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US 8,474,363 B2Granted
Axial piston and valve shaft fluid engine
OwnerVincent M. Kellyinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and methods for implementing a uniflow fluid engine having at least one cylinder having at least one high-pressure input and at least one low-pressure output. In some embodiments, the engine includes piston-operated valves that are related to the piston shaft and pistons that may also act as exhaust valves. In some embodiments, a valve is slidably positioned within the cylinder on the piston shaft, the valve being movable between a first position allowing input fluid to be conveyed through a first passage and blocking input fluid from a second passage, and a second position allowing input fluid to be conveyed through the second passage and blocking input fluid from the first passage.
Claims21
A fluid engine comprising:
- a cylinder having a fluid chamber, an inlet port couplable to a fluid source for porting fluid into the fluid chamber, and an outlet port for porting fluid out of the fluid chamber;
- a power shaft configured for reciprocal movement with respect to the cylinder;
- a piston fixedly coupled to the power shaft and slidable in the cylinder;
- an intake valve slidably coupled to the power shaft within the cylinder, the intake valve being movable between a first position wherein a passage is formed between the inlet port and the fluid chamber to permit the flow of fluid from the inlet port into the fluid chamber, and a second position wherein the intake valve closes the passage to prevent the flow of fluid from the inlet port into the fluid chamber;
- a first valve driver coupled to the power shaft on a first side of the intake valve, the first valve driver being configured to move the intake valve from the first position into the second position in response to movement of the power shaft;
- and
- a second valve driver coupled to the power shaft on a second side of the intake valve opposite the first side, the second valve driver being configured to move the intake valve from the second position into the first position in response to movement of the power shaft.
4 more elements
A fluid engine comprising:
- a cylinder body comprising a first fluid chamber and a second fluid chamber, an inlet port for porting fluid into the first and second fluid chambers positioned between the first fluid chamber and the second fluid chamber, a first outlet port for porting fluid out of the first fluid chamber, and a second outlet port for porting fluid out of the second fluid chamber;
- a power shaft configured for reciprocal movement with respect to the cylinder body;
- a first piston fixedly coupled to the power shaft and slidable within the first fluid chamber;
- a second piston fixedly coupled to the power shaft and slidable within the second fluid chamber;
- an intake valve slidably coupled to the power shaft within the cylinder, the intake valve being movable between a first position wherein a first passage is formed between the inlet port and the first fluid chamber to permit fluid flow from the inlet port into the first fluid chamber and to block fluid flow between the inlet port and the second fluid chamber, and a second position wherein a second passage is formed between the inlet port and the second fluid chamber to permit fluid flow from the inlet port into the second fluid chamber and to block fluid flow between the inlet port and the first fluid chamber;
- a first valve driver coupled to the power shaft on a first side of the intake valve, the first valve driver being configured to move the intake valve from the first position into the second position in response to movement of the power shaft;
- and
- a second valve driver coupled to the power shaft on a second side of the intake valve opposite the first side, the second valve driver being configured to move the intake valve from the second position into the first position in response to movement of the power shaft.
5 more elements
An expansion fluid engine comprising:
- a fluid heating apparatus configured to vaporize an expansion fluid;
- an expander comprising:
- a cylinder body comprising a first fluid chamber and a second fluid chamber, an inlet port coupled to the fluid heating apparatus for porting high-pressure vaporized fluid into the first and second fluid chambers positioned between the first fluid chamber and the second fluid chamber, a first outlet port for porting low-pressure vaporized fluid out of the first fluid chamber, and a second outlet port for porting low-pressure vaporized fluid out of the second fluid chamber;
- a power shaft configured for reciprocal movement with respect to the cylinder body;
- a first piston fixedly coupled to the power shaft and slidable within the first fluid chamber;
- a second piston fixedly coupled to the power shaft and slidable within the second fluid chamber;
- an intake valve slidably coupled to the power shaft within the cylinder, the intake valve being movable between a first position wherein a first passage is formed between the inlet port and the first fluid chamber to permit fluid flow from the inlet port into the first fluid chamber and to block fluid flow between the inlet port and the second fluid chamber, and a second position wherein a second passage is formed between the inlet port and the second fluid chamber to permit fluid flow from the inlet port into the second fluid chamber and to block fluid flow between the inlet port and the first fluid chamber;
- a first valve driver coupled to the power shaft on a first side of the intake valve, the first valve driver being configured to move the intake valve from the first position into the second position in response to movement of the power shaft;
- and
- a second valve driver coupled to the power shaft on a second side of the intake valve opposite the first side, the second valve driver being configured to move the intake valve from the second position into the first position in response to movement of the power shaft;
- a condenser coupled to the first and second output ports operative to receive the low-pressure vaporized fluid from the expander and to form a condensate;
- and
- a pump coupled to the condenser and the fluid heating apparatus configured to receive the condensate from the condenser and to pump liquid fluid to the fluid heating apparatus.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.