Method and apparatus for converting thermal energy to mechanical energy
First Claim
1. A method for converting thermal energy to mechanical energy, comprising the steps of:
- providing a unit mass of working fluid;
isentropically compressing the unit mass of working fluid to a higher temperature and a higher pressure;
adding thermal energy to the unit mass while isothermally expanding the unit mass to a first subsequent volume;
moving at least one driving member by isentropically expanding the unit mass to a second subsequent volume; and
exhausting at least a portion of the unit mass of working fluid.
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for converting thermal energy to mechanical energy which can use a wide range of fuels and perform with a high efficiency. Operating on a little utilized thermodynamic cycle of isentropic compression, isothermal expansion, isentropic expansion and finally constant pressure cooling and contraction. The external heat engine utilizes a heat exchanger carrying heat from the external energy source to the working parts of the engine. Pistons and cylinders are activated by appropriate means to adiabatically compress the working fluid, for example ambient air, to transfer the entire mass of the air through the heat exchanger to accomplish isothermal expansion followed by adiabatic expansion and, finally, exhaust the air to ambient to allow for constant pressure cooling and contraction. Valve pistons in conjunction with the cylinders form valves that allow for the exchange of working fluid with ambient. Energy is added to the engine during isothermal expansion, whereby the energy of compression is added by a flywheel or other appropriate energy storage means, said flywheel stores energy recovered during adiabatic expansion. The thermodynamic cycle described and the engine embodiments disclosed, when run in reverse, perform as a heat pump or refrigeration device.
120 Citations
91 Claims
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1. A method for converting thermal energy to mechanical energy, comprising the steps of:
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providing a unit mass of working fluid;
isentropically compressing the unit mass of working fluid to a higher temperature and a higher pressure;
adding thermal energy to the unit mass while isothermally expanding the unit mass to a first subsequent volume;
moving at least one driving member by isentropically expanding the unit mass to a second subsequent volume; and
exhausting at least a portion of the unit mass of working fluid. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for converting thermal energy to mechanical energy, comprising the steps of:
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providing a unit mass of working fluid at an ambient temperature and an ambient pressure;
isentropically compressing the unit mass of working fluid to a higher temperature and a higher pressure;
heating the unit mass by moving the unit mass past a heat exchanger while isothermally expanding the unit mass to a first subsequent volume;
isentropically expanding the unit mass to a second subsequent volume, thereby moving a first driving member and a second driving member; and
exhausting at least a portion the unit mass of working fluid. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. An apparatus for converting thermal energy to mechanical energy, comprising:
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means for providing a unit mass of working fluid;
means for isentropically compressing said unit mass of working fluid to a higher temperature and a higher pressure;
means for heating said unit mass while isothermally expanding the unit mass to a first subsequent volume;
means for isentropically expanding said unit mass to a second subsequent volume; and
means for exhausting at least a portion of said unit mass of working fluid. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. An engine using a unit mass of working fluid to convert thermal energy into mechanical energy, comprising:
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a compression chamber into which said unit mass of working fluid may be drawn, said compression chamber defined in part by a compression cylinder;
a compression piston slidable for reciprocating motion within said compression cylinder to draw said unit mass into said compression chamber and to isentropically compress said unit mass to a higher temperature and a higher pressure;
a transfer chamber into which at least a portion of said unit mass may be pushed, said transfer chamber defined at least in part by a transfer cylinder;
a transfer piston slidable for reciprocating motion within said transfer cylinder; and
a heat exchanger disposed operatively between said compression chamber and said transfer chamber, wherein said heat exchanger imparts thermal energy to said working fluid while at least a portion of said unit mass is moving past said heat exchanger under the urging of said compression piston, whereby at least a portion of said unit mass isothermally expands to a first subsequent volume;
wherein said transfer piston and said compression piston are responsive to isentropic expansion of said unit mass to a second subsequent volume within said transfer chamber. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68)
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69. A method for converting thermal energy to mechanical energy, comprising the steps of:
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providing a unit mass of working fluid;
isentropically compressing the unit mass of working fluid to a higher temperature and a higher pressure;
isothermally expanding the unit mass to a first subsequent volume while adding thermal energy to the unit mass, thereby moving at least one driving member;
isentropically expanding the unit mass to a second subsequent volume, thereby moving at least one driving member; and
exhausting at least a portion of the unit mass of working fluid. - View Dependent Claims (70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91)
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Specification