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WO2017010865A1 - Heat engine and method of converting heat into work - Google Patents

Heat engine and method of converting heat into work Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2017010865A1
WO2017010865A1 PCT/NL2015/050511 NL2015050511W WO2017010865A1 WO 2017010865 A1 WO2017010865 A1 WO 2017010865A1 NL 2015050511 W NL2015050511 W NL 2015050511W WO 2017010865 A1 WO2017010865 A1 WO 2017010865A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
gas
pressure container
cylinder space
piston
cylinder
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/NL2015/050511
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Hendrikus WOLF
Original Assignee
Waluko B.V.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Waluko B.V. filed Critical Waluko B.V.
Priority to EP15747578.1A priority Critical patent/EP3322887B1/en
Priority to PCT/NL2015/050511 priority patent/WO2017010865A1/en
Publication of WO2017010865A1 publication Critical patent/WO2017010865A1/en

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Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
    • F02G—HOT GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT ENGINE PLANTS; USE OF WASTE HEAT OF COMBUSTION ENGINES; NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F02G1/00—Hot gas positive-displacement engine plants
    • F02G1/04—Hot gas positive-displacement engine plants of closed-cycle type
    • F02G1/043—Hot gas positive-displacement engine plants of closed-cycle type the engine being operated by expansion and contraction of a mass of working gas which is heated and cooled in one of a plurality of constantly communicating expansible chambers, e.g. Stirling cycle type engines
    • F02G1/045—Controlling
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
    • F02G—HOT GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT ENGINE PLANTS; USE OF WASTE HEAT OF COMBUSTION ENGINES; NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F02G2243/00—Stirling type engines having closed regenerative thermodynamic cycles with flow controlled by volume changes
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F02—COMBUSTION ENGINES; HOT-GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT ENGINE PLANTS
    • F02G—HOT GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT ENGINE PLANTS; USE OF WASTE HEAT OF COMBUSTION ENGINES; NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F02G2244/00—Machines having two pistons

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a heat engine as well as to a method of converting heat into work with a heat engine.
  • a heat engine comprising :
  • At least a first and a second pressure container each provided with heating means for heating a gas in the respective container and with cooling means for cooling a gas in the respective container,
  • At least a first and a second cylinder space each having a piston arranged therein to move forth and back in such a manner that, when one of the two cylinder spaces has a decreasing volume the other of the two cylinder spaces has an increasing volume, and forward strokes being defined as the strokes in which the first cylinder space has an increasing volume and the second cylinder space has a decreasing volume,
  • valves arranged in said gas circuit between the containers and the two cylinder spaces and valve control means arranged to open and close at least two of said valves in order to,
  • first phase and second phase are applied in an alternating manner.
  • Heat engines are widely known, and in operation they convert temperature differences between two media, usually liquids, into mechanical work.
  • a heat engine according to the preamble is known from the international patent application WO 2012/175557 Al, on the name of Innova Gebaudetechnik GmbH. In that
  • the known heat engine has as disadvantage that it has poor conversion efficiency. This also leads to high total cost of ownership.
  • the present invention has as a goal to offer an improved heat engine, in particular a heat engine that has increased conversion efficiency.
  • the flywheel helps to pull the piston through the turning point, or dead point in the case of a rotating movement, where in a linear moving engine the pressure of the gas inside the cylinders alone has to do this .
  • An additional advantage of the heat engine according to the invention is that the pressure containers and piping and the piston/cylinder combinations may be constructed with less strength, and hence may have reduced construction costs .
  • the two cylinder spaces may each have an individual piston, but that they may also share opposite sides of a single piston.
  • the individual pistons are such that when one cylinder space becomes larger, the other cylinder space becomes smaller, averaged over the total length of a stroke, which happens when they move exactly simultaneous, but they may also move somewhat out of phase, e.g. for constructive reasons. Out of phase movement may for instance be obtained by placing the pistons under an angle slightly different from 0 or 180 degrees on a common crank .
  • the valve control means are arranged to, during operation of the heat engine, close the valve that allows the gas to enter a space, to thereby propel the piston(s), before the end of the stroke of the cylinder.
