Power plant and process utilizing gravitational force

• US 4,484,082 A
• Filed: 01/03/1984
• Issued: 11/20/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/1980
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Donald C. Bucknam
• Original Assignee: Donald C. Bucknam
• Inventors: Bucknam, Donald C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Witkowski, Stanley J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wade, Shelley
• Application Number:
  US06/568,301
• Time in Patent Office: 322 Days
• Field of Search: 290/1 R, 60/DIG. 1, 123/46 R, 123/46 E, 123/DIG. 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 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 controlled source of compressed air for holding a slidably operable piston forming a magnetic field at a starting position near the lower end of a substantially enclosed cylinder, said cylinder having a load-connected electrical conductor coil surrounding it intermediate its end, said cylinder being affixed in a stationary position;

a gas located in the bottom of said cylinder for lifting said piston to an apex position;

at least one input port disposed through said cylinder approximately midway along said cylinder'"'"'s length for receiving said gas therethrough into said cylinder;

gas expanding means directed to said gas; and

timing means for synchronizing said expanding means with the lifting and falling of said piston.

2. The device as defined in claim 1 further comprising a second gas located in said cylinder above said piston for forcing said piston towards the lower end of said cylinder;

and

second gas expanding means directed to said second gas; and

wherein said timing means is further characterized as being for synchronizing said second gas expanding means with the lifting and falling of said piston.

3. 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 gas located in the bottom of a substantially enclosed cylinder for supporting, in a starting position near a lower end of the cylinder a slidably operable piston forming a magnetic field, said cylinder also having an upper end and a load connected electrical conductor coil surrounding it intermediate said ends thereof, said gas also for lifting said piston to an apex position;

gas expanding means directed to said gas;

timing means for synchronizing said gas expanding means with the lifting and falling of said piston;

a second gas located in said cylinder above said piston for forcing said piston towards the lower end of said cylinder; and

second gas expanding means directed to said second gas; and

wherein said timing means is further characterized as being for synchronizing said second gas expanding means with the lifting and falling of said piston; and

wherein said first and second gases both are a fuel and air mixture and said first and second gas expanding means are a first gas ignition means in the wall of said cylinder at a level below the starting position and a second gas ignition means in the wall of said cylinder at a level above the apex position, respectively, said device further comprising;

a first exhaust outlet port near the upper end of said cylinder having a spring-biased mechanically operated valve mounted therein for first exhausting the column of gases above said piston and then permitting the compression of fresh air above and in front of said piston as it completes it upward motion;

a second exhaust outlet port in the lower end of said cylinder having a spring-biased mechanically operated valve mounted therein for permitting said 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 said falling piston to reach its starting position ahead of it as it compresses air beneath it;

an inlet port, intermediate said ends, having a spring-biased valve mounted therein for admitting air into said cylinder and, alternatively, for filling partial vacuums behind said piston as it travels upwardly and downwardly past said inlet port; and

first and second fuel injection means in the wall of said cylinder below the starting position and above the apex position, respectively; and

wherein said timing means is further characterized as being for synchronizing the opening and closing of said valves and operating the fuel ignition means in order that said piston will be held at the starting position, lifted, forced towards the lower end, and permitted to free-fall in a repeating cycle.

4. The device as defined in claim 3 further comprising a source of compressed air connected through the cylinder wall at a point below the starting position and said timing means is further characterized as being for synchronizing the introduction of compressed air with the opening and closing of the valves, whereby the piston may be initially held at the starting position, lifted to the apex position, and permitted to free fall from the apex position prior to the first ignition of the fuel and air mixture.

5. 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 gas located in the bottom of a substantially enclosed cylinder for supporting, in a starting position near a lower end of the cylinder a slidably operable piston forming a magnetic field, said cylinder also having an upper end and a load connected electrical conductor coil surrounding it intermediate said ends thereof, said gas also for lifting said piston to an apex position;

gas expanding means directed to said gas; and

timing means for synchronizing said gas expanding means with the lifting and falling of said piston;

wherein said gas is mixture of hydrogen and oxygen in ratio of two parts to one, respectively, and said gas expanding means is a first gas ignition means in the wall of said cylinder at a level below the starting position, said device further comprising;

water located in the bottom of said cylinder below the starting point;

first separate gas injection means located below the starting position for introducing charges of hydrogen and oxygen in ratio of two parts to one, respectively, through the wall of said cylinder;

first atomized water injection means located below the starting position for introducing atomized water through the wall of said cylinder;

a spring-biased valve mounted in a first inlet port in the lower end of said cylinder;

sealed valve means located in the lower end of said cylinder for discharging surplus water accumulating therein;

second separate gas injection means for introducing charges of hydrogen and oxygen in ratios of two parts to one, respectively, above the apex position of said piston;

second gas ignition means in the wall of said cylinder at a level above the apex position;

second atomized water injection means located above the apex position for introducing atomized water through the wall of said cylinder;

sealed valve means located in said piston for discharging surplus water accumulating thereupon through said piston into said cylinder beneath said piston; and

wherein said timing means is further characterized as being for synchronizing the opening and closing of the said valves and operating the said ignition means in order that said piston will be held at the starting position, lifted, forced towards the lower end, and permitted to free fall in a repeating cycle.

6. The device as defined in claim 5 further comprising:

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

a cooling condenser connected by tube to said second outlet port.

7. The device as defined in claim 6 further comprising:

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

a tube connecting said third outlet port to said cooling condenser.

8. The device as defined in claim 5 wherein the first and second ignition means are laser beams.

9. The device as defined in claim 5 further comprising:

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

a drain formed at the point in said lower end for permitting surplus water to exit from said cylinder;

a first cylinder valve having a horizontal longitudinal axis, located within a recess formed in said lower end, said valve having a depression for alternately receiving from said cylinder and discharging through said drain surplus water;

internal pressure control means linked to said first cylinder valve;

a concave shaped top of said piston for permitting surplus water to drain towards a point;

a drain formed at the point in said piston for permitting surplus water to exit through said piston into said cylinder therebeneath;

a second cylinder valve having a horizontal longitudinal axis, located within a recess formed in said piston, said valve having a depression for alternately receiving and discharging surplus water through said drain; and

internal pressure control means linked to said second cylinder valve.

10. The device as defined in claim 9 wherein said internal pressure control means linked to said first cylinder valve in the lower end of said cylinder and said internal pressure control means linked to said second cylinder valve in said piston, each include:

an activating piston located in a recess formed in the top of the lower end of said cylinder and in the top of said piston, respectively, and having its upper surface at all times above the surrounding areas of the top of the lower end of said cylinder and the top of said piston, respectively;

a spring beneath said activating piston within said activating piston recess biasing said activating piston upwardly; and

an arm, located within a vertical planar recess formed in the lower end of said cylinder and in said piston, respectively, said arm pivoting at a first end from a depending arm secured to the bottom of said activating piston and from a second end from a point near the periphery of an end of said first cylinder valve and said second cylinder valve, respectively, said arm rotating said cylinder valves when the internal pressure above said activating piston rises above predetermined levels.