Engines driven by laser kinetic cooling

A vehicle propulsion system, comprising:

• propulsion means for propelling said vehicle;
• a turbocompressor for driving said propulsion means, said turbocompressor comprising a closed-loop gas path including:
• a turbine having a shaft connected to said propulsion means for driving said propulsion means;
• a first chamber having its gas flow input connected to the gas flow output of said turbine;
• a compressor having its gas flow input connected to the gas flow output of said chamber;
• a second chamber, having its gas flow input connected to the gas flow output of said compressor, the gas flow output of said second chamber being connected to the gas flow input of said turbine;
• and
• a gas, confined in said closed loop gas path, having at least one upper vibrational energy level, at least one lower vibrational energy level, and ground state translational energy;
• and
• irradiation means for irradiating said gas in said first chamber to excite at least a portion of said gas to said upper vibrational energy level;
• said gas being substantially adiabatically compressed in said compressor, allowed to relax in said second chamber so that substantially all of the energy in said gas as it enters said turbine is translational energy, said gas being substantially adiabatically expanded in said turbine performing work on said shaft.

A method of converting energy into mechanical work, comprising:

• (a) irradiating a confined gas, having at least one upper, vibrational energy level, at least one lower vibrational energy level, and ground state translational energy, with laser radiation which excites at least some of said gas to said at least one upper, vibrational energy level, thereby cooling at least some of said gas;
• (b) compressing said cooled gas substantially adiabatically to a high pressure;
• (c) allowing said high pressure gas to relax whereby energy in said at least one vibrational energy level is converted to said translational energy, thereby warming said relaxed gas;
• and
• (d) expanding said warmed gas substantially adiabatically in a device mechanically coupled to an external device, thereby to perform work.

A method of providing propulsive power to a vehicle, comprising:

• (a) irradiating a confined gas, having at least one upper vibrational energy level, at least one lower vibrational energy level, and ground state translational energy, with laser radiation which excites at least some of said gas to said at least one upper, vibrational energy level, thereby cooling said at least some of said gas;
• (b) compressing said cooled gas substantially adiabatically to a high pressure;
• (c) allowing said high pressure gas to relax whereby energy in said vibrational energy levels is converted to translational energy, thereby warming said relaxed gas;
• and
• (d) expanding said warmed gas substantially adiabatically in a device mechanically coupled to an external device, thereby to perform work coupled to said propulsive means, thereby to propel said vehicle.