| Entries |
| Document | Title | Date |
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| 20080209904 | Systems and Methods for Generating Electricity Using a Stirling Engine - A system for generating power including a Stirling engine, and a high temperature source thermally coupled to a hot chamber of the Stirling engine wherein the high temperature source comprises heat from below the earth's surface. In an embodiment of the system, the high temperature source may be a dry hole, oil well, or gas well. | 09-04-2008 |
| 20080223031 | Crosshead Arrangement - A crosshead assembly in conjunction with a Stirling engine is disclosed. The assembly comprises a displacer piston ( | 09-18-2008 |
| 20080276610 | Stirling-Electric Hybrid Automobile - The Stirling-Electric Hybrid automobile herein disclosed utilizes an electric drive motor which is powered by electric storage device. The electric storage device is kept at suitable charge by electric generator mechanically driven by external combustion of Stirling engine type, by thermoelectric generator thermally coupled to the exhaust of the Stirling engine and to kinetic energy recovery system which during deceleration of the automobile utilizes the electric drive motor as a generator and recovering the electrical energy generated by deceleration to the electric storage device. Almost any clean combusting liquid or gaseous fuel may be utilized by the Stirling engine with greater fuel economy and less atmospheric pollution than internal combustion engines presently used. The utilization of thermoelectric generator to recover heat from exhaust of the Stirling engine and utilization of kinetic energy recovery system provides even better fuel efficiency and reduced pollution. | 11-13-2008 |
| 20080282693 | Stirling Engine - A high efficient stirling engine with excellent thermal efficiency, which can increase the heating temperature of a high temperature section, is obtained by preventing the heat from being lost in a member connecting the high temperature section and a low temperature section. | 11-20-2008 |
| 20080282694 | Stirling Engine - A Stirling engine, wherein the inner yoke of a linear motor is installed on the outer peripheral surface of a cylinder. To keep a proper pressure balance between a compression space on one end side of a displacer and a back pressure space on the outer peripheral side of the cylinder, a first flow passage is formed in the piston starting at the compression space side end face toward the outer peripheral surface and a second flow passage allowing the first flow passage to communicate with the back pressure space is formed in the cylinder. The second flow passage is composed of a through hole that penetrates the wall of the cylinder in a radial direction and a communication passage formed between the outer peripheral surface of the cylinder and the inner peripheral surface of the inner yoke to allow the through hole to communicate with the back pressure space. | 11-20-2008 |
| 20090000294 | Power Plant with Heat Transformation - A power plant with heat transfer, in which power is generated by an arbitrary number of heat engines, described above and illustrated in FIGS. | 01-01-2009 |
| 20090007560 | Vibration suppression apparatus and stirling engine having the same - A vibration suppression apparatus includes a leaf spring having one end connected to one end in the vibrating direction of a Stirling refrigerator which is a reciprocating motion apparatus, a balance mass connected to the other end of the leaf spring, and a damper including a damping body connected to the balance mass and vibrating in phase with the balance mass. With this structure, the high-performance vibration suppression apparatus including the elastic body and the damper can be manufactured with a small size and at a low cost. | 01-08-2009 |
| 20090019846 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ELECTRICAL AND MECHANICAL POWER GENERATION USING STIRLING ENGINE PRINCIPLES - A heat engine enclosed in a housing has two zones maintained at different temperatures. The first zone (“hot zone”) receives heat energy from an external power source. The second zone (“cold chamber zone”) is connected to the hot zone by two conduits, such that a fluid (e.g., air, water, or any other gas or liquid) filling the two zones can circulate between the two zones. The expansion of the fluid in the hot zone and the compression of the fluid in the cold zone drive a turbine to provide a power output. The fluid may be pressurized to enhance efficiency. In one embodiment, the turbine propels an axle in a rotational motion to transmit the power output of the heat engine to an electrical generator outside of the heat engine's housing. In one embodiment, the turbine includes a first set of blades and a second set of blades located in the hot zone and the cold zone, respectively. The blades may each have a flat profile having two unequal surfaces, such that the turbine rotates in preferentially in one direction. | 01-22-2009 |
| 20090038307 | DIRECT CONTACT THERMAL EXCHANGE HEAT ENGINE OR HEAT PUMP - Systems and methods for operating a thermodynamic engine are disclosed. The systems and methods may effect cyclic motion of a working fluid between hot and cold regions of a thermodynamic engine and inject a dispersible material into the working fluid at the hot or cold region during a heat-addition or heat-rejection process. The system and methods may also evacuate the dispersible material from the hot or cold region. | 02-12-2009 |
| 20090056328 | Micro Generator System - The present invention relates to a micro generator system which uses temperature difference (about 5˜10° C.) between skin and outside environment to allow an engine to drive microfluid flow as well as pass nanomagnetic particles within microfluid through coli to produce an inducing electricity. | 03-05-2009 |
| 20090107138 | IN-LINE STIRLING ENERGY SYSTEM - A high efficiency generator is provided using a Stirling engine to amplify an acoustic wave by heating the gas in the engine in a forward mode. The engine is coupled to an alternator to convert heat input to the engine into electricity. A plurality of the engines and respective alternators can be coupled to operate in a timed sequence to produce multi-phase electricity without the need for conversion. The engine system may be operated in a reverse mode as a refrigerator/heat pump. | 04-30-2009 |
