EP1700023A2

EP1700023A2 - Hot gas engine

Info

Publication number: EP1700023A2
Application number: EP04761954A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Wilhelm Servis; Ludwig K. Von Segesser
Original assignee: Von Segesser Ludwig
Current assignee: Von Segesser Ludwig
Priority date: 2003-10-10
Filing date: 2004-10-07
Publication date: 2006-09-13
Also published as: WO2005035962A3; WO2005035962A2

Abstract

Disclosed is a hot gas engine comprising a cylinder (2), a working piston (4) that delimits a cylinder chamber which accommodates a working medium along with the cylinder cover (3), a displacement mechanism (5) that subdivides the cylinder chamber into a first working chamber (14) which is delimited by the working piston (4) and a second working chamber (15) which is delimited by the cylinder cover (3), a device (7) for heating the working medium, and a device (8) for cooling the heated working medium. The working chambers (14 and 15) are interconnected in a communicating manner via a regenerator (27). The heating device (7) encompasses a heating element (31) that can be mounted in a stationary fashion on the cylinder (2) and is provided with a heating area (33) which extends substantially across the entire cross section of the cylinder chamber (6) and a heating system (32) which is allocated to the heating element (31). Said embodiment allows the externally delivered heat to be efficiently transferred to the heating medium so as to be continuously effective across the entire cross section of the cylinder while allowing for a simple, compact design of the hot gas engine.

Description

Hot gas engine

The invention relates to a hot gas engine according to the preamble of claim 1.

A hot gas engine of the type mentioned is known from WO 03/060309 AI. The cylinder of the known engine contains a working piston connected to a crank drive and a displacement device which is stationary or, according to another embodiment, displaceable relative to the working piston and which divides the cylinder chamber into a first and a second working chamber. The heating device intended for heating the working medium contains a heating surface formed on the end wall of the working piston and facing the first working space and a heating arrangement assigned to the working piston; another embodiment of the heating device contains an injection arrangement for supplying a fluid hot heating medium into the first work space. The cooling device intended for cooling the working medium comprises an injection device for introducing liquid or liquefied working medium into the first working space and an arrangement for removing the excess working medium from the first working space. The two work rooms are in the one Displacement device integrated regenerator connected communicating.

In the known engine, the heat supplied from the outside is continuously released within the cylinder via the end wall of the working piston or in cycles by the injected hot heating medium to the working medium located in the first working space. The known designs enable effective, targeted heat transfer over the cylinder cross section, but either require a relatively complex process

Formation of the oscillating piston and the parts of the heating arrangement to be coupled with it, or a relatively complex arrangement for providing the hot heating medium and / or for heating the heating medium.

The invention has for its object to provide a further developed hot gas engine of the type mentioned, in particular in this respect simplified and easier to operate, developed.

According to the invention, this object is achieved once with the features of claim 1.

A second solution to this problem is achieved according to the invention with the features of independent claim 2.

The heating element provided according to the first task, which can be attached to the cylinder in a stationary manner, makes it possible to achieve a constant supply of heat to the working medium contained in the cylinder which is simplified in comparison to previous designs and is unaffected by stroke movements of the working piston. That after the second

Task solution for the operation of the inventive The combustible working medium provided by the hot gas engine is compressed approximately isothermally during the compression phase of the working process and in each case heated abruptly by injecting a liquefied oxidizing agent by burning at least a partial amount of the working medium.

The advantages of the invention are essentially to be seen in a cost-effective heating device which is simplified compared to previous designs and in the generation of the heat to be supplied to the working medium directly within the cylinder space, as well as in an accurate metering of the required amount of heat which can be achieved in a relatively simple manner. The embodiment according to the invention also enables a simpler, compact and cost-effective construction of the hot gas engine, as well as an operation of this machine which can be achieved with relatively little control and maintenance effort.

Embodiments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims.

