DEVICE FOR CONVERTING CALORIFIC ENERGY INTO MECHANICAL ENERGY

• US 3,732,690 A
• Filed: 02/22/1971
• Issued: 05/15/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Roelf Jan Meijer
• Original Assignee: Roelf Jan Meijer
• Inventors: Meijer, Roelf Jan
• Primary Examiner(s): Scovronek, Joseph
• Application Number:
  US05/117,503
• Time in Patent Office: 813 Days
• Field of Search: 48/190 206/.7 60/39.46,39.02,39.06 123/1A,119E 148/152 252/462,473 23/210 55/16,158
• US Class Current: 60/39.465
• CPC Class Codes: F02G 1/05 by varying the rate of flow or quantity of the working gas
• CPC Class Codes: F02G 1/055 Heaters or coolers
• CPC Class Codes: F17C 11/005 for hydrogen
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/32 Hydrogen storage

Abstract

A device such as hot-gas engines, hot-gas turbine, and internal combustion engine for converting calorific energy into mechanical energy comprising at least one combustion chamber for hydrogen and at least one cooler incorporated in a system of ducts for cooling medium; the combustion chamber can be made to communicate with a hydrogen container containing an alloy of A and B, in which the ratio A:B can vary from 1:3 to 2:17 in powder form, where A is Ca or one or more of the elements of the rare earths, combined with Th and/or Zr and/or Hf, and where B is mainly Ni and/or Co. The hydrogen container and a part of the system of ducts are constructed for heat exchange between the alloy in the hydrogen container and the medium in the system of ducts.

Claims

2. For use with a hot gas engine including a combustion chamber and a cooler, and operable with a source of H2 and a source of heat transfer medium, a heating system comprising a container for H2 including inlet and outlet means, means for flowing said H2 from the container to the combustion chamber, the apparatus further comprising a radiator for heat exchange with ambient air, a closed duct system comprising means for flowing said medium to the cooler where it is heated and then to the radiator where it is partially cooled, and then to the container where it is further cooled thus heating said container and contents therein, said container having therein an alloy capable of absorbing large quantities of H2 gas at room temperature and at low pressures, said alloy consisting essentially of A and B where the ratio of A to B is about 1:

3 to 2;

17 in powder form, and A is at least one element selected from the group consisting of calcium and the rare earth elements, and B is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Ni and Co, whereby said alloy desorbs said H2 therein when heated by said medium, and H2 flows to said combustion chamber.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said closed duct system comprises a plurality of ducts interconnecting said cooler, said container, and said radiator in a closed system.

4. For use with a device for converting calorific energy into mechanical energy including a combustion chamber and a cooler, and operable with a source of H2 and a source of heat transfer medium, a heating system comprising a container for H2 including inlet and outlet means, means for flowing said H2 from the container to the combustion chamber, means for flowing said medium from the source thereof to said cooler where the medium is heated, means for flowing said heated medium to said container for heating same, means for flowing said medium from the container to said source thereof, the container having therein an alloy capable of absorbing large quantities of H2 gas at room temperature and at low pressures, said alloy consisting essentially of A and B where the ratio of A to B is about 1:

3 to 2;

17 in powder form, and A is at least one element selected from the group consisting of calcium and the rare earth elements, and B is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Ni and Co, whereby said alloy desorbs said H2 therein when heated by said medium, and H2 flows to said combustion chamber.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said alloy contains in addition at least one element selected from the group consisting of Th, Zr, and Hf.