US 6,739,137 B2 · Magnetic condensing system for cryogenic engines

Abstract

A method and apparatus is provided for generating an artificial heat sink below ambient temperature for a cryogenic condenser by isothermally magnetizing a paramagnetic fluid and removing the magnetic field thereby creating a temperature drop in the fluid by the magentocaloric effect. The heat of magnetization is converted into mechanical work by initially placing the fluid inside a sealed chamber with a door that opens to a conduit leading into the bore of a superconducting solenoid. When the solenoid is energized with current, it creates a strong axial magnetic field that exerts magnetic attractive forces on the fluid inside the chamber. When the fluid is released by opening the door, it is accelerated through the conduit toward the superconducting solenoid where it becomes magnetized by the increasing strength of the magnetic field. By mounting a non-magnetic turbine inside the conduit between the solenoid and the chamber, the kinetic energy of the accelerating flow stream, which is equal to the heat of magnetization, is converted into mechanical work thereby achieving isothermal magnetization. By removing the magnetic field after the fluid enters the bore of the solenoid, a temperature reduction is achieved thereby enabling the fluid to absorb heat in a cryogenic condenser.

Claims39

Dependent claims

A method for generating a low temperature heat sink for absorbing thermal energy at sub-ambient temperature comprising the steps of:

isothermally magnetizing a paramagnetic fluid in the liquid or gaseous state at an initial temperature below ambient temperature of the natural environment thereby lowering the entropy of said paramagnetic substance;
demagnetizing said paramagnetic fluid at said initial sub-ambient temperature by turning off said magnetic field thereby achieving a temperature drop in said paramagnetic fluid to a temperature below said initial sub-ambient temperature due to the magentocaloric effect enabling said paramagnetic fluid to absorb heat at sub-ambient temperature;
and
repeating said isothermal magnetizing and demagnetizing steps thereby enabling said paramagnetic fluid to continuously absorb thermal energy below ambient temperature.

1 more element

A method for generating an artificial sub-ambient heat sink for re-condensing vapor discharged from a cryogenic engine comprising the steps of:

mounting a plurality of spaced-apart superconducting solenoids having central bores around a closed loop of primary conduit such that said conduit passes through said bores;
mounting non-magnetic turbine means inside said primary conduit between adjacent solenoids;
mounting secondary conduit means around said primary conduit in thermal contact with said primary conduit;
mounting chambers with sealing doors inside said bores communicating with said primary conduit;
charging alternating superconducting solenoids with electric current;
isothermally magnetizing a paramagnetic fluid by introducing said fluid into said charged superconducting solenoids and converting the heat of magnetization into mechanical work;
demagnetizing said paramagnetic fluid by transferring the current of said charged superconducting solenoids to said alternating discharged solenoids with vacant bores thereby creating a temperature drop in said fluid by the resulting magnetocaloric effect, said temperature drop enabling said fluid to absorb heat at sub-ambient temperature from vapor passing through said secondary conduit means;
isothermally re-magnetizing said paramagnetic fluid by opening said chamber doors holding said demagnetized fluid thereby allowing said fluid to flow through said primary conduit into the magnetic fields of said charged superconducting solenoids by magnetic attractive forces and converting said heat of magnetization that appears as kinetic energy of said fluid moving through said primary conduit into mechanical work by said turbine means;
feeding non-condensed vapor at sub-ambient temperature discharged from a cryogenic engine into said secondary conduit means thereby liquefying said vapor at sub-ambient temperature by transferring heat energy to said paramagnetic fluid;
feeding said liquefied vapor back into said cryogenic engine;
and
repeating said steps of demagnetizing and isothermally re-magnetizing said paramagnetic fluid a repetitive process around said loop of primary conduit thereby creating said heat sink for absorbing thermal energy from said vapor flowing through said secondary conduit means by said magnetocaloric effect.

9 more elements

An apparatus for absorbing thermal energy at sub-ambient temperature comprising:

a paramagnetic fluid at an initial sub-ambient temperature;
coil means for generating a magnetic field;
means for isothermally magnetizing said paramagnetic fluid by subjecting said fluid to said magnetic field and removing the heat of magnetization thereby lowering the entropy of said fluid, said means comprising;
chamber means containing said paramagnetic fluid;
structural means for mounting said chamber means at a spaced-apart distance from said coil means;
aprimary conduit means communicating between said chamber means and said coil means;
turbine means mounted inside said primary conduit means between said coil means and said chamber means;
means for energizing said coil means with electric current thereby creating a magnetic field inside said primary conduit means that attracts said paramagnetic fluid to said coil means by magnetic attractive forces;
means for releasing said paramagnetic fluid from said chamber means into said primary conduit means thereby enabling said fluid to accelerate through said primary conduit means toward said coil means where said magnetic field is more intense with increasing kinetic energy and increasing magnetization thereby enabling heat of magnetization to appear in the form of kinetic energy of said fluid moving through said primary conduit means;
means for converting said kinetic energy of said fluid moving through said primary conduit means into mechanical work by said turbine means thereby achieving said isothermal magnetization;
means for demagnetizing said fluid at said initial sub-ambient temperature thereby achieving a temperature drop in said paramagnetic fluid to a temperature below said initial sub-ambient temperature resulting from the magnetocaloric effect enabling said paramagnetic fluid to absorb heat at sub-ambient temperature;
means for repeating said isothermal magnetizing and demagnetizing steps thereby enabling said paramagnetic fluid to continuously absorb thermal energy below ambient temperature;
said coil means for generating said magnetic field is a superconducting solenoid having a central bore;
and
means for charging said superconducting solenoid, said means comprising means for transferring current into said solenoid from a second solenoid.