  • the inertia of the flywheel helps to reduce not only the required gas pressure but also the required amount of gas for letting the piston move beyond its dead point.
  • the valve control means are arranged to close said valve between 50-70% of the stroke of the cylinder, more preferably between 55-65% of the stroke of the cylinder, and even more preferably about 60%.
  • the inertia of the flywheel should be chosen accordingly.
  • the heat engine comprises a third and a fourth pressure container each provided with heating means for heating a gas in the respective container and with cooling means for cooling a gas in the respective container, wherein the valve control means are arranged to open and close the valves to, in a third phase, heat the fourth pressure container and cool the third pressure container, and during return strokes of the piston(s), supply gas from the fourth pressure
  • the first cylinder space is arranged to be heated, and/or the second cylinder space is arranged to be cooled. Because in this manner the gas continues to be heated respectively cooled in a cylinder space, the conversion becomes even more efficient, at least in one direction of the piston.
  • the one having a heat exchanger for the gas flowing from the second cylinder space to the first cylinder space in the return stroke of the piston.
  • the invention also relates to methods of converting heat into work addressing the same problem as the above heat engine according to the invention, and applying similar solutions, as defined by the claims.
  • each of the pressure containers may be replaced by a group of pressure containers, each with individual valves, and functionally acting as a single container.
  • the groups may have containers that belong to two or more groups.
  • the groups may be partly or fully overlapping.
  • cylinder spaces may be used instead of two, in combination with two or more pressure containers.
  • the cylinder spaces may be on a common single piston or on more than one piston, as long as the piston is connected to a rotatable crank and flywheel.
  • FIG. 1 shows a schematical view of a first
  • Figure 2 shows a schematical view of a second
  • the heat engine HI comprises a first pressure container 1 and a second pressure container 2, each provided with a heating/cooling circuit 3 connected to liquid channels 4 via valves 5. These liquid channels 4 are connected to a source of cooling liquid and a source of heating liquid (both not shown) and feed the
  • heating/cooling circuits 3 that have as function to cool or heat the gas present in the respective pressure container 1, 2.
  • the valves 5 are controlled by control unit 6 to selectively cool or heat each pressure container.
  • the heat engine HI also comprises a first cylinder space 7 and a second cylinder space 8.
  • the latter two spaces 7, 8 are adjacent to pistons 9 respectively 10, and these pistons 9, 10 are connected by rods 11 to a common crank shaft 12, on bearings 13.
  • crank shaft itself is rotatably supported by bearings 14 and connected to a flywheel 15.
  • the pistons 9 and 10 are arranged to move in cylinders 16a and 16b, forward and back, in the Figure 1 to the right respectively to the left, in such a manner that, when the first cylinder space 7 has a decreasing volume, the second cylinder 8 space has an increasing volume, vice versa.
  • the heat engine HI also comprises heat exchanger 19 that is arranged for cooling the gas that passes through a line 20 and controlled valves 21a, 21b from one cylinder space 7, 8 to the other 7, 8.
  • the first cylinder space is arranged to be heated by a surrounding heating unit 22, and the second cylinder space is arranged to be cooled by a surrounding cooling unit 23.
  • the flywheel 15 is connected by an elastic coupling 24 that is connected to a compressor 25.
  • the latter is
  • the air from the buffer container 26 is suited for use in e.g. air driven tools.
  • Heat e.g. waste heat from an industrial process
  • a first phase a number of cycles of the crankshaft
  • the second pressure container 2 is cooled by cooling agent passing through the liquid channels 4.
  • valves are arranged differently by the control unit 6, in such a manner that the gas from the heated second pressure container 2 flows to the first cylinder space 7 that has an increasing volume, and thereby propels the pistons 9 and 10 and gas from the second cylinder space 8 enters the first pressure container 1, which now is being cooled.
  • gas is supplied from the then heated second pressure container 2 to the first cylinder space 7 that has an increasing volume, to thereby propel the pistons and allow gas to enter the first pressure container 1 coming from the second cylinder space 8.
  • the first and second phases are applied in an
  • Valve 18a in opened position allows gas to enter the cylinder space 7.
