U.S. patent number 3,886,732 [Application Number 05/401,206] was granted by the patent office on 1975-06-03 for internal combustion engine having coaxially mounted compressor combustion chamber, and turbine.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Joseph Gamell Industries, Incorporated. Invention is credited to Joseph A. Gamell.
United States Patent |
3,886,732 |
Gamell |
June 3, 1975 |
**Please see images for:
( Certificate of Correction ) ** |
Internal combustion engine having coaxially mounted compressor
combustion chamber, and turbine
Abstract
A turbine-type internal combustion engine comprising a support
having coaxially mounted bearings, and a rotor assembly having
shaft members rotatably mounted in said bearings and comprising a
compressor, a combustion chamber, and a turbine all coaxially
mounted and fixed with respect to each other, the compressor and
the turbine each comprising a spiral web and a pair of radial
plates affixed thereto, one on each side cooperating to define a
spiral chamber, and a fuel supply having a fuel duct mounted at one
end of said rotor and extending into said combustion chamber.
Inventors: |
Gamell; Joseph A. (Kalamazoo,
MI) |
Assignee: |
Joseph Gamell Industries,
Incorporated (Kalamazoo, MI)
|
Family
ID: |
23586799 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/401,206 |
Filed: |
September 27, 1973 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
60/39.35 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F02C
3/04 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
F02C
3/00 (20060101); F02C 3/04 (20060101); F02c
003/14 () |
Field of
Search: |
;60/39.35,39.34,39.55,39.54,39.43 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
547,539 |
|
Sep 1922 |
|
FR |
|
695,364 |
|
Aug 1940 |
|
DT |
|
533,221 |
|
Nov 1954 |
|
BE |
|
1,163,147 |
|
Apr 1958 |
|
FR |
|
Primary Examiner: Husar; C. J.
Assistant Examiner: Olsen; Warren
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Hueschen; Gordon W.
Claims
I claim:
1. An internal combustion engine of the turbine type comprising in
combination:
1. a support,
2. an integral rotor combination rotatably mounted on said support,
said rotor combination comprising:
a. A compressor comprising a first outer radial wall, a second
outer radial wall, a peripheral axial wall connecting said first
and second outer radial walls, and an inner radial wall mounted
intermediate said first and second outer radial walls and of
smaller diameter than said outer radial walls, and a spiral web
intermediate said first outer wall and said inner wall having its
edges affixed to said walls, cooperating to define a spiral
chamber,
b. a turbine having a power shaft operatively connected
thereto,
c. a tubular housing connected at one end to said compressor and at
the other end to said turbine, said inner radial wall and said
second outer radial wall of said compressor cooperating to define a
radial duct communicating with said tubular housing,
d. means defining a combustion chamber within said tubular housing,
said compressor, said turbine, said tubular housing and said
combustion chamber all being coaxially mounted, and
3. a fuel duct mounted on said support extending through the axis
of said compressor and having a fuel supply jet at the end thereof
for supplying fuel to said combustion chamber.
2. An internal combustion engine according to claim 1, wherein said
turbine comprises a first outer radial wall affixed to one end of
said tubular housing, a second outer radial wall operatively
connected to said power shaft, and a spiral web intermediate said
first and second outer radial walls having its edges affixed
thereto and cooperating to define a spiral chamber having an axial
portion as hereinafter referred to, and a port connecting the axial
portion of said spiral chamber with said combustion chamber.
3. An internal combustion engine according to claim 1, wherein a
water duct is provided leading to said combustion chamber and
having a nozzle at its end for injecting water into said combustion
chamber.
4. An internal combustion engine according to claim 1, wherein a
seal bearing is coaxially positioned intermediate said fuel duct
and said combustion chamber.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to internal combustion engines of the
turbine type, more particularly relating to such an engine having
coaxially mounted components.