The invention is explained with reference to exemplary embodiments schematically illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Show it:

1 shows a first embodiment of a hot gas engine according to the invention in a longitudinal section;

2 shows a second embodiment of a hot gas engine according to the invention in a longitudinal section;

3 details of a hot gas engine according to FIG. 2 in a modified embodiment; 4 shows a third embodiment of a hot gas engine according to the invention in a longitudinal section;

5 shows a fourth embodiment of a hot gas engine according to the invention in a longitudinal section;

6 shows details of a hot gas engine according to FIG. 5 in a modified embodiment;

7 shows a fifth embodiment of a hot gas engine according to the invention in a longitudinal section;

8 shows a sixth embodiment of a hot gas engine according to the invention in a longitudinal section;

9 shows a seventh embodiment of a hot gas engine according to the invention in a longitudinal section;

10 parts of a hot gas engine according to one of FIGS. 1-5, 8 or 9, with a working piston which can be connected to an additional heat transfer system, and

11 shows a machine arrangement consisting of a hot gas engine provided with a device according to FIG. 10 and a further thermal machine unit, in a side view according to arrow XI in FIG. 9.

1, a Stirling hot gas engine, contains a housing 1, a cylinder 2 with a cylinder cover 3, and a cylinder 2 that can be displaced

Working piston 4, which defines with the cylinder cover 3 a cylinder space 6 intended for receiving any working medium, and one arranged therein Displacement device 5 and a heating device 7 for heating the working medium and a cooling device 8 for cooling the heated working medium.

The working piston 4, which can be of any conventional design, can be coupled via a piston rod 9 and a connecting rod articulated thereon to a drive arrangement 10 which contains a crankshaft 11 mounted in the housing 1 with a flywheel 12. The crankshaft 10 can be used with any work machine, e.g. a generator, not shown, or, as assumed in the embodiment shown, be coupled to a water pump. The piston rod

9 is guided axially displaceably in a crosshead 13 connected to the housing 1. The cylinder 2 is connected to the housing 1 and the cylinder cover 3 by means of screws 19. The cylinder 2 and the cylinder cover 3 can each be provided with a thermal insulation 20 as shown. Water vapor, nitrogen, helium or the like, or, as assumed in the example shown, air can be provided as the working medium

The displacement device 5, which divides the cylinder space 6 into a first working space 14 delimited by the working piston 4 and a second working space 15 delimited by the cylinder cover 3, comprises a shell-like one fixed to the cylinder wall

Guide element 16 and a dynamic conveying device 17, which is intended for displacing the working medium from the first working space 14 into the second working space 15 and for returning the displaced working medium into the first working space 14. The guide element 16 is designed with a central passage opening 21 connecting the working spaces 14 and 15 and with a circumferential portion protruding from the first working space 14, which with the cylinder wall forms the working spaces 14 and 15 connecting annular, peripheral passage opening 22 limited for the working medium. The conveying device 17 contains a fan arranged in the second working space 15, as shown a radial fan 23 which can be flowed through through the central passage opening 21 and which is coupled via a shaft 24 to a drive unit 25 mounted on the cylinder cover 3.

The drive unit 25, as assumed in the present embodiment, may include an electric motor. The guide element 16 can have a number, for. B. three, arranged distributed over its circumference holding elements in the cylinder 2. Set screws or, as shown, ribs 26 protruding from the guide element 16 can be provided as holding elements, which are held on the cylinder wall in any manner, not shown. The guide element 16 can also be connected to the cylinder cover 3 to form an installation unit by any holding means, not shown.

In the second working space 15 there is a regenerator 27 which surrounds the fan 23 in an annular manner and which contains an insert 28 made of a regeneratively heat-storing material and mounted on the guide element 16 and through which the working medium can flow radially. Provided as insert 28 can be a loose winding of a band-shaped wire screen consisting of several turns or, as assumed in the example shown, a loose packing consisting of corresponding, upright arranged, concentric ring-shaped band sections. A corresponding insert 28 can also contain a multiplicity of pin-shaped or wire-shaped storage elements arranged next to one another, which are fastened in a free-standing manner in an annular holder and thus form a brush-like regenerator. The drive unit 25 of the fan 23 can be operated independently of the drive arrangement 10 of the hot gas engine and can therefore be designed in a correspondingly simple manner without special control means. The fan 23 is continuously driven during the operation of the hot gas engine. The working medium located in the cylinder chamber 6 is thus sucked in a permanent circulation through the central passage opening 21 into the second working chamber 15 and conveyed back into the first working chamber 14 through the peripheral passage opening 22.

