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Research has been conducted on an extended expansion engine, using a multiple linkage system to increase the thermal efficiency of general-purpose engines. A four-jointed linkage was used between the connecting rod and the crank pin of a standard piston-crank system. The end of the linkage rotates at half the speed of the crankshaft, resulting in piston strokes unequal length in each revolution. The length of the expansion stroke is greater than that of the compression stroke, thereby providing an extended expansion cycle. This thermal cycle is just Atkinson cycle, and precisely different from Miller cycle, which often required supercharging or variable valve timing control system. Theoretical thermal efficiency and numerical simulations were used to determine the increase in thermal efficiency at a compression ratio of 8.5 and an expansion ratio of 12.3.

Research on extended expansion engine was carried out in order to enhance thermal efficiency in general purpose engines. A four-jointed linkage was used between the connecting rod and the crank pin of a standard piston-crank system and provides an Atkinson thermo dynamic cycle. Thermal efficiency of an engine with a compression ratio of 12.4 and an expansion ratio of 18.1 was compared to an engine with a compression ratio of 9.4 and an expansion ratio of 13.6. Measured indicated thermal efficiency of prototyped engine operated by natural gas was 38.7%, a 2.6% increase, as predicted in the numerical simulation.