| 20090139227 | ROTARY HEAT ENGINE - A rotary heat engine having a cylinder and a rotor having a rotating shaft rotatably placed in the cylinder. The cylinder has a heat receiving section for supplying heat to the inside of the cylinder and a heat radiating section for radiating heat from the inside. The engine also has an engine section body and an operation liquid storage section. A vaporized gas supply channel and a gas recovery channel communicating with the inside of the cylinder are provided, respectively, on the heat receiving section side and heat radiating section side of the cylinder in the engine section body. The operation liquid storage section is between the vaporized gas supply channel and the gas collection channel in order to aggregate and liquefy recovered gas and is installed such that both channels fluidly communicate with each other. Also, the operation liquid storage section has a heat insulation dam provided with a through hole for preventing backflow of fluid flowing inside. | 06-04-2009 |
| 20090205329 | Heat engine matched to cheap heat source or sink - This invention teaches how to build heat engines that can work with low temperature heat sources with the input working fluid being air at ambient temperature and pressure. | 08-20-2009 |
| 20090249778 | Energy Recovery Method for Plastic Pipe Manufacturing Systems - An energy recovery system for a pipe manufacturing process is shown. A compression or injection molding operation is used to form a sealing gasket which is used in the subsequent pipe manufacturing operation. A Stirling engine cycle is used to recover heat during the gasket manufacture. The Stirling engine is driven by waste heat from the mold members or other associated parts of the injection or compression molding apparatus. The recovered waste heat is used to subsequently heat the female pipe end which is being belled in the pipe manufacturing process. | 10-08-2009 |
| 20090249779 | EFFICIENT VAPOR (STEAM) ENGINE/PUMP IN A CLOSED SYSTEM USED AT LOW TEMPERATURES AS A BETTER STIRLING HEAT ENGINE/REFRIGERATOR - A high efficiency vapor (steam) engine/pump process in a closed system can use either water or liquefied gases for its working fluid to extract thermal energy from the ambient or non-ambient heat sources to increase its heat transfer rate and obtain power generation efficiency over 50%. A slow-speed two-phase piston steam engine's flywheel has a high ratio gear reducer attached to increase a generator's speed and produce power with over 50% efficiency and meet its power generation requirements (3,600 RPM). This two-phase vapor (steam) engine/pump substitutes the cooling condenser's and pump's functions of compressing the waste streams directly back into the boiler, and allows the process to run at temperatures lower than room temperature, with no need for a conventional cooling condenser. The present process will not discharge thermal pollution and/or radioactive/hazardous wastes into the heat sink and to the global environment, which is highly recommended for new nuclear/general power steam engine/turbines modifications. | 10-08-2009 |
| 20090260355 | Stirling engine assembly - A Stirling engine assembly comprising a Stirling engine ( | 10-22-2009 |
| 20090288410 | METHOD, DEVICE, AND SYSTEM FOR CONVERTING ENERGY - To convert energy, firstly a non-gaseous carrier medium is converted into a gaseous carrier medium by the introduction of thermal energy, so that the gaseous carrier medium rises and gains potential energy. Then the gaseous carrier medium is converted back at a specified height into a non-gaseous carrier medium. The potential energy of the recovered non-gaseous carrier medium can then be converted into another desired energy form. | 11-26-2009 |
| 20100018202 | THERMOELECTRIC DEVICE FOR USE WITH STIRLING ENGINE - An exhaust gas manifold having thermoelectric devices in the exhaust manifold of a stirling engine is disclosed. | 01-28-2010 |
| 20100050629 | SYSTEM CONCEPT WITH LOW ENERGY REQUIREMENT AND IMPROVED ENERGY YIELD - The invention relates to a method for the environmentally sound disposal of air/solvent mixtures made of combustible gaseous, vaporous or liquid waste products, using a combustion unit for burning the air/solvent mixtures while removing the environmentally compatible exhaust air developing in the combustion unit and the waste heat that is produced. | 03-04-2010 |
| 20100064680 | THERMOACOUSTIC APPARATUS - A thermoacoustic apparatus capable of reducing the time elapsed until an acoustic wave is generated and improving the energy conversion efficiency significantly is provided. In order to solve the above-described issues, in a thermoacoustic apparatus | 03-18-2010 |
| 20100071360 | Fluid Engine with Enhanced Efficiency - An engine provides torque by transmitting power in a fluid using optimally positioned lift-to-drag ratio blades with air-foil shape sections. The fluid may be liquid or gas. Various considerations of engine configuration, fluid density, fluid pressure and fluid temperature are design parameters that can be tuned to achieve high performance. The fluid flow created can be used to drive rotary motion of an output axle, for example. | 03-25-2010 |
| 20100083653 | Mass Damper - A counterbalance system for counterbalancing vibrations of a machine, including a housing adapted to be mounted to the machine. A hydraulic chamber is disposed within the housing and has a first and a second diaphragm on opposite sides thereof. A hydraulic fluid is disposed in the hydraulic chamber. A first air chamber is on a first side of the first diaphragm opposite the hydraulic chamber and a second air chamber is disposed on a second side of the second diaphragm opposite the hydraulic chamber. The hydraulic fluid acts as a mass and the diaphragms and air chambers act as a spring and damper of a mass damper system for counterbalancing vibrations of the machine. | 04-08-2010 |
| 20100126165 | Catalytic burner apparatus for stirling engine - The invention provides an apparatus and a method for transferring heat by conduction to the internal heat acceptor of an external combustion engine. Fuel and air are introduced into a combustion chamber and mixed to form an air/fuel mixture. The air/fuel mixture is directed into a catalytic reactor that is positioned in direct contact (non-spaced-apart relation) with the heater head. Heat is transferred via conduction from the catalytic reactor to the heater head; and the catalytic reaction products are exhausted with heat recuperation. | 05-27-2010 |
| 20100192566 | Engine for Utilizing Thermal Energy to Generate Electricity - Disclosed are systems and methods for generating power. The system includes a sealed chamber, a displacer located inside the chamber, a magnetic mechanism to actuate the displacer, and a linear alternator. The chamber includes a first side, a first top surface, and a first bottom surface, the first side located adjacent to a heat source and the second side adjacent to a heat sink. The displacer includes a pivot surface, a rocker, or a slide, and may include a regenerator. | 08-05-2010 |
