Apparatus and method for converting thermal energy to mechanical energy

In a regenerative cycle heat engine having a liquid working fluid which remains in a liquid state throughout a complete cycle of the engine;

• a heat exchanger having a low pressure liquid inlet and a low pressure liquid outlet for low pressure working fluid, a high pressure liquid inlet and a high pressure liquid outlet for high pressure working fluid, and separate paths therein for said low pressure working fluid and said high pressure working fluid;
• a cooling element adjacent said heat exchanger and in fluid communication with said low pressure liquid outlet;
• a heating element adjacent said heat exchanger and in fluid communication with said high pressure liquid outlet;
• a pair of double acting cylinders arranged in opposed cycling relation to each other, each cylinder having a piston and a port for the working fluid adjacent each end of the cylinder;
• and
• a first valve means positioned adjacent the cooling element to receive low pressure working fluid from the cooling element and operatively connected to said pair of cylinders to control the flow of low pressure working fluid to the cylinders;
• and
• a second valve means positioned adjacent the heating element to receive the high pressure working fluid from the heating element and operatively connected to said pair of cylinders to control the flow of high pressure working fluid to said cylinders;
• said second valve means being operatively connected to selected ports adjacent the ends of said pistons and selectively movable between positions for reversing the flow of high pressure working fluid to said selected ports so that high pressure working fluid is alternately supplied to said cylinders during each complete cycle of the engine in a continuous operation.

In a heat engine having a liquid working fluid which remains in a liquid state throughout a complete cycle of the engine;

• a heat exchanger having a low pressure liquid inlet and a low pressure liquid outlet for low pressure working fluid, a high pressure liquid inlet and a high pressure liquid outlet for high pressure working fluid, and separate paths therein for said low pressure working fluid and said high pressure working fluid;
• a cooling element adjacent said heat exchanger and in fluid communication with said low pressure liquid outlet;
• a heating element adjacent said heat exchanger and in fluid communication with said high pressure liquid outlet;
• a pair of double acting cylinders arranged in opposed cycling relation to each other, each cylinder having a piston and a port for the working fluid adjacent each end of the cylinder;
• valve means between said pair of cylinders and said heating and cooling elements for controlling the flow of low pressure working fluid and high pressure working fluid alternately to said cylinders, said valve means operatively connected to said cylinder ports and movable between positions for reversing the flow of high pressure and low pressure working fluids to said cylinders so that high pressure and low pressure working fluids are alternately supplied to said cylinders during each complete cycle of the engine in a continuous operation;
• a piston rod connected to the piston of each cylinder;
• and
• separate means for driving the piston rods alternately in a power stroke during each cycle of the engine.

In a regenerative cycle heat engine having a liquid working fluid which remains in a liquid state throughout a complete cycle of the engine;

• a heat exchanger having a low pressure liquid inlet and a low pressure liquid outlet for low pressure working fluid, a high pressure liquid inlet and a high pressure liquid outlet for high pressure working fluid, and separate paths therein for said low pressure working fluid and said high pressure working fluid;
• a cooling element adjacent said heat exchanger and in fluid communication with said low pressure liquid outlet;
• a heating element adjacent said heat exchanger and in fluid communication with said high pressure liquid outlet;
• a pair of double acting cylinders arranged in opposed cycling relation to each other, each cylinder having a piston and a port for the working fluid adjacent each end of the cylinder;
• valve means between said pair of cylinders and said heating and cooling elements for controlling the flow of low pressure working fluid and high pressure working fluid alternately to said cylinders, said valve means operatively connected to said cylinders ports and movable between positions for reversing the flow of low pressure and high pressure working fluids to said cylinders so that low pressure and high pressure working fluids are alternately supplied to said cylinders during each complete cycle of the engine in a continuous operation;
• a realtively small diameter power cylinder for each working fluid displacer cylinder and having a piston therein, a piston rod connecting the pistons of each small diameter power cylinder and its associated large diameter displacer cylinder;
• and
• fluid pressure means for said power cylinders controlling the movement of the pistons therein thereby to control the movement of said displacement cylinders.