  • the valve control unit 6 closes valve 18a at around 60% of the stroke of the cylinder. This serves to propel the pistons only until fairly before the end of the stroke of the cylinder, and to thus save energy in terms of needing only a reduced pressure.
  • the heating and cooling functions, by the heating unit 22 and the cooling unit 23, of the cylinder spaces 7 and 8, serve to continue the thermal treatment of the gas leaving a pressure container respectively to start such treatment of gas entering such a container relatively early. It makes the process in the cylinder spaces 7 and 8 approach an isothermal process.
  • a heat engine H2 similar to the heat engine HI of Figure 1 is shown, differing only in the lower parts of the Figures 1 and 2, and in the absence of the heating unit 22 and cooling unit 23.
  • the one-way valves 18b and 21b of Figure 1 are replaced by controlled and actuated valves, controlled by the valve control means 6.
  • the second piston 10 is also propelled in its return stroke (from the right in the Figure 2 to the left), when the valves 21a and 21b are controlled properly, like the valves 30, 32 by the valve control means 6. This can be understood from the following.
  • the lower part of Figure 2 shows the part of the heat engine H2 that is related to propelling the engine in return strokes of the pistons 9 and 10.
  • the fourth pressure container 28 is heated and the third pressure container 27 is cooled during a number of cycles of the crankshaft, in this document named a third phase.
  • gas is supplied from the fourth pressure container 28 to the second cylinder space 8, that has an increasing volume, thereby propelling the pistons 9 and 10, and forcing gas to leave the first cylinder space 7 towards the third pressure container 27.
  • gas leaves the second cylinder space 8 towards one the first and second pressure containers 1 and 2 and gas enters the first cylinder space 7 from the other one of the first and second pressure containers 1 and 2.
  • the valves 18a respectively 21b are closed before the end of the stroke, at approximately 60% of the length of the stroke.
  • the third pressure container 27 is heated by the liquid from lines 4, and the fourth pressure container 28 is cooled by the liquid from lines 4.
  • gas is supplied from the heated third pressure container 27 to the second cylinder space 8 and gas leaves the first cylinder space 7, to enter the fourth pressure container 28.
  • the air from the compressor 25 may be used for driving a turbine (not shown) and the expanded air leaving the turbine may be used to cool the cooling agent/liquid for lines 4.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Engine Equipment That Uses Special Cycles (AREA)

Abstract

A heat engine comprises pressure containers (1, 2) with heating and cooling means (3), cylinder spaces (7, 8) having pistons (9, 10) therein, a closed gas circuit and valves (5, 18, 18a, 18b, 21a, 21b) therein, arranged to, in a first phase, heat the first pressure container and cool the second pressure container, and during forward strokes of the piston(s), supply gas from the first pressure container to the first cylinder space, to thereby propel the piston(s), and in a second phase do the same with the roles of the first and second pressure container reversed, wherein the piston(s) is/are arranged for driving a crankshaft and flywheel of the heat engine. The valve control (6) means are arranged to close the valve (18a) that allows the gas to enter one of the cylinder spaces (7, 8) to propel the piston(s) before the end of the stroke of the cylinder, e.g. between 50-70% of the stroke.

Description

HEAT ENGINE AND METHOD OF CONVERTING HEAT INTO WORK
The present invention relates to a heat engine as well as to a method of converting heat into work with a heat engine.
In particular the invention relates to a heat engine, comprising :
at least a first and a second pressure container each provided with heating means for heating a gas in the respective container and with cooling means for cooling a gas in the respective container,
at least a first and a second cylinder space each having a piston arranged therein to move forth and back in such a manner that, when one of the two cylinder spaces has a decreasing volume the other of the two cylinder spaces has an increasing volume, and forward strokes being defined as the strokes in which the first cylinder space has an increasing volume and the second cylinder space has a decreasing volume,
gas channels connecting said pressure containers and cylinder spaces to form a closed gas circuit,
valves arranged in said gas circuit between the containers and the two cylinder spaces and valve control means arranged to open and close at least two of said valves in order to,
in a first phase,
heat the first pressure container and cool the second pressure container, and
during forward strokes of the piston(s), supply gas from the first pressure container to the first cylinder space, to thereby propel the piston(s), and let gas leave the second cylinder space towards the second pressure
container ,
and to, during return strokes of the piston(s), let gas leave the first cylinder space and let gas enter the second cylinder space, and
in a second phase,
heat the second pressure container and cool the first pressure container, and
during forward strokes of the piston(s), supply gas from the second pressure container to the first cylinder space, to thereby propel the piston (s) and allow gas to enter the first pressure container coming from the second cylinder space,
and to, during return strokes of the piston(s), let gas leave the first cylinder space and let gas enter the second cylinder space,
wherein the first phase and second phase are applied in an alternating manner.
