Nitrogen pressure-based engine device

• US 8,464,534 B1
• Filed: 01/21/2010
• Issued: 06/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gary D. Riemer
• Original Assignee: Gary D. Riemer
• Inventors: Riemer, Gary D.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HOANG M
• Application Number:
  US12/691,429
• Time in Patent Office: 1,244 Days
• Field of Search: 606/51, 606/71, 606/46, 606/57
• US Class Current: 60/657
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 25/08 using special vapours
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 1/04 the working fluid being heated indirectly in a fluidised-bed combustor F02C3/205
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 1/10 Closed cycles

Abstract

A nitrogen pressure-based engine device featuring a main engine chamber with a turbine blade system; a liquid nitrogen storage tank; a heater/vaporizer chamber for converting liquid nitrogen to gas nitrogen fluidly connected to the storage tank and to the nozzle block of the main engine chamber; a pressure condenser for condensing gas nitrogen to liquid nitrogen fluidly connected to the main engine chamber and to the storage tank; wherein liquid nitrogen flows from the storage tank to heater/vaporizer chamber then gas nitrogen flows to the main engine chamber via the nozzle block, the gas nitrogen drives rotation of the turbine blade system, the gas nitrogen then flows to the pressure condenser to be condensed to liquid nitrogen, the liquid nitrogen then flows from the pressure condenser to the storage tank.

Claims

1. A nitrogen pressure-based engine device (100) comprising:

(a) a main engine chamber (110) comprising a nozzle block (380) and a turbine vacuum pump (140), wherein a turbine blade system (120) is disposed in an inner cavity of the main engine chamber (110);

(b) a storage tank (130) for storing liquid nitrogen, the storage tank (130) comprises an evacuation port (217) for evacuating liquid nitrogen if needed;

(c) a heater/vaporizer chamber (320) for converting liquid nitrogen to high pressure gas nitrogen, wherein the heater/vaporizer chamber (320) is fluidly connected to the storage tank (130) via a first line (210) and the heater/vaporizer chamber (320) is fluidly connected to the nozzle block (380) of the main engine chamber (110) via a second line (220);

(d) a pump operatively connected to the heater/vaporizer chamber, the pump functions to pump high pressure gas nitrogen from the heater/vaporizer chamber to the nozzle block of the main engine chamber;

(e) a pressure condenser (160) for condensing nitrogen to liquid nitrogen, the pressure condenser (160) is fluidly connected to the main engine chamber (110) via a third line (230), the pressure condenser (160) is fluidly connected to the storage tank (130) via a fourth line (240);

(f) a shut-down valve (460) operatively connected to the turbine blade system, the shut-down valve (460) is activated if the turbine blade system reaches a critical speed, the shut-down valve causes the engine device to shut down and

(g) an emergency pressure relief component (218) operatively connected to the turbine blade system, wherein if the turbine blade system reaches a critical pressure the emergency pressure relief component (218) is activated to relieve pressure in the turbine blade system;

wherein liquid nitrogen flows from the storage tank to heater/vaporizer chamber where it is converted to high pressure gas nitrogen, wherein the high pressure gas nitrogen flows from the heater/vaporizer chamber to the main engine chamber via the nozzle block, wherein the high pressure gas nitrogen in the main engine chamber drives rotation of the turbine blade system, wherein the high pressure gas nitrogen then flows from the main engine chamber to the pressure condenser wherein the high pressure gas nitrogen is condensed to liquid nitrogen, the liquid nitrogen then flows from the pressure condenser to the storage tank.

2. The engine device of claim 1, wherein the storage tank (130) is a double-walled insulated pressure vessel.

3. The engine device of claim 1, wherein the nozzle block (380) comprises nozzles, an actuator stem, and a gas inlet aperture.

4. The engine device of claim 3, wherein the high-pressure gas nitrogen enters the nozzle block (380) and passes through the gas inlet aperture and nozzle when the actuator stem is raised.

5. The engine device of claim 1, wherein a check valve (182) is disposed in the fourth line.

6. The engine device of claim 1, wherein the pump is an electric idler pump (360), a vapor supercharger pump (150), or both an electric idler pump (360) and vapor supercharger pump (150).

7. The engine device of claim 6, wherein, the electric idler pump (360) functions as a gas supercharger to increase a pressure of the nitrogen prior to delivery of the nitrogen to the nozzle block of the main engine chamber.

8. The engine device of claim 7, wherein, the electric idler pump (360) drives rotation of the turbine blade system up to a particular speed.

9. The engine device of claim 8, wherein when the turbine blade system reaches the particular speed, the vapor supercharger pump (150) takes over and the electric idler pump (380) is shut down and bypassed.