Power plant and process utilizing gravitational force

• US 4,342,920 A
• Filed: 10/15/1980
• Issued: 08/03/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/1980
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Donald C. Bucknam
• Original Assignee: Donald C. Bucknam
• Inventors: Bucknam, Donald C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Truhe, J. V.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wade, Shelley
• Application Number:
  US06/197,314
• Time in Patent Office: 657 Days
• Field of Search: 290/1, 290/42, 290/53, 290/1 R, 60/495-497, 60/501-503, 60/507, 60/641.8, 60/641.13, 123/46 R, 123/46 E, 123/DIG. 12, 123/1 A, 310/12
• US Class Current: 290/1.00R
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 1/04 with fuel-air mixture admission into cylinder
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 63/041 Linear electric generators
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 71/04 Adaptations of such engines for special use; Combinations of such engines with apparatus driven thereby
• CPC Class Codes: F03G 6/06 with solar energy concentrating means
• CPC Class Codes: F03G 6/062 Parabolic point or dish concentrators
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1884 structurally associated with free piston engines
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/46 Conversion of thermal power into mechanical power, e.g. Rankine, Stirling or solar thermal engines

Abstract

A power plant and process for converting gas expanding and contracting energy sources into useful forms of energy and utilizing gravitational force, wherein a piston containing a magnet and able to free fall within an enclosed cylinder, having a non-magnetically-responsive center portion surrounded by an induction coil is repeatedly impelled upwards thereby inducing an alternating electric current in the coil. In the preferred embodiment, a mixture of fuel and air is ignited beneath the piston and compressed air is pumped into a reservoir in response to the piston'"'"'s upwards motion. The reservoir of compressed air is then used to assist in expelling contaminated gases to increase the pressure of the air and gas mixture, and to serve as an additional source of stored energy. Four alternate embodiments are disclosed: the first injects and ignites fuel at both ends of the cylinder and has no compressed air reservoir, the second directs the heat of concentrated solar energy onto a liquid in the bottom of the cylinder to provide an expanding gas beneath the piston, the third burns hydrogen to create heat which vaporizes water to provide pressure for lifting the piston, after which the water vapor condenses, thus tending to leave a vacuum for assisting the piston downwards, and the fourth burns hydrogen at both ends of the cylinder.

Claims

1. A process for converting gas expanding energy sources into useful other forms of energy, such as inducing an alternating current in a coil, comprising the steps of:

holding a piston means forming a magnetic field at a starting position near a lower end of a cylinder means, also having an upper end, with a load-connected electrical conductor coil means surrounding it intermediate said ends thereof;

lifting said piston means to an apex position near an upper end of said cylinder means thereby opening a spring-biased valve mounted in a first outlet port in said upper end in order to transfer the column of air above the piston means through a tube into a reservoir means;

permitting said piston means to initiate a repeating cycle by free falling within said cylinder means thereby allowing said spring-biased valve in the first outlet port to close, opening a spring-biased valve mounted in a first inlet port in said upper end in order to admit a charge of fresh air and opening a spring-biased mechanically operated exhaust valve mounted in a second outlet port in said lower end;

closing the valve in said second outlet port at the bottom of the cylinder when the piston means has fallen far enough to enable it to compress as much fresh air beneath it to allow it to reach said starting point;

injecting fuel into the air in the cylinder means beneath said piston means starting position prior to its reaching said starting position;

igniting the fuel and air mixture at approximately the instant when said piston means has reached said starting position thereby forcing said piston means towards the upper end, again opening said first outlet port for transferring the column of air above and ahead of said piston means into said reservoir;

opening a valve mounted in a second inlet port, intermediate the lower and upper ends of said cylinder means, and connected by pipe to a lower end of said reservoir means, as the piston means passes upwardly by, in order that compressed air in the reservoir will enter the cylinder means behind the piston between the piston means and the lower end of said cylinder means and expel the contaminated gases through the second outlet port; and

closing said second inlet port when the piston means has again reached a point near the upper end of the cylinder means and is in position to again free-fall for the next repetition of the cycle.

2. The process as defined in claim 1 wherein said steps of holding the piston means at a starting position and lifting it to an apex position are carried out by admitting compressed air.