| 20100199657 | THERMAL IMPROVEMENTS FOR AN EXTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE - An external combustion engine having an exhaust flow diverter for directing the flow of an exhaust gas. The external combustion engine has a heater head having a plurality of heater tubes through which a working fluid is heated by conduction. The exhaust flow diverter is a cylinder disposed around the outside of the plurality of heater tubes and includes a plurality of openings through which the flow of exhaust gas may pass. The exhaust flow diverter directs the exhaust gas past the plurality of heater tubes. The external combustion engine may also include a plurality of flow diverter fins coupled to the plurality of heater tubes to direct the flow of the exhaust gas. The heater tubes may be U-shaped or helical coiled shaped. | 08-12-2010 |
| 20100199658 | Rod Seal Assembly for a Stirling Engine - A rod seal assembly for a Stirling Engine of the type having two or more piston assemblies reciprocating within cylinder bores. The rod seal assembly seals against a connecting rod extending between a piston and a kinematic drive system. The rod seal assembly includes a separated cap seal assembly and a base seal assembly with a hollow cavity formed therebetween. The cap seal assembly and base seal assembly include sealing element features which provide high performance gas sealing and excellent durability characteristics. The hollow interior cavity of the rod seal assembly may be used as part of an internal volume within the engine used as part of a pressure balancing system for the isolated cycle volumes within the engine. | 08-12-2010 |
| 20100218496 | PASSIVE HEAT ENGINE SYSTEMS AND COMPONENTS - Methods for harnessing a heat source to produce energy are provided. One method comprises transferring heat from the heat source to a working fluid using at least one heat pipe; and performing work via the heated working fluid. Another method comprises operating a thermodynamic cycle to convert heat into work, comprising displacing a working fluid within a closed loop, said closed loop being defined by a first pathway within a working chamber, and a return pathway external to the return chamber; wherein displacement of the working fluid along the first pathway causes sympathetic displaced of a movable member held captive in the working chamber, and displacement of the working fluid along the external pathway is under influence of capillary forces; and transferring heat to the working fluid using at least one first heat pipe. Components and systems for implementing the methods are also provided. | 09-02-2010 |
| 20100229546 | Heat Engine - A heat engine has four oscillating pistons which lie at a right angle to one another are located in four cylinders. The pistons and the cylinders are of wedge-shaped configuration and have the shape of a cone section. The pistons rest with their lower tip on a piston bearing. The four cylinders are connected to one another by means of channels; compression chamber to displacement chamber and displacement chamber to compression chamber. The crank rotates in this method of operation counter to the gas flow. The engine is applied in the stationary area, preferably in order to generate electricity and heat decentrally in the context of power/heat cogeneration with the use of renewable resources. It is to be possible, inter alia, to also use the heat engine for the low and medium temperature range and to make few demands of the quality of the fuels. | 09-16-2010 |
| 20100257857 | STIRLING ENGINE - A Stirling engine includes a plurality of α-type Stirling cycle mechanisms, each of which includes a first piston and a second piston and pressurizes a crankcase space. The mechanisms are coupled to each other via a common rotary shaft so that each of the mechanisms generates a torque variation waveform in which the number of periods per rotation is two. | 10-14-2010 |
| 20100269499 | STIRLING ENGINE SYSTEM AND OPERATING METHOD - A Stirling engine system comprising a Stirling engine, a burner adjacent to the engine, and a supply of combustible fuel to the burner to produce a hot combusted fuel stream to heat the engine. The system further comprises means to provide relative movement between the burner and engine to increase the proportion of combusted fuel which bypasses the engine as the required heat output increases. | 10-28-2010 |
| 20100313558 | METHOD OF EXTERNALLY MODIFYING A CARNOT ENGINE CYCLE - A method of externally modifying a Carnot engine cycle. A first step involves providing a heat exchange path between an external environment and a fluid circulating in a carnot engine. A second step involving permitting the carnot engine to draw from an endless supply of heat or cold in the external environment to regenerate the Carnot engine cycle as entropic losses are encountered and as differential heat energy is converted into power. | 12-16-2010 |
| 20110000206 | PROGRESSIVE THERMODYNAMIC SYSTEM - The invention refers to a thermo dynamic system able to capture heat from the surrounding environment and transform it in mechanical energy which is to be used partially for self functioning while the rest is saved for a consumer. The system can work with any heat source, but is also designed for very small temperature differences between the warm and the cold source, which makes it fit for working with non-conventional energy, especially solar energy. The system can be used to provide heat, mechanical energy or electrical energy to both small and large consumers. The system progressively increases this pressure using compressors with liquid, with refrigerant, isochoric-isobar compressors, compressors with atomizer, with constant volume, etc absorbing the heat from the environment it is placed in using receivers, bellow receivers, magnetized piston receivers, inline engine receivers, etc, and later transforming it in mechanical energy or even directly into electrical energy, through a pneumatic engine, a double gamma Stirling engine or through a special type of caged turbine capable of working with small enthalpy falls due to the large surface of the pallets. The pressure increase in the system can be also used to power a reversed cycle thermodynamic system, giving the possibility to obtain lower temperatures than the cold source's temperature or higher than the warm source's temperature. The pressure increase in the system's compressor is mainly obtained also through a thermal transfer in a compressor with constant volume. FIG. | 01-06-2011 |