12 more elements

An apparatus for creating an artificial heat sink at sub-ambient temperature comprising:

primary conduit means;
current carrying means for creating a magnetic field inside said primary conduit means;
means for discharging said current carrying means for removing said magnetic field;
turbine means mounted inside said primary conduit means;
paramagnetic fluid at an initial sub-ambient temperature;
means for feeding said paramagnetic fluid into said primary conduit means such that said magnetic field accelerates said fluid toward said current carrying means by magnetic attractive forces thereby magnetizing said fluid and such that heat of magnetization appears as directed kinetic energy of said fluid moving through said primary conduit means;
means for converting said kinetic energy into mechanical work by said turbine means;
and
means for demagnetizing said magnetized paramagnetic fluid by removing said magnetic field by said discharging means thereby lowering the temperature of said paramagnetic fluid below said initial sub-ambient temperature by the resulting magnetocaloric effect and enabling said fluid to become a heat sink for absorbing heat at sub-ambient temperature by virtue of said temperature reduction.

6 more elements

A condensing system generating an artificial heat sink at sub-ambient temperature for condensing vapor discharged from a cryogenic engine comprising:

a closed loop of primary conduit;
a plurality of spaced-apart superconducting solenoids having central bores mounted around said loop of primary conduit such that said primary conduit passes through said bores;
a like plurality of chambers with sealing doors mounted inside said bores communicating with said primary conduit;
means for opening and closing said chamber doors;
charging means for charging alternating superconducting solenoids with electric current;
turbine means mounted inside said primary conduit between said superconducting solenoids;
secondary conduit means in thermal contact with said primary conduit;
means for isothermally magnetizing paramagnetic fluid by introducing said fluid at sub-ambient temperature into the chambers of said charged superconducting solenoids and converting heat of magnetization into mechanical work;
switching circuit means for transferring said current from said charged solenoids into adjacent discharged solenoids thereby demagnetizing said paramagnetic fluid inside the chambers of said charged solenoids and creating a temperature drop in said fluid by the resulting magnetocaloric effect, said temperature drop enabling said fluid to absorb heat at sub-ambient temperature from vapor passing through said secondary conduit means;
means for re-magnetizing said paramagnetic fluid by opening said chamber doors holding said demagnetized fluid thereby allowing said fluid to accelerate out of said chambers through said primary conduit into the magnetic fields of said charged superconducting solenoids by magnetic attractive forces thereby enabling said fluid to become re-magnetized and enabling the heat of magnetization to appear as directed kinetic energy of said fluid flowing through said primary conduit loop;
means for converting said directed kinetic energy into mechanical work by said turbine means thereby enabling said heat of magnetization to be converted into mechanical work so that said re-magnetization is isothermal;
means for feeding said non-condensed vapor discharged from said cryogenic engine into said secondary conduit means thereby liquefying said vapor at sub-ambient temperature by transferring heat energy from said vapor to said paramagnetic fluid by virtue of said drop in temperature;
means for feeding said liquefied vapor back into said cryogenic engine;
and
control means for repeating said steps of demagnetizing and isothermally re-magnetizing said paramagnetic fluid in a repetitive process thereby creating said heat sink for absorbing heat energy from said vapor on a continuous basis.A condensing system generating an artificial heat sink at sub-ambient temperature for condensing vapor discharged from a cryogenic engine comprising:
a closed loop of primary conduit;
a plurality of spaced-apart superconducting solenoids having central bores mounted around said loop of primary conduit such that said primary conduit passes through said bores;
a like plurality of chambers with sealing doors mounted inside said bores communicating with said primary conduit;
means for opening and closing said chamber doors;
charging means for charging alternating superconducting solenoids with electric current;
turbine means mounted inside said primary conduit between said superconducting solenoids;
secondary conduit means in thermal contact with said primary conduit;
means for isothermally magnetizing paramagnetic fluid by introducing said fluid at sub-ambient temperature into the chambers of said charged superconducting solenoids and converting heat of magnetization into mechanical work;
switching circuit means for transferring said current from said charged solenoids into adjacent discharged solenoids thereby demagnetizing said paramagnetic fluid inside the chambers of said charged solenoids and creating a temperature drop in said fluid by the resulting magnetocaloric effect, said temperature drop enabling said fluid to absorb heat at sub-ambient temperature from vapor passing through said secondary conduit means;
means for re-magnetizing said paramagnetic fluid by opening said chamber doors holding said demagnetized fluid thereby allowing said fluid to accelerate out of said chambers through said primary conduit into the magnetic fields of said charged superconducting solenoids by magnetic attractive forces thereby enabling said fluid to become re-magnetized and enabling the heat of magnetization to appear as directed kinetic energy of said fluid flowing through said primary conduit loop;
means for converting said directed kinetic energy into mechanical work by said turbine means thereby enabling said heat of magnetization to be converted into mechanical work so that said re-magnetization is isothermal;
means for feeding said non-condensed vapor discharged from said cryogenic engine into said secondary conduit means thereby liquefying said vapor at sub-ambient temperature by transferring heat energy from said vapor to said paramagnetic fluid by virtue of said drop in temperature;
means for feeding said liquefied vapor back into said cryogenic engine;
and
control means for repeating said steps of demagnetizing and isothermally re-magnetizing said paramagnetic fluid in a repetitive process thereby creating said heat sink for absorbing heat energy from said vapor on a continuous basis.

27 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Magnetic condensing system for cryogenic engines

Life of this patent

Magnetic condensing system for cryogenic engines

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims39