Heat Reservoir for a Steam Engine
OwnerJames Allen Kodakinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A heat reservoir for storing the energy necessary for powering heat engines, particularly steam engines, is disclosed. The heat reservoir converts electrical energy into thermal energy through the use of electrical resistance heating coils bathed in one or more high heat capacity metals. Loss of heat through thermal conduction is minimized through the use of an insulating jacket surrounding the reservoir. The stored heat can be quickly transferred to a working fluid, such as steam, by using both a heat storage metal and a heat exchanger metal that possess high thermal conductivity.
Claims18
A heat storage device serving as a boiler for use in a heat engine designed to power land vehicles, boats, and lawn mowers, comprising:
- a.) a fully enclosed reservoir possessing an insulation means,
- b.) a heat storage medium consisting of mostly aluminum, alumina or magnesium by weight and is encased within said reservoir,
- c.) an electrical resistance heating element for charging said heat storage medium,
- d.) a manifold innervating said heat reservoir for transferring heat to a working fluid, and
- e.) a vacuum pocket within said reservoir to accommodate the expansion of the heat storage medium upon heating.
A heat storage device serving as a boiler for use in a heat engine designed to power land vehicles, boats, and lawn mowers, comprising:
- a.) a fully enclosed reservoir possessing an insulation means,
- b.) a heat storage medium consisting of mostly aluminum, alumina or magnesium by weight and supplemented with any element or compound possessing a combination of the following properties at standard conditions:
- a melting point greater than 500° C., a heat capacity greater than 0.9 J/g-C, and a density greater than 1.5 g/cc,
- c.) an electrical resistance heating element for charging said heat storage medium,
- d.) a manifold innervating said heat reservoir for transferring heat to a working fluid, and
- e.) a vacuum pocket within said reservoir to accommodate the expansion of the heat storage medium upon heating.
A heat storage device serving as a boiler for use in a heat engine designed to power land vehicles, boats, and lawn mowers, comprising:
- a.) a fully enclosed reservoir possessing an insulation means,
- b.) a heat storage medium consisting of mostly aluminum, alumina or magnesium by weight and supplemented with any element or compound possessing a combination of the following properties at standard conditions:
- a melting point greater than 500° C., a heat capacity greater than 0.9 J/g-C, and a density greater than 1.5 g/cc,
- c.) an electrical resistance heating element for charging said heat storage medium,
- d.) a manifold innervating said heat reservoir for transferring heat to a working fluid,
- e.) a vacuum pocket within said reservoir to accommodate the expansion of the heat storage medium within said reservoir, and
- f.) a means of automatically removing the working fluid outflow conduit from the reservoir and replacing it with an insulation plug.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.