US 12,104,552 B2 · Stirling cycle machine

Abstract

A Stirling cycle machine. The machine includes at least one rocking drive mechanism which includes: a rocking beam having a rocker pivot, at least one cylinder and at least one piston. The piston is housed within a respective cylinder and is capable of substantially linearly reciprocating within the respective cylinder. Also, the drive mechanism includes at least one coupling assembly having a proximal end and a distal end. The linear motion of the piston is converted to rotary motion of the rocking beam. Also, a crankcase housing the rocking beam and housing a first portion of the coupling assembly is included. The machine also includes a working space housing the at least one cylinder, the at least one piston and a second portion of the coupling assembly. An airlock is included between the workspace and the crankcase and a seal is included for sealing the workspace from the airlock and crankcase. A burner and burner control system is also included for heating the machine and controlling ignition and combustion in the burner.

Claims17

Dependent claims

A method for controlling a pressure difference between an airlock having a gas at an airlock pressure and a crankcase having a gas and liquid at a crankcase pressure, the crankcase containing a rotating crankshaft connected to a con-rod that drives a first piston via a piston rod to reciprocate 180 degrees out of phase with a second piston the method comprising:

measuring the pressure difference between the airlock pressure and the crankcase pressure;
preventing rotation of the crankshaft when the airlock pressure is less than a first predetermined value, above the crankcase pressure;
operating a compressor to draw gas across a filter from the crankcase, when the airlock pressure is less than a second predetermined value above the crankcase pressure;
fluidically coupling the airlock to an output of the compressor when the airlock pressure is less than a third predetermined value above the crankcase pressure;
fluidically coupling the airlock to the crankcase when the airlock pressure is more than a fourth predetermined value above the crankcase pressure.

2 more elements

A method for controlling a pressure difference between a port of an airlock having a gas at an airlock pressure and a crankcase having a gas and liquid at a crankcase pressure, the crankcase containing a rotating crankshaft connected to a con-rod that drives a first piston via a piston rod to reciprocate 180 degrees out of phase with a second piston, a two way pressure regulator configured to fluidly connect the airlock to an outlet of a compressor, a crankcase workspace or a closed port, the two way pressure regulator comprising a spool valve, where a position of a spool is responsive to the pressure difference between the airlock pressure and the crankcase pressure, the airlock pressure entering the two way pressure regulator via the airlock port the method comprising:

preventing rotation of the crankshaft when the spool location is less than a first predetermined distance to the airlock port;
operating the compressor to draw gas across a filter from the crankcase to the airlock, when the spool location is less than a second predetermined distance to the airlock port;
fluidically coupling the airlock to an output of the compressor with the spool valve, when the spool is above a third predetermined distance to the airlock port;
fluidically coupling the airlock to the crankcase with the spool valve when the spool is greater than a fourth predetermined distance to the airlock port.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Stirling cycle machine

Life of this patent

Stirling cycle machine

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims17