Heat engine

• US 6,279,319 B1
• Filed: 05/16/2000
• Issued: 08/28/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dongguan Zonglin Electronic Products Factory
• Original Assignee: Fantom Technologies Inc.
• Inventors: Conrad, Wayne Ernest
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HOANG M
• Application Number:
  US09/572,650
• Time in Patent Office: 469 Days
• Field of Search: 605/17, 605/18, 605/20, 605/22, 605/23, 605/24, 605/26, 605/08, 605/15
• US Class Current: 60/520
• CPC Class Codes: F02G 1/0435 the engine being of the free piston type
• CPC Class Codes: F02G 1/0445 Engine plants with combined cycles, e.g. Vuilleumier
• CPC Class Codes: F02G 1/055 Heaters or coolers
• CPC Class Codes: F02G 1/057 Regenerators
• CPC Class Codes: F02G 2243/02 having pistons and displacers in the same cylinder
• CPC Class Codes: F02G 2255/20 Heater fins
• CPC Class Codes: F05C 2225/08 Thermoplastics
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 9/14 characterised by the cycle used, e.g. Stirling cycle
• CPC Class Codes: F28D 7/103 consisting of more than two coaxial conduits or modules of more than two coaxial conduits
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 1/105 the means being corrugated elements extending around the tubular elements
• CPC Class Codes: F28F 1/24 and extending transversely F28F1/38 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 35/02 with moving magnets and stationary coil systems
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1884 structurally associated with free piston engines

Abstract

An apparatus has a heat engine and a power output member drivenly connected to the piston of the heat engine and having an output for supplying work. The displacer is driven by an adjustable drive member. An adjustable signal generator is provided for modulating a signal which is sent to the adjustable drive to adjust the frequency of the displacer.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

(a) a heat engine comprising;

(i) a container defining a sealed region within which a working fluid is circulated when the heat engine is in use, the sealed region having a heating chamber and a cooling chamber, the heating and cooling chambers being in fluid flow communication via a working fluid passageway;

(ii) a heat source thermally connected to the heating chamber whereby the variable heat source provides variable heat levels to the working fluid;

(iii) a displacer movably mounted in the sealed region between a first position and a second position to define a displacer cycle profile;

(iv) a piston movably mounted in the sealed region between a first position and a second position to define a piston cycle profile, one of the displacer and the piston has an adjustable drive member associated therewith for moving the one of the displacer and the piston in response to a signal and the other of the displacer;

(b) a power output member drivenly connected to the piston and having an output for supplying work; and

,

(c) an adjustable signal generator for modulating the signal provided to the adjustable drive whereby the modulated signal adjusts the frequency of the one of the displacer and the piston.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the heat engine has a thermal efficiency that varies under varying load conditions and the adjustable signal generator is responsive to power demand from the output to modulate the signal sent to the adjustable drive member to maintain the thermal efficiency of the apparatus in a preset range.

3. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the power output member comprises an electric generator drivenly connected to the heat engine and having an output for supplying electric power to a load and the piston comprises a portion of the electric generator and the displacer is driven by the adjustable drive member.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein the adjustable signal generator comprises a signal modulator and the piston whereby the movement of the piston generates a signal that is sent to the signal modulator.

5. The apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein the piston includes at least one magnet and the electric generator includes at least one coil and the piston is mounted in the heat engine for movement relative to the at least one coil and the movement of the at least one magnet relative to the at least one coil produces the signal that is sent to the signal modulator.

6. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the power output member comprises an electric generator drivenly connected to the heat engine and having an output for supplying electric power to a load and the piston comprises a portion of the electric generator and the displacer is driven by the adjustable drive member.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein the adjustable signal generator comprises a signal modulator and the piston whereby the movement of the piston generates a signal that is sent to the signal modulator.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein the piston includes at least one magnet and the electric generator includes at least one coil and the piston is mounted in the heat engine for movement relative to the at least one coil and the movement of the at least one magnet relative to the at least one coil produces the signal that is sent to the signal modulator.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the power output member comprises an electric generator drivenly connected to the heat engine and having an output for supplying electric power to a load, the piston comprises a portion of the electric generator and the piston is movable in the sealed region due to forces applied thereto by the working fluid.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein the adjustable signal generator comprises a signal modulator and the piston whereby the movement of the piston generates a signal that is sent to the signal modulator.

11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein the piston includes at least one magnet and the electric generator includes at least one coil and the piston is mounted in the heat engine for movement relative to the at least one coil and the movement of the at least one magnet relative to the at least one coil produces the signal that is sent to the signal modulator.

12. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the adjustable drive member adjusts the cycle profile of the one of the displacer and the piston in response to the modulated signal.

13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 12 wherein the piston moves at a phase angle with respect to the displacer and the adjustable drive member adjusts the phase angle in response to the modulated signal.

14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein the heat engine has a thermal efficiency that varies under varying load conditions and the adjustable signal generator is responsive to the power demanded from the power output member to modulate the signal sent to the adjustable drive member to maintain the thermal efficiency of the apparatus in a preset range.

15. The apparatus as claimed in claim 14 wherein the power output member comprises an electric generator drivenly connected to the heat engine and having an output for supplying electric power to a load and the piston comprises a portion of the electric generator and the displacer is driven by the adjustable drive member.

16. The apparatus as claimed in claim 15 wherein the adjustable signal generator comprises a signal modulator and the piston whereby the movement of the piston generates a signal that is sent to the signal modulator.

