Harmonic engine
US7603858B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | May 11, 2007 |
| Grant date | Oct 20, 2009 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 13, 2028 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF01L2003/258
- WIPO fieldEngines, pumps, turbines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A high efficiency harmonic engine based on a resonantly reciprocating piston expander that extracts work from heat and pressurizes working fluid in a reciprocating piston compressor. The engine preferably includes harmonic oscillator valves capable of oscillating at a resonant frequency for controlling the flow of working fluid into and out of the expander, and also preferably includes a shunt line connecting an expansion chamber of the expander to a buffer chamber of the expander for minimizing pressure variations in the fluidic circuit of the engine. The engine is especially designed to operate with very high temperature input to the expander and very low temperature input to the compressor, to produce very high thermal conversion efficiency.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.