In a heat engine having a liquid working fluid which remains in a liquid state throughout a complete cycle of the engine;

• a heat exchanger having a low pressure liquid inlet and a low pressure liquid outlet for low pressure working fluid, a high pressure liquid inlet and a high pressure liquid outlet for high pressure working fluid, and separate paths therein for said low pressure working fluid and said high pressure working fluid;
• a cooling element adjacent said heat exchanger and in fluid communication with said low pressure liquid outlet;
• a heating element adjacent said heat exchanger and in fluid communication with said high pressure liquid outlet;
• a pair of double acting displacer cylinders for displacing working fluid and arranged in opposed cycling relation to each other, each cylinder having a piston and a port for the working fluid adjacent each end of the cylinder;
• means between said pair of cylinders and said heating and colling elements for controlling the flow of low pressure working fluid and high pressure working fluid to and from displacer cylinders in a continuous cycle;
• and
• a power cylinder for each displacer cylinder, each power cylinder being connected to the cylinder of the associated displacer cylinder to move the piston back and forth in a reciprocal action for displacing the working fluid.

In a heat engine having a liquid working fluid which remains in a liquid state throughout a complete cycle of the engine;

• a heat exchanger having a low pressure liquid inlet and a low pressure liquid outlet for low pressure working fluid, a high pressure liquid inlet and a high pressure liquid outlet for high pressure working fluid, and separate paths therein for said low pressure working fluid and said high pressure working fluid;
• a cooling element adjacent said heat exchanger and in fluid communication with said low pressure liquid outlet;
• a heating element adjacent said heat exchanger and in fluid communication with said high pressure liquid outlet;
• a pair of displacer cylinders arranged in opposed cycling relation to each other for the alternate discharge of working fluid, each cylinder having a piston and a port for the working fluid adjacent an end of the cylinder;
• valve means between said pair of cylinders and said heating and cooling elements for controlling the flow of low pressure working fluid and high pressure working fluid, said valve means operatively connected to said cylinder ports and movable between positions for reversing the flow of high pressure working fluid to said cylinders so that high pressure working fluid is alternately supplied to said cylinders during each complete cycle of the engine in a continuous operation;
• and
• a power cylinder for each displacer cylinder, each power cylinder having a piston connected to the piston of the associated displacer piston for driving the displacer piston in a power stroke for the discharge of working fluid therefrom.

A heat engine having a liquid working fluid which remains in a substantially liquid state throughout a complete cycle, said heat engine comprising in combination:

• a heat exchanger having separate adjacent flow paths therethrough for low pressure working fluid and high pressure working fluid to effect a transfer of heat from the low pressure working fluid to the high pressure working fluid;
• a cooler receiving low pressure working fluid from said heat exchanger;
• a heater receiving high pressure working fluid from said heat exchanger;
• a pair of double-acting displacer cylinders arranged in opposed cycling relation to each other, said cylinders alternately receiving high pressure working fluid from said heater and low pressure working fluid from said cooler;
• means between the heat exchanger and said cylinders controlling the alternate supply of high pressure working fluid to said cylinders to provide a continuous output of high temperature high pressure working fluid to said displacer cylinders;
• and
• means operatively responsive to the reciprocation of said cylinders and continuous output of high temperature high pressure working fluid from said heat, exchanger for generating a mechanical power output.

A heat engine having a liquid wqrking fluid which remains in a substantially liquid state throughout a complete cycle, said heat engine comprising in combination:

• a heat exchanger having separate adjacent flow paths therethrough for low pressure working fluid and high pressure working fluid to effect a transfer of heat from the low pressure working fluid to the high pressure working fluid;
• a cooler receiving low pressure working fluid from said heat exchanger;
• a heater receiving high pressure working fluid from said heat exchanger;
• a pair of double-acting displacer cylinders arranged in opposed cycling relation to each other, said cylinders alternately receiving high pressure working fluid from said heater and low pressure working fluid from said cooler;
• means between the heat exchanger and said cylinders controlling the alternate supply of high pressure working fluid to said cylinders to provide a continuous output of high temperature high pressure working fluid to said displacer cylinders;
• means operatively responsive to the reciprocation of said cylinders and continuous output of high temperature high pressure working fluid from said heat exchanger for generating a mechanical power output;
• and
• heat pump means between said heater and said cooler to effect a transfer of heat energy from said cooler to said heater, said heat pump means utilizing a refrigeration cycle and a refrigerant in said cycle.

