Sanderson Engine Development Company, a developer of ultra high-efficiency engine technology, has received three patents that could be key to simpler, much more fuel efficient combustion engine for vehicles.
The patents cover a piston assembly, an associated piston connecting joint, and a variable compression ratio mechanism. The piston joint and associated components are core components of the Sanderson Rocker Arm Mechanism (SRAM) invented by Robert and Albert Sanderson. The SRAM mechanism is being evaluated for use in a new type of high-efficiency engine presently undergoing development and testing. The engine combines technologies that allow direct conversion between reciprocating and rotational motion without use of a conventional crankshaft. The result is an internal combustion engine for vehicles that is much simpler and more fuel efficient than conventional piston engines.
Among the applications currently being investigated is an integral hybrid hydraulic engine capable of powering a hydraulically driven automobile. Tests at a leading university indicate that an SRAM-powered hydraulic hybrid automobile should be capable of achieving more than 100 miles per gallon. Other potential applications being investigated for SRAM technology include pumps, compressors, refrigeration equipment, electric generators, agricultural and construction equipment, and hydraulic windmill systems.
The new patents, in combination with several previously granted U.S. and international patents, will enable development and commercialization of high-efficiency engines, pumps, and compressors ranging from fractional to multi-thousand horsepower models. These will be capable of powering large oil field pumps, mining equipment, transportation equipment, electric-power generators, and related equipment such as integral engine gas compressors.
Technology Breakthroughs
For the first time in an internal combustion engine, the new SRAM technology provides an effective means of varying compression ratio while the motor is in actual operation. This capability can have a dramatic effect on the efficiency and operating characteristics of vehicles such as long-haul trucks. In addition, the technology eliminates the crankshaft and bottom-works of an engine,
Among other major technical achievements of the SRAM concept are extremely low friction, unprecedented power-to-weight ratio, and the ability to allow design and construction of a single integrated engine that incorporates a built-in hydraulic drive. This permits the elimination of numerous components normally required in hydraulically actuated vehicles such as log skidders and other commercial equipment.
“We are actively working toward licensing our SRAM technology to several vertical industry segments,” said John Fox, president of Sanderson Engine Development. “Our extensive patents, plus the evidence-based results of numerous independent test trials, make the SRAM mechanism an attractive candidate to significantly increase market share for manufacturers who can demonstrate the merits of this next-generation compression engine technology to consumers and end-users. Further, its exceptionally broad applicability as an engine, integrated engine/hydraulic drive, pump, or compressor, plus the commonality of its components, open up unprecedented possibilities for manufacturing economies-of-scale. With escalating gasoline prices, SRAM engines will enable accelerated development of ultra high-efficiency vehicles that are much lighter than today’s automobiles and may reach previously unattainable levels of fuel efficiency. SRAM engine technology could achieve up to 75 miles per gallon or more in a mid-sized sedan or SUV,” Fox said.
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