Start-up and control method and apparatus for resonant free piston Stirling engine
US4434617A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 27, 1982 |
| Grant date | Mar 6, 1984 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 27, 2002 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF02G2275/40
- WIPO fieldEngines, pumps, turbines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A resonant free-piston Stirling engine having a new and improved start-up and control method and system. A displacer linear electrodynamic machine is provided having an armature secured to and movable with the displacer and having a stator supported by the Stirling engine housing in juxtaposition to the armature. A control excitation circuit is provided for electrically exciting the displacer linear electrodynamic machine with electrical excitation signals having substantially the same frequency as the desired frequency of operation of the Stirling engine. The excitation control circuit is designed so that it selectively and controllably causes the displacer electrodynamic machine to function either as a generator load to extract power from the displacer or the control circuit selectively can be operated to cause the displacer electrodynamic machine to operate as an electric drive motor to apply additional input power to the displacer in addition to the thermodynamic power feedback to the displacer whereby the displacer linear electrodynamic machine also is used in the electric drive motor mode as a means for initially starting the resonant free-piston Stirling engine.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.