Method and apparatus for converting heat energy to mechanical energy
Assignee21TDMC Group Oy
InventorPetteri Mikko Samuli PENTTINEN
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for converting heat energy to mechanical energy includes a closed circuit having a pressure side with a first conduit, a lower pressure side with a second conduit, two actuators between the pressure sides, a working medium circulated in the closed circuit, a heating source to heat the working medium in the pressure side and a cooling arrangement to cool the working medium in the lower pressure side. The liquid working medium circulated in the closed circuit system is degasified.
Claims17
A method for converting heat energy to mechanical energy, in which method a working medium whose compressibility is smaller than thermal expansion is circulated in a closed circuit system comprising a pressure side and a lower pressure side and two actuators between the pressure sides, and in which method the working medium is alternately heated and cooled to produce effective work, wherein in a work cycle a cooled degasified working medium is led from a first actuator to a first conduit in the pressure side where the working medium is heated and led further to a second actuator from where the heated working medium is led to a second conduit in the lower pressure side where the working medium is cooled and led further back to the first actuator to begin the next work cycle, and that the working medium in the second conduit is used to heat the working medium in the first conduit.
3-4. (canceled)
An apparatus for converting heat energy to mechanical energy, which apparatus comprises a closed circuit system having a pressure side with a first conduit, a lower pressure side with a second conduit, two actuators between the pressure sides, a working medium whose compressibility is smaller than thermal expansion circulated in the closed circuit system, and a heating source to heat the working medium in the pressure side and a cooling arrangement to cool the working medium in the lower pressure side, wherein the first conduit in the pressure side is arranged to lead a cooled degasified working medium from a first actuator to the heading source for heating the working medium, and after heating further to a second actuator from where the second conduit in the lower pressure side is arranged to lead the heated working medium to the cooling arrangement for cooling the working medium, and after cooling back to the first actuator, and that the apparatus comprises an additional heating phase when an additional heat exchanger is arranged to supply additional heat energy to the working medium in the first conduit.
15-16. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.