3. A device for converting fuel energy into useful other forms of energy, such as inducing an alternating current in a coil, comprising:

means for holding a piston means forming a magnetic field at a starting position near a lower end of a cylinder means also having an upper end, with a load-connected electrical conductor coil means surrounding it intermediate the ends thereof;

means for lifting said piston means to an apex position near the upper end of said cylinder means;

means for permitting said piston means to initiate a repeating cycle by free falling within said cylinder means to said starting position;

means for injecting fuel into the air in said cylinder means beneath said piston means starting position and prior to said piston means reaching said starting position;

means for igniting the fuel and air mixture at approximately the instant when said piston means has reached said starting position thereby forcing the piston towards the upper cylinder end from where the cycle may again be repeated; and

means for sequentially timing the injecting and igniting of the fuel, the admitting air and fuel, and the exhausting of air and contaminated gases including;

a first outlet port in the upper end of the cylinder having a spring-biased valve mounted therein for transferring the column of air above the piston, as it ascends, through a tube connected to an upper end of a reservoir means;

a first inlet port in the upper end of the cylinder having a spring-biased valve mounted therein for admitting fresh air above the piston, as it falls;

a second outlet port in the lower end of the cylinder having a spring-biased mechanically operated valve mounted therein for permitting the piston to fall initially and expel contaminated gases without compressing air beneath it so that it may be closed at a predetermined time so as to permit the piston to reach its starting position and to begin to compress air beneath it;

a second valved inlet port, intermediate the lower and upper cylinder ends and connected by a tube to a lower end of the reservoir means for admitting compressed air from the reservoir means into the cylinder to expel contaminated gases through the second outlet port and provide a fresh charge of air after the piston passes upwardly by said second inlet port; and

electronic timing means for synchronizing the holding, lifting, and free fall permitting of the piston means;

the injecting and igniting of the fuel; and

the opening and closing of the valves.

4. The device as defined in claim 3 wherein the means for holding the piston means at a starting position, lifting it to an apex position, and permitting it to free fall is a controlled source of compressed air which may be same as reservoir 14.

5. The device as defined in claim 3 or 4 wherein the reservoir means 14 has a third outlet port intermediate the ends thereof with a valve mounted therein for tapping the surplus compressed air therein as an additional source of useful energy.

6. A process for converting gas expanding energy sources into useful other forms of energy, such as inducing an alternating current in a coil, comprising the steps of:

holding a piston means forming a magnetic field and slidably operable, but otherwise unattached, within a substantially enclosed cylinder means at a starting position near a lower end thereof, by compressed gas below said piston means, said cylinder means having a load-connected electrical conductor coil means surrounding it intermediate its ends;

lifting said piston means to an apex position near the upper end of said cylinder means by substantially altering the difference in gas pressure below said piston means in relation to the gas pressure thereabove, thereby opening a spring-biased valve mounted in an outlet port in the upper end of said cylinder means in order to transfer the column of air above the piston means through a tube into a reservoir means;

permitting said piston means to return to said starting position for completion of the cycle, thereby allowing the spring-biased valve in the outlet port to close and opening a spring-biased valve in an inlet port in the upper end of said cylinder means in order to admit a charge of fresh air; and

stopping the downward movement of said piston means at said starting position by compressed gas below said piston means, thereby completing a cycle which can be repeated by starting at the step in paragraph three above.

7. The process as defined in claim 6 wherein the step of holding a piston means at a starting position is carried out by the compressive support of a liquid and a gas in a bounce chamber at the bottom of the cylinder means, the step of lifting the piston means to an apex position comprises vaporizing the liquid by directing a concentrated solar beam onto it;

and the step of permitting said piston means to return to the starting position comprises, discontinuing directing the concentrated solar beam, allowing the vapors to condense and form a vacuum.

8. The process as defined in claim 7 wherein a second said process as defined in claim 7 is initiated by directing the concentrated solar beam onto a second quantity of liquid which has been holding a second piston means at a starting position in the bottom of a second cylinder means at the moment the directing of the beam on the first quantity of liquid is discontinued and then redirecting the beam onto the first quantity of liquid at the moment the directing of the beam on the second quantity of liquid is discontinued.

9. The process as defined in claims 7 or 8 wherein the quantities of liquid are black colored.

10. The process as defined in claims 7 or 8 wherein the timing of the directing, discontinuing, and redirecting the concentrated solar beam is carried out with electronic timing means and a movable flat mirror.

11. A device for converting gas expanding and contracting energy sources into useful other forms of energy, such as inducing an alternating current in a coil, comprising:

a liquid and a gas located in the bottom of a cylinder means to support in a starting position near a lower end of the cylinder means a piston means forming a magnetic field, said cylinder means also having an upper end and a load-connected electrical conductor coil surrounding it intermediate said ends thereof;

a transparent core in said upper cylinder end and another in said piston means for permitting a concentrated solar beam to be intermittently directed on said liquid in order to vaporize said liquid for lifting the piston means to an apex position near the upper end of said cylinder means and after condensing, causing said piston means to return to said starting position to complete a cycle;

a spring-biased valve mounted in an outlet port in the upper end of the cylinder means for allowing the column of air above the piston means to be forced through a connecting tube;

a compressed air reservoir to receive the air from the connecting tube and a spring-biased valve mounted in an inlet port in the upper end of the cylinder means to allow the piston means to pull a fresh column of air in above it as it falls to its starting position;

concentrated solar beam directing means; and

means for sequentially timing the directing and discontinuing directing of the concentrated solar beam on the liquid.

12. The device as defined in claim 11 wherein a second said device as defined in claim 11 is operated by intermittently directing the concentrated solar beam on the liquid in the bottom of the second device so that the two cycle phases of the two devices are one-half cycle out of step with each other.

13. The devices as defined in claims 11 or 12 wherein the liquid is black colored.

14. A process for converting gas expanding and contracting energy sources into useful other forms of energy, such as inducing an alternating current in a coil, comprising the steps of:

holding a piston means forming a magnetic field at a starting position near a lower end of a cylinder means with the compressive support of water, said cylinder means also having an upper end, with a load-connected electrical conductor coil means surrounding it intermediate said ends thereof;

introducing separate charges of hydrogen and oxygen in ratio of two parts to one, respectively, below said starting position;

lifting said piston means to an apex position near an upper end of said cylinder means by igniting the hydrogen oxygen mixture located therein and introducing atomized water beneath the starting position at substantially the same time thereby opening a spring-biased valve mounted in a first outlet port in said upper end in order to transfer the column of air above the piston means through a tube into a reservoir means;

permitting said piston means to initiate a repeating cycle by free falling within said cylinder means thereby allowing said spring-biased valve in the first outlet port to close and opening a spring-biased valve mounted in a first inlet port in said upper end in order to admit a charge of fresh air;

admitting separate fresh charges of hydrogen and oxygen in ratio of two parts to one, respectively, below said starting position when the piston means has fallen to a position approximately mid-way between the apex and the starting positions;

igniting the fresh charge of hydrogen-oxygen mixture at approximately the instant when said piston means has reached said starting position, thereby forcing said piston means to the apex position where it can again free fall for the next repetition of the cycle, and again opening said first outlet port for transferring the column of air above and ahead of said piston means into said reservoir;

discharging surplus water accumulating in the cylinder means through a sealed valve means in its lower end.

15. The process as defined in claim 14 further comprising the steps of allowing any remaining water or water vapor in the cylinder means to escape through a valve means into a cooling condensor containing a near perfect vacuum by opening the valve means when the piston means reaches the apex position and closing it when the separate fresh charges of hydrogen and oxygen are admitted.

16. The process as defined in claims 14 or 15 where the separate fresh charges of hydrogen and oxygen are admitted at one or more locations above the starting position but below the apex position when the piston means is still at the apex position.

17. A device for converting gas contracting energy sources into useful other forms of energy, such as inducing an alternating current in a coil, comprising:

water located in the bottom of a cylinder means to support in a starting position near a lower end of the cylinder means a piston means forming a magnetic field, said cylinder means also having an upper end and a load-connected electrical conductor coil surrounding it intermediate said ends thereof;

separate valve means for introducing charges of hydrogen and oxygen in ratio of two parts to one, respectively, below said starting position;

means for igniting the hydrogen-oxygen mixture located beneath the piston means starting position;

means for introducing atomized water beneath the piston means starting position;

a spring-biased valve mounted in an outlet port in the upper end of the cylinder means for allowing the column of air above the piston means to be forced through a connecting tube into a compressed air reservoir;

a spring-biased valve mounted in an inlet port in the upper end of the cylinder means to allow the piston means to pull a fresh column of air above it as it returns to the starting position;

means for discharging surplus water accumulating in the cylinder means through a sealed valve means in its lower end; and

electronic timing means for synchronizing the holding of the piston means;

admitting of hydrogen, oxygen and atomized water;

igniting of the hydrogen-oxygen mixture; and

the opening and closing of the valves.

18. The device as defined in claim 17 further comprising:

a spring-biased outlet valve located in a port beneath the starting position for allowing any remaining water or water vapor to escape when the piston means reaches the apex position; and

a cooling condensor connected by tube to said valve.

19. The device as defined in claim 17 wherein the igniting means is a laser beam.

20. The device as defined in claim 17 wherein the means for discharging surplus water comprises:

a concave shaped top of the lower end of the cylinder means for permitting suplus water to drain towards a point;

a drain pathway in said lower end for permitting surplus water to exit from the cylinder means;

a cylindrical valve means with a horizontal longitudinal axis locatd within a recess within said lower end having a depression within it for alternately receiving and discharging said surplus water through said pathway; and

a pressure control means linked to said cylindrical valve means for causing said surplus water to be discharged upon the cylinder means internal pressure beneath the piston means rising above pre-determined levels.

21. The device as defined in claim 20 wherein the pressure control means comprises:

an activating piston located in a recess in the top of the lower end of the cylinder means;

a coil spring supporting the activating piston at its low pressure point so that the upper surface of the actvating piston is above the top of the lower end of the cylinder means;

an arm, located within a vertical planar recess in the lower end of the cylinder means pivoting from a depending arm secured to the bottom of the activating piston to a pivot means on an end of the cylinder valve means so as to cause the cylinder valve means to discharge surplus water from the cylinder means through the pathway when the internal pressure rises.