Compound cycle engine

1. A compound cycle engine comprising:

at least one fuel injector;

an output shaft;

a plurality of rotary engines drivingly engaged to the output shaft, each of the plurality of the rotary engines having at least one igniter for combusting air fuel mixture in a combustion chamber, an intake port for admitting compressed air, and an exhaust port for discharging exhaust pulses to a turbine;

wherein the turbine includes a plurality of turbine inlets;

wherein each of the plurality of the turbine inlets, wherein each of the plurality of the turbine inlets fluidly communicates with a respective exhaust port of the plurality of the rotary engines; and

wherein the turbine is drivingly engaged with the output shaft through a transmission;

wherein the transmission is positioned between a first one and a second one of the rotary engines along the output shaft extending through the turbine and the plurality of the rotary engines.

2. The compound cycle engine as defined in claim 1 , wherein the plurality of the rotary engines and the turbine are disposed in an alternating sequence along a longitudinal axis of the compound cycle engine.

3. The compound cycle engine as defined in claim 1 , wherein the turbine is mounted co-axially with the plurality of the rotary engines.

4. The compound cycle engine as defined in claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of the rotary engines includes a housing; wherein the housing of said each of the plurality of the rotary engines is angularly offset at 180° from one to another.

5. The compound cycle engine as defined in claim 1 , further comprising a turbocharger including a compressor and a turbocharger turbine, the compressor including a compressor rotor and having an outlet in fluid communication with the intake ports of the plurality of the rotary engines, the turbocharger turbine drivingly engaged to the compressor rotor via a turbocharger shaft.

6. The compound cycle engine as defined in claim 5 , wherein the turbocharger turbine is located downstream of the turbine, an outlet of the turbine being in fluid communication with an inlet of the turbocharger turbine.

7. The compound cycle engine as defined in claim 5 , wherein a reaction ratio of the turbine is lower than a reaction ratio of the turbocharger turbine.

8. The compound cycle engine as defined in claim 7 , wherein the reaction ratio of the turbine is a pressure-based reaction ratio having a value of at most 0.15 and the turbocharger turbine has a pressure-based reaction ratio having a value of at least 0.25.

9. The compound cycle engine as defined in claim 5 , wherein the turbocharger turbine is drivingly engaged to the output shaft.

10. The compound cycle engine as defined in claim 5 , wherein the turbocharger and the plurality of the rotary engines are coaxial.

11. The compound cycle engine as defined in claim 1 ,

wherein said each of the plurality of the rotary engines has an engine rotor; and

wherein the output shaft has an eccentric portion engaged respectively to the engine rotor of said each of the plurality of the rotary engines; and

wherein the eccentric portion respectively to the engine rotor of said each of the plurality of the rotary engines of the output shaft is angularly offset at 180° from one to another.

12. The compound cycle engine as defined in claim 1 ,

wherein said each of the plurality of the rotary engines has an engine rotor; and

wherein the output shaft has an eccentric portion engaged respectively to the engine rotor of said each of the plurality of the rotary engines;

wherein the eccentric portion respectively to the engine rotor of said each of the plurality of the rotary engines of the output shaft is angularly offset at 120° from one to another.

13. The compound cycle engine as defined in claim 1 ,

wherein said each of the plurality of the rotary engines has an engine rotor; and

wherein the output shaft has an eccentric portion engaged respectively to the engine rotor of said each of the plurality of the rotary engines;

wherein the eccentric portion respectively to the engine rotor of said each of the plurality of the rotary engines of the output shaft is angularly offset at 90° from one to another.

14. The compound cycle engine as defined in claim 1 ,

wherein the plurality of the turbine inlets is disposed relatively to one to another on a circumferential surface of the turbine; and

wherein the plurality of the turbine inlets is space apart in a circumferential direction relatively to one to another.

15. The compound cycle engine as defined in claim 14 ,

wherein the exhaust ports of the plurality of the rotary engines are fluidly connected to the turbine via a plurality of exhaust pipes extending separately from each another;

wherein a first one of the exhaust pipes connects to the exhaust port of the first one of the plurality of the rotary engines and extends to a first one of the plurality of the turbine inlets;

wherein a second one of the exhaust pipes connects to the exhaust port of the second one of the plurality of the rotary engines and extends to a second one of the plurality of the turbine inlets; and

wherein each of the first one and second one of the exhaust pipes connects respectively to the first one and second one of the plurality of the turbine inlets.

16. The compound cycle engine as defined in claim 15 , wherein the first and second ones of the exhaust pipes have a main portion extending axially along a longitudinal axis of the compound cycle engine.

17. The compound cycle engine as defined in claim 15 , wherein the exhaust port of the first one of the plurality of the rotary engines and the first one of the exhaust pipes and the exhaust port of the second one of the plurality of the rotary engines and the second one of the exhaust pipes are located on opposite sides of the compound cycle engine.

18. The compound cycle engine as defined in claim 14 , wherein the first one of the plurality of the rotary engines is located on an upstream side of the turbine and the second one of the plurality of the rotary engines is located on the downstream side of the turbine.

19. A compound cycle engine comprising:

a plurality of internal combustion engines;

wherein each of the plurality of the internal combustion engines includes:

a housing defining at least one combustion chamber of variable volume;

intake ports connected to inlet pipes for admitting compressed air;

exhaust ports for discharging an exhaust gas to a turbine;

at least one fuel injector;

at least one igniter for combusting an air fuel mixture in the at least one combustion chamber; and

an output shaft drivingly engaging to the plurality of the internal combustion engines;

wherein the turbine includes a plurality of turbine inlets;

wherein a number of the plurality of the turbine inlets is equal to a number of the plurality of the internal combustion engines in the compound cycle engine;

wherein each of the plurality of the turbine inlets fluidly communicates with a respective one of the exhaust ports of the plurality of the internal combustion engines;

wherein the plurality of the turbine inlets is disposed relatively to one to another on a circumferential surface of the turbine;

wherein the plurality of the turbine inlets is space apart in a circumferential direction relatively to one to another;

wherein the turbine is drivingly engaged with the output shaft through a transmission; and

wherein the transmission is positioned between a first one and a second one of the plurality of the internal combustion engines along the output shaft.

20. The compound cycle engine as defined 19 ,

wherein the turbine is a first turbine; and

wherein the compound cycle engine further includes a second turbine having an inlet in fluid flow communication with an outlet of the first turbine, the second turbine configured to drive a compressor via a connecting shaft.