17. The apparatus as claimed in claim 16 wherein the piston includes at least one magnet and the generator includes at least one coil and the piston is mounted in the heat engine for movement relative to the at least one coil and the movement of the at least one magnet relative to the at least one coil produces the signal that is sent to the signal modulator.

18. The apparatus as claimed in claim 12 wherein the displacer moves between a first position adjacent the variable heat source and a second position distal to the variable heat source and has a dwell time in each of the first and second positions, and the cycle profile describes the velocity of the displacer as it moves between the first and second positions and the dwell time of the displacer when it is in each of the first and second positions, and the adjustable drive member adjusts at least one of the velocity of the displacer, the dwell time of the displacer when in the first position and the dwell time of the displacer when in the second position in response to the modulated signal.

19. The apparatus as claimed in claim 18 wherein the heat engine has a thermal efficiency that varies under varying load conditions and the adjustable signal generator is responsive to the power demanded from the power output member to modulate the signal sent to the adjustable drive member to maintain the thermal efficiency of the apparatus in a preset range.

20. The apparatus as claimed in claim 19 wherein the power output member comprises an electric generator drivenly connected to the heat engine and having an output for supplying electric power to a load and the piston comprises a portion of the electric generator and the displacer is driven by the adjustable drive member.

21. The apparatus as claimed in claim 20 wherein the adjustable signal generator comprises a signal modulator and the piston whereby the movement of the piston generates a signal that is sent to the signal modulator.

22. The apparatus as claimed in claim 21 wherein the piston includes at least one magnet and the generator includes at least one coil and the piston is mounted in the heat engine for movement relative to the at least one coil and the movement of the at least one magnet relative to the at least one coil produces the signal that is sent to the signal modulator.

23. The apparatus as claimed in claim 12 wherein the sealed region has a cooling chamber for the working fluid and the piston moves between a first position wherein it is positioned in the cooling region and a second position wherein it is positioned out of the cooling chamber and has a dwell time in each of the first and second positions, and the cycle profile describes the velocity of the piston as it moves between the first and second positions and the dwell time of the piston when it is in each of the first and second positions, and the adjustable drive member adjusts at least one of the velocity of the piston, the dwell time of the piston when in the first position and the dwell time of the piston when in the second position in response to the modulated signal.

24. The apparatus as claimed in claim 23 wherein the heat engine has a thermal efficiency that varies under varying load conditions and the adjustable signal generator is responsive to the power demanded from the power output member to modulate the signal sent to the adjustable drive member to maintain the thermal efficiency of the apparatus in a preset range.

25. The apparatus as claimed in claim 24 wherein the power output member comprises an electric generator drivenly connected to the heat engine and having an output for supplying electric power to a load and the piston comprises a portion of the electric generator and the displacer is driven by the adjustable drive member.

26. The apparatus as claimed in claim 25 wherein the adjustable signal generator comprises a signal modulator and the piston whereby the movement of the piston generates a signal that is sent to the signal modulator.

27. The apparatus as claimed in claim 26 wherein the piston includes at least one magnet and the generator includes at least one coil and the piston is mounted in the heat engine for movement relative to the at least one coil and the movement of the at least one magnet relative to the at least one coil produces the signal that is sent to the signal modulator.

28. The apparatus as claimed in claim 12 wherein the heat engine has a thermal efficiency that varies under varying load conditions and the adjustable signal generator is responsive to power demand from the power output member to modulate the signal sent to the adjustable drive member to maintain the thermal efficiency of the apparatus in a preset range.

29. The apparatus as claimed in claim 28 wherein the heat engine has a thermal efficiency that varies under varying load conditions and the adjustable signal generator is responsive to the power demanded from the electric generator by the load to modulate the signal sent to the adjustable drive member to maintain the thermal efficiency of the apparatus in a preset range.

30. The apparatus as claimed in claim 29 wherein the piston comprises a portion of the electric generator and the displacer is driven by the adjustable drive member.

31. The apparatus as claimed in claim 30 wherein the adjustable signal generator comprises a signal modulator and the piston whereby the movement of the piston generates a signal that is sent to the signal modulator.

32. The apparatus as claimed in claim 31 wherein the piston includes at least one magnet and the generator includes at least one coil and the piston is mounted in the heat engine for movement relative to the at least one coil and the movement of the at least one magnet relative to the at least one coil produces the signal that is sent to the signal modulator.

33. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the adjustable signal generator has a manual adjustment control.

34. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the adjustable signal generator is responsive to power demand from the power output member to modulate the signal sent to the adjustable drive member and thereby change the frequency of the one of the displacer and the piston to alter the power output from the power output member whereby the power output of the apparatus is varied in response to the demand applied to the power output member.

35. The apparatus as claimed in claim 34 wherein the power output member comprises an electric generator drivenly connected to the heat engine and having an output for supplying electric power to a load and the piston comprises a portion of the electric generator and the displacer is driven by the adjustable drive member.

36. The apparatus as claimed in claim 35 wherein the adjustable signal generator comprises a signal modulator and the piston whereby the movement of the piston generates a signal that is sent to the signal modulator.

37. The apparatus as claimed in claim 36 wherein the piston includes at least one magnet and the generator includes at least one coil and the piston is mounted in the heat engine for movement relative to the at least one coil and the movement of the at least one magnet relative to the at least one coil produces the signal that is sent to the signal modulator.

38. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the power output member comprises a linear to rotary converter.