The heating device 7 comprises a heating element 31 which can be fixedly attached to the cylinder 2 and a heating arrangement 32 associated therewith. The cylinder cover 3, which according to the illustration can be designed with edge portions 30 projecting beyond the circumference of the cylinder 2, is designed as a heating element 31 which is a part of the second working space 15 facing, over the cross section extending heating surface 33. The heating arrangement 32 is formed on the outer surface 34 of the cylinder cover 3 facing away from the working space 15, which is intended for absorbing heat radiation 35, as shown by solar radiation.

The necessary for the operation of the hot gas engine

Cooling device 8 for cooling the heated working medium comprises an injection device 40, which can be controlled and connected to a storage unit 38 for a liquid or liquefied working medium, for introducing a certain amount of the coolant used

Working medium in the first working space 14 and a discharge arrangement 41 for discharging an excess amount of the working medium arising during the injection process from the first working space 14. As Coolant can be the working medium used for the working process or, according to another possible embodiment, a second working medium acting in the same way. Designs are also possible in which dry or moist air can be used as the coolant instead of a liquid or liquefied working medium. In the embodiment described, water is assumed as the coolant.

The injector 40 includes one to one

Supply line 39 connected injection element 42, which passes through the cylinder wall and opens into the first working space 14 between the top dead center position of the working piston 4 and the displacement device 5 indicated by the dot-dash line in the drawing. The injection device 40 is also connected to a control device, not shown, which via known control means, for. B. can be influenced by control signals derived from a specific angular position of the crankshaft 11, in the sense of a cyclical actuation of the injection device 40. The discharge arrangement 41 contains an outlet line 43 which penetrates the cylinder wall and which is connected to the first working space 14 above the bottom dead center position of the working piston 4 shown. The outlet line 43 can be led outside or, as shown, connected to a collector 44 for the excess working medium. Designs are also possible in which two or more injection members 42 and / or outlet lines 43 are provided, which are offset with respect to one another in the circumferential direction.

In the hot gas engine described above, the heat supplied to the cylinder cover 3 from outside is inside of the engine is continuously delivered to the working medium flowing through the second working space 15 and to the regenerator 27. The injection device 40 ensures that the continuously heated working medium is cooled during the compression phase of the working process. The injection of the cold working medium into the first working space 14 initially cools and then heats the entire working medium present in the cylinder 2 and also the regenerator 27, the pressure in the cylinder 2 being increased approximately isothermally. During the expansion phase, the heat which is still supplied from the outside is given off to the working medium and to the regenerator 27, as a result of which work is generated and the pressure in the cylinder 2 is reduced approximately isothermally. At the end of the expansion phase, the excess amount of working fluid is released in accordance with the pressure prevailing in the engine at the start of compression.

The heating surface 33 formed on the cylinder cover 3 enables effective, efficient transfer of the heat supplied from the outside to the working medium over the entire cylinder cross section. A correspondingly advantageous, efficient cooling of the working medium which is directly effective in the entire cylinder space 6 can be achieved by the injection device 40 assigned to the first working space 14. The described embodiment enables, in particular in connection with the fixed displacement device 5 and the regenerator 27, which can be implemented with relatively small dimensions, a particularly compact and advantageously simple construction of the hot gas engine.

Incidentally, the operation of a classic hot gas engine is generally known to the person skilled in the art (for example DE 25 22 711 AI), so that further explanations in this regard are dispensed with. Corresponding parts are provided with the same reference symbols in the drawing figures.