Heat engines are widely known, and in operation they convert temperature differences between two media, usually liquids, into mechanical work.
A heat engine according to the preamble is known from the international patent application WO 2012/175557 Al, on the name of Innova Gebaudetechnik GmbH. In that
publication, several containers are in an alternating manner filled with gas and emptied again, in order to drive a piston back and forth and thus yield net mechanical work.
The known heat engine has as disadvantage that it has poor conversion efficiency. This also leads to high total cost of ownership.
The present invention has as a goal to offer an improved heat engine, in particular a heat engine that has increased conversion efficiency.
This goal is realized by a heat engine according to the characterizing part of claim 1.
By using a rotating engine, instead of a linear one, it appears that, in the extreme positions of the piston, much lower pressures are needed to keep the engine running. Experimentally, pressure reductions were found in the operating pressures of the gas in the cylinder spaces of a factor of roughly 10 up to 25. It appears that the
available pressure differences in the containers are used more efficiently, in particular in the extreme positions of the piston. Moreover, in association with the reduced pressures, less gas is used per cycle.
In these positions the flywheel helps to pull the piston through the turning point, or dead point in the case of a rotating movement, where in a linear moving engine the pressure of the gas inside the cylinders alone has to do this .
An additional advantage of the heat engine according to the invention is that the pressure containers and piping and the piston/cylinder combinations may be constructed with less strength, and hence may have reduced construction costs .
It is noted that the two cylinder spaces may each have an individual piston, but that they may also share opposite sides of a single piston. The individual pistons are such that when one cylinder space becomes larger, the other cylinder space becomes smaller, averaged over the total length of a stroke, which happens when they move exactly simultaneous, but they may also move somewhat out of phase, e.g. for constructive reasons. Out of phase movement may for instance be obtained by placing the pistons under an angle slightly different from 0 or 180 degrees on a common crank .
In an advantageous embodiment, the valve control means are arranged to, during operation of the heat engine, close the valve that allows the gas to enter a space, to thereby propel the piston(s), before the end of the stroke of the cylinder. In this manner, the inertia of the flywheel helps to reduce not only the required gas pressure but also the required amount of gas for letting the piston move beyond its dead point. As a result, the efficiency of the cycle increases. Preferably, the valve control means are arranged to close said valve between 50-70% of the stroke of the cylinder, more preferably between 55-65% of the stroke of the cylinder, and even more preferably about 60%. The inertia of the flywheel should be chosen accordingly.
In an embodiment the heat engine comprises a heat exchanger arranged for cooling the gas that leaves the first cylinder space during the return stroke and the heat engine is arranged to let said gas enter the second
cylinder space. In this manner, the piston is also
propelled in its return stroke, thereby further increasing the efficiency of the heat engine.
In an alternative embodiment to the latter this effect is also obtained, due to the fact that the heat engine comprises a third and a fourth pressure container each provided with heating means for heating a gas in the respective container and with cooling means for cooling a gas in the respective container, wherein the valve control means are arranged to open and close the valves to, in a third phase, heat the fourth pressure container and cool the third pressure container, and during return strokes of the piston(s), supply gas from the fourth pressure
container to the second cylinder space to thereby propel the piston(s), and let gas leave the first cylinder space towards the third pressure container, and in a fourth phase, heat the third pressure container and cool the fourth pressure container, and during return strokes of the piston(s), supply gas from the third pressure container to the second cylinder space to thereby propel the piston(s), and let gas leave the first cylinder space, to the fourth pressure container.
