Thermo Electron Corporation

Kenneth G Hagen

Fred N Huffman

Arthur E Ruggles

An expansion mode tidal regenerator heat engine including a housing assembly enclosing an interior region, a power extraction means and a condensable vapor disposed within the interior region. A condenser is adapted to maintain a portion of the interior region at a condenser temperature equal to or below the boiling point of the working fluid at a predetermined minimum pressure. A super-heater is adapted to maintain a portion of the interior region at a super-heater temperature above the boiling point of the working fluid at a predetermined maximum temperature. A boiler is adapted to maintain a portion of the interior region below the super-heater temperature and above or equal to the boiling point of the working fluid at a predetermined maximum pressure. A tidal liquid regenerator is adapted to maintain a predetermined temperature gradient in the portion of the interior region between those characterized by the condenser and boiler temperatures and a vapor regenerator is adapted to maintain the predetermined temperature gradient in the portion of the interior region between those characterized by the boiler and super-heater temperatures. A cycle control means establishes a sequence of locations for the liquid vapor interface of the working fluid between and including the regions characterized by the boiler and condenser temperatures. The cycle control means successively establishes (1) heating and vaporizing of the working fluid at constant volume, vaporizing and super-heating the working fluid in part at constant pressure and in part with decreasing pressure (due to expansion), cooling at constant volume, condensing in part at constant volume and in part at constant pressure.

Expansion tidal regenerator heat engine

An annular tidal regenerator heat engine including a housing assembly enclosing a cylindrical interior region with a loose-fitting piston and a condensable vapor working fluid disposed therein. A condenser is adapted to maintain a portion of the interior region near one end of the piston at a condenser temperature equal to or below the boiling point of the working fluid at a predetermined minimum pressure. A super-heater is adapted to maintain a portion of the interior region near the other end of the piston at a super-heater temperature above the boiling point of the working fluid at a predetermined maximum pressure. A boiler is adapted to maintain a portion of the cylindrical shell portion of the interior region between the piston and housing at a boiler temperature below the super-heater temperature and above or equal to the boiling point of the working fluid at a predetermined maximum pressure. A tidal liquid regenerator is adapted to maintain a predetermined temperature gradient in the portion of the interior region between those characterized by the condenser and boiler temperatures and a vapor regenerator is adapted to maintain a predetermined temperature gradient in the portion of the interior region between those characterized by the boiler and super-heater temperatures. A power extraction means such as a bellows is connected to the cold end of the piston for coupling energy derived from piston motion to an external load. A cycle control means maintains a liquid-vapor interface of the working fluid to be positioned in the regions of the annular cross-section cylindrical shell region between the piston and the interior surfaces of the housing assembly. The cycle control further positions the interface to alternate between the portion of the shell region characterized by the boiler and condenser temperatures.

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Acton, MA, United States of America

Kenneth G Hagen