| 20110011078 | STIRLING CYCLE MACHINE - A Stirling cycle machine. The machine includes at least one rocking drive mechanism which includes: a rocking beam having a rocker pivot, at least one cylinder and at least one piston. The piston is housed within a respective cylinder and is capable of substantially linearly reciprocating within the respective cylinder. Also, the drive mechanism includes at least one coupling assembly having a proximal end and a distal end. The linear motion of the piston is converted to rotary motion of the rocking beam. Also, a crankcase housing the rocking beam and housing a first portion of the coupling assembly is included. The machine also includes a working space housing the at least one cylinder, the at least one piston and a second portion of the coupling assembly. An airlock is included between the workspace and the crankcase and a seal is included for sealing the workspace from the airlock and crankcase. A burner and burner control system is also included for heating the machine and controlling ignition and combustion in the burner. | 01-20-2011 |
| 20110056196 | BEARING SUPPORT SYSTEM FOR FREE-PISTON STIRLING MACHINES - A bearing support system for a piston and its connecting rod in which the bearing system supports the combined piston and connecting rod by only two bearings, a gas bearing at the power piston (or displacer) and a radially acting spring bearing at its connecting rod. The spacing between them meets prescribed relationships and preferably exceeds a calculated value based upon chosen engineering parameters. A non-compliant connecting rod is fixed to an end of a piston which has a clearance seal length in the range of 0.3 times the diameter of the piston and 1.5 times the diameter of the piston. The distance from the gas bearing to the effective point of connection of the radially acting spring bearing to the connecting rod is greater than the seal length of the piston. The allowable off-center distance A for the radial displacement of the fixed connection of the radially acting spring bearing to the connecting rod is considerably greater than the diametrical clearance gap g which illustrates the reduction in the required precision for adjusting the position of the radially acting spring bearing. The piston and connecting rod unit is not supported by additional bearings that introduce additional alignment problems. | 03-10-2011 |
| 20110146264 | Catalytic burner apparatus for stirling engine - The invention provides an apparatus for generating heat and transferring the heat to a heater head of an external combustion engine, preferably, a Stirling engine. Fuel and air are introduced into a combustion chamber and mixed to form an air/fuel mixture. The air/fuel mixture is combusted over a combustion catalyst positioned in physical contact with a heat spreader, which itself is positioned in physical contact with a heat acceptor surface. The heat acceptor surface is secured in thermal communication with the heater head. Depending upon the design of the heater head, heat flux from the heat acceptor surface into the heater head may occur radially or non-radially. | 06-23-2011 |
| 20110167814 | POWER PLANT USING COMPRESSED OR LIQUEFIED AIR FOR ENERGY STORAGE - Apparatus ( | 07-14-2011 |
| 20110225966 | HEAT PUMP - Disclosed is a heat pump which follows an intermediate form between an ideal Carnot cycle and a Stirling cycle and which, as the same time, has high thermal efficiency as heat is transferred from low temperature to high temperature due to a heat cycle caused by the compression and expansion of a gas by means of an external motive force. The heat pump can comprises: a cylinder which accommodates a working gas on the inside; a heat discharge part which is located at the front end part of the cylinder, and which discharges, to the outside, heat created in the working gas during the compression of the working gas; a heat absorption part which is located at the lower end part of the cylinder, and which is formed in such a way that the working gas absorbs heat from the outside when the working gas expands; a piston which is housed inside the cylinder in such a way as to describe a linear reciprocating motion, and which is formed with an opening in such a way that the working gas makes direct contact with either the heat discharge part or the heat absorption part, and which includes the compression and the expansion of the working gas; and drives part which supplies a motive force to the piston in such a way that the piston moves with a linear reciprocating motion relative to the cylinder. | 09-22-2011 |
| 20110232276 | STIRLING ENGINE AND CONTROL METHOD THEREOF - A Stirling engine includes a high-temperature side cylinder and an expansion piston that is subjected to gas lubrication, or more specifically static pressure gas lubrication, relative to the high-temperature side cylinder and has a layer on an outer peripheral surface thereof, the layer being formed from a flexible material having a higher linear expansion coefficient than a base material of the expansion piston, wherein a booster pump and a ECU are provided as a contact avoiding device to prevent the expansion piston from contacting the high-temperature side cylinder when an engine operation is stopped until a temperature of the expansion piston can be suppressed below a predetermined value. | 09-29-2011 |
| 20110239640 | HEAT EXCHANGER STRUCTURE AND ISOTHERMAL COMPRESSION OR EXPANSION CHAMBER - A thermodynamic machine includes at least one chamber in which an isothermal expansion and/or compression is to be carried out, said chamber being longitudinally defined by first and second walls that are mobile relative to each other. The chamber is divided by partitions extending longitudinally from each of the first and second walls, the partitions being interleaved within each other, and the distance between the partitions extending from a same wall being such that the ratio between the distance squared and the cycle duration of the thermodynamic machine is lower than the average thermal diffusivity of the gas contained in the chamber. | 10-06-2011 |
| 20110259000 | THERMOACOUSTIC ENGINE - A thermoacoustic engine includes first and second stacks disposed in parallel in a looped tube and a heat storage unit disposed in the looped tube. A circuit length between a center of the first stack and a center of the heat storage unit is equal to a circuit length between a center of the second stack and the center of the heat storage unit. A first acoustic circuit including the first stack and the heat storage unit has a circuit length which is equal to a circuit length of a second acoustic circuit including the second stack and the heat storage unit. | 10-27-2011 |
