Effective low temperature differential powered engines, systems, and methods

A device for transforming temperature differences into work comprising (a) a barrier component that is at least substantially impervious to unintentional fluid loss and that forms one or more chambers, the one or more chambers each comprising a void space having a dimension corresponding to the orientation of the movable component's movement and that is equal to at least 15% of the corresponding dimension of the chamber(s);

• (b) a movable component that comprises a single contact surface and that is configured to move along a path having a stroke distance when acted on by a minimum force;
• (c) a pressurized gas contained in the one or more chambers and in contact with the contact surface;
• and (d) a temperature modulating system comprising (1) a liquid having a first portion and a second portion, (2) a dispensing component configured to separately dispense the first portion liquid and the second portion liquid into one chamber on one side of the contact surface in droplet form;
• and (3) a fluid switch that causes alternate dispensation of the first portion of liquid and the second portion of liquid,
• where in operation (I) the device is at least substantially closed with respect to the liquid and the gas;
• (II) each void space only comprises the gas or the gas and the liquid;
• (III) the first portion liquid is at a first temperature and the second portion liquid at a second, different temperature;
• (IV) the alternating dispensation of the first and second portions creates temperature differences in the one or more chambers that cause the movable component to repeatedly move back and forth across the stroke distance;
• (V) the pressures of the gas and the liquid are sufficiently similar such that (i) dispensing the liquid takes up no more than 33% of the work produced by the movement of the movable component in a complete stroke, (ii) the pressure of the liquid and the gas vary by no more than 5%;
• or (iii) both (i) and (ii);
• and (VI) wherein in operation the dispensing component dispenses the liquid as a mist that fills at least about 50%-about 75% of the volume of the portion of the chamber in which the dispensing component is located.

A device for transforming temperature differences into work comprising (a) a barrier component that is at least substantially impervious to unintentional fluid loss and that forms two chambers each comprising a void space having a dimension corresponding to the orientation of the movable component's movement and that is equal to at least 15% of the corresponding dimension of the chamber(s);

• (b) a movable component that comprises a single contact surface and that is configured to move along a path having a stroke distance when acted on by a minimum force;
• (c) a pressurized gas contained in each of the two chambers and in contact with the contact surface;
• and (d) a temperature modulating system comprising (1) a liquid having a first portion and a second portion, (2) a dispensing component configured to separately dispense the first portion liquid and the second portion liquid into one chamber on one side of the contact surface in droplet form;
• and (3) a fluid switch that causes alternate dispensation of the first portion of liquid and the second portion of liquid,
• where in operation (I) the device is at least substantially closed with respect to the liquid and the gas;
• (II) each void space only comprises the gas or the gas and the liquid;
• (III) the first portion liquid is at a first temperature and the second portion liquid at a second, different temperature;
• (IV) the alternating dispensation of the first and second portions creates temperature differences in the one or more chambers that cause the movable component to repeatedly move back and forth across the stroke distance;
• (V) the pressures of the gas and the liquid are sufficiently similar such that (i) dispensing the liquid takes up no more than 33% of the work produced by the movement of the movable component in a complete stroke, (ii) the pressure of the liquid and the gas vary by no more than 5%;
• or (iii) both (i) and (ii);
• and (VI) the liquid has (i) a viscosity of about 1 to about 3.5 centipoise at temperatures about 295 to about 315 degrees Kelvin and atmospheric pressure;
• (ii) a specific heat of about 1.6 kJ/(kg K) to about 4.4 kJ/(kg K);
• (iii) a surface tension of about 20 to about 35 dynes/cm;
• (iv) a freezing point of approximately 208 K to about 235 K;
• (v) a boiling point of about 420-575 K;
• or (vi) a combination of any or all of (i)-(v).