Hydraulic engine powered by introduction and removal of heat from a working fluid

• US 5,899,067 A
• Filed: 08/21/1996
• Issued: 05/04/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sustainable Energy, LLC
• Original Assignee: Hydrotherm Power Corp.
• Inventors: Hageman, Brian C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kamen, Noah P.
• Application Number:
  US08/701,222
• Time in Patent Office: 986 Days
• Field of Search: 60/516, 60/525, 60/530, 60/531
• US Class Current: 60/516
• CPC Class Codes: F01B 1/00 Reciprocating-piston machines or engines characterised by number or relative disposition of cylinders or by being built-up from separate cylinder-crankcase elements F01B3/00, F01B5/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F03C 1/00 Reciprocating-piston liquid engines
• CPC Class Codes: F03G 7/06 using expansion or contraction of bodies due to heating, cooling, moistening, drying or the like using thermal expansion of non-vaporising liquids F01K

Abstract

A thermal hydraulic engine including a frame. A working fluid changes volume with changes in temperature. A working fluid container houses the working fluid. A cylinder secured to the frame includes an interior space. The cylinder also includes a passage for introducing the working fluid into the interior space. A piston is housed within the interior space of the cylinder. The working fluid container, the interior space of the cylinder, the piston, and the working fluid container define a closed space filled by the working fluid. The engine also includes means for transmitting heat to and removing heat from the working fluid, thereby alternately causing the working fluid to expand and contract without undergoing a phase change. The piston moves in response to the expansion and contraction of the working fluid.

Claims

1. A thermal hydraulic engine, comprising:

a frame;

a working liquid that changes volume with changes in temperature;

a working liquid container for housing said working liquid;

a cylinder secured to said frame and including an interior space, said cylinder also including a passage for introducing said working liquid into said interior space;

a piston housed within said interior space of said cylinder, said working liquid container, said interior space of said cylinder, said piston, and said working liquid container defining a closed space filled by said working liquid;

a connecting rod connect to said piston;

a crankshaft connected to said connecting rod; and

means for controllably transmitting heat to and removing heat from said working liquid, thereby cyclically alternately causing said working liquid to expand and contract without undergoing a phase change, said piston moving in response to said expansion and contraction of said working liquid, said expansion and contraction of said working liquid being unobstructed by valves.

2. A thermal engine according to claim 1, further comprising:

a working liquid transfer section between said working liquid container and said interior space of said cylinder, said working liquid container, said working liquid connection, said interior space of said cylinder and said piston defining a closed space filled by said working liquid.

3. A thermal hydraulic engine according to claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of cylinders, each of said cylinders housing a piston, a plurality of working fluid containers interconnected with said cylinders, and a plurality of heat transmitting means interconnected with said working fluid containers and said cylinders.

4. A thermal hydraulic engine according to claim 1, further comprising:

means for mounting said cylinder to said frame, said mounting means permitting said cylinder to slide and articulate relative to said frame, said mounting means including a connecting rod provided on said cylinder, said connecting rod being articulately secured to a member slidably mounted to said frame, said slidable member sliding in a direction perpendicular to a crankshaft interconnected with said connecting rod.

5. A thermal hydraulic engine according to claim 1, further comprising a water jacket that surrounds said working liquid container, said water jacket including an input and output for water of different temperatures to impart or remove heat from said working liquid through said heat exchanger.

6. A thermal hydraulic engine according to claim 1, further comprising:

a camshaft, wherein movement of said camshaft is controlled by said crankshaft and controls opening and closing of valves or opening and closing microswitches that activate solenoid valves for controlling transmission of heat to and removal of heat from said working fluid.

7. A thermal hydraulic engine according to claim 6, wherein said connecting rod is articulately attached to said piston.

8. A thermal hydraulic engine according to claim 6, wherein said connecting rod is immovably affixed to said piston and said cylinder is articulately mounted on said frame.

9. A thermal hydraulic engine according to claim 6, further comprising:

transmission means to increase or step up speed from the crankshaft.

10. A thermal hydraulic engine according to claim 6, further comprising:

at least one seal between an outer surface of said piston and an inner surface of said interior space of cylinder.