| 20110259001 | FORMING LIQUID SPRAYS IN COMPRESSED-GAS ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS FOR EFFECTIVE HEAT EXCHANGE - In various embodiments, efficiency of energy storage and recovery systems compressing and expanding gas is improved via heat exchange between the gas and a heat-transfer fluid. | 10-27-2011 |
| 20110314803 | FORMING LIQUID SPRAYS IN COMPRESSED-GAS ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS FOR EFFECTIVE HEAT EXCHANGE - In various embodiments, efficiency of energy storage and recovery systems compressing and expanding gas is improved via heat exchange between the gas and a heat-transfer fluid. | 12-29-2011 |
| 20110314804 | COMPRESSED AIR ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEM UTILIZING TWO-PHASE FLOW TO FACILITATE HEAT EXCHANGE - A compressed-air energy storage system according to embodiments of the present invention comprises a reversible mechanism to compress and expand air, one or more compressed air storage tanks, a control system, one or more heat exchangers, and, in certain embodiments of the invention, a motor-generator. The reversible air compressor-expander uses mechanical power to compress air (when it is acting as a compressor) and converts the energy stored in compressed air to mechanical power (when it is acting as an expander). In certain embodiments, the compressor-expander comprises one or more stages, each stage consisting of pressure vessel (the “pressure cell”) partially filled with water or other liquid. In some embodiments, the pressure vessel communicates with one or more cylinder devices to exchange air and liquid with the cylinder chamber(s) thereof. Suitable valving allows air to enter and leave the pressure cell and cylinder device, if present, under electronic control. | 12-29-2011 |
| 20120000194 | STIRLING ENGINE POWER GENERATION SYSTEM - A Stirling engine power generation system comprises a first gas fired Stirling engine driving a scroll compressor to provide heat to a second Stirling engine powered generator. The second Stirling engine is partially submersed in a heat transfer medium that is heated by heat transfer fluid compressed by the Stirling scroll compressor and excess heat from gas firing. The invention further comprises a cam drive system with spherical cam followers, and multiple electrical generators. | 01-05-2012 |
| 20120031091 | HIGH EFFICIENCY ENERGY CONVERSION - A high efficiency energy conversion system disclosed herein incorporates a piston assembly including a sealed cylinder for storing a working fluid and an energy conversion element attached to the piston assembly. A kinematic mechanism such as a cam lobe or a scotch yoke may be used as the energy conversion element. In one implementation, the kinematic mechanism may be configured to provide rapid piston expansion in a manner so as not to allow the expanding working fluid inside the piston to achieve thermodynamic equilibrium. In an alternate implementation, the kinematic mechanism is further adapted to generate a compression stroke in a manner to provide the working fluid inside the piston to achieve thermodynamic equilibrium conditions throughout the compression stroke. | 02-09-2012 |
| 20120067040 | Maximized Thermal Efficiency Engines - This disclosure provides a method for efficiently converting heat energy to readily usable energy with maximized thermal efficiency. Maximized thermal efficiency is obtained by the use of heat regeneration and working gas processing steps that optimize the heat regeneration, so that any heat that is supplied to the working gas from the external heat sourse is supplied at the maximum temperature, and any heat that is rejected from the working gas to an external heat sinks is rejected at the minimum temperature, given the constraints of the the heat source and heat sink temperatures. Two basic designs of engines are proposed. One of the basic designs uses pairs of heat regenerators, and would be suitable for stationary power generation applications. The other basic design uses single heat regenerators and would be suited for motive power applications. Both piston cylinder and turbocompressor driven engine applications can be used in each of the two basic designs of engines. | 03-22-2012 |
| 20120067041 | Heat Engine - A heat engine comprises a first displacing piston and a second displacing piston, wherein a surface of the first displacing piston and a surface of the second displacing piston that face each other limit a working space that is filled with a working gas. The two heat exchanger arrangements are arranged in the working space between the first displacing piston and the second displacing piston, each heat exchanger arrangement comprising a heat source and a heat sink. The working gas flows through or circulates around each of the two heat exchanger arrangements. The first displacing piston, and the second displacing piston, and/or the heat exchanger arrangements are rotatably mounted with respect to an axis. Measures are provided for counteracting against a circular motion of the working gas around the axis relative to the heat exchanger arrangements. | 03-22-2012 |
| 20120110993 | METHOD AND APPARATUS TO STORE ENERGY - A method to store energy, the method comprising: (b) providing a phase change material, having a melting point of at least 500° C., in a container; (c) heating the phase change material to cause at least a portion thereof to melt and so store heat therein; (d) storing the phase change material for a period of time being at least one minute; (e) using at least a portion of heat from the phase change material as a power source; (e) moving the container and the phase change material from a first location to a second location, the first and second locations being spaced apart by at least 10 metres. Embodiments of the invention may be used for a variety of purposes, such as for vehicle propulsion, oil well stimulation and recovery of crude oil from sunken tankers. A vehicle may be moved to a location proximate to where the power source is required which is more convenient and indeed allows steam to be supplied in areas which where hitherto not possible. For certain embodiments the power source produced is used to propel a vehicle comprising the power source. Certain embodiments use a Stirling engine whilst others generate a steam source. In preferred embodiments steam is recovered after use as the power source and preferably reheated as per step (e). | 05-10-2012 |
