High-efficiency linear generator

An assembly comprising:

• a cylinder comprising a compression section;
• a pair of piston assemblies, each comprising a respective piston and a respective piston rod rigidly attached to the piston, the piston assemblies disposed on opposed sides of the compression section, wherein the piston assemblies move linearly within the at least one cylinder during operation of the assembly;
• a pair of driver sections, wherein each driver section of the pair of driver sections is coupled to a respective piston assembly of the pair of piston assemblies;
• and
• a pair of gas bearings on which each of the piston rods respectively moves during operation of the assembly, wherein a first gas bearing of the pair of gas bearings is arranged between the compression section and a first driver section of the pair of driver sections and a second gas bearing of the pair of gas bearings is arranged between the compression section and a second driver section of the pair of driver sections.

A device comprising:

• a compression section in a bore;
• a piston assembly comprising a piston and a piston rod attached to the piston, the piston assembly disposed adjacent to the compression section, wherein the piston assembly moves linearly within the at least one cylinder during operation of the device;
• a driver section coupled to the piston assembly;
• a gas bearing, arranged between the compression section and the driver section, on which the piston rod moves during operation of the device;
• and
• a linear electromagnetic machine arranged relative to the piston assembly such that certain movement of the piston assembly causes a current to be induced in the linear electromagnetic machine.