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US 7,134,279 B2Granted
Double acting thermodynamically resonant free-piston multicylinder stirling system and method
AssigneeInfinia Corporation
InventorsMaurice A. White, John E. Augenblick, Allen A. Peterson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Present implementations provide an approach that allows for a double-acting, multi-cylinder, thermodynamically resonant, alpha configuration free-piston Stirling system. The system includes overstroke preventers that control extent of piston travel to prevent undesirable consequences of piston travel beyond predetermined limits. The overstroke preventers involve controlled work extraction out of the system or controlled work input into the system. Implementations can also include duplex linear alternators, and/or frequency tuning systems, and/or vibration balancing configurations.
Claims53
A Stirling system comprising:
- a plurality of double-acting non-fluidic free-pistons;
- a plurality of overstroke preventers, each coupled to at least a different one of the pistons;
- a plurality of cylinders, each having a different one of the pistons positioned therein for reciprocal motion, each of the cylinders coupled to a different corresponding pair of other ones of the cylinders to fluidly couple the cylinder to a first cylinder and a second cylinder of the corresponding pair;
- and
- a Stirling cycle working fluid, portions of the Stirling cycle working fluid positioned in the cylinders and in contact with the pistons, the reciprocal motion of the piston positioned in each of the cylinders being coupled to the reciprocal motion of the piston positioned in the first cylinder of the corresponding pair solely through the Stirling cycle working fluid and being coupled to the reciprocal motion of the piston positioned in the second cylinder of the corresponding pair solely through the Stirling cycle working fluid.
2 more elements
A method for operating a Stirling system, comprising:
- positioning each of a plurality of double-acting non-fluidic free-pistons in a different one of a plurality of cylinders;
- allowing each of the pistons to reciprocate within its respective cylinder;
- controlling the reciprocal motion of each of the pistons within its respective cylinder to prevent undesirable travel of the piston within the respective cylinder;
- including portions of a Stirling cycle working fluid in the cylinders and contacting the pistons;
- and
- coupling the reciprocal motion of each of the pistons with the reciprocal motions of a different pair of the pistons solely through the Stirling cycle working fluid.
3 more elements
A Stirling system comprising:
- a Stirling cycle working fluid;
- a plurality of double-acting non-fluidic free-pistons, the pistons in contact with portions of the Stirling cycle working fluid;
- a plurality of overstroke preventers, each of the overstroke preventers coupled to at least a different one of the pistons;
- and
- a plurality of cylinders, each of the cylinders having some of the Stirling cycle working fluid therein and coupled to a different corresponding pair of other ones of the cylinders to couple the cylinder to a first cylinder of the corresponding pair to provide for transfer of a first portion of the Stirling cycle working fluid therebetween and to couple the cylinder to a second cylinder of the corresponding pair to provide for transfer of a second portion of the Stirling cycle working fluid therebetween, each of the pistons positioned in a different one of the cylinders for reciprocal motion therein, the piston positioned in the cylinder being coupled to the piston positioned in the first cylinder of the corresponding pair through the Stirling cycle working fluid and coupled to the piston positioned in the second cylinder of the corresponding pair through the Stirling cycle working fluid.
2 more elements
A method for operating a Stirling system, comprising:
- allowing each of a plurality of double-acting non-fludic free-pistons to reciprocate within a different one of a plurality of cylinders;
- including a Stirling cycle working fluid within at least portions of the cylinders to contact the free pistons;
- controlling the reciprocal motion of each of the pistons within its respective cylinder to limit travel of the piston therein;
- and
- fluidly coupling each of the cylinders to a different corresponding pair of other ones of the cylinders to couple the cylinder to a first cylinder of the corresponding pair to provide for transfer of a first portion of the Stirling cycle working fluid therebetween and to couple the cylinder to a second cylinder of the corresponding pair to provide for transfer of a second portion of the Stirling cycle working fluid therebetween, with the piston positioned in each cylinder coupled through the Stirling cycle working fluid with the piston within the first cylinder of the corresponding pair and through the Stirling cycle working fluid with the piston within the second cylinder of the corresponding pair.
2 more elements
A Stirling system comprising:
- a plurality of double-acting non-fluidic free-pistons mechanically disconnected from each other;
- a plurality of overstroke preventers, each coupled to at least a different one of the pistons;
- and
- a plurality of cylinders, each having a different one of the pistons positioned therein for reciprocal motion, each of the cylinders coupled to a different corresponding pair of other ones of the cylinders to fluidly couple the cylinder to a first cylinder and a second cylinder of the corresponding pair;
- a Stirling cycle working fluid, portions of the Stirling cycle working fluid positioned in the cylinders and contacting the pistons, the reciprocal motion of each piston being coupled to the reciprocal motion of at least another one of the pistons through the Stirling cycle working fluid being transferred between the respective cylinder of the piston and the respective cylinder of the at least another one of the pistons;
- and
- means for extracting work from the reciprocal motion of the pistons.