2. Prior Art
Turbine-type internal combustion engines have been disclosed in the
art. Generally they comprise individually mounted and operated
compressors, combustion chambers, and turbines. Such engines are
very expensive and complicated, lack desired efficiency and require
many moving parts.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide an internal
combustion-type engine having few moving parts. It is a further
object to provide an internal combustion engine which is highly
efficient to operate. It is an additional object to provide an
engine which is inexpensive to build and operate. Still other
objects will readily present themselves to one skilled in the art
upon reference to the ensuing specification, the drawings, and the
claims.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, an internal combustion-type
engine is provided comprising a bearing support, and a rotor having
a compressor, a combustion chamber and ducts, and a turbine all
coaxially mounted for rotation as a single unit. The compressor and
the turbine are each formed of a spiral web having radial plates
mounted at each end defining a spiral chamber which serves in the
compressor to compress the air and in the turbine to rotate the
rotor assembly and attached power shaft to provide motive
power.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the drawings,
FIG. 1 is an axial cross-sectional view showing the internal
combustion engine of the invention.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken at the line 2--2 of FIG. 1,
looking in the direction of the arrows, and
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken at the line 3--3 of FIG. 1,
looking in the direction of the arrows.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 1-3, Referring to FIGS. 1',
the internal combustion engine 10 of the invention is shown
comprising a base 11 having vertical bearing supports 12 and 13
with bearing assemblies 14 and 15 mounted at the ends thereof. An
integral rotor subassembly 16 is provided with a tubular shaft 17
at one end 57 a solid cylindrical power transmitting shaft 18 at
the other end journaled in the bearing assemblies 14 and 15,
respectively.
The rotor subassembly 16 generally comprises a compressor 24 at one
end and a turbine 25 at the other maintained in fixed spaced-apart
relationship by direct connection to the end of a tubular housing
or hub 26.
The compressor is formed of outer radial walls 27 and 28 connected
together by means of a peripheral axial wall 29 to form a partially
closed chamber. The outer radial wall 28 is provided with an axial
aperture and is affixed to one end of the tubular hub 26. The outer
radial wall 27 is provided with a central aperture and is affixed
at the inward edge to the tubular shaft 17.
The compressor 24 is additionally provided with an inner radial
wall 30 and a spiral partition web 31 disposed between and affixed
at its edges by welding or other suitable means to the outer radial
wall 27 and the inner radial wall 30, the structure cooperating to
define a spiral chamber 32. The inner radial wall 30 has a central
aperture to which is connected a tubular combustion housing 33
having a tapered end 34. The inner radial wall 30 cooperates with
the outer radial wall 28 to define a cylindrical radial duct 35
communicating with a tubular compressed air duct 36 formed between
the hub 26 and the combustion housing 33. Within the combustion
housing 33 is a combustion chamber 37 communicating with the
compressed air duct 36 by means of apertures 38.
The turbine 25 is formed of outer radial walls 43 and 44 affixed to
the edges of a spiral partition web 45 by such means as welding.
Alternatively, the structure may be affixed by means of bolts or
other suitable means. The radial walls 43 and 44 and the partition
web 45 cooperate to define a spiral chamber 46. The outer radial
wall 43 is affixed to one end of the hub 26 by suitable means such
as welding and is provided with a central port 47 and is affixed to
the tapered end 34 of the combustion chamber 33 at the port 47,
thereby connecting the combustion chamber 37 with the spiral
chamber 46. Although the spiral webs 31 and 45 have each been shown
and described as single units, two or more webs may be interwoven
in each unit if desired. However, for optimum efficiency each
separate web member should extend for at least 360.degree., that
is, a full turn.
A fuel supply duct 48 is fixedly mounted on the apparatus by
suitable means and extends through the central portion of the
compressor 24 and into the combustion chamber 37. The supply duct
48 has a central tube 49 through which the fuel is supplied
terminating in a fuel supply jet 50 through which the fuel is
expelled with the proper force and configuration. Ignition wires 51
and 52 are mounted on the supply duct 48 and are terminated in an
ignition gap 53 utilized to ignite the fuel injected into the
combustion chamber 37. An air intake port 54 is provided
intermediate the inner wall of the tubular shaft 17 and the fuel
supply duct 48. A seal bearing 56 affixed to the duct 48 and having
a sealant surface sealingly engaging the inner surface of the
combustion housing prevents fuel and compressed air from backing
into the compressor central chamber, and may be formed of any
suitable heat-resistant material such as brass or bronze or any
other bearing material. Power is provided by the rotor assembly
through the shaft 18 which is affixed to the outer radial wall 44
by means of a flange 55.
