Non-combustion energy source and configuration for brayton cycle heat engines

A Brayton cycle heat engine, comprising:

• a compressor;
• a burner configured to receive compressed air from the compressor;
• a turbine configured to receive hot air from the burner;
• a heat exchanger at least partially inserted into the burner;
• and
• a heat exchanger pipe operably connected to the heat exchanger, wherein
• the heat exchanger is configured to heat air within the combustion chamber either alone or supplemental to a combustion-based heat source,
• the heat exchanger pipe comprises a solid state thermal transfer medium configured to deliver thermal energy to the heat exchanger, and
• a core of the heat exchanger comprises boron nitride nanosphere packing, allowing sufficient clearance for contraction and expansion of a cover of the heat exchanger without losing thermal conductivity.

A system, comprising:

• a thermal energy source configured to generate thermal energy either directly or as a byproduct of another process;
• a thermal transfer pipe comprising a solid state thermal transfer medium;
• a manifold comprising a solid state thermal transfer medium, the manifold operably connected to the thermal transfer pipe;
• a heat exchanger pipe comprising a solid state thermal transfer medium operably connected to the manifold;
• and
• a heat exchanger comprising a solid state thermal transfer medium operably connected to the heat exchanger pipe, wherein
• the heat exchanger is at least partially contained within a combustion chamber of a heat engine,
• the heat exchanger is configured to provide sufficient heat to either power the heat engine alone, or supplement power provided by a combustible fuel source, and
• a core of the heat exchanger comprises boron nitride nanosphere packing, allowing sufficient clearance for contraction and expansion of a cover of the heat exchanger without losing thermal conductivity.