and second members arranged for relative movement therebetween, the first member having a first array of magnetic field generating elements and the second member having a second array of magnetic field generating elements; and a coupling member having an array of coupling elements for coupling magnetic flux between the first array of magnetic field generating elements and the second array of magnetic field generating elements, wherein for at least one of the coupling elements, there is provided a cooling path in thermal communication with the at least one coupling element, wherein the cooling path is provided within at least one of the at least one coupling element and the coupling member.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 25, 2014Publication date: June 16, 2016Applicant: Ricardo UK LimitedInventors: Andrew Farquhar Atkins, Joshua Dalby, Hing Wung To, Simon Shepherd
-
Publication number: 20160156257Abstract: A magnetic coupling including a first member having a first array of magnetic field generating elements, the first member being arranged to produce first moving magnetic field, an array of electrical conductors fixed relative to the first member, and a second member having a second array of magnetic field generating elements, the second member being arranged to produce second moving magnetic field, wherein the first and second members are arranged for relative movement therebetween, wherein the array of conductors is arranged to inductively couple with the second moving magnetic field to produce a torque to bring the first and second moving magnetic fields into synchronous relative movement.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 26, 2016Publication date: June 2, 2016Inventors: Andrew Farquhar Atkins, Richard Gordon, Peter Stubberfield, Pascal Revereault
-
Publication number: 20140333397Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for constructing a magnetic gear coupling for transmitting torque from a flywheel to a driveshaft, the coupling employing permanent magnet arrays and magnetic flux coupling elements therebetween, and at least one of the arrays and coupling elements being circumferentially staggered or spread, so as to avoid complete alignment of the arrays and elements, and thereby mitigate torque coupling capability variations.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 23, 2014Publication date: November 13, 2014Inventors: Andrew Farquhar Atkins, Joshua Jonathan Dalby
-
Publication number: 20140103761Abstract: An apparatus is provided comprising a flywheel (112) for storing kinetic energy and an electrical machine (190) mechanically coupled to the flywheel and arranged for conversion between mechanical and electrical energy. The apparatus is arranged for transferring energy between the flywheel and a vehicle transmission via a variable ratio transmission (182). The electrical machine is coupled to the flywheel via a disconnect clutch which comprises a magnetic coupling (116).Type: ApplicationFiled: April 20, 2012Publication date: April 17, 2014Applicant: RICARDO UK LIMITEDInventors: Andrew Farquhar Atkins, Simon Shepherd, Jonathan Davis
-
Publication number: 20140060241Abstract: A coupling apparatus (20) is provided for transferring energy to or from a flywheel. The coupling apparatus comprises first (22) and second (24) movable members, each having one or magnets (30, 34) arranged thereon, wherein the first movable member (22) is arranged to be coupled to a flywheel. The magnetic strength of a first magnet (30) arranged on the first movable member (22) exceeds the magnetic strength of a second magnet (34) arranged on the second movable member (24).Type: ApplicationFiled: November 17, 2011Publication date: March 6, 2014Applicant: RICARDO UK LIMITEDInventors: Andrew Farquhar Atkins, Hing Wung To, Joshua Jonathan Dalby, Simon Shepherd, Jonathan Davis, Matthew George Child
-
Patent number: 8662030Abstract: A split cycle reciprocating piston engine includes a compression cylinder (2) accommodating a compression piston (4) and an expansion cylinder (12) accommodating an expansion piston (14). The compression cylinder (2) has an inlet port (30) for the admission of air and an outlet port (36) which communicates with a first path of a heat exchanger (5). The expansion cylinder (12) has an inlet port (52), which communicates with the first path of the heat exchanger (5), and an outlet port (56), which communicates with a second path of the heat exchanger (5) in heat exchange relationship with the first path. The method of operating the engine includes injecting a liquefied, non-oxidizing, non-combustible gas, such as nitrogen, into the compression cylinder (2).Type: GrantFiled: December 11, 2009Date of Patent: March 4, 2014Assignee: Ricardo UK LimitedInventors: Neville Stuart Jackson, Andrew Farquhar Atkins
-
