IC Engine: Increasing Efficiency by Using Epicyclic Non-circular Gear Train

Increasing the efficiency of IC engines is a frequently discussed topic, and one of the approaches taken is to modify the thermodynamic work cycle of the engine so that it resembles the ideal cycle more closely. This paper attempts to achieve that by altering the kinematics of the piston-crank mechanism by introducing an epicyclic non-circular gear train between the crank and the flywheel. The addition of the non-circular gears alters the work cycle by introducing a state of dwell during key points of the cycle. Possible gear shape solutions were calculated using a known, periodic function to express the gear transmission ratio. The final result was an epicyclic non-circular gear train that has a noticeable effect on the kinematics of the piston-crank mechanism resulting in an increase of the engines work cycle efficiency.