4 more elements
A Stirling system comprising:
- a plurality of double-acting non-fluidic free-pistons mechanically disconnected from each other;
- a plurality of overstroke preventers, each coupled to at least a different one of the pistons;
- and
- a plurality of cylinders, each having a different one of the pistons positioned therein for reciprocal motion, each of the cylinders coupled to a different corresponding pair of other ones of the cylinders to fluidly couple the cylinder to a first cylinder and a second cylinder of the corresponding pair;
- a Stirling cycle working fluid, portions of the Stirling cycle working fluid positioned in the cylinders and contacting the pistons, the reciprocal motion of each piston being coupled to the reciprocal motion of at least another one of the pistons through the Stirling cycle working fluid flowing between the respective cylinder of the piston and the respective cylinder of the least another one of the pistons;
- and
- means for supplying work to the reciprocal motion of the pistons.
4 more elements
A Stirling system comprising:
- a plurality of double-acting non-fluidic free-pistons mechanically disconnected from each other;
- a plurality of cylinders, each having a different one of the pistons positioned therein for reciprocal motion, each of the cylinders fluidly coupled to a different corresponding pair of other ones of the cylinders to fluidly couple the cylinder to a first cylinder and a second cylinder of the corresponding pair;
- and
- a Stirling cycle working fluid, portions of the Stirling cycle working fluid positioned in the cylinders and contacting the pistons, the reciprocal motion of the piston positioned in each of the cylinders being coupled to the reciprocal motion of the piston positioned in the first cylinder of the corresponding pair through the Stirling cycle working fluid via the fluid coupling of the cylinder to provide for transfer of a first portion of the Stirling cycle working fluid therebetween in which the piston is positioned to the first cylinder of the corresponding pair, and being coupled to the reciprocal motion of the piston positioned in the second cylinder of the corresponding pair through the Stirling cycle working fluid via the fluid coupling of the cylinder to provide for transfer of a second portion of the Stirling cycle working fluid therebetween in which the piston is positioned to the second cylinder of the corresponding pair.
1 more element
A free-piston Stirling system comprising:
- a plurality of double-acting non-fluidic free-pistons;
- a plurality of cylinders, each having a different one of the pistons positioned therein for reciprocal motion, each of the cylinders fluidly coupled to a different corresponding pair of other ones of the cylinders to fluidly couple the cylinder to a first cylinder and a second cylinder of the corresponding pair;
- and
- a Stirling cycle working fluid, portions of the Stirling cycle working fluid positioned in the cylinders, the reciprocal motion of the piston positioned in each of the cylinders being coupled to the reciprocal motion of the piston positioned in the first cylinder of the corresponding pair through the Stirling cycle working fluid via the fluid coupling of the cylinder to provide for transfer of a first portion of the Stirling cycle working fluid therebetween in which the piston is positioned to the first cylinder of the corresponding pair, and being coupled to the reciprocal motion of the piston positioned in the second cylinder of the corresponding pair through the Stirling cycle working fluid via the fluid coupling of the cylinder to provide for transfer of a first portion of the Stirling cycle working fluid therebetween in which the piston is positioned to the second cylinder of the corresponding pair, whereby the Stirling system operates without use of a separate displacer piston.
1 more element
A method for operating a Stirling system, comprising:
- positioning each of a plurality of double-acting non-fluidic free-pistons in a different one of a plurality of cylinders, the pistons being mechanically disconnected from each other;
- allowing each of the pistons to reciprocate within its respective cylinder;
- including portions of a Stirling cycle working fluid in the cylinders;
- and
- coupling the reciprocal motion of each of the pistons with the reciprocal motions of a different corresponding pair of the pistons through the Stirling cycle working fluid moving between the cylinders.
2 more elements
A Stirling system comprising:
- a Stirling cycle working fluid;
- a plurality of double-acting non-fluidic free-pistons mechanically disconnected from each other;
- and
- a plurality of cylinders, portions of the Stirling cycle working fluid located therein, each of the cylinders coupled to a different corresponding pair of other ones of the cylinders to couple the cylinder to a first cylinder of the corresponding pair to provide for transfer of a first portion of the Stirling cycle working fluid therebetween and to couple the cylinder to a second cylinder of the corresponding pair to provide for transfer of a second portion of the Stirling cycle working fluid therebetween, each of the pistons positioned in a different one of the cylinders for reciprocal motion therein, the piston positioned in the cylinder being coupled to the piston positioned in the first cylinder of the corresponding pair through the Stirling cycle working fluid and coupled to the piston positioned in the second cylinder of the corresponding pair through the Stirling cycle working fluid.
