HYBRID POWER SYSTEM

• US 20170030339A1
• Filed: 07/28/2015
• Published: 02/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Inventors: Proudfoot, Lewis S.
• Granted Patent: US 9,841,009 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 3/188 using heat from a specified chemical reaction
• CPC Class Codes: F02G 1/043 the engine being operated by expansion and contraction of a mass of working gas which is heated and cooled in one of a plurality of constantly communicating expansible chambers, e.g. Stirling cycle type engines
• CPC Class Codes: F02G 2243/00 Stirling type engines having closed regenerative thermodynamic cycles with flow controlled by volume changes
• CPC Class Codes: F02G 2243/50 having resonance tubes
• CPC Class Codes: F02G 2243/54 thermo-acoustic
• CPC Class Codes: F03G 6/068 having other power cycles, e.g. Stirling or transcritical, supercritical cycles; combined with other power sources, e.g. wind, gas or nuclear
• CPC Class Codes: F03G 7/00 Mechanical-power-producing mechanisms, not otherwise provided for or using energy sources not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2309/1404 Pulse-tube cycles with loudspeaker driven acoustic driver
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2309/1428 Control of a Stirling refrigeration machine
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 9/14 characterised by the cycle used, e.g. Stirling cycle
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/40 Solar thermal energy, e.g. solar towers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/46 Conversion of thermal power into mechanical power, e.g. Rankine, Stirling or solar thermal engines

Abstract

Heat from a safe high energy density fuel, such as aluminum, is used to generate electrical power. In some applications, the fuel may use seawater as an oxidizer. Additionally, the hybrid power system uses a highly efficient and silent thermoacoustic power converter (TAPC) to convert the thermal energy from the oxidation of aluminum to AC electrical energy. The AC electrical energy is converted to DC energy and stored in a battery. In situations demanding low power, the battery can provide power while the fuel combustion process is suspended.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

an aluminum combustor; and

a thermoacoustic power converter thermally connected to the aluminum combustor, the thermoacoustic power converter generating electrical power from thermal energy received from the aluminum combustor.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an AC to DC converter that converts AC power from the thermoacoustic power converter to DC power.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a load balancer to equalize AC power produced by first and second outputs of the thermoacoustic power converter.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, further comprising an AC to DC converter that converts AC power from the thermoacoustic power converter to DC power.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a distiller that provides water to the aluminum combustor.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a hydrogen capture system that receives hydrogen gas from the aluminum combustor.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a fuel cell that receives hydrogen gas from the aluminum combustor.

8. An apparatus, comprising:

a heat source;

a thermoacoustic power converter thermally connected to the heat source, the thermoacoustic power converter generating electrical power from thermal energy received from the heat source using dual alternators; and

an electrical energy storage device that stores electrical power obtained from the thermoacoustic power converter.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the electrical energy storage device is a battery.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising an electrical energy storage device monitor that monitors an amount of stored electrical energy and controls the thermal energy received by the thermoacoustic power converter based on the amount of stored electrical energy.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the heat source is a solar energy collector.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the heat source is a hydrocarbon combustor.

13. An apparatus, comprising:

an aluminum combustor;

a thermoacoustic power converter thermally connected to the aluminum combustor, the thermoacoustic power converter generating electrical power from thermal energy received from the aluminum combustor; and

a battery that stores electrical power obtained from the thermoacoustic power converter.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a load balancer to equalize AC power produced by first and second outputs of the thermoacoustic power converter.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a distiller that provides water to the aluminum combustor.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising an electrical energy storage device monitor that monitors an amount of stored electrical energy in the battery and controls the thermal energy received by the thermoacoustic power converter based on the amount of stored electrical energy.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a hydrogen capture system that receives hydrogen gas from the aluminum combustor.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a fuel cell that receives hydrogen gas from the aluminum combustor.

19. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the battery is a lithium-ion battery.

20. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the battery is a zinc-air battery.