External combustion hot gas engine system

External combustion hot gas engine system having a hot gas engine (1), an engine heat exchanger (2), burner means (8, 13, 22, 26) providing hot combustion gases, heat storage means (7), heat supply and distribution means (3, 4, 5, 6), and heat conduction means (10, 30, 31, 34) to supply heat to the heat storage means,

• wherein
• said heat supply and distribution means to transport heat to the engine heat exchanger comprises a heat pipe system (3, 4, 5, 6);
• said heat pipe system includes first heat pipes (5) exposed to combustion gases from the burner (8, 22);
• second heat pipes (6) in heat exchange relation with said storage means (7);
• and third heat pipes (3, 4) in heat exchange relation with at least one of said first and second heat pipes, (5, 6) and conducting heat to the engine heat exchanger (2);
• the heat storage means (7) comprises a plurality of storage units (25), each being symetrical with respect to a center line thereof, said heat storage units (25) being located in adjacent rows and in superimposed layers, said second heat pipes (6) extending into said units centrally thereof, said units having duct means (32, 43) connected to receive the hot combustion gases from the burner and located in heat exchange relation to the storage medium of the heat storage device, and extending parallel to said heat pipe (6) centrally of the respective unit;
• and collection manifolds (31, 34) to which said duct means (32, 43) are connected, located at the end surface of the respective storage units (25).

A heat storage battery (7) for combination with external combustion hot gas engine systems comprising

• a plurality of heat storage units (25) located in adjacent rows and in superimposed layers, each said units including
• a heat pipe (6) extending centrally of the units;
• a heat storage medium surrounding said centrally located heat pipe;
• duct means (32, 43) connected to receive hot fluids in heat exchange relation to said heat storage medium, said duct means extending parallel to the heat pipe centrally of the unit;
• and distribution and collection manifolds (31, 34) to which said duct means (32, 43) are connected, located at the end surface of the respective storage units whereby hot fluids passing through the duct means will transfer heat radially inwardly to be stored in the heat storage medium, for removal by the heat pipe, as desired, simultaneously, or successively with application of heat to the storage medium by the hot fluids, and independently of flow of the hot fluids through said duct means to store heat in the storage medium.