If desired, water or steam may be injected into the internal
combustion engine of the present invention in order to attain the
proven advantages of such procedure, such as the reduction of
nitric oxide exhaust products and increasing the combustion
efficiency of the engine. A means for providing water or steam
injection is shown in the drawings and comprises a tubular duct 60
contained in the main fuel supply duct 48, and connected to a
collar or doughnut-type nozzle 61. The injection of water
additionally offers the advantages that it assists in cooling the
combustion chamber and additionally serves to cool the seal bearing
56 when the water in the tubular duct 60 passes below and in
proximity with the bearing 56.
In operation, fuel such as kerosene, gasoline, diesel fuel, or any
other suitable fuel, is supplied to the fuel supply duct 49 and as
it passes out of the supply jet 50 it is ignited by an electrical
discharge across the gap 53. Air is drawn in through the duct 54,
and into the combustion chamber where it mixes with the ignited
fuel and supports combustion, causing a high pressure combustion
stream to travel through the port 47, through the spiral chamber 46
and out into the atmosphere through suitable exhaust means (not
shown). If desired, a suitable exhaust system may be utilized, such
as an annular housing around the edge of the turbine 25 for
collecting and venting exhaust gases. As the expanded gas passes
through the spiral chamber 46 it causes the turbine 25 to rotate,
which, being affixed to the entire rotor, causes the entire rotor
including the compressor 24 to rotate. As the compressor 28
rotates, air is drawn in through the air intake port 54, into the
spiral chamber 32 where it is compressed as a result of the
centrifugal force of the rotative movement, propelled through the
duct 30, into the duct 36, and into the combustion chamber 37
through the apertures 38. The application of high pressure air
causes the fuel to burn with increased efficiency, thereby
providing even greater gas pressure to the turbine 25 and causing
the entire rotor to rotate at high speed.
The internal combustion engine of the present invention has many
advantages over prior art engines of the turbine type. Because the
combustion chamber is mounted in the tubular hub and coaxially
mounted with respect to both the compressor and turbine, a better
mixture of fuel and compressed air is provided as a result of the
continual rotation. The fuel supply duct and nozzle are stationary
and the need for specialized or exotic seals is obviated since,
after combustion, the gases move to exhaust the turbine. The need
for costly seals has been one of the major problems attendant to
turbine engines. In the present engine this problem is overcome
since in the present design the highest compression of air takes
place on the outer rim of the compressor. This structure also has
the benefit of reducing compressor temperatures as the laminar
peripheral layers of air caused by high speed rotation serves to
remove heat. The continually expanding design of the compressor
also permits the air molecules to be compressed both by increasing
centrifugal force and by accelerating at high velocities. The high
velocities of the air molecules are transformed into pressure in
the turbine section.
The turbine structure is unique in its function as it converts heat
energy into mechanical energy more efficiently than previously
known systems. Also it eliminates seal problems because of the
rotating structure. Further, because of the unique construction in
both the compressor and turbine wherein a spirally oriented web is
permanently affixed at its edges to two radial walls this provides
a structure which can be very simply and inexpensively produced and
yet provides a spiral channel which is free from leakage from one
tunnel segment to the other. Moreover, in the compressor structure,
a third inner radial wall is provided cooperating with one of the
outer radial walls and the spiral web to provide compression, and
having a radial duct intermediate the inner radial wall and the
other radial wall serving as a duct whereby the compressed air may
be directed to the center of the structure and discharged into an
air passage located at the center. Additionally, as shown and
described, water injection may be readily applied to the engine,
with its well-known advantages.
It is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to
the exact details of operation or structures shown and described,
as obvious modifications and equivalents will be apparent to one
skilled in the art.
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