Energy transfer machine and method

An energy transfer machine, comprising:

• passageways defining a closed loop and containing a compressible fluid;
• a pressure-displacement coupled interface comprising an electromagnetically controlled spinning piston contained within a conduit extending between opposed sides of the closed loop and dividing the closed loop into a hot circuit and a cold circuit, the conduit forming at least in part a cylinder;
• first flow control devices on the first hot circuit coordinated to permit pulsed flow through the hot circuit with energy transfer through the pressure-displacement coupled interface, the first flow control devices comprising at least a hot inlet valve on the first side of the conduit arranged to control flow between the hot circuit and the first side of the conduit and a cold discharge valve on the second side of the conduit arranged to control flow between the second side of the conduit and the hot circuit;
• second flow control devices on the cold circuit coordinated to permit pulsed flow through the cold circuit with energy transfer through the pressure-displacement coupled interface, the second flow control devices comprising at least a hot discharge valve on the first side of the conduit arranged to control flow between the cold circuit and the first side of the conduit and a cold inlet valve on the second side of the conduit arranged to control flow between the second side of the conduit and the cold circuit;
• the electromagnetically controlled spinning piston having at least a portion configured to function as at least part of the first flow control devices and the second flow control devices;
• the first flow control devices and the second flow devices being coordinated at least in part by electromagnetic control of the electromagnetically controlled spinning piston to allow the pulsed flows in the hot circuit and the cold circuit to combine to create flow around the closed loop;
• and
• an input-output device coupled to the pressure-displacement coupled interface to at least one of input energy into and extract energy from the pressure-displacement coupled interface.

A method of energy transfer, comprising:

• containing compressible fluid within passageways defining a closed loop, the compressible fluid having constant phase in the closed loop;
• providing a pressure-displacement coupled interface on the closed loop arranged to move in a conduit between a first side of the conduit and a second side of the conduit and the conduit dividing the closed loop into a hot circuit and a cold circuit, with differential pressure between the first side and second side of the conduit during operation of the energy transfer machine causing or being caused by movement of the pressure-displacement coupled interface, each movement of the pressure-displacement coupled interface from the first side of the conduit to the second side of the conduit and back to the first side of the conduit corresponding to a cycle, the pressure-displacement coupled interface containing a movable element that is responsive to pressure in the hot circuit and the cold circuit;
• coordinating first flow control devices on the hot circuit to permit pulsed flow through the hot circuit with energy transfer through the pressure-displacement coupled interface, the first flow control devices comprising at least a hot compressible fluid inlet valve on the first side of the conduit arranged to control flow between the hot circuit and the first side of the conduit and a cold compressible fluid discharge valve on the second side of the conduit arranged to control flow between the second side of the conduit and the hot circuit;
• coordinating second flow control devices on the cold circuit to permit pulsed flow through the cold circuit with energy transfer through the pressure-displacement coupled interface, the second flow control devices comprising at least a hot compressible fluid discharge valve on the first side of the conduit arranged to control flow between the cold circuit and the first side of the conduit and a cold compressible fluid inlet valve on the second side of the conduit arranged to control flow between the second side of the conduit and the cold circuit;
• coordinating the first flow control devices and the second flow devices to allow the pulsed flows in the hot circuit and the cold circuit to combine to create flow around the closed loop and cause energy transfer by the cold compressible fluid discharge valve opening in each cycle after opening of the hot compressible fluid inlet valve, the cold compressible fluid discharge valve opening while the pressure-displacement coupled interface is moving towards the second side of the conduit;
• and
• coupling an input-output device to the pressure-displacement coupled interface to at least one of input energy into and extract energy from the pressure-displacement coupled interface.

An energy transfer machine, comprising:

• passageways defining a loop and containing a compressible fluid;
• a pressure-displacement coupled interface on the loop arranged to move in a conduit between a first side of the conduit and a second side of the conduit and the conduit dividing the loop into a hot circuit and a cold circuit, with differential pressure between the first side and second side of the conduit during operation of the energy transfer machine causing or being caused by movement of the pressure-displacement coupled interface, each movement of the pressure-displacement coupled interface from the first side of the conduit to the second side of the conduit and back to the first side of the conduit corresponding to a cycle, the pressure-displacement coupled interface comprising an element that is movable under differential pressure between the hot circuit and the cold circuit and the element having a variable stroke;
• first flow control devices on the hot circuit coordinated to permit pulsed flow through the hot circuit with energy transfer through the pressure-displacement coupled interface, the first flow control devices comprising at least a hot inlet valve on the first side of the conduit arranged to control flow between the hot circuit and the first side of the conduit and a cold discharge valve on the second side of the conduit arranged to control flow between the second side of the conduit and the hot circuit;
• second flow control devices on the cold circuit coordinated by configuration of the energy transfer machine to permit pulsed flow through the cold circuit with energy transfer through the pressure-displacement coupled interface, the second flow control devices comprising at least a hot discharge valve on the first side of the conduit arranged to control flow between the cold circuit and the first side of the conduit and a cold inlet valve on the second side of the conduit arranged to control flow between the second side of the conduit and the cold circuit;
• the first flow control devices and the second flow devices being coordinated to allow the pulsed flows in the hot circuit and the cold circuit to combine to create flow around the loop;
• the first flow control devices and the second flow control devices being controllable to vary the variable stroke of the element;
• and
• an input-output device coupled to the pressure-displacement coupled interface to at least one of input energy into and extract energy from the pressure-displacement coupled interface.