1 more element
A method for operating a Stirling system, comprising:
- allowing each of a plurality of double-acting non-fluidic free-pistons to reciprocate within a different one of a plurality of cylinders, the pistons being mechanically disconnected from each other;
- including a Stirling cycle working fluid within at least portions of the cylinders;
- and
- fluidly coupling each of the cylinders to a different corresponding pair of other ones of the cylinders to couple the cylinder to a first cylinder of the corresponding pair to provide for transfer of a first portion of the Stirling cycle working fluid therebetween and to couple the cylinder to a second cylinder of the corresponding pair to provide for transfer of a second portion of the Stirling cycle working fluid therebetween, with the piston positioned in each cylinder coupled through the Stirling cycle working fluid with the piston within the first cylinder of the corresponding pair and through the Stirling cycle working fluid with the piston within the second cylinder of the corresponding pair.
1 more element
A Stirling machine having a plurality of cylinders, each cylinder having a double-acting non-fluidic free-piston therein, a system comprising:
- an accumulator;
- a first fluid line fluidly coupled to the accumulator and at least a first one of the cylinders;
- a first solenoid valve positioned in the first fluid line, the first solenoid valve configured to be controlled to open and close;
- a first check valve positioned in the first fluid line, the first check valve configured to allow fluid flow from the at least first one cylinder to the accumulator and to prevent fluid flow from the accumulator to the at least first one cylinder when the first solenoid valve is open;
- a second fluid line fluidly coupled to the accumulator and at least a second one of the cylinders, the at least first one cylinder and the at least second one cylinder being the same cylinder or different cylinders;
- a second solenoid valve positioned in the second fluid line, the second solenoid valve configured to be controlled to open and close;
- and
- a second check valve positioned in the second fluid line, the second check valve configured to allow fluid flow from the accumulator to the at least one second cylinder and to prevent fluid flow from the at least one second cylinder to the accumulator when the second solenoid valve is open.
5 more elements
For a Stirling machine having a plurality of cylinders, each cylinders having a non-fluidic free-piston therein, a system comprising:
- an accumulator;
- a first fluid line fluidly coupled to the accumulator and at least a first one of the cylinders;
- a first valve positioned in the first fluid line, the first valve configured to be controlled to open and close;
- a first check valve positioned in the first fluid line, the first check valve configured to allow fluid flow from the at least first one cylinder to the accumulator and to prevent fluid flow from the accumulator to the at least first one cylinder when the first solenoid valve is open;
- a second fluid line fluidly coupled to the accumulator and at least a second one of the cylinders, the at least first one cylinder and the at least second one cylinder being the same cylinder or different cylinders;
- a second valve positioned in the second fluid line, the second valve configured to be controlled to open and close;
- a second check valve positioned in the second fluid line, the second check valve configured to allow fluid flow from the accumulator to the at least one second cylinder and to prevent fluid flow from the at least one second cylinder to the accumulator when the second solenoid valve is open;
- and
- a controller coupled with the first valve and the second valve, the controller configured to control the first valve and the second valve based at least in part on a desired operating frequency for the Stirling machine.
6 more elements
A method comprising:
- providing a first multicylinder double-acting non-fluidic free-piston machine having a first plurality of cylinders, the first cylinders being interconnected to share a first Stirling cycle working fluid, each first cylinder with a first piston reciprocally mounted therein, the first piston having at least one moveable component of an overstroke preventer coupled thereto;
- providing a second multicylinder double-acting non-fluidic free-piston machine having a second plurality of cylinders, the second cylinders being interconnected to share a second Stirling cycle working fluid, the first cylinders unconnected with the second cylinders to prevent the first cylinders from sharing the second Stirling cycle working fluid and to prevent the second cylinders from sharing the first Stirling cycle working fluid, each second cylinder with a second piston reciprocally mounted therein, the second piston having at least one moveable component of an overstroke preventer coupled thereto;
- and
- locating the first multicylinder machine and the second multicylinder machine with respect to one another and controlling movement of the first pistons and the second pistons with the overstroke preventers to cancel reaction forces resulting from reciprocation of the pistons to reduce operational vibration.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.