In fact, a more symmetrical propelling in both the forward and return stroke of the piston is obtained in this manner . It is noted that the third and fourth stages are overlapping the first and second stages, but do not
(necessarily) coincide with them.
In further embodiments of the heat engine, the first cylinder space is arranged to be heated, and/or the second cylinder space is arranged to be cooled. Because in this manner the gas continues to be heated respectively cooled in a cylinder space, the conversion becomes even more efficient, at least in one direction of the piston. This embodiment is thus advantageously combined with the
embodiment of claim 5, the one having a heat exchanger for the gas flowing from the second cylinder space to the first cylinder space in the return stroke of the piston.
The invention also relates to methods of converting heat into work addressing the same problem as the above heat engine according to the invention, and applying similar solutions, as defined by the claims.
It is also noted that, in embodiments of the
invention, each of the pressure containers may be replaced by a group of pressure containers, each with individual valves, and functionally acting as a single container.
Furthermore, the groups may have containers that belong to two or more groups. In other words, the groups may be partly or fully overlapping.
Similarly, in embodiments of the invention, several cylinder spaces may be used instead of two, in combination with two or more pressure containers. The cylinder spaces may be on a common single piston or on more than one piston, as long as the piston is connected to a rotatable crank and flywheel.
The invention will now be illustrated on the basis of preferred embodiments, referring to the accompanying drawings and merely as an illustration of the invention and not in limitation thereof. In the drawings, similar parts are given identical reference numerals. Here Figure 1 shows a schematical view of a first
embodiment of the heat engine according to the invention, and
Figure 2 shows a schematical view of a second
embodiment of the heat engine according to the invention.
In Figure 1, the heat engine HI comprises a first pressure container 1 and a second pressure container 2, each provided with a heating/cooling circuit 3 connected to liquid channels 4 via valves 5. These liquid channels 4 are connected to a source of cooling liquid and a source of heating liquid (both not shown) and feed the
heating/cooling circuits 3 that have as function to cool or heat the gas present in the respective pressure container 1, 2. The valves 5 are controlled by control unit 6 to selectively cool or heat each pressure container.
The heat engine HI also comprises a first cylinder space 7 and a second cylinder space 8. The latter two spaces 7, 8 are adjacent to pistons 9 respectively 10, and these pistons 9, 10 are connected by rods 11 to a common crank shaft 12, on bearings 13.
The crank shaft itself is rotatably supported by bearings 14 and connected to a flywheel 15.
The pistons 9 and 10 are arranged to move in cylinders 16a and 16b, forward and back, in the Figure 1 to the right respectively to the left, in such a manner that, when the first cylinder space 7 has a decreasing volume, the second cylinder 8 space has an increasing volume, vice versa.
These two cylinder spaces 7 and 8 are connected to the first and second pressure containers 1 and 2 via a number of lines 17, and actuated valves 18, 18a, and one-way valve 18b, the valves 18 and 18a connected to the control unit 6 to be controlled thereby. It is noted that valve 18b could be an actuated valve as well, in an alternative embodiment. The heat engine HI also comprises heat exchanger 19 that is arranged for cooling the gas that passes through a line 20 and controlled valves 21a, 21b from one cylinder space 7, 8 to the other 7, 8.
The first cylinder space is arranged to be heated by a surrounding heating unit 22, and the second cylinder space is arranged to be cooled by a surrounding cooling unit 23.
The flywheel 15 is connected by an elastic coupling 24 that is connected to a compressor 25. The latter is
arranged to provide compressed air to a buffer container
26. The air from the buffer container 26 is suited for use in e.g. air driven tools.
Operation of the heat engine
Heat, e.g. waste heat from an industrial process, is used, during a number of cycles of the crankshaft, named a first phase, to heat the first pressure container 3 via the liquid channels 4. Simultaneously, the second pressure container 2 is cooled by cooling agent passing through the liquid channels 4.
In this first phase, during forward strokes of the pistons, i.e. to the right, hot gas is supplied from the first pressure container 1 to the first cylinder space 7, to thereby propel the piston 9 hence 10, and let gas leave the second cylinder space 8, towards the cooled second pressure container 2.