11. A thermal hydraulic engine according to claim 1, wherein said heat transmitting means is capable of raising a temperature of said working liquid to produce a high temperature of between about 120°

and about 140°

F., and said heat transmitting means is capable of reducing a temperature of said working liquid to produce a low temperature of between about 70° and

about 85°

F.

12. A thermal hydraulic engine according to claim 1, wherein said heat transmitting means is capable of raising a temperature of said working liquid to produce a high temperature of between about 80°

and about 200°

F., and said heat transmitting means is capable of reducing a temperature of said working liquid to produce a low temperature of between about 35° and

about 140°

F.

13. A thermal hydraulic engine according to claim 1, further comprising:

two connecting rods attached to opposite sides of said piston; and

two crankshafts, one attached to each of said connecting rods.

14. A thermal hydraulic engine according to claim 1, wherein said piston and said interior space of said cylinder define two closed spaces filled by said working liquid, said cylinder further including:

a main inlet port in the vicinity of a first end of said cylinder;

a secondary inlet port in the vicinity of a second end of said cylinder; and

means for sealing a space between said cylinder and said connecting rod;

said thermal hydraulic engine including at least one seal between an outer surface of said piston and an inner surface of said interior space of cylinder;

wherein expansion of said working liquid is utilized to alternately move said piston in opposite directions.

15. A thermal hydraulic engine according to claim 1, wherein said working liquid is pressurized.

16. A thermal hydraulic engine according to claim 1, further comprising means for mounting said cylinder to said frame, said mounting means permitting said cylinder to slide and articulate relative to said frame, said mounting means including a connecting rod provided on said cylinder, said connecting rod being articulately secured to a member slidably mounted to said frame, said slidable member sliding in a direction parallel to said cylinder.

17. A thermal hydraulic engine according to claim 1, further comprising at least one spring biasing said piston to move in a direction opposite to a direction that expansion of said working liquid causes said piston to move.

18. A thermal hydraulic engine, comprising:

a frame;

a first working liquid that changes volume with changes in temperature;

a working liquid container for housing said first working liquid;

a flexible diaphragm provided at one end of said working liquid container, said flexible diaphragm moving in response to expansion and contraction of said working liquid;

a reservoir for housing a second working liquid in contact with said flexible diaphragm;

means for transmitting heat to and removing heat from said first working liquid, thereby alternately causing said working liquid to expand and contract, expansion and contraction of said first working liquid causing movement of said flexible diaphragm, movement of said flexible diaphragm causing movement of said second working liquid;

a cylinder secured to said frame and including an interior space, said cylinder also including a passage for introducing said second working liquid into said interior space;

a piston housed within said interior space of said cylinder, said working liquid reservoir, said interior space of said cylinder, and said piston defining a closed space filled by said second working liquid.

19. A thermal hydraulic engine, comprising:

a frame;

a working fluid that changes volume with changes in temperature;

a working fluid container for housing said working fluid;

a cylinder secured to said frame and including an interior space, said cylinder also including a passage for introducing said working fluid into said interior space;

a piston housed within said interior space of said cylinder, said working fluid container, said interior space of said cylinder, said piston, and said working fluid container defining a closed space filled by said working fluid;

means for transmitting heat to and removing heat from said working fluid, thereby alternately causing said working fluid to expand and contract without undergoing a phase change, said piston moving in response to said expansion and contraction of said working fluid;

a connecting rod attached to said piston;

a crankshaft attached to said connecting rod; and

a camshaft, wherein movement of said camshaft is controlled by said crankshaft and controls opening and closing of valves or opening and closing microswitches that activate solenoid valves for controlling transmission of heat to and removal of heat from said working fluid.

20. A thermal hydraulic engine according to claim 19, wherein said connecting rod is articulately attached to said piston.

21. A thermal hydraulic engine according to claim 19, wherein said connecting rod is immovably affixed to said piston and said cylinder is articulately mounted on said frame.

22. A thermal hydraulic engine according to claim 19, further comprising:

transmission means to increase or step up speed from the crankshaft.

23. A thermal hydraulic engine according to claim 19, further comprising:

at least one seal between an outer surface of said piston and an inner surface of said interior space of cylinder.