US 4,357,800 A · Rotary heat engine

Abstract

A rotary external combustion heat engine for furnishing mechanical energy from a source of heat. The engine includes a ring-like stator having an oval rotor chamber enclosing a cylindrical rotor eccentrically placed within the chamber to define a high displacement high temperature fluid chamber and a lower displacement low temperature fluid chamber. A plurality of extensible vanes extend outwardly from the rotor in sliding contact with the inner surface of the rotor chamber. A source of heat supplies thermal energy to fluid supplied to the high temperature chamber, while a heat sink cools fluid supplied to the low temperature chamber. An economizer heat exchanger is also provided for preheating the working fluid. The relative position of the rotor within the rotor chamber is adjustable for varying the relative displacement of the fluid chambers to control engine working parameters. In another embodiment, a first heat engine is utilized as a motor and is mechanically coupled to a second heat engine utilized as a heat pump for providing an external combustion heat pump or refrigeration unit.

Claims13

Dependent claims

A rotary heat engine comprising:

a stator having an oval rotor chamber defined by a pair of adjoining lobes forming a high temperature fluid chamber and a low temperature fluid chamber, respectively, each of said fluid chambers including spaced fluid inlet and outlet ports;
a substantially cylindrical rotor rotatably mounted within said rotor chamber such that said high temperature chamber defines a greater volume than said low temperature chamber, said high temperature chamber being separated from said low temperature chamber by the rotor positioned therebetween, said rotor including a plurality of radially extending vane accepting slots;
an extensible vane slidably received in each of said slots, said vanes making sliding contact with the inner wall surface of said rotor chamber to affect a sliding seal;
fluid heating means connected between said low temperature chamber outlet port and said high temperature chamber inlet port for heating fluid admitted into said high temperature chamber;
heat rejection means connected between said high temperature chamber outlet port and said low temperature chamber inlet port for cooling fluid admitted into said low temperature chamber;
and
means for moving said rotor eccentrically within said rotor chamber to increase or decrease the relative volumes of said high temperature and low temperature chambers, respectively.

4 more elements

A rotary heat engine comprising mechanically connected motor means and pump means, said motor means comprising:

(a) a stator defining an oval-shaped rotor chamber having spaced high temperature and low temperature fluid chambers, said chambers having spaced inlet and outlet ports for respectively admitting fluid into and exhausting fluid from said chambers;
(b) a substantially cylindrical rotor rotatably mounted within said rotor chamber such that said high temperature chamber defines a greater volume than said low temperature chamber, said rotor including a plurality of radially extending vane accepting slots;
and
(c) an extensible vane slidably received in each of said slots, said vanes being in sliding contact with the inner wall surface of said rotor chamber to affect a sliding seal;
said pump means comprising;
(d) a stator defining an oval-shaped rotor chamber having spaced high temperature and low temperature fluid chambers, said chambers having spaced inlet and outlet ports for respectively admitting fluid into and exhausting fluid from said chambers;
(e) a substantially cylindrical rotor rotatably mounted within said pump rotor chamber such that said high temperature pump chamber defines a greater volume than said low temperature pump chamber, said pump rotor including a plurality of radially extending vane accepting slots, said pump rotor being connected to said motor rotor;
p1 (f) an extensible vane slidably received in each of said pump rotor slots, said pump vanes being in sliding contact with the inner wall surface of said pump rotor chamber to affect a sliding seal;
(g) fluid heating means for heating a working fluid connected between said high temperature inlet port and said low temperature outlet port of said motor means;
(h) a heat exchanger having a heat rejecting part and a heat receiving part, heat being transferred from working fluid flowing through said heat rejecting part to fluid flowing through said heat accepting part, said heat rejecting part being connected between said outlet port of said high temperature chamber of said motor means and said inlet port of said low temperature chamber of said motor means, said heat receiving part including an inlet and an outlet;
(i) a fluid heating device for heating working fluid connected between said low temperature outlet port of said pump means and the inlet of said heat receiving part of said heat exchanger, the outlet of said heat receiving part of said heat exchanger being connected to said high temperature inlet port of said pump means;
and
(j) heat rejecting means for providing a source of heat connected between said high temperature outlet port and said low temperature inlet port of said pump means.

10 more elements

A rotary heat engine comprising mechanically connected motor means and pump means, said motor means comprising:

a stator defining an oval-shaped rotor chamber having a high temperature fluid chamber and a low temperature fluid chamber spaced therefrom, said chambers having spaced inlet and outlet ports for respectively admitting fluid into and exhausting fluid from said chambers;
a substantially cylindrical rotor rotatably mounted within said rotor chamber such that said high temperature chamber defines a greater volume than said low temperature chamber said high temperature chamber being separated from said low temperature chamber by the rotor positioned therebetween, said rotor including a plurality of radially extending vane accepting slots;
and
an extensible vane slidably received in each of said slots, said vanes being in sliding contact with the inner wall surface of said rotor chamber to affect a sliding seal and;
means for moving said rotor eccentrically within said rotor chamber to increase or decrease the relative volumes of said high temperature and low temperature chambers, respectively;
said pump means comprising:
a stator defining an oval-shaped rotor chamber having a high temperature fluid chamber and a low temperature fluid chamber spaced therefrom, said chambers having spaced inlet and outlet ports for respectively admitting fluid into and exhausting fluid from said chambers;
a substantially cylindrical rotor rotatably mounted within said pump rotor chamber such that said high temperature pump chamber defines a greater volume than said low temperature pump chamber, said high temperature chamber being separated from said low temperature chamber by the rotor positioned therebetween, said pump rotor including a plurality of radially extending vane accepting slots, said pump rotor being connected to said motor rotor;
an extensible vane slidably received in each of said pump rotor slots, said pump vanes being in sliding contact with the inner wall surface of said pump rotor chamber to affect a sliding seal;
and means for moving said rotor eccentrically within said rotor chamber to increase or decrease the relative volumes of said high temperature and low temperature chambers, respectively;
fluid heating means having an inlet and an outlet for heating a working fluid, said fluid heating outlet being connected to said high temperature inlet port of said motor means;
a heat exchanger having a heat rejecting part and a heat receiving part, heat being transferred from working fluid flowing through said heat rejecting part to fluid flowing through said heat accepting part, said heat receiving part including an inlet and an outlet, said heat receiving part inlet being connected to said low temperature outlet port of said motor means, said heat receiving part outlet being connected to said fluid heating means inlet, said heat rejecting part being connected between said high temperature outlet and said low temperature inlet of said pump means;
heat rejecting means for exhausting heat from the working fluid connected between said high temperature outlet port and said low temperature inlet port of said motor means;
and
a fluid heating device for heating working fluid connected between said high temperature inlet port and said low temperature outlet port of said pump means.

12 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Rotary heat engine

Life of this patent

Rotary heat engine

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims13