Heat transfer systems for internal combustion engines and methods

摘要

A heat transfer system for use in an internal combustion engine and related methods are disclosed. The heat transfer system may be configured to absorb and transfer heat from a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine. The heat transfer system may also be configured to reintroduce absorbed and/or transferred heat into the internal combustion engine via a fuel injector or another suitable device. Removal of the heat from the combustion chamber may reduce a quantity of work required or used for compression of a first combustion fluid, increase a charge density in the combustion chamber, and/or increase the compression ratio of the engine. Additionally, the heat transfer system may be designed such that it may be used to retrofit an existing internal combustion engine.

主权项

1. A spark-ignition internal combustion engine comprising:
a combustion chamber; and a heat absorption element in communication with an interior volume of the combustion chamber, wherein the heat absorption element is configured to transition from a low-profile configuration to a deployed configuration for a first time period, wherein the heat absorption element is further configured to transition from the deployed configuration to the low-profile configuration for a second time period, and wherein the heat absorption element is configured to absorb at least a portion of an amount of heat generated by work done on a first combustion fluid disposed in the interior volume of the combustion chamber.