Heat engine
US7296408B2 · kind B2 · utility
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 21, 2004 |
| Grant date | Nov 20, 2007 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 19, 2025 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF02G2244/10
- WIPO fieldEngines, pumps, turbines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
The heart of a heat engine is a reciprocating expansion chamber, which converts heat from a hot fluid into mechanical work. The expansion chamber utilizes a refrigerant in a liquid state as an input, and heats and expands the refrigerant to move pistons and generate work. A high pressure injector injects the liquid refrigerant into the chamber under enough pressure to keep it in a liquid state until it is desirable to have it expand into a gas. A hot fluid is the heat source for the expansion chamber and cold fluid is an output. Another output is the refrigerant, now a hot, low pressure gas. A compressor pressurizes the refrigerant, forming a hot, high pressure gas, and a condenser generates liquid refrigerant and provides it to the pressure injector.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.