Publication number: 20130042617Abstract: An energy storage apparatus is provided comprising a flywheel (12) having at least one input. According to an aspect, the flywheel input is arranged, in use, to supply energy to the flywheel, wherein that energy has been recovered from engine exhaust gas. According to another aspect, an apparatus is provided comprising a charge boosting device arranged, in use, to provide inlet pressure boost to an engine. The apparatus further comprises a flywheel wherein said flywheel is arranged to supply energy to drive operation of the charge boosting device.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 20, 2010Publication date: February 21, 2013Applicant: RICARDO UK LIMITEDInventors: Andrew Farquhar Atkins, Jonathan Charles Wheals, Simon Timothy David Shepherd, Joshua Jonathan Dalby, Brian Gorman Cooper, John Stokes
-
Publication number: 20120293031Abstract: The invention relates to a coupling element for a magnetic gear having a coupling element for coupling magnetic flux between first and second movable members, each having an array of magnetic poles arranged thereon. The coupling element is formed from a sheet of magnetically permeable material and incorporates coupling portions and support portions integrally formed together. The coupling element sheet can be rolled into a cylindrical shape and used as the coupling element in a magnetic gear as described above. Optionally, the magnetic gear is decoupleable by virtue of the coupling element being arranged such that an external magnetic field can be selectably applied to it, thereby causing saturation and resultingly substantially preventing coupling of magnetic flux between the first and second members.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 17, 2010Publication date: November 22, 2012Applicant: RICARDO UK LIMITEDInventors: Andrew Farquhar Atkins, Joshua Jonathan Dalby, Alexander Wooldrige Smith
-
Publication number: 20120262105Abstract: A battery apparatus is provided comprising a mechanical battery (40) including a flywheel. The battery apparatus further comprises a chemical battery (42) wherein the mechanical and chemical batteries (40, 42) are arranged, in use, to supply energy to a common load (48).Type: ApplicationFiled: October 20, 2010Publication date: October 18, 2012Applicant: RICARDO UK LIMITEDInventor: Andrew Farquhar Atkins
-
Publication number: 20120111142Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus and method for constructing a flywheel for energy storage, the flywheel having a drive transfer element and a rim comprising a mass element, the drive transfer element being coupled to the rim by a winding around each, and the flywheel incorporating an indicator ring functioning as a mechanical fuse for providing an indication of excessive flywheel component stress.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 18, 2010Publication date: May 10, 2012Applicant: RICARDO UK LIMITEDInventor: Andrew Farquhar Atkins
-
Publication number: 20120103314Abstract: A split cycle reciprocating piston engine includes a compression cylinder (2) accommodating a compression piston (4) and an expansion cylinder (12) accommodating an expansion piston (14). The compression cylinder (2) has an inlet port (30) for the admission of air and an outlet port (36) which communicates with a first path of a heat exchanger (5). The expansion cylinder (12) has an inlet port (52), which communicates with the first path of the heat exchanger (5), and an outlet port (56), which communicates with a second path of the heat exchanger (5) in heat exchange relationship with the first path. The method of operating the engine includes injecting a liquefied, non-oxidising, non-combustible gas, such as nitrogen, into the compression cylinder (2).Type: ApplicationFiled: December 11, 2009Publication date: May 3, 2012Inventors: Neville Stuart Jackson, Andrew Farquhar Atkins
-
Patent number: 7859375Abstract: An electromagnet comprising a plurality of coils of superconductive material, monolithically embedded in an embedding material, which is solid at the temperature of operation of the superconductive electromagnet, and a method for producing an electromagnet comprising a plurality of coils of superconductive material, comprising the steps of winding coils of superconductive material, retaining the coils at predetermined relative positions, and monolithically embedding the plurality of superconducting coils in an embedding material, which is solid at the temperature of operation of the superconductive electromagnet.Type: GrantFiled: April 1, 2008Date of Patent: December 28, 2010Assignee: Siemens PlcInventors: Andrew Farquhar Atkins, Graham Gilgrass, Andrew James Gray
-
Publication number: 20100016168Abstract: In an apparatus and method for transporting cryogenically cooled goods or equipment, a cryostat containing the cryogenically cooled goods or equipment and partially filled with liquid cryogen is provided with a cryogenic refrigerator for active cooling; and auxiliary equipment sufficient to maintain the cryogenic refrigerator in operation, are all mounted on a transportable carrier such that the transportable carrier may be transported with the cryogenic refrigerator in operation without connection of any of the cryostat, refrigerator and auxiliary equipment to any supplies located off of the transportable carrier.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 22, 2006Publication date: January 21, 2010Inventors: Andrew Farquhar Atkins, Peter Jonathan Clarke, Fiona Jane Smith