Stirling cycle machine
AssigneeNew Power Concepts LLC
InventorsMichael G. Norris, Felix Winkler, Andrew A. Schnellinger
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An external combustion engine including a burner element, a heater head, a piston cylinder containing a piston, a cooler and a crankcase. The crankcase includes a crankshaft, a piston rod connected to the piston, a drive mechanism for converting the linear motion of the piston rod to rotary motion of the crankshaft and a linear cross-head bearing that is connected rigidly to the piston rod at one end and to the drive mechanism at the other end. Also the external combustion engine includes a piston clearance seal and a piston rod seal unit that has floating rod seals. The piston includes a inner dome to reduce axial heat transfer via radiation and convection.
Claims26
1-29. (canceled)
A method for managing operation of a heating element in an external combustion engine, the heating element having at least one burner and an associated combustion chamber, the method comprising:
- initiating a start-up mode for achieving ignition in the combustion chamber, the startup mode further comprising;
- setting a blower speed to a first speed;
- supplying a fuel to achieve a first fuel-air ratio;
- attempting ignition using at least one ignitor;
- detecting presence of a flame, and
- resetting the start-up mode when the flame is not detected after a trial period;
- switching to an operation mode when the flame is detected, the operation mode further comprising;
- increasing the blower speed to support the flame in the combustion chamber;
- supplying the fuel to achieve a second fuel-air ratio;
- monitoring the operation of the external combustion engine to check for one or more pre-determined failsafe conditions, the one or more pre-determined failsafe conditions divided into a first set and a second set;
- switching to a shut-off mode on determining one or more pre-determined failsafe conditions in the first set, and
- switching to a stop mode on determining one or more failsafe conditions in the second set.
A method for managing operation of a heating element in an external combustion engine, the heating element having at least one burner, an associated combustion chamber and an associated prechamber, the method comprising:
- initiating a start-up mode for achieving ignition in a prechamber, the startup mode further comprising;
- setting a blower speed to input air at a first speed;
- supplying a fuel to achieve a first fuel-air ratio;
- attempting ignition using at least one ignitor;
- detecting presence of a flame in the prechamber,
- monitoring an incoming air temperature in the combustion chamber, and
- increasing the blower speed for advancing the flame from the prechamber to the combustion chamber when the flame is detected and the incoming air temperature exceeds a predetermined value, and
- switching to an operation mode to support the flame in the combustion chamber, the operation mode further comprising;
- supplying the fuel to achieve a second fuel-air ratio, and
- monitoring a plurality of failsafe conditions in the combustion chamber.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.