FAQ’s
1) Q: Where can I buy one?
A: These are R&D engines and are not in production.
2) Q: What Horse Power are they?
A: As with other internal combustion engines, the horse power can be sized as needed.
3) Q: What is the Dynamometer test data?
A: None available
4) Q: If you break a gear, will it damage the engine?
A: Yes. It would also damage other internal combustion engines if you broke a cam drive gear or an oil pump gear. With the CC engine-generator the large alignment gears have very little load on them. The engine energy is transferred directly to generator. The piston-cylinder alignment gears are driven by an adjustable (non- rotating) gear that is coupled to a zero backlash idler gear to correct for wear and temperature variations. All gears are in sealed housings with filtered oil pumped over them.
5) Q: How can you maintain piston-cylinder alignment?
A: The inside diameter (Bore) of the cylinder is larger than the piston (E.g.: a 3" bore configuration, the cylinder inside diameter is 3/64, .045" larger than the piston outside diameter). The pressure sealing rings are located at the entrance of the cylinder and allowed to "float" within the piston-cylinder clearance to account for gear wear etc..
In addition, minor misalignment of individual pistons and cylinders resulting from long term wear can be mechanically set or re-adjusted during periodic engine service. There is also an electro-mechanical system that compensates continually for any misalignment. This system will shut the engine down if piston-to-cylinder alignment vary beyond the limits of our floating compression ring-set cartridge. If you will notice in our CC4 animation, the primary alignment gears do not rotate , but are adjustable. Sensors installed in the case accurately monitor the position (timing) of each piston-cylinder set as they approach engagement. The resulting signal, controlled by the CCU, then operates a stepping motor that adjusts a fine pitched screw linked to a connecting arm that controls the position of the primary alignment gears.
6) Q: What is the CC engine efficiency?
A: Referring to specifications listed in the Bosch gasoline engine management book (2004), engine efficiency of a typical spark ignition engine is as follows:
Thermodynamic losses during the ideal process 45%
Thermal losses in the cylinder inefficient combustion
and exhaust gas heat 15%
Losses due to Lamda=1 7%
Pumping losses 10%
Friction losses & auxiliary equipment 10%
-------
87%
Therefore there is 13% left for useful work.
The CC engine:
Note: Figures stated are values based upon theoretical estimations.
R&D prototype engines have not been tested for actual data.
Thermodynamic losses during the ideal process 38%
Thermal losses in the cylinder inefficient combustion
and exhaust gas heat 7%
Losses due to Lambda=1 2%
Pumping losses 2%
Friction losses & auxiliary equipment 5%
-------
54%
Therefore there is 46% left for useful work.
Explanation of estimates:
CC thermodynamic losses during the ideal process 38%
Thermodynamic losses are reduced by using a high compression ratio (13:1) direct fuel injection at high pressure into a near perfect combustion chamber configuration (no valves) employing exhaust gas recirculation and a long stroke. In an average internal combustion 4 cycle engine, the exhaust valve opens between 45 to 60 degrees before the bottom of the power stroke. In 2 cycle engines, the intake and exhaust ports greatly shorten the working stroke. With the CC engine, the stroke is 166% longer than other internal combustion engines (as a factor of cylinder bore) and utilizes the combustion pressure for the full power stroke.
CC engine thermal losses 7%
By using low thermal conductive ceramic cylinders and ceramic piston liners, a large portion of the compression-combustion heat is retained as work and exhaust gas heat losses are considerably lower.
CC losses due to Lambda=1 2%
The CC engine is clean burning and does not require a catalytic converter. A catalytic converter will not operate until it reaches 740 degrees (this requires extra fuel) and then it will not operate with an air-fuel mixture greater than lambda=1(lambda 1 is 14.7 to 1 air-fuel ratio). The CC engine can operate on a lean, efficient air-fuel mixture of lambda 1.3 (new engines are reported to be capable of operating at lamda=1.2, with catalytic converters).
Pumping losses 2%
In the CC engine, there are essentially no pumping losses, but does require air pump energy for cooling and purging.
Frictional losses & auxiliary equipment 5%
No friction between piston and cylinder. There is in-line friction between piston and cylinder sealing rings. No water pump or radiator cooling fan, no valves or cams drive train. No friction bearings, only ball.
7) Q: How much does it weigh?
A: No effort has been directed to design for minimum weight. It appears from what we have designed and built, that a conservative estimate of the engine weight achievable, not including the generator is between 1-2#/HP based upon 3000 RPM top. It is conservative because this is a 2 cycle design. Another large weight saving is that there is no engine "block" needed for the CC engine.
8) Q: How is the fuel delivered to the engine?
A: The CC-4 fuel is supplied at low pressure thru a rotating union on the cylinder center axle and distributed to the cylinder high pressure solenoid actuated injector in the cylinder axle. The high pressure fuel then proceeds to the center of the cylinder thru the injector nozzle into the combustion chamber. The power to operate the solenoid injector is via a sliding contactor to the conductor ring that is located in the outer housing.
9) Q: How is the air & exhaust controlled?
A: Air is pumped into the top of the engine (CC4) at the convergence of the cylinder and the piston carrier wheels (note: exhaust gas suction blowers are used in the CC2 or CC3 engines). The counter rotation of the pistons and cylinders aids in the gas flow. The exhaust exits at the separation of the pistons and cylinders at the end of the power stroke at the bottom of the engine port. The exhaust system control valve is intended to support exhaust gas recirculation to improve efficiency.
[Note: When our CC-2, 8 cylinder (bench model) engine is running, there is no discernible vibration.]