| 20120240570 | HEAT EXCHANGER AND ASSOCIATED METHOD EMPLOYING A STIRLING ENGINE - A heat exchanger and associated method are provided that may eliminate or reduce the need for an external mechanical or electrical power source to drive the fan by utilization, instead, of a Stirling engine. A heat exchanger includes a plurality of coils configured to carry a primary fluid. The heat exchanger also includes a fan including a plurality of fan blades configured to force a secondary fluid across the plurality of coils to facilitate heat transfer between the primary and secondary fluids. The heat exchanger also includes a Stirling engine operably connected to the fan and configured to cause rotation of the fan blades. A corresponding method is also provided. | 09-27-2012 |
| 20120255295 | LINEAR ROLLER BEARING ASSEMBLY AND SUB-ASSEMBLY AND RECIPROCATING MACHINERY INCORPORATING THE SAME - A roller bearing sub-assembly can include a first mounting portion, a second mounting portion spaced apart from the first mounting portion, a first roller disposed between the first and second mounting portions and straps wrapped partially around different portions of the first roller. The first mounting portion, second mounting portion, first roller and straps are configured such that the first and second mounting portions are moveable relative to each other along a selected direction for a distance that is approximately equal to a circumference of the first roller in opposite directions from a mid-stroke position. Linear roller bearing assemblies and methods of forming linear roller bearing assemblies are also disclosed, as are multi-cylinder Stirling engines and a thermal energy recovery system. | 10-11-2012 |
| 20120279213 | COOLING TOWER APPARATUS AND METHOD WITH WASTE HEAT UTILIZATION - A cooling tower system is provided that can exhibit increased energy efficiency that cools a process fluid or the like. The cooling tower system includes a cooling tower unit and a thermoelectric device along with a working fluid loop. The process fluid may be used to heat a working fluid for the thermoelectric device before being sent to the cooling tower for cooling. Power generated by the thermoelectric device may be utilized to operate a component of the cooling tower such as a fan or a pump. The cooling tower is also utilized to provide cooling to condense the working fluid from a vapor to a liquid form wherein the cooling tower is used to remove waste heat from a process fluid. | 11-08-2012 |
| 20130008159 | LIQUID PUMP OF SCREW EXPANDER - A liquid pump of a screw expander is disclosed, applicable to an Organic Rankin Cycle (ORC). The liquid pump of a screw expander includes a semi-sealed or fully sealed shell. An expander unit and a liquid pump unit are disposed in the shell. The expander unit includes a screw rotor, and the liquid pump unit includes a screw rotor. The rotor of the expander unit is fixedly connected to the rotor of the liquid pump unit. The rotor of the liquid pump unit rotates under driving of the rotor of the expander unit. In the liquid pump of a screw expander applied to the ORC, since a resistance torque of the female rotor is small, the liquid pump does not wear even when the liquid viscosity is low, contributing to high reliability of the liquid pump. Meanwhile, the liquid pump is driven by the screw expander, thereby further improving power generation efficiency of the ORC. In addition, the semi-sealed or fully sealed shell can effectively prevent leakage of a refrigerant | 01-10-2013 |
| 20130036732 | ROTARY TYPE STIRLING ENGINE FOR GREEN GROWTH - The present invention relates to a Stirling engine in which power is generated using a variation in pressure generated by continuously performing periodical heating and cooling operations when a heat transfer medium is stored in a sealed inner space. The Stirling engine generates power for rotating an output shaft ( | 02-14-2013 |
| 20130067906 | HEAT EXCHANGING CYLINDER HEAD - This engine ( | 03-21-2013 |
| 20130074489 | STIRLING ENGINE AND ENGINE SYSTEM COMPRISING STIRLING ENGINE - A Stirling engine includes a base member that connects a housing portion with a heater that heats a working fluid using exhaust heat of a main engine, and a support member that supports the Stirling engine at the base member is provided. | 03-28-2013 |
| 20130074490 | STIRLING CYCLE ENGINE - Provided is a Stirling cycle engine capable of being downsized without decreasing an assembling efficiency. A flange section as a fitting section is formed on one end of an inner core. A retainer plate as a retaining member for the flange section, holds and fixes the same with the aid of a second side surface of a mount integrally formed on a proximal end section of a cylinder, thus substantially coaxially arranging the cylinder and inner core. Accordingly, regardless of a thermal expansion difference between the cylinder and inner core, generation of impurity gas can be prevented; deformations of the cylinder and the inner core; and tremble of the inner core. Further, a conventional proximal end portion of the cylinder is not needed for fixing the inner core, thus reducing an outer diameter of a driving mechanism, eventually, an outer diameter of a casing. | 03-28-2013 |
| 20130091839 | POWER RECOVERY SYSTEM - The power recovery system includes: a Stirling engine; and a vaporization device that stores a liquid therein in such a manner that the liquid is kept in contact with an upper portion of a cylinder and vaporizes the liquid by supplying the cold heat of the liquid to the upper portion of the cylinder. The vaporization device includes a liquid container which stores the liquid therein in such a manner that the liquid is kept in contact with the upper portion of the cylinder, and an outer container embracing the liquid container and defining a space portion around the liquid container. The space portion communicates with the liquid container and an exhaust vent. Gas vaporized in the liquid container passes between the liquid container and an outer wall surface of a heat insulating material during passage thereof from the liquid container to the exhaust vent through the space portion. | 04-18-2013 |
| 20130167525 | Apparatus and method to extract more energy efficiently in a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle - An apparatus and a method to extract more energy from liquid hydrogen than the currently used method in hydrogen fuel cells, to harness the energy efficiently, to cool down hot parts of a vehicle while using that heat to power the vehicle and to extract energy from the ambient air to power the vehicle. The apparatus uses simple thermodynamic rules to take advantage of the waste heat generated in the vehicle. The apparatus (Systematic Application of Liquid Ingredients to Harness energy, SALIH for short) will theoretically double the efficiency of a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle, allowing it to travel the same distance of the current average family sedan. | 07-04-2013 |
