Patent · US Expired

Method and apparatus for transferring heat energy from engine housing to expansion fluid employed in continuous combustion, pinned vane type, integrated rotary compressor-expander engine system

US5522356A · kind A · utility

69Cited by
3References
63Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateSep 29, 1994
Grant dateJun 4, 1996
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 29, 2014

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
  • CPC primaryF02G2250/03
  • WIPO fieldEngines, pumps, turbines
  • WIPO sectorMechanical engineering

Abstract

A continuous combustion, pinned vane type, positive displacement, rotary compressor and expander engine system comprises a compressor which outputs compressed air, a combustor which effects continuous combustion of a combustion gas mixture containing fuel and the compressed air and produces a combustion gas output. An expander is coupled to receive a mixture of combustion gas and an expansion fluid as an expandable working gas. The expander expands the expandable working gas and performs work to cause rotation of an engine output shaft. Each the compressor and the expander comprises a respective pinned vane type, positive displacement, rotary device. The engine system further includes an expansion fluid flow path having an input port to which the expansion fluid is supplied, and an output port coupled to combine the expansion fluid with the combustion gas as the expandable working gas. The expansion fluid flow path is in thermal communication with the expander housing such that there is a thermal energy transfer from the housing to the expansion fluid, thereby increasing the thermal energy of the expansion fluid to the extent where a phase transformation takes place from the liquid…

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