US 4,305,327 AGranted

Pressurized gas engine

OwnerArnold F. Willatinventor

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Abstract

An engine is provided which converts pressurized gas into useful mechanical energy. The engine uses pressurized gas in such a way to avoid contact between the gas and sliding metal parts. As such, the engine is particularly adapted for use with naturally pressurized geothermal gases which may contain substances harmful to metal. In the preferred form, the engine includes a plurality of reciprocating plungers which serve as energy transfer means. Deformable enclosures such as spheroidal hollow balls made of an elastomer material are positioned on opposite sides of each plunger along its axis of movement. The deformable enclosures exert a force against the plungers to move the plungers when filled with pressurized gas. Each plunger alternately collapses each of the deformable enclosures as it reciprocates. A valve system for controlling the ingress and egress of pressurized gas to the deformable enclosures is responsive to the motion of the plungers. With the valves operating in a predetermined repetitive sequence, pressurized gas is directed to impart cyclical motion to the plungers which can be harnesses to perform useful work.

Claims26

Dependent claims

A pressurized gas engine comprising:

energy transfer means supported for movement in response to forces exerted against said energy transfer means, a plurality of deformable enclosures positioned adjacent to a said energy transfer means each said deformable enclosure expanding against and moving said energy transfer means when filled with pressurized gas, said deformable enclosures being arranged to move said energy transfer means in different directions such that the expansion of one of said deformable enclosures will cause said energy transfer means to move against and collapse another of said deformable enclosures, each said deformable enclosure including a gas conduit connected thereto for ingress and egress of gas, valve means for controlling gas flow through each said gas conduit, and control means for said valve means responsive to the position of said energy transfer means for admitting pressurized gas into selected ones of said deformable enclosures and for simultaneously allowing escape of gas from other selected ones of said deformable enclosures in a predetermined repetitive sequence wherein each of said gas conduits includes a supply tube for connection to a source of pressurized gas which incorporates a length of flexible tubing, said valve means including a first compression member for exerting a force against the flexible tubing of said supply tube substantially perpendicular to the flow axis of the flexible tubing to squeeze flexible tubing and cut off fluid flow therethrough when said first compression member is moved to be closed position by said control means whereby pressurized gas is directed to impart cyclical motion to said energy transfer means.

A pressurized gas engine comprising:

a plurality of transfer means supported for reciprocating movement each along an axis of movement, a pair of deformable enclosures associated with each said energy transfer means, said deformable enclosures associated with each said energy transfer means, said deformable enclosures being positioned adjacent opposite sides of the associated energy transfer means, each said deformable enclosure expanding against and moving said energy transfer means when filled with pressurized gas each said energy transfer means alternately moving against and collapsing one of said pair of deformable enclosures as said energy transfer means is reciprocated, each said deformable enclosure including a gas conduit connected thereto for ingress and egress of gas, valve means for controlling gas flow through each said gas conduit, and a plurality of control means for said valve means, each said control means being associated with one of said energy transfer means for admitting pressurized gas to whichever of the deformable enclosures have been collapsed by said energy transfer means and for allowing escape of gas from whichever of the deformable enclosures are being collapsed by said energy transfer means wherein each said gas conduit for each said deformable enclosure is connected to a pair of branch conduits which each include segments of flexible tubing material, including a supply tube for connection to a source of pressurized gas and a vent tube for allowing escape of gas from said deformable enclosure by way of said gas conduit, wherein said valve mean associated with each said energy transfer means includes first and second compression members controlling the flow of gas through the segments of flexible tubing material in each said branch conduit, said first compression member exerting a force against said supply tubing and said second compression member exerting a force against said vent tubing, said first and second compression members being oriented substantially perpendicular to the flow axis of the segments of flexible tubing material to squeeze the flexible tubing material and cut off fluid flow therethrough, said first and second compression members being operated alternately by said control means whereby the pressurized gas is directed to impart reciprocating motion to said energy transfer means.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.