| 20130192220 | ENERGY EFFICIENT OFFSHORE WIND TURBINES - An in-built energy conservation device has been described for offshore turbines. The energy conservation device includes a heat engine and a generator. The heat engine extracts a portion of heat energy from a coolant flowing the through the wind turbine. The heat engine further converts the heat energy into the mechanical energy. The generator converts the mechanical energy into the electrical energy. The electrical energy is further used for the operation of at least one of a heat exchanger unit and an air treatment plant present in the offshore wind turbine. The energy conservation device further includes an inlet. The inlet allows the passage of treated air through the energy conservation device for thermal conditioning of the treated air. The thermal conditioning makes up for the thermal losses of the treated air while passing though a plurality of flow lines within a wind turbine tower. | 08-01-2013 |
| 20130239563 | MONO-ENERGY AND/OR DUAL-ENERGY ENGINE WITH COMPRESSED AIR AND/OR ADDITIONAL ENERGY, COMPRISING AN ACTIVE CHAMBER INCLUDED IN THE CYLINDER - An engine with an active chamber, having at least one piston ( | 09-19-2013 |
| 20130298547 | THERMOACOUSTIC ENGINE - A thermoacoustic engine includes a first looped pipe provided with a motor configured to convert thermal energy into acoustic energy, a second looped pipe provided with a receiver configured to convert the acoustic energy converted by the motor into thermal energy, and a connecting straight pipe interconnecting the first and second looped. A loop length between one end and an opposite end of the second looped pipe is set to L, the one end and the opposite end being connected with the connecting straight pipe such that acoustic energy is transmitted from the one end to the opposite end. The receiver is disposed within the second looped pipe in a region separated from the one end toward the opposite end by L×(0.6-1). | 11-14-2013 |
| 20130305703 | Integrated Heat and Stirling Engine - A power unit for power generation or transportation. The power unit comprises a barrel cam defining first and second planes and a substantially cylindrical body between the first and second planes. Combustion pistons coupled to the barrel cam and longitudinally disposed relative to the barrel cam so that the combustion pistons longitudinally traverse through the first plane during actuation. First Stirling pistons coupled to the barrel cam and longitudinally disposed relative to the barrel cam so that the first Stirling pistons longitudinally traverse through the first plane during actuation. Second Stirling pistons coupled to the barrel cam and longitudinally disposed relative to the barrel cam so that the second Stirling pistons longitudinally traverse through the second plane during actuation, where at least one of the pistons is coupled to the barrel cam so that the barrel cam rotates during actuation of the pistons. | 11-21-2013 |
| 20130327033 | FORMING LIQUID SPRAYS IN COMPRESSED-GAS ENERGY STORAGE SYSTEMS FOR EFFECTIVE HEAT EXCHANGE - In various embodiments, efficiency of energy storage and recovery systems compressing and expanding gas is improved via heat exchange between the gas and a heat-transfer fluid. | 12-12-2013 |
| 20140026553 | Stirling Engine with Regenerator Internal to the Displacer Piston and Integral Geometry for Heat Transfer and Fluid Flow - A Stirling engine with internal regenerator and integral geometry for heat transfer and fluid flow has a displacer piston with a plurality of cavities that traverse through the displacer piston and are arranged in a specific cross sectional geometry. A heater head has heater fin protrusions that are also arranged in the specific cross sectional geometry, and a cooling bridge has cooler fin protrusions that are also arranged in the specific cross sectional geometry. The displacer piston alternates between the heater head and the cooling bridge, with the cavities of the piston alternately enveloping the heater protrusions and the cooling protrusions, providing more efficient heat transfer to and from the working fluid. Each cavity in the displacer also contains a regenerator core, further improving heat transfer efficiency. | 01-30-2014 |
| 20140182282 | Stirling Cycle Machine - A piston rod seal unit. The piston rod seal unit includes a housing, a cylinder gland, and at least one floating rod seal assembly mounted in the cylinder gland, the floating rod seal assembly comprising at least one rod seal mounted onto the floating rod seal assembly. | 07-03-2014 |
| 20140202147 | Heat Engine with High Efficiency Attributable to Temperature Responsive Equilibrium Reactions and Method for Optimization - Heat engines perform a thermodynamic cycle, making use of working fluid which increases pressure and/or volume in response to temperature, resulting in the transformation of heat into useful work. The present invention makes use of a particular type of working fluid that undergoes one or more reversible chemical reactions in response to an increase in temperature, to increase the molar quantity of fluid, producing more useful work and higher thermal efficiency than similar, conventional engines. One embodiment takes the form of a Stirling engine, with a regenerative heat exchange process which recovers most of the energy required to cause the chemical dissociation, ensuring efficiency gain. A method for selecting the working fluid, useful temperature ranges for the engine, and other operating parameters is also claimed. Other types of embodiments may take the form of turbine engines, with one embodiment being a turbine engine that approximates an Ericsson cycle. | 07-24-2014 |
| 20140230428 | STIRLING ENGINE - A stirling engine | 08-21-2014 |
| 20140238012 | Stirling Engine - A double acting, miller cycle, reciprocating piston with dual rotary displacer, stirling engine is provided. Configurable as a heat pump, a heat engine, or as a combination with one side driving the other, the engine is completely enclosed, sealed and pressurized with the piston ring as the only internal seal. A miller cycle is created by allowing transfer of the working fluid (typically hydrogen gas) past the piston to balance working fluid pressure only at the extremes of the piston stroke. Two coordinated rotating displacers service opposite sides of one piston. Each displacer manages heat flow, according to its length and shape, through one side of the length of its encasing tube into and out of the working fluid through the other side of the length of its encasing tube. The dead space between the piston and the displacer holds regenerator material. | 08-28-2014 |
