The pressure in the reservoir was always greater than the pressure in the combustion cylinder.
The combustion (motor) cylinder was about twice the volume of the compression (pump) cylinder, and the reservoir was no more than twice the volume of the combustion cylinder. Gas expansion created by burning fuel acts smoothly on the piston, whereas the sudden ignition of fuel by a spark creates more of an explosion that exposes the piston and other engine components to high stresses. Reservoir C only stored compressed air.īrayton’s experience with steam engines and how steam expands into the cylinder to smoothly act on the piston probably influenced his desire to have the fuel burn in the cylinder. The upper side of piston B compressed air as the lower side was exposed to the combustion process of air and fuel being mixed and ignited in chamber H. At the same time, the small piston was moved toward top dead center in its cylinder, compressing another charge of air for continued operation.īrayton’s 1874 patent illustrating a double-sided piston. The combusting and expanding gases created around 45 psi (4.1 bar) of pressure that forced the large piston back in its cylinder, creating the power stroke. As the charge passed through the wire gauze and entered the cylinder, it was ignited by the pilot flame. The pilot flame was kept lit by a continuous, small supply of the air/fuel mixture.
Before entering the cylinder, the air/fuel mixture passed through layers of wire gauze where a small pilot flame constantly burned. An engine-driven camshaft opened a valve that allowed the pressurized air/fuel mixture to flow from the reservoir and into the large combustion cylinder. The air/fuel mixture was then compressed, passed through a valve, and stored in a reservoir. Alternatively, an oil fuel, such as naphtha, could be vaporized and added to the air entering the compression cylinder. A gaseous fuel, such as illuminating gas or carbureted hydrogen, was mixed with the air entering the compression cylinder. The smaller of the two pistons acted as an air pump, compressing the air to around 65 psi (4.5 bar).
The constant-pressure Brayton cycle is used in gas turbines and jet engines and is also very similar to the Diesel cycle.īrayton’s 1872 patent engine was a two-stroke that had two pistons mounted to a common connecting rod. The Brayton cycle in a piston engine involves the pressure in the engine’s cylinder being maintained by the continued combustion of injected fuel as the piston moves down on its power stroke. The theoretical process by which the Brayton engine worked became known as the constant-pressure cycle or Brayton cycle. The Brayton engine was also called a “Hydro-Carbon Engine.” The engine used fuel (hydrocarbons) mixed with air as the working fluid that directly acted on the piston, rather than the fuel heating some other working fluid, as with a steam engine.
The name “Ready Motor” described the fact that the engine was immediately ready for operation, unlike a steam engine.
#MAILPLANE REVIEW 2012 SERIES#
In 1872, Brayton patented a new type of engine, the first in a series that became known as the Brayton Ready Motor. Some of his internal combustion engine experiments date back to the early 1850s, but he began serious development around 1870. As the mixture combusted and expanded, it acted on piston B.īrayton was an inventor, engineer, and machinist who had experience with steam engines. The mixture was then released into cylinder A and ignited as it passed through wire gauze e. Gas and air was drawn into cylinder C, compressed by piston D, and stored in reservoir G. Patent drawings of George Brayton’s 1872 engine.
0 kommentar(er)
