Open Competition 3 - Chemistry and Materials

High-Efficiency Regenerated Cycle Reciprocating Engine

Sponsor: The ReJen Company

• Project Performance Period: 5/1/2004 - 4/30/2007
• Total project (est.): $1,479,799.00
• Requested ATP funds: $600,000.00

Internal combustion engines theoretically could be more efficient if they used thermal regeneration processes, in which some energy of the exhaust gases was transferred to compressed air within the engine. Efforts to implement this idea have failed to date, but recent advances in materials, design concepts, and engine modeling suggest that a regenerating reciprocating engine now may be feasible. The ReJen Company and Alvin Lowi & Associates (Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif.) plan a two-year project to build and test a diesel engine that will exploit the principle of thermal regeneration to increase energy efficiency from about 35 percent to 55 percent and reduce emissions. The concept involves connecting the main engine cylinder to a regeneration cylinder through a membrane, which would act as a bi-directional heat exchanger. After compression the air would pass through the membrane, where it would absorb heat, and combustion and expansion would occur on the other side; then the hot gases would pass back through the membrane where their heat would be extracted. The technical risk is high for this new-to-the-world engine; challenges include achieving adequate membrane durability and long-term function, and proper piston motions and injection timing. ATP funding is needed because the technical risk and cost are too high for an engine maker to take on alone. In addition, both JV partners are small companies that lack the internal funds to support this research. If successfully developed, potential licensees include major U.S. manufacturers such as Caterpillar. Economic benefits stemming from this new engine include fewer particulate and "greenhouse" gas emissions. At equal power, the new engine would be smaller than today's engines, reducing fuel usage and U.S. dependence on foreign oil. In addition, U.S. engine manufacturers would have an opportunity to increase their 40 percent share of the global market. Applications could include power generation, ships, trucks, trains, small aircraft, and perhaps hybrid passenger vehicles. U.S. fuel savings could reach into the billions of dollars annually, and tens of thousands of jobs potentially could be created.

For project information:

Dr. Allan Ferrenberg, (775) 849-7861
rejen@sonnet.com

Active Project Participants

• Alvin Lowi & Associates (Rancho Palos Verdes, CA)
  [Original, Active Member]
  

ATP Project Manager

Richard Bartholomew, (301) 975-4786
richard.bartholomew@nist.gov