US 5,074,114 A · Congeneration system with a Stirling engine

Abstract

A cogeneration system is disclosed using a Stirling cycle engine in which the waste heat from the engine and a generator driven by the engine is used for space heating or producing hot water and the generator used to produce electricity. A Stirling engine has numerous advantages over a reciprocating internal combustion engine in cogeneration systems in that the Stirling engine has a longer life, less maintenance cost, less noise and vibration and fewer emissions. With cogeneration, the added energy and fuel required over and above that required to produce a comparable amount of heat allowed to produce the same amount of heat with a conventional furnace or boiler is often less than the amount of electric energy produced from the system thereby resulting in a efficiency greater than 100% in the production of electricity.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A cogeneration system for producing process heat for useful purposes and electric energy, comprising:

an electric generator;
a Stirling cycle engine having an output shaft operatively coupled to said generator for driving said generator, said engine including at least one internal fuel combustor;
means for circulating a cooling liquid about said generator and engine to extract heat therefrom;
an exhaust system coupled with said engine for exhausting combustion gases from said engine, said exhaust system including a condensing heat exchanger for cooling said combustion gases below the condensing, temperature of the water vapor in the exhaust gases;
means for directing said cooling liquid around said condensing heat exchanger to extract heat therefrom and heat said liquid;
and
means for directing said cooling liquid for useful purposes.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Congeneration system with a Stirling engine

Life of this patent

Congeneration system with a Stirling engine

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims16