Patent · US Expired

Pressure modulation system for load matching and stroke limitation of Stirling cycle apparatus

US4458495A · kind A · utility

9Cited by
3References
32Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateDec 16, 1981
Grant dateJul 10, 1984
Priority date
Expiry dateDec 16, 2001

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
  • CPC primaryF02G2254/30
  • WIPO fieldEngines, pumps, turbines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A Stirling heat pump driven by a Stirling engine has its stroke limited under conditions of decreasing pump load. This stroke limitation is accomplished by effecting the flow of gas from the engine to the heat pump in response to a maximum piston stroke. Preferably, a valved passageway is formed in communication between the gas in the engine and the gas of the pump. The passageway is valved by a means which normally blocks the flow of gas but opens when the piston of either the pump or the engines strokes to an extreme selected position. The passageway opens into the engine and into the pump at zones so that when the valve is open the zones are at a pressure differential which will cause a flow of gas from the engine to the pump. By this means the power delivered by the heat engine portion of the machine can be made to be equal to the power absorbed by the heat pump at all conditions of heat pump temperature differential.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.