Thermal cycle engine with augmented thermal energy input area
AssigneePratt & Whitney Rocketdyne, Inc.
InventorJoseph Carroll
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for producing electrical energy from a thermal dynamic cycle. The apparatus can include a heat exchange apparatus portion that allows for a large surface area for thermal energy collection while maintaining an efficiency of the thermal dynamic cycle engine. For example, a Stirling engine can include a large heater head portion that can be contained within the pressure vessel of the thermal dynamic engine yet maintain the selected size of the various pistons of the thermal dynamic cycle engine.
Claims26
A thermal dynamic cycle engine system filled with a gas for producing electrical energy, comprising:
- a heater head including a heat exchanger including:
- a cylinder including an annular wall;
- a passage defined in said annular wall;
- a pressure equalization port;
- a cool head;
- a displacer piston operable to move relative to said heater head and said cool head to move the gas;
- wherein the gas is operable to move through said heat exchanger to said cool head.
A system for providing electrical energy, comprising:
- a thermal dynamic cycle engine including;
- a heater head including a heat exchanger including a cylinder including an annular wall, a passage defined in said annular wall, and a pressure equalization port;
- a cool head;
- a displacer piston operable to move relative to said heater head and said cool head to move the gas;
- a power conversion system;
- a power transfer system;
- and
- wherein power produced by the power conversion system is transferred with the power transfer system to a load.
A method of producing electrical energy with a thermal dynamic cycle engine system including a heater head including a heat exchanger including a cylinder including an annular wall, a passage defined in said annular wall, and a pressure equalization port;
- a cool head;
- and a displacer piston operable to move relative to said heater head and said cool head to move the gas, the method comprising:
- positioning the heat exchanger, the cool head, and the displacer piston in a pressure vessel;
- pressurizing the pressure vessel to a selected pressure;
- pressurizing a volume enclosed by the heat exchanger substantially to the selected pressure by pressurizing the pressure vessel;
- and
- minimizing a pressure differential in said pressure vessel during operation of the thermal dynamic engine.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.