The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 22, 1984
Filed:
Oct. 25, 1982
Edwin W Dibrell, San Antonio, TX (US);
Centrifugal Piston Expander Inc., San Antonio, TX (US);
Abstract
The disclosure provides an apparatus for extracting heat and/or mechanical energy from a pressured gas wherein the pressured gas is applied to the radially outer ends of rotating cylinder elements defining logitudinally extending fluid pressure chambers having one end thereof remote from the axis of rotation and the other end proximate to the axis of rotation. A free piston is mounted in each of the fluid pressure chambers and is reciprocable therein solely under the influence of the gas pressure and centrifugal force. Valving elements are provided at the outer end of the cylinder elements which are operable by the movement of the free piston toward such outer end to open the pressured gas inlet valve. A second valving element is provided near the inner end of each fluid pressure chamber to open ports causing the exhaust of the expanded, cooled gas from the chamber. The fluid pressure chambers accommodating such free pistons may be cylindrical, longitudinally curved, spirally shaped, or of a spiral-helical configuration. The free pistons comprise ball-shaped or ellipsoid-shaped elements capable of traversing the longitudinally curved fluid pressure chambers and are coated with an organic plastic having lubricating and sealing properties.