Test of a New Low-Speed Compressed Air Engine for Energy Recovery

Mariusz Rząsa,Dariusz Wójtowicz,Ewelina Łukasiewicz

doi:10.3390/en14041179

Abstract

The paper presents a new design solution for the multi-cylinder compressed air engine, described in the PL 216801 patent. A characteristic feature of the engine is its double-piston operation with pistons working in pairs in opposition and a reciprocating movement in toroidal cylinders. The energy of compressed air was used more effectively in the described engine than in the solutions known so far. Comparing the engine built in accordance with the PL 216801 patent with the parameters of the MP165 and MP3000 engines, lower air consumption in relation to the power generated on the shaft is demonstrated. The described engine uses only one crankshaft and one straight complex shaft, which constitutes an innovative combination of pistons, while maintaining the same engine operation as in the case of two crankshafts operating with phase shift and working chamber shift. Such a solution results in a reduction in the harmful space occurring at the beginning of the power stroke to the value close to “zero”—the necessity to maintain the minimum distance between the pistons working in one cylinder when they are at their closest exists only to for the sake of collision-free operation—which is very desirable for the compressed engine operating with a shift of the working chamber. The mechanical efficiency of the engine has also been improved by guiding the pistons on the complex shaft, and the number of kinematic nodes was decreased by applying only three connecting rods supporting six pistons, which also makes it possible to improve the power and mass relation by approximately 25% in comparison with the currently known engines of similar power.

Highlights

One of the methods of storing and accumulating energy is compressing gases, most often air
Compressed air engines are machines which use the energy of compressed air
The application of high-speed compressed air engines to drive machines and equipment often requires the application of speed reduction gears

Summary

Introduction

One of the methods of storing and accumulating energy is compressing gases, most often air. Compressed air engines are machines which use the energy of compressed air. It is appropriate to draw attention to the design of low-speed compressed air engines. The most dynamic development of pneumatic motors began with the invention of the Polish engineer, Ludwik Mekalski. In the year 1870, Mekalski built a compressed air piston engine which was used to power locomotives in mines and drive trams in French cities, such as Vichy, Nantes or SanQuentino [4]. The In final piston the outlet downwards the force of expanding thephase final of phase of movement, piston movement, thechannel, throughthrough which the excess escaped, would open Working cycles ofcycles the pneumatic motor built by Ludwik the opening the of the

Working of the pneumatic motor built by Mękalski

The Figure

Moment on shaft depending on the rotation angle:below

The Principle of of the Operation

Results

Conclusions