During return strokes of the pistons, i.e. their movement to the left, gas leaves the first cylinder space 7 via cooler 19, line 20 and controlled and actuated valve 21a, and enters the second cylinder space 8 via one-way valve 21b.
In a second phase, comprising another number of cycles of the crankshaft, valves are arranged differently by the control unit 6, in such a manner that the gas from the heated second pressure container 2 flows to the first cylinder space 7 that has an increasing volume, and thereby propels the pistons 9 and 10 and gas from the second cylinder space 8 enters the first pressure container 1, which now is being cooled.
In the second phase, during forward strokes of the piston(s), gas is supplied from the then heated second pressure container 2 to the first cylinder space 7 that has an increasing volume, to thereby propel the pistons and allow gas to enter the first pressure container 1 coming from the second cylinder space 8.
During return strokes of the pistons 9 and 10, i.e. moving to the left, gas leaves the first cylinder space 7 and enters the second cylinder space 8.
The first and second phases are applied in an
alternating manner, in order to allow the respective pressure containers to be filled respectively emptied in a number of strokes.
Valve 18a in opened position allows gas to enter the cylinder space 7. When the heat engine is working, the valve control unit 6 closes valve 18a at around 60% of the stroke of the cylinder. This serves to propel the pistons only until fairly before the end of the stroke of the cylinder, and to thus save energy in terms of needing only a reduced pressure.
The heating and cooling functions, by the heating unit 22 and the cooling unit 23, of the cylinder spaces 7 and 8, serve to continue the thermal treatment of the gas leaving a pressure container respectively to start such treatment of gas entering such a container relatively early. It makes the process in the cylinder spaces 7 and 8 approach an isothermal process.
In Figure 2, a heat engine H2 similar to the heat engine HI of Figure 1 is shown, differing only in the lower parts of the Figures 1 and 2, and in the absence of the heating unit 22 and cooling unit 23. The one-way valves 18b and 21b of Figure 1 are replaced by controlled and actuated valves, controlled by the valve control means 6.
Instead of the cooler 19, the heat engine H2
comprises a third 27 and a fourth 28 pressure container each provided with heating means for heating a gas in the respective container and with cooling means for cooling a gas in the respective container 27, 28 and piping 29 and valves 30, and also liquid lines 31, valves 32 and
heating/cooling circuits 33.
In this second embodiment of the heat engine of the invention, according to Figure 2, the second piston 10 is also propelled in its return stroke (from the right in the Figure 2 to the left), when the valves 21a and 21b are controlled properly, like the valves 30, 32 by the valve control means 6. This can be understood from the following.
The operation of the upper part of the heat engine H2 is identical to that of HI in Figure 1.
The lower part of Figure 2 shows the part of the heat engine H2 that is related to propelling the engine in return strokes of the pistons 9 and 10.
When the heat engine is operated, the fourth pressure container 28 is heated and the third pressure container 27 is cooled during a number of cycles of the crankshaft, in this document named a third phase.
In return strokes of the pistons 9 and 10, gas is supplied from the fourth pressure container 28 to the second cylinder space 8, that has an increasing volume, thereby propelling the pistons 9 and 10, and forcing gas to leave the first cylinder space 7 towards the third pressure container 27. In forward strokes of the pistons, gas leaves the second cylinder space 8 towards one the first and second pressure containers 1 and 2 and gas enters the first cylinder space 7 from the other one of the first and second pressure containers 1 and 2. In both the forward and return strokes of the pistons, the valves 18a respectively 21b are closed before the end of the stroke, at approximately 60% of the length of the stroke.
In another number of cycles of the flywheel 15 and crankshaft 12, named a fourth phase, the third pressure container 27 is heated by the liquid from lines 4, and the fourth pressure container 28 is cooled by the liquid from lines 4.
During return strokes of the piston(s), gas is supplied from the heated third pressure container 27 to the second cylinder space 8 and gas leaves the first cylinder space 7, to enter the fourth pressure container 28.