| 20140325977 | BURNING STOVE COMBINED WITH A STIRLING ENGINE FOR PRODUCING ELECTRICITY OR TO BE COUPLED TO A HEAT PUMP - Burning stove ( | 11-06-2014 |
| 20140352294 | COLD WIND GENERATION FROM SLAG HEAT - The present invention describes a method for generating cold-air blast from slag heat, wherein the method comprises the following steps: a. providing hot, granulated slag, b. providing wet blast furnace gas, c. preheating the wet blast furnace gas, whereby preheated blast furnace gas is obtained, d. transferring heat from the hot, granulated slag to the preheated blast furnace gas, wherein hot blast furnace gas is obtained, e. expanding the hot blast furnace gas in a turbine, wherein energy is released and expanded blast furnace gas is obtained, f. using the released energy to drive a cold-air blast compressor for compressing the cold-air blast, wherein a shaft is driven by expansion of the hot blast furnace gas in a turbine, wherein said shaft drives the cold-air blast compressor and wherein the expanded blast furnace gas is used for preheating the wet blast furnace gas, whereby cold, expanded blast furnace gas is obtained. | 12-04-2014 |
| 20150143806 | Quintuple-Effect Generation Multi-Cycle Hybrid Renewable Energy System with Integrated Energy Provisioning, Storage Facilities and Amalgamated Control System Cross-Reference to Related Applications - Provided is a consumer to industrial scale renewable energy based quintuple-generation systems and energy storage facility. The present invention has both mobile and stationary embodiments. The present invention includes energy recovery, energy production, energy processing, pyrolysis, byproduct process utilization systems, separation process systems and handling and storage systems, as well as an open architecture for integration and development of additional processes, systems and applications. The system of the present invention primarily uses adaptive metrics, biometrics and thermal imaging sensory analysis (including additional input sensors for analysis) for monitoring and control with the utilization of an integrated artificial intelligence and automation control system, thus providing a balanced, environmentally-friendly ecosystem. | 05-28-2015 |
| 20150377179 | Low Grade Thermal Energy Innovative Use - The invention shows making useful work by using low grade thermal energy or even ambient thermal energy, via a thermodynamic cycle. The thermodynamic cycle uses heat addition at constant volume as a main building block, avoiding use of a pump and saving pumping power. The inventive thermodynamic may operate in a batched thermodynamic activity approach. In addition, a recuperation heat exchanger ( | 12-31-2015 |
| 20160003108 | HEAT ENGINE SYSTEMS WITH HIGH NET POWER SUPERCRITICAL CARBON DIOXIDE CIRCUITS - Provided herein are heat engine systems and methods for transforming energy, such as generating mechanical energy and/or electrical energy from thermal energy. The heat engine systems may have one of several different configurations of a working fluid circuit. One configuration of the heat engine system contains at least four heat exchangers and at least three recuperators sequentially disposed on a high pressure side of the working fluid circuit between a system pump and an expander. Another configuration of the heat engine system contains a low-temperature heat exchanger and a recuperator disposed upstream of a split flowpath and downstream of a recombined flowpath in the high pressure side of the working fluid circuit. | 01-07-2016 |
| 20160040623 | PISTON MACHINE AND METHOD FOR THE OPERATION THEREOF - A piston machine ( | 02-11-2016 |
| 20160084114 | THERMO-ELEVATION PLANT AND METHOD - In some aspects, a thermal elevation system includes a base plant including an evaporator to vaporize a working fluid. A lift conduit is coupled to the base plant and includes multiple lift stages to lift the working fluid in the vapor state. An elevated plant is coupled to the lift conduit and condenses the working fluid at the elevated plant. A power generation conduit is coupled to the elevated plant and flows the working fluid through multiple power generator stages that each generate electrical power. The working fluid may return to the base plant for recirculation. | 03-24-2016 |
| 20160102631 | A THERMODYNAMIC MACHINE - A thermodynamic machine, comprising: a rotor, configured to rotate about a rotor axis, a working fluid circulation path and a coolant fluid path formed within the rotor, the coolant fluid path fluidically isolated from the working fluid circulation path, the working fluid circulation path spanning radially from the rotor axis to close to the periphery of the rotor; a working fluid circulation drive configured to drive the circulation of a working fluid about the working fluid circulation path; at least one working fluid cooler heat exchanger formed as part of the working fluid circulation path and the coolant fluid path, in use coolant fluid passing through the working fluid cooler heat exchanger to transfer heat from the working fluid to the coolant fluid, and; a working fluid heater in the working fluid circulation path configured to heat a working fluid circulating around the working fluid circulation path. | 04-14-2016 |
| 20160160795 | STIRLING ENGINE AND METHODS OF OPERATION AND USE - A double acting, miller cycle, reciprocating piston with dual rotary displacer, stirling engine is provided. Configurable as a heat pump, a heat engine, or as a combination with one side driving the other, the engine is completely closed, sealed and pressurized with the piston ring as the only internal seal. A miller cycle is created by allowing transfer of the working fluid (typically hydrogen gas) past the piston to balance working fluid pressure only at the extremes of the piston stroke. Two coordinated rotating displacers service opposite sides of one piston. Each displacer manages heat flow, according it its length and shape, through one side of the length of its encasing tube into and out of the working fluid through the other side of the length of its encasing tube. The dead space between the piston and the displacer holds regenerator material. | 06-09-2016 |
| 20160186567 | COMPRESSED GAS ENGINE - An engine has two pressure vessels arranged as a diametrically opposed pair. Each pressure vessel has an operating pressure sufficient to hold gas at a pre-defined pressure. At least one gas compressor is in communication with each pressure vessel, and the gas compressor is capable of compressing a gas in each pressure vessel to the pre-defined pressure. A pressure relief mechanism is in communication with each pressure vessel. The pressure relief mechanism is capable of returning the gas in each vessel to atmospheric pressure. | 06-30-2016 |
