# US 8,782,890 B2 · Regenerator for a thermal cycle engine > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,782,890 B2 - Document ID: US8782890B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/255,461 - Filed: 2010-03-09 - Published: 2011-12-29 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2009-03-24 - Assignees: NV Bekaert SA - Applicants: Frank Verschaeve; Inge Schildermans - Inventors: Frank Verschaeve; Inge Schildermans - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8782890B2 ## CPC - F02G 1/057: Regenerators - F28D 17/02: using rigid bodies, e.g. of porous material - F02G 2257/00: Regenerators - Y10T 29/4935: Heat exchanger or boiler making - Y10T 29/49357: Regenerator or recuperator making - F02G: HOT GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT ENGINE PLANTS (steam engine plants, special vapour plants, plants operating on either hot gas or combustion-product gases together with other fluid F01K; gas-turbine plants F02C; jet-propulsion plants F02K); USE OF WASTE HEAT OF COMBUSTION ENGINES; NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - F28D: HEAT-EXCHANGE APPARATUS, NOT PROVIDED FOR IN ANOTHER SUBCLASS, IN WHICH THE HEAT-EXCHANGE MEDIA DO NOT COME INTO DIRECT CONTACT (fluid heaters having heat generating means and heat transferring means F24H; furnaces F27; details of heat-exchange apparatus of general) - Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION ## Abstract A regenerator (100), for a thermal cycle engine with external combustion, according to the invention comprises a network of metal fibers wherein a majority of the fibers at least partially encircles the axis of the regenerator. The fibers were part of a fiber bundle which is coiled and sintered thereby obtaining the regenerator. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A regenerator for a thermal cycle engine, the regenerator having an axis, said regenerator comprising a network of metal fibers wherein at least 85% of said fibers at least partially encircling said axis, wherein said metal fibers are part of fiber bundles which are supercrimped, said supercrimped fibers having a crimp wave satisfying the following formulas: 3 mm≦R≦½H, wherein R is the distance between the top and the bottom of the crimp wave shape and H is the height of the regenerator; and 1 mm≦S≦4×R, wherein S is the distance between two successive tops of the crimp wave shape. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A regenerator according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said fiber bundles is coiled about said axis. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A regenerator according to claim 1, wherein said metal fibers are continuous metal fibers. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) A regenerator according to claim 1, wherein said metal fibers have an average fiber length Lfiber ranging from 4 cm to 30 cm. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A regenerator according to claim 1, said fibers being mutually interconnected at points of close contact by a sinterbond. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) A regenerator according to claim 1, wherein the porosity of said regenerator is in the range from 85 to 95%. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A regenerator according to claim 1, wherein said regenerator is in the form of a ring. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A regenerator according to claim 1, wherein said regenerator is in the form of a disc. ### Claim 9 A method for manufacturing a regenerator for a thermal cycle engine, said regenerator having an outer diameter, the method comprising: providing a consolidated fiber structure comprising metal fibers, the consolidated fiber structure having at least a leading edge; cylindrically winding said consolidated fiber structure, parallel to said leading edge, until the predetermined diameter, being said outer diameter of said regenerator, is obtained; providing a mesh having at least a mesh leading edge; cylindrically winding said mesh around said wound consolidated fiber structure, parallel to said mesh leading edge; sintering the wound consolidated fiber structure in such a manner as to cross-link the fibers at points of close contact between said fibers; removing said mesh from around the sintered regenerator; wherein at least 85% of said fibers at least partially encircling an axis of said regenerator, said fibers are part of fiber bundles which are supercrimped, and said supercrimped fibers having a crimp wave satisfying the following formulas: 3 mm≦R≦½H, wherein R is the distance between the top and the bottom of the crimp wave shape and H is the height of the regenerator; and 1 mm≦S≦4×R, wherein S is the distance between two successive tops of the crimp wave shape. ### Claim 10 A method for manufacturing a regenerator for a thermal cycle engine, said regenerator having an inner and an outer diameter, the method comprising: providing a consolidated fiber structure comprising metal fibers, the consolidated fiber structure having at least a leading edge; providing a reel, said reel having a diameter almost equal to the internal diameter of said regenerator; cylindrically winding said consolidated fiber structure onto said reel, parallel to said leading edge, until the predetermined diameter, being said outer diameter of said regenerator, is obtained; providing a mesh having at least a mesh leading edge; cylindrically winding said mesh around said wound consolidated fiber structure, parallel to said mesh leading edge; sintering the wound consolidated fiber structure in such a manner as to cross-link the fibers at points of close contact between said fibers; removing said mesh and said reel from around the sintered regenerator; wherein at least 85% of said fibers at least partially encircling an axis of said regenerator, said fibers are part of fiber bundles which are supercrimped, and said supercrimped fibers having a crimp wave satisfying the following formulas: 3 mm≦R≦½H, wherein R is the distance between the top and the bottom of the crimp wave shape and H is the height of the regenerator; and 1 mm≦S≦4×R, wherein S is the distance between two successive tops of the crimp wave shape. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A method comprising: contacting the regenerator as described in claim 1 and the working fluid of a thermal cycle engine with external combustion. ### Claim 12 (depends on 9) A method comprising: contacting the regenerator as obtained in the method of claim 9 and the working fluid of a thermal cycle engine with external combustion. ### Claim 13 (depends on 2) A regenerator according to claim 2, wherein said metal fibers are continuous metal fibers. ### Claim 14 (depends on 2) A regenerator according to claim 2, wherein said metal fibers have an average fiber length Lfiber ranging from 4 cm to 30 cm.