During forward strokes of the pistons 9 and 10, in the fourth phase, gas is pushed out of the second cylinder space 8 towards one of the first and second pressure containers 1 and 2, and different gas from one of those containers 1 and 2 enters the first cylinder space 7.
In both embodiments, the air from the compressor 25 may be used for driving a turbine (not shown) and the expanded air leaving the turbine may be used to cool the cooling agent/liquid for lines 4.
It will be understood that these two embodiments were presented by way of example only, and that different embodiments are also covered by the claims below.

Claims

1. A heat engine (HI; H2) comprising:
at least a first and a second pressure container (1, 2) each provided with heating means (3) for heating a gas in the respective container and with cooling means (3) for cooling a gas in the respective container,
at least a first and a second cylinder space (7, 8) each having a piston (9, 10) arranged therein to move forth and back in such a manner that, when one of the two cylinder spaces has a decreasing volume the other of the two cylinder spaces has an increasing volume, forward strokes being defined as the strokes in which the first cylinder space has an increasing volume and the second cylinder space has a decreasing volume,
gas channels (17) connecting said pressure containers and cylinder spaces to form a closed gas circuit,
valves (5, 18, 18a, 18b, 21a, 21b) arranged in said gas circuit between the containers and the two cylinder spaces and valve control means (6) arranged to open and close at least two of said valves (18a, 18b, 21a, 21b) in order to,
in a first phase,
heat the first pressure container and cool the second pressure container, and
during forward strokes of the piston(s), supply gas from the first pressure container to the first cylinder space, to thereby propel the piston(s), and let gas leave the second cylinder space towards the second pressure
container,
and to, during return strokes of the piston(s), let gas leave the first cylinder space and let gas enter the second cylinder space, and
in a second phase,
heat the second pressure container and cool the first pressure container, and
during forward strokes of the piston(s) , supply gas from the second pressure container to the first cylinder space to thereby propel the piston (s) and allow gas to enter the first pressure container coming from the second cylinder space,
and to, during return strokes of the piston(s), let gas leave the first cylinder space and let gas enter the second cylinder space,
wherein the first phase and second phase are applied in an alternating manner,
characterized in that the heat engine (HI; H2) also comprises a crankshaft (12) and a flywheel (15), and the piston(s) (9, 10) is/are mechanically connected to the crankshaft and the flywheel for driving them.
2. Heat engine according to claim 1, wherein, the valve control (6) means are arranged to, during operation of the heat engine, close the valve that allows the gas to enter one of the cylinder spaces (7, 8) to thereby propel the piston(s) before the end of the stroke of the cylinder.
3. Heat engine according to claim 2, wherein the valve control means are arranged to close said valve between 50- 70% of the stroke of the cylinder
4. Heat engine according to claim 2, wherein the valve control means are arranged to close said valve between 55- 65% of the stroke of the cylinder.
5. Heat engine according to any of the preceding claims, comprising a heat exchanger that is arranged for cooling the gas that leaves the first cylinder space during the return stroke, and arranged to let said gas enter the second cylinder space.
6. Heat engine according to any of the claims 1 - 4, also comprising a third and a fourth pressure container (27, 28) each provided with heating means (33) for heating a gas in the respective container and with cooling means (33) for cooling a gas in the respective container,
wherein the valve control means (6) are arranged to open and close at least two of the valves and the heat engine is arranged to,
in a third phase,
heat the fourth pressure container and cool the third pressure container, and
during return strokes of the piston(s), supply gas from the fourth pressure container to the second cylinder space, to thereby propel the piston(s), and let gas leave the first cylinder space towards the third pressure container, and in a fourth phase,
heat the third pressure container and cool the fourth pressure container, and
during return strokes of the piston(s), supply gas from the third pressure container to the second cylinder space to thereby propel the piston (s) and let gas leave the first cylinder space to the fourth pressure container.
7. Heat engine according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the first cylinder space is arranged to be heated.
8. Heat engine according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the second cylinder space is arranged to be cooled.