A method of utilizing a liquid working liquid in a regenerative cycle heat engine which remains in a substantially liquid state throughout a complete cycle of the engine, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing low pressure working fluid and high pressure working fluid to a pair of displacer cylinders having opposed operating cycles with one cylinder receiving and discharging low pressure working fluid and the other cylinder simultaneously receiving and discharging high pressure working fluid thereby to provide a continuous discharge of high pressure working fluid and low pressure from the pair of cylinders in alternating relation;
• introducing the discharged low pressure working fluid and discharged high pressure working fluid into a heat exchanger in which the high pressure working fluid increases in temperature and the low pressure working fluid decreases in temperature to effect a transfer of heat from the low pressure working fluid to the high pressure working fluid;
• introducing high pressure working fluid discharged from the heat exchanger into a heater;
• introducing low pressure working fluid discharged from the heat exchanger into a cooler;
• introducing the low pressure low temperature working fluid discharged from the cooler into one of the displacer cylinders and introducing the high pressure high temperature working fluid discharged from the heater into the other displacer cylinder;
• and
• alternating simultaneously the introduction of low pressure working fluid and high pressure working fluid to said pair of cylinders thereby to provide a continuous discharge of low pressure and high pressure working fluids to the pair of displacer cylinders.

A method of providing mechanical energy from thermal energy in a continuously cycling heat engine utilizing a liquid working fluid which remains in a substantially liquid state throughout a complete cycle of the heat engine;

• said method comprising the steps of:
• providing a heat exchanger to receive high temperature low pressure working fluid and low temperature high pressure working fluid for flow through the heat exchanger in separate adjacent paths for transferring heat from said low pressure working fluid to said high pressure working fluid, and subsequent discharge of the low pressure working fluid at a low temperature and discharge of the high pressure working fluid at a high temperature;
• supplying the discharged low pressure working fluid and discharged high pressure working fluid in alternating relation to a pair of displacer cylinders having opposed cycles, one cylinder alternately receiving and displacing low pressure working fluid and the other cylinder simultaneously and alternately receiving and displacing high pressure working fluid thereby to provide a continuous displacement of high pressure working fluid and low pressure working fluid from the pair of cylinders in alternating relation;
• and
• utilizing the high temperature high pressure working fluid to drive means for providing mechanical energy.

A method of converting thermal energy into mechanical energy in a heat engine utilizing a liquid working fluid which remains in a substantially liquid state throughout a complete cycle of the heat engine;

• said method comprising the steps of:
• providing a heat exchanger to receive high temperature low pressure working fluid and low temperature high pressure working fluid for flow through the heat exchanger in separate paths and discharge of the low pressure working fluid therefrom at a low temperature and discharge of the high pressure working fluid therefrom at a high temperature;
• supplying the discharged low pressure working fluid and discharged high pressure working fluid in alternating relation to a pair of displacer cylinders having opposed cycles, one cylinder alternately receiving and displacing low pressure working fluid and the other cylinder simultaneously and alternately receiving and displacing high pressure working fluid thereby to provide a continuous displacement of high pressure working fluid and low pressure working fluid from the pair of cylinders in alternating relation;
• driving the displacer cylinders from separate hydraulic fluid pressure means operatively connected to the displacer cylinders;
• and causing the discharged high pressure working fluid to drive means for providing mechanical energy.

An apparatus for converting thermal energy into mechanical energy comprising:

• a heat exchanger having a plurality of thin generally rectangular plates arranged in face-to-face tightly abutting contact and including separate adjacent flow paths therethrough for high pressure working fluid and low pressure working fluid to effect a transfer of heat to the high pressure fluid, said heat exchanger receiving high temperature low pressure working fluid and low temperature high pressure working fluid, and discharging low temperature low pressure working fluid and high temperature high pressure working fluid;
• a heater receiving high temperature high pressure working fluid from the heat exchanger for increasing the temperature thereof;
• a cooler receiving the low temperature low pressure working fluid from the heat exchanger for decreasing the temperature thereof;
• a pair of displacer cylinders in opposed cycling relation to each other and alternating between low pressure working fluid from said cooler and high pressure working fluid from said heater, one cylinder receiving and displacing low pressure working fluid and the other cylinder simultaneously receiving and discharging high pressure working fluid thereby to provide a continuous displacement of high pressure working fluid and low pressure working fluid from the pair of cylinders in alternating relation;
• and
• power output means to provide mechanical energy being driven by and in response to the supply of high temperature high pressure working fluid from said heater and reciprocation of said cylinders.