Abstract:
A thermal cycle engine (96) having a heat exchanger for transferring thermal energy across the heater head (100) from a heated external fluid to the working fluid. The heat exchanger has a set of heat transfer pins (124) each having an axis directed away from the cylindrical wall of the expansion cylinder (115), or, alternatively, a set of fins substantially aligned with the axis of the expansion cylinder. The height and density of the heat transfer pins (124) may vary with distance in the direction of the flow path, and the pin structure may be fabricated by stacking perforated rings in contact with a heater head. A ring burner supplements the main combustor for supplying additional fuel to cause additional combustion of the exhaust gas. A regenerator (134) for the thermal cycle engine (96) has a random network of fibers formed to fill a specified volume and a material for cross-linking the fibers at points of close contact between fibers of the network.
Abstract:
A rotary engine includes a housing (10) having a cylindrical internal surface on which seals are supported to prevent the flow of gases from spaces between two rotating pistons on separate but concentrically-arranged shafts. Three sets of gearing control (27, 28, 29) relative rotation of the pistons which move toward and away from each other to compress gases between the pistons. A drive shaft (33) is connected by the first gear set (27) to a first of the concentrically-arranged shafts (18). The drive shaft is also connected by a second gear set (28) to the other of the concentrically-arranged shafts (16). The third gear set (29), comprised of non-circular gears, connects the drive shaft to an output shaft (38).
Abstract:
A rotary engine includes a housing (10) having a cylindrical internal surface on which seals are supported to prevent the flow of gases from spaces between two rotating pistons on separate but concentrically-arranged shafts. Three sets of gearing control (27, 28, 29) relative rotation of the pistons which move toward and away from each other to compress gases between the pistons. A drive shaft (33) is connected by the first gear set (27) to a first of the concentrically-arranged shafts (18). The drive shaft is also connected by a second gear set (28) to the other of the concentrically-arranged shafts (16). The third gear set (29), comprised of non-circular gears, connects the drive shaft to an output shaft (38).
Abstract:
Disclosed herein is an apparatus for extracting thermal energy from thermal expansion of a working medium in the apparatus. The apparatus includes a thermal expander, a compressor for compressing the working medium after the expansion, and a force modulation unit connecting the thermal expander to the compressor. The force modulation unit consists of two conversion gears that are connected by a lever system. The lever system can be dynamically controlled so that the non-constant force from thermal expansion is modulated into a substantially constant output force of the apparatus.
Abstract:
Refere-se a presente invenção, ao campo técnico de motores termodinâmicos, mais especificamente a uma máquina térmica que opera com gás em ciclo fechado em configuração diferencial a qual é caracterizada por realizar um ciclo termodinâmico de oito transformações, ou de outra forma a explicar, a mesma realiza simultaneamente dois ciclos termodinâmicos, cada um com quatro transformações interdependentes, complementares, sendo duas destas transformações "isotérmicas" e duas "adiabáticas" com transferência de massa nas fases de transformações adiabáticas de forma a proporcionar uma nova curva de rendimento não mais dependente exclusivamente da temperatura, mas da taxa de transferência de massa a qual permite a construção de máquinas com rendimentos altos e baixos diferenciais térmicos.
Abstract:
Engine systems and associated methods, including systems with semi- isothermal compression devices are disclosed. An engine system in accordance with a particular embodiment includes a compressor having a compressor inlet and outlet, a combustor having a combustor inlet coupled to the compressor outlet and further having a combustor outlet, a positive displacement expander having an expander inlet coupled to the combustor outlet, and further having an expander outlet and a work output device. A valve is coupled between the combustor and the expander to regulate a flow of hot combustion products passing from the combustor to the expander, and an exhaust energy recovery device is coupled to the expander outlet to extract energy from the combustion products exiting the expander.
Abstract:
A linear, multi-cylinder Stirling cycle machine comprises a plurality of Stirling cycle units arranged in an open series or closed loop. Each of the units comprises a compression space in fluid communication with an expansion space via a regenerative heat exchange assembly. The compression space and expansion space are in fluid communication with, respectively, a compression piston and an expansion piston, and the separate Stirling cycle units are mechanically coupled together by linear power transmitters, which connect the expansion piston of one unit to the compression unit of the other. The linear power transmitters can be linear transducers such as linear motors or generators. In the open series arrangement the series of Stirling cycle units can have an initiating compressor at one end and a terminating expander at the other end. hi the closed loop arrangement, one of the Stirling cycle units can include an exergy throttle to restrict gas flow rates to control the speed of the machine. The machine may be used in a combined heat and power apparatus with some Stirling cycle units acting as engine/generators and with waste heat being used for heating. Some Stirling cycle units can be used for cooling or heat pumping.
Abstract:
The transfer - expansion - regeneration combustion engine (1) comprises a compressor (2) which delivers gases into a high-pressure regeneration pipe (6) of a regeneration heat exchanger (5) from which pipe the gases emerge preheated via a regenerator high-pressure outlet pipe (9) which comprises a heat source (12) which superheats said gases, the latter then being transferred by an intake metering valve (24) operated by a metering valve actuator (25) to a transfer - expansion chamber (16) notably formed by an expansion cylinder (13) and an expansion piston (15), said gases re-emerging from said chamber (16) having been expanded via an expanded-gases exhaust pipe (26) and via an exhaust valve (31) operated by an exhaust-valve actuator (32) before being cooled in a regeneration low-pressure pipe (7) that the regeneration heat exchanger (5) comprises.