Liquid ring heat engine
AssigneeThe Ohio State University
InventorsCodrin-Gruie Cantemir, Fabio Chiara, Marcello Canova
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and at least two devices demonstrate improvements to energy extraction from a compressible rotation working fluid in a liquid ring heat engine, which has a rotor mounted in a case. A space in the case is occupied by a liquid that establishes a liquid ring piston for the rotor. The rotor defines at least a first and a second operating zone. In the first zone, the working fluid is expanded against the liquid and, in the second zone, the working fluid is re-compressed. Between the two zones, the working fluid is cooled. In one device, the cooling step occurs on the rotor in a third zone. In another device, the cooling occurs outside of the case.
Claims18
A liquid ring heat engine for extracting energy from a working fluid, comprising:
- a cylindrical case;
- a rotor, located inside the cylindrical case, the rotor defining, on a face thereof, a first zone where the working fluid is expanded, a second zone where the working fluid is compressed, and a third zone, positioned in a rotational sense between the first and second zones, with a means for cooling the working fluid, operatively arranged in the third zone;
- a plurality of vanes, in spaced-apart relationship, on at least one of the rotor faces;
- a shaft, positioned eccentric to an axis of symmetry of the cylindrical case, the shaft and rotor coupled for rotation relative to the cylindrical case;
- a space, internal to the cylindrical case, for receiving an amount of liquid that effects a piston ring around the rotor as the rotor rotates relative to the cylindrical case;
- an inlet for the working fluid, open to the first zone through the shaft;
- and
- an outlet for the working fluid, open to the second zone through the shaft.
A method of extracting energy from a compressible working fluid, the method comprising the steps of:
- injecting the working fluid into a liquid ring heat engine comprising a rotor defining at least a first and a second zone;
- expanding the working fluid against a liquid in the first zone;
- rapidly cooling the working fluid that was expanded in the first zone;
- compressing the cooled working fluid in the second zone;
- and
- discharging the compressed and cooled working fluid from the liquid ring heat engine.
A improved liquid ring heat engine for extracting energy from a working fluid, comprising a cylindrical case, a rotor having at least one vaned face mounted on a shaft that is eccentrically positioned in the case, a fluid is an internal space of the case to provide a liquid piston when the rotor rotates on the shaft, the improvement comprising:
- a first zone on the rotor where the working fluid expanded;
- a second zone on the rotor where the working fluid is compressed;
- and
- a third zone, positioned on the rotor between the first and second zones, where the working fluid is cooled.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.