Dual source external heating system for a heat pipe
AssigneeStirling Thermal Motors, Inc.
InventorsRoelf J. Meijer, Benjamin Ziph
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An external heating system for a heat engine such as a Stirling cycle engine which permits thermal energy to be provided by solar energy or fuel combustion sources. The system employs a complexly shaped heat pipe evaporator section having an enclosed cavity for receiving solar energy and another section forming hollow fins which is exposed to hot combustion gasses. Accordingly, either heat source may be used to evaporate working fluid within the heat pipe which is transferred to the associated heat engine.
Claims3
An external heating system for supplying thermal energy to a heat engine which enables both solar energy and heated gases to be employed as heat sources comprising:
- a heat pipe evaporator cavity,
- a solar energy cavity,
- a heat exchanger section communicating with said solar energy cavity defining a plurality of hollow fins, and
- a gas combustor having a combustion chamber and a housing for directing the heated gasses from said combustion chamber past said hollow fins.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.