FIG. 2 shows a hot gas engine which differs from the embodiment according to FIG. 1 essentially only by a cylinder cover 46 which is flush with the cylinder 2 and a modified heating device 47. The following description is therefore limited to the corresponding differences. The heating device 47 comprises a plate-shaped heating element 48, which is arranged in a fixed manner in the first working space 14, and a heating arrangement 50 associated therewith, with a heat storage unit 51 provided at a distance from the cylinder 2. The heat storage unit 51 contains one for receiving any storage medium, for. B. water, oil or the like., Certain container, which is designed with a wall 52 which can be heated in any way, as shown by solar radiation. The other walls of the container can be provided with thermal insulation 20.

The heating element 48 has two heating surfaces 33, each of which essentially extends over the cross section of the first working space 14, wherein it defines an annular gap with the cylinder wall, which forms a passage opening 53 through which the working medium can flow. The heating element 48 can be fastened to the cylinder wall in any manner, as shown by means of a number of ribs 54 distributed over its circumference. The heating element 48 can also be attached directly to the cylinder wall

Circumferential sections executed and provided with a plurality of through openings 53 arranged distributed over the circumference. The heater 48 contains one of any heat transfer fluid, e.g. B. water, flow-through heating arrangement 55 for the heating surfaces 33. The heating arrangement 55 is connected to a feed line 56 and to a return line 57 of a heating circuit 58 via two connecting elements which pass through the wall of the cylinder 2. The heating circuit 58 contains a heat exchanger 49 which is arranged in the heat storage unit 51 and is represented as a heating coil and a pump 59 which is arranged in the supply line 56 for conveying the heat transfer fluid. In this embodiment, the heat supplied to the heating element 48 from the outside is continuously released within the engine to the working medium located in the first working space 14. The two heating surfaces 33 of the heating element 48 make it possible to achieve a particularly efficient heat transfer which is directly effective over the entire cylinder cross section. This version also enables a particularly compact and advantageously simple construction of the hot gas engine.

FIG. 3 shows parts of the embodiment according to FIG. 2 and a modified heating device 61 with a heating element 62 which is fixedly mounted in the first working space 14 and which contains a catalytic heating unit 60. The heating unit 60 is via three line members 63, 64 and 65 passing through the wall of the cylinder 2 to a source 66 of a fluid fuel, e.g. B. propane gas, hydrogen or the like., Connected to a source 67 of a reaction or oxidizing agent and to a discharge line 68 for the process products obtained in the catalytic process. The process products can be released into the atmosphere or, as shown, fed to a collector 69. In this embodiment, the heat to be transferred to the working medium is generated within the heating element 62, in the immediate vicinity of the two heating surfaces 33. With the heating device 61, which can be controlled in a relatively simple manner, is therefore a _b Particularly efficient heat transfer can be implemented with relatively little effort.

FIG. 4 shows a hot gas engine which differs from the embodiment according to FIG. 2 by a modified heating device 70 for heating the working medium located in the first working space 14 and a modified conveying device 72. The following description is essentially limited to the corresponding differences. The heating device 70 comprises a solar collector system 74 designed to emit bundled solar radiation 73 and a heating element 71 which is arranged in a fixed manner in the first working space 14 and which extends essentially over the cylinder cross section. The solar collector system 74 contains at least one associated with the cylinder cover 46

Connection element 75, which is intended for introducing at least part of the concentrated solar radiation 73 into the first working space 14 and, as shown, is attached to the drive unit 25 of the conveying device 72. The connection element 75 can be connected to an outlet of the solar collector system 74 via a feed line 76, which can consist of a bundle of optical fibers, and contains a tubular line element 77 for the solar radiation 73 intended for insertion into the cylinder 2.

