Process and apparatus for reducing the loss of hydrogen from Stirling engines
First Claim
1. A method of maintaining a selected dopant gas concentration in the working gas of a Stirling engine, the method comprising:
- adsorbing the selected dopant on an activated sorbent which has an affinity therefor;
connecting the dopant adsorbed sorbent in gaseous communication with the Stirling engine working gas such that a preselected equilibrium partial pressure is maintained between the dopant and working gases.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A permeation barrier is maintained on inner surfaces of a Stirling engine, particularly the heat tubes, by maintaining a preselected concentration of dopant gas in the working gas, e.g. hydrogen. A dopant gas (10) is adsorbed on a sorbent (1) in a dopant cartridge or enclosure (2). The amount of gas adsorbed, the quantity of sorbent, and the permeability of a permeable window (3) are selected such that a preselected partial pressure of the dopant is maintained in the hydrogen. In a diffusion cell (FIGS. 1 and 2) an equilibrium partial pressure of the dopant gas is maintained by diffusion through the porous window. In a flow-through cell (FIGS. 3-5) the hydrogen or working gas is circulated through the sorbent. A fraction of the adsorbtion sites on the sorbent may be left open to adsorb excess water vapor from the hydrogen. In a trap cell (FIGS. 9 and 10) water vapor is removed from the working gas as the working gas is pumped by a compressor into a high pressure storage reservoir (59). An appropriate partial pressure of water vapor dopant is reintroduced into the hydrogen as the hydrogen passes from the high pressure reservoir through the trap cell back into the working volume of the Stirling engine. To facilitate handling of the activated sorbent cells without exposing the sorbent to contaminants, a collapsible barrier (29, 42) is provided for automatically isolating the sorbent when the cell is exposed to the atmosphere.
9 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of maintaining a selected dopant gas concentration in the working gas of a Stirling engine, the method comprising:
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adsorbing the selected dopant on an activated sorbent which has an affinity therefor; connecting the dopant adsorbed sorbent in gaseous communication with the Stirling engine working gas such that a preselected equilibrium partial pressure is maintained between the dopant and working gases. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. In combination, a Stirling engine and a gas cell, the gas cell comprising:
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a hermetic enclosure which isolates an interior thereof from the atmosphere; an activated sorbent disposed in the hermetic enclosure; and
,a gas passing means operatively connecting the hermetic enclosure interior and an interior of the Stirling engine such that gas flows therethrough. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A Stirling engine assembly which defines a working gas volume therein, the Stirling engine assembly comprising:
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a working gas reservoir for storing a working gas at a pressure greater than pressure of the working gas in the working volume of the Stirling engine; a trap cell operatively connected between an outlet of the reservoir and the Stirling engine working volume, the trap cell including an enclosure having porous windows at either end thereof and a sorbent with an affinity for water vapor therein, such that water vapor adsorbed on the sorbent diffuses into the hydrogen passing from the reservoir into the working engine; a compressor means for drawing working gas from the Stirling engine working volume, through the trap cell and pumping the working gas into the hydrogen reservoir, the sorbent in the trap cell at the reduced pressure caused by the compressor adsorbs water vapor from the working gas such that substantially dry working gas is pumped by the compressor into the reservoir, whereby the working gas is doped with water vapor by the tank cell as it passes into the Stirling engine and is dried by the trap cell as it is removed from the working engine for storage in the reservoir to prevent condensation of water vapor in the reservoir.
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Specification