Electromagnetic engine
View Patent ↗An engine includes a piston slidably disposed in a cylinder with a closed end. The engine further includes a converter operable with the piston to convert mechanical energy of the piston to electrical energy in the converter in a stroke and convert electrical energy of the converter to mechanical energy in the piston in at least one other stroke.
1. An internal combustion engine, comprising:
a first piston slidably disposed in a first cylinder, the first cylinder having a first closed end;
a first port configured to admit a reactant to the first cylinder;
a first converter operable with the first piston to convert mechanical energy of the first piston from and to electrical energy within a piston cycle;
a second piston slidably disposed in a second cylinder, the second cylinder having a second closed end, the second piston moveable in the second cylinder independent from the first piston being moveable in the first cylinder;
a second converter operable with the second piston to convert mechanical energy of the second piston from and to electrical energy; and
wherein the first and second converters are configured to move the first and second pistons synchronously.
2. A method of operating an internal combustion engine including a first piston slidably disposed in a first cylinder and a second piston slidably disposed in a second cylinder, the method comprising:
actuating the first piston using a first converter during a first piston cycle;
actuating the second piston in a second cylinder using a second converter independently from the actuating the first piston; and
wherein the actuating the first piston and the actuating the second piston are performed synchronously.
3. A method of operating an internal combustion engine including a first piston slidably disposed in a first cylinder and a second piston slidably disposed in a second cylinder, the method comprising:
actuating the first piston using a first converter during a first piston cycle;
actuating the second piston in a second cylinder using a second converter independently from the actuating the first piston; and
wherein the actuating the first piston and the actuating the second piston are performed asynchronously.
4. An internal combustion engine, comprising:
a first piston slidably disposed in a first cylinder, the first cylinder having a first closed end;
a first port configured to admit a reactant to the first cylinder;
a first converter operable with the first piston to convert mechanical energy of the first piston from and to electrical energy within a piston cycle;
a second piston slidably disposed in a second cylinder, the second cylinder having a second closed end, the second piston moveable in the second cylinder independent from the first piston being moveable in the first cylinder;
a second converter operable with the second piston to convert mechanical energy of the second piston from and to electrical energy; and
wherein the first and second converters are configured to move the first and second pistons asynchronously.