9. Method of converting heat into work, in a heat engine comprising at least a first and a second pressure container (1, 2) each provided with heating means (3) for heating a gas in the respective container and with cooling means for cooling a gas in the respective container, at least a first and a second cylinder space (7, 8) each having a piston (9, 10) arranged therein to move forth and back in such a manner that, when one of the two cylinder spaces has a decreasing volume, the other of the two cylinder spaces has an increasing volume,
forward strokes being defined as the strokes in which the first cylinder space has an increasing volume and the second cylinder space has a decreasing volume,
gas channels (17) connecting said pressure containers and cylinder spaces to form a closed gas circuit, and valves (5, 18, 18a, 18b, 21a, 21b) arranged in said gas circuit between the pressure containers and the two cylinder spaces, and valve control means arranged to open and close at least two of said valves,
wherein the method comprises the steps of
in a first phase,
heating the first pressure container and cooling the second pressure container, and
during forward strokes of the piston(s), operating a valve to supply gas from the first pressure container to the first cylinder space to thereby propel the piston(s), and operating a valve to let gas leave the second cylinder space towards the second pressure container, and, during return strokes of the piston(s), operating a valve to let gas leave the first cylinder space and operating a valve to let gas enter the second cylinder space, and
in a second phase,
heating the second pressure container and cooling the first pressure container, and
during forward strokes of the piston(s), operating a valve to supply gas from the second pressure container to the first cylinder space to thereby propel the piston (s) and operating a valve to allow gas to enter the first pressure container coming from the second cylinder space and, during return strokes of the piston(s), operating a valve to let gas leave the first cylinder space and operating a valve to let gas enter the second cylinder space,
and applying the first phase and second phase in an
alternating manner,
characterized in that the heat engine also comprises a crankshaft and a flywheel, and, when the heat engine is operational, the piston (s) drive (s) the crankshaft and the flywheel .
10. Method of converting heat into work according to claim
9, wherein the valve (18a) that allows the gas to enter a cylinder space that has an increasing volume to thereby propel the piston (s) is closed before the end of the stroke of the cylinder.
11. Method of converting heat into work according to claim
10, wherein said valve (18a) is closed between 50-70% of the stroke of the cylinder 12. Method of converting heat into work according to claim 10, wherein said valve is closed between 55-65% of the stroke of the cylinder.
13. Method of converting heat into work according to any of the claims 9-12, wherein the heat engine also comprises a third and a fourth pressure container (27, 28) each
provided with heating means (33) for heating a gas in the respective container and with cooling means (33) for cooling a gas in the respective container,
wherein the method also comprises the steps of,
in a third phase,
heating the fourth pressure container and cooling the third pressure container, and
during return strokes of the piston(s), operating a valve to supply gas from the fourth pressure container to the second cylinder space to thereby propel the piston (s) and operating a valve to let gas leave the first cylinder space towards the third pressure container, and
in a fourth phase,
heating the third pressure container and cooling the fourth pressure container, and
during return strokes of the piston(s), operating a valve to supply gas from the third pressure container to the second cylinder space to thereby propel the piston (s) and operating a valve to let gas leave the first cylinder space to the fourth pressure container.
14. Method of converting heat into work according to any of the claims 9-13, also comprising the step of heating the first cylinder space (7) .
15. Method of converting heat into work according to any of the claims 9-14, also comprising the step of cooling the second cylinder space (8) .
PCT/NL2015/050511 2015-07-13 2015-07-13 Heat engine and method of converting heat into work WO2017010865A1 (en)

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Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE4307526A1 (en) * 1993-03-10 1994-09-15 Kurt Dipl Ing Spangenberg Energy converter, for optionally converting thermal energy into mechanical or electrical energy, or vice versa
WO2012175557A1 (en) 2011-06-20 2012-12-27 Innova Gebäudetechnik Gmbh Technical system for compressing gas using temperature and pressure differences

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE4307526A1 (en) * 1993-03-10 1994-09-15 Kurt Dipl Ing Spangenberg Energy converter, for optionally converting thermal energy into mechanical or electrical energy, or vice versa
WO2012175557A1 (en) 2011-06-20 2012-12-27 Innova Gebäudetechnik Gmbh Technical system for compressing gas using temperature and pressure differences

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EP3322887A1 (en) 2018-05-23

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