The fan 23 of the conveying device 72 can be coupled to the drive unit 25 via a continuous hollow shaft 78, which is at the same time intended for the contact-free reception of the line element 77 and thus surrounds an outlet directed against the first working space 14 for the solar radiation 73. The line element 77 can be provided with a closure part made of a transparent material, for example glass or the like, which is impermeable to the working medium and not shown his. A refractive optical element can also be provided as the closure part. As a result of the arrangement described, the bundled solar radiation 73 can be introduced through the central passage opening 21 into the first working space 14 without any significant heating of the conveying device 72 and the working medium located in the second working space 15 and concentrated on a central part of the heating element 71. The heating element 71 is designed as a relatively solid plate, which is made of a heat-absorbing material with high thermal conductivity, for. B. a ceramic material suitable for high thermal loads. Accordingly, the stored heat can be distributed in an advantageously efficient, simple manner evenly over the two heating surfaces 33 and can be released to the working medium located in the first working space 14.

As assumed in the present embodiment, the solar collector system 74 can contain a focusing system, known per se, of concave mirrors, not shown. The solar collector system 74 can furthermore have at least one additional output, as shown in the illustration two further outputs with feed lines 76 which can be connected to these and which can each be assigned to a corresponding connection element 75 of a further hot gas engine, not shown.

The hot gas engine shown in FIG. 5 differs from the embodiment according to FIG

Essentially by a modified working piston 80, a modified piston rod 84, a modified cylinder 81 and a modified discharge arrangement 82 for discharging the excess working medium which injection process described above occurs. The working piston 80 is designed as a diaphragm piston with at least one flexible diaphragm 83 of any shape, which is fixed and sealed between two sections 85 and 86 of the cylinder 81 and is movably held on the piston rod 84 in a sealing manner and between the bottom dead center position shown and a top dead center position indicated by dash-dotted lines is. The discharge arrangement 82 comprises a longitudinal bore 87 formed in the piston rod 84 and communicating with the working space 14, a flexible connecting line 88 which can be connected to it and which can be coupled to an outlet line 90 fixedly attached to the housing 1, and an outlet valve 89 arranged therein for the excess working medium to be discharged. The outlet valve 89 is provided with a control device, not shown, which via known control means, for. B. can be influenced by control signals derived from a specific angular position of the crankshaft 11, in the sense of a cyclical opening of the outlet valve 89, in such a way that the excess amount of the working medium is omitted at the end of the expansion phase of the working process. This embodiment enables a more compact and particularly cost-effective construction of the hot gas engine compared to the embodiment according to FIG. 1.

As can further be seen from FIG. 5, the heating device 7 can contain a selectively switchable second heating element 107 which is arranged in the first working space 14 and which, like the heating element 48 (FIG. 2), is plate-shaped and essentially extends over the cross section of the working space 14 extends. The heating element 107 contains an integrated electrical heating element 108, shown as a heating coil, which passes through the wall of the cylinder section 85 Line arrangement 110 can be connected to any external power source 111. In the example shown, a solar battery 112 which is arranged at a distance from the cylinder 81 and is composed of solar cells is assumed to be the current source. By switching on the second heating element 107, the working medium heated via the cylinder cover 3 can be temporarily or continuously additionally heated, and thus the heating power of the heating device 7 can be adapted to the respective energy requirement with advantageously little effort. The heating element 107 can be designed with an advantageously small thickness dimension. An embodiment with two or more such space-saving heating elements 107 is also possible, which can be arranged in the first working space 14 at a distance from one another, around which flow can flow, or through which flow.

