Denso Corporation

Advanced Mobile Telecommunication Technology Inc.

Yasumasa Hagiwara

Shinichi Yatsuzuka

Shuzo Oda

Toshiyuki Morishita

Katsuya Komaki

Eiichi Torigoe

Seiji Inoue

Takashi Kaneko

Kimio Kohara

Kenichi Nara

Yukihisa Takeuchi

Motohiko Ueda

Yukikatsu Ozaki

Takuya Fuse

Yuuichi Aoki

Yasunori Niiyama

Nobunao Suzuki

Yuichi Ohno

Taisuke Sugii

Touru Kawaguchi

Kazuhiro Ojika

Yoichiro Matsumoto

Gota Kikugawa

Wataru Mii

Koichi Yanagisawa

An energy conversion device includes a first acoustic wave generator, a second acoustic wave generator, and an output unit which are provided in a pipe member. The first acoustic wave generator has a thermal energy generator configured to generate thermal energy from electric energy, and converts the thermal energy generated by the thermal energy generator into acoustic energy to generate acoustic wave in working gas by a self-excited thermo acoustic vibration. The second acoustic wave generator converts thermal energy supplied from a heat supply source into acoustic energy and generates acoustic wave in working gas by a self-excited thermo acoustic vibration. The output unit converts the acoustic energy of the acoustic waves from the first acoustic wave generator and the second acoustic wave generator into cold energy to output.

Energy conversion device

A heat exchange member comprising a liquid layer and a solid layer capable of conducting a heat exchange reaction with the liquid layer upon their solid-liquid contact at an interface between the solid layer and the solid layer, wherein the solid layer further comprises on a surface thereof which is contacted with the liquid layer a surface coating layer capable of reducing a difference of the vibration between a thermal vibration of the solid and a thermal vibration of the liquid, and the surface coating layer comprises a plurality of fibrous structures arranged on a surface of the solid layer, and a heat exchange apparatus using the heat exchange member.

Heat exchange member and heat exchange apparatus

A counter-stream-mode oscillating-flow heat transport apparatus improves heat transport capability by imparting oscillatory displacement to a fluid located near a heat-generating element such that the fluid is directed toward the heat-generating element. Turning portions of serpentine flow paths are disposed to face the heat-generating element. The flow paths are stacked in multiple layers in the direction from the heat-generating element to the flow paths, and a plurality of flow paths are disposed adjacent to the heat-generating element in the direction of fluid oscillation.

Counter-stream-mode oscillating-flow heat transport apparatus

A steam engine has a pipe shaped fluid container, a heating and cooling devices respectively provided at a heating and cooling portions of the fluid container, and an output device connected to the fluid container, so that the output device is operated by the fluid pressure change in the fluid container, to generate an electric power. In such a steam engine, an inner radius 'r' of the cooling portion is made to almost equal to a depth '&#x3b4;' of the thermal penetration, which is calculated by the following formula (1);  wherein, &#x201c;a&#x201d; is a heat diffusivity of the working fluid at its low pressure, and &#x201c;&#x3c9;&#x201d; is an angular frequency of the movement of the working fluid.

Steam engine

Means for a thermally conductive and electrically insulating materialcontaining an AlN crystalmainly comprising AlN, and a production method thereof. In production, a molten aluminum layer is formed on an AlN substratewith at least its surface comprising AlN in an atmosphere of a non-oxidizing gas, and the molten aluminum layer is then heated in an atmosphere of Ngas to form an AlN crystalwhich mainly comprises an AlN layer. The means are also a thermally conductive and electrically insulating material having an AlN crystal and an Al gradient layer, and a production method thereof. In production, a heating step of forming a molten aluminum layeron the AlN layerand heating it in an atmosphere of Ngas is repeated at least twice or more. At this time, the amount of the Ngas dissolved in the molten aluminum layer is decreased as the heating step is repeated.

Thermally conductive, electrically insulating material and production method thereof

The fluid drive unit includes a cylinder communicating with both end portions of a meandering passage formed in the heat transport device. In the cylinder, the piston is slidably arranged being capable of sliding in the axial direction. Fluid is charged in the spaces, which are provided on both sides of the piston, connected to the meandering passage. The solenoid coil, which is provided in the periphery of the side of the cylinder, periodically inverts the magnetic poles and reciprocates the piston in the cylinder. To drive the piston smoothly and reduce the amount of eccentricity, a pair of sliding members are provided at the end portions of the piston. When the fluid in the passage is vibrated by the movement of the piston, the apparent heat conductivity of the heat transport device is enhanced, and heat is quickly diffused from the heating body to the radiating portion.

Fluid drive unit and heat transport system

A fluid pump enabling circulation of a working fluid in a Rankine cycle system etc. without utilizing electrical energy and able to be realized at a low cost, provided with a water pump for pumping up working fluid (water) from a steam condenser of the Rankine cycle system and feeding it to a boiler, a fluid vessel, a heater heating and vaporizing working fluid in the vessel, and a cooler cooling and liquefying the steam obtained by vaporization at the heater. Further, the fluid vessel is provided with a vibrator storing expansion energy by the expansion pressure of the steam heated by the heater. When the cooler causes the steam to condense and the pressure falls, the energy stored in the vibrator is used to feed working fluid to the heaterwhere the working fluid is then heated.

Fluid pump and Rankine cycle system

A liquid pump for circulating working fluid (water) in a Rankine cycle comprises a U-shaped fluid vessel having a bending pipe portion and a pair of straight pipe portions, wherein a heating device and a cooling device are provided at one of the straight pipe portions for heating and cooling the water in the fluid vessel. The liquid pump further has a discharge pipe portion and an inlet pipe portion, and check valves are respectively provided in the discharge and inlet pipe portions. The water is vaporized by a heating operation of the heating device to increase pressure of the working fluid in the pump, so that the working fluid is discharged. The vaporized working fluid is then cooled down by the cooling device to decrease the pressure of the working fluid in the pump, so that the working fluid is sucked into the pump.

Liquid pump and Rankine cycle apparatus

A steam engine has a pipe shaped fluid container, a heating and cooling devices respectively provided at a heating and cooling portions of the fluid container, and an output device connected to the fluid container, so that the output device is operated by the fluid pressure change in the fluid container, to generate an electric power. In such a steam engine, an inner radius 'r' of the cooling portion is made to almost equal to a depth '&#x3b4;' of thermal penetration, which is calculated by the following formula (1); 

A free piston engine has a pair of pistons opposing to each other and movable in a cylinder, to form a combustion chamber between the pistons. A mixed gas of air and fuel is supplied into the combustion chamber and the mixed gas is auto-ignited when it is compressed by the pistons. A temperature and/or an air-fuel ratio of the mixed gas, and/or a pressure in the combustion chamber is detected to control displacements of the pistons, so that the mixed gas is auto-ignited at an optimum timing to efficiently operate the free piston engine.

Control device for free piston engine and method for the same

A steam engine has a looped fluid container, in which working fluid is filled. A heating device, a cooling device and an output device are arranged at the fluid container. A lower side valve is provided at a fluid passage of the fluid container between the heating device and the output device. An upper side valve is provided at another fluid passage of the fluid container between the cooling device and the output device. The upper and lower valves are respectively controlled to open and close the respective fluid passages at proper timings, to increase heat efficiency.

In a steam engine having a heating device, a cooling device, and an output device, the output device comprises a piston reciprocally moving by a self-excited fluid vibration of a working fluid in a fluid container. The piston is reciprocally moved by the output device for a certain period before starting an operation of the steam engine, so that the working fluid is moved to an inside space of the heating device. Since the working fluid is surely heated and vaporized by the heating device, the fluid vibration is stably started, and as a result, the operation of the steam engine can be smoothly started.

A stem engine has a fluid container, a heating device and a cooling device. The fluid container has an outer pipe having an upper closed end, and an inner pipe provided in the outer pipe and having a fluid inlet port through which the inside of the inner pipe is operatively communicated with the outside of the inner pipe. The inner pipe has a pressure control device at its lower end, and a fluid injection port at its upper end for injecting the working fluid in the inner pipe into a space defined between the inner pipe and the outer pipe, when the pressure in the inner pipe is increased. The working fluid injected into the space between the inner and outer pipes is heated and vaporized by the heating device, so that volumetric expansion of the working fluid takes place to increase fluid pressure in the fluid container. The vaporized steam is then cooled and liquidized by the cooling device and thereby the volumetric contraction takes place, so that the fluid pressure is decreased. By repeating the above volumetric expansion and contraction of the working fluid, the pressure change is given to the working fluid in the fluid container.

A first piston connected to a first shaft and a second piston connected to a second shaft are supported within a housing by using a first leaf-spring unit and a second leaf-spring unit, respectively. Therefore, axial movement of the first shaft or the second shaft can be allowed, while circumferential rotational movement and radial movement can be restricted. The first leaf-spring unit includes two leaf-spring groups that are disposed in a row around the first shaft in the direction of the axis of the first shaft; similarly, the second leaf-spring unit includes two leaf-spring groups that are disposed in a row around the second shaft in the direction of the axis of the second shaft. Therefore, inclinations of the first shaft and the second shaft can be decreased. This results in reduction in contact between the first and second shafts and a cylinder within the housing and friction due to the contact.

Free piston engine and power generation system therewith

A steam engine increases efficiency and prevents corrosion, abrasion, and the like in a part receiving steam pressure. A heater and a cooler are provided on one side of a U-shaped fluid container, and a piston for output is provided on its other side. The heater heats working fluid to vaporize the fluid. The expansion pressure of steam of the working fluid depresses a fluid level in a first vertical pipe. The liquid component of the working fluid flows from the first vertical pipe into a second vertical pipe, thereby applying pressure to the piston in an upward direction. Then, the liquid component of the working fluid functions as a liquid piston directly receiving the expansion pressure of the steam, so that it is possible to prevent the occurrence of corrosion, abrasion and the like in the part receiving steam pressure.

Growing community of inventors

Kariya, Japan

Yasumasa Hagiwara