FIG. 6 shows parts of an embodiment according to FIG. 5 with a modified piston rod 91, a modified drive device 92 and a modified discharge arrangement 93. The piston rod 91 has a longitudinal bore 94 which is continuous over its length. The drive device 92 comprises a shaft 96 mounted in the housing 1, which can be coupled on the one hand via a crank disk 95 to a connecting rod 97 articulated on the piston rod 91 on the one hand and on the other hand to a non-illustrated working machine. The discharge arrangement 93 comprises an outlet valve 98, which is arranged at the free end of the piston rod 91, and a discharge-type discharge element 99, which is attached to this free end and is fixedly attached in the housing 1 for the excess working medium to be discharged, as shown in the illustration. The outlet valve 98 contains a valve seat 101 directed against the longitudinal bore 94 and a spherical one, which is arranged in the longitudinal bore 94 with lateral play, as shown Valve body 102, which is held in the closed position under the effect of its own weight and the pressure of the working medium prevailing in the cylinder chamber 6. To actuate the outlet valve 98, a stationary stop part 103 is provided, which is shown to be free-standing in the deflection element 99 by side ribs 26 and which projects into the range of motion of the valve body 102 held in the closed position, around the valve rod in the region of the lower stroke position of the piston rod 91 101 take off. Accordingly, the excess working medium at the end of the expansion phase of the working process can be discharged in an advantageously simple manner, in particular without additional control effort, via the drainage device 99.

Numerous other embodiments of the invention are possible. For example, working pistons 4 can also be connected via piston rods 84 or 91 to correspondingly modified discharge arrangements 82 or 93. Furthermore, in the embodiment of FIG. 2 instead of

Heating element 48 at least one heating element 107 according to FIG. 5 can be provided with an integrated electrical heating element which can be connected to any power source via a corresponding line arrangement 110.

The hot gas engine shown in FIG. 7 differs from the embodiment according to FIG. 5 essentially by a modified displacement device 123, a modified heating device 124, and a modified cooling device

125 and a modified regenerator 126. The following description is therefore limited to the corresponding differences. The displacement device 123 contains a displacement piston 127, which a second piston rod 128 is slidably coupled to a drive device 129, which can be actuated on the cylinder cover 46 and can be actuated relative to the working piston 80, between an upper dead center position and a lower dead center position indicated by dash-dotted lines. The drive device 129 can contain an electrically or, as assumed in the example shown, pneumatically operated motor, which is operated via known control means, not shown, e.g. B. can be influenced by control signals derived from a specific angular position of the crankshaft 11. The displacer piston 127 is arranged in an open tube piece 136 surrounding its stroke area, which is fixed in place in the cylinder section 85 and with the inner wall of which delimits a flow channel 137 connecting the working spaces 14 and 15.

The heating device 124 contains a heating element 138 through which any heat transfer fluid can flow, which is arranged in an end section of the flow channel 137 assigned to the second working space 15 and connecting elements passing through the cylinder wall to a distributor 139 of a storage unit 140 for heated heat transfer fluid or to a collector 141 for the cooled heat transfer fluid can be connected. As a heating element 138, a pipe system 142 is provided as shown, which is arranged in a plurality of one another, for. B. each spiral turns over a portion of the work space 15 and forms a cylinder surface 6 facing heating surface 118.

The cooling device 125 contains a cooling element 238, which is arranged in an end section of the flow channel 137 assigned to the first working chamber 14 and for receiving a supply under high pressure liquefied coolant is determined. The cooling element 238, shown as a pipe system 242 designed analogously to the heating element 138, extends along the cylinder wall over at least a partial section of the working space 14 and is via the cylinder wall connecting elements to a distributor 239 of a storage unit 240 for the liquefied coolant or to a collector 241 for the coolant evaporating when cooling the working medium. The regenerator 126 is arranged between the heating element 138 and the cooling element 238 and contains a heat-storing package 28 made of pin-shaped or wire-shaped storage elements, which are fastened in a brush-like arrangement in a holder 143 attached to the circumference of the pipe piece 136 in a free-standing manner.

The heat supplied from the outside via the heating element 138 is continuously released within the engine to the working medium located in the second working space 15 and to the regenerator 126. The cooling element 238 assigned to the first working space ensures the cooling of the heated working medium required during the compression phase. The heat required during the expansion phase continues to be supplied to the working medium through the heating element 138. The heat exchanged in the engine isochorously is released by the regenerator 126 to the working medium at the end of the compression phase and taken over at the end of the expansion phase. The coolant which is evaporated during the cooling of the heated working medium and is under high pressure can be fed to a turbine or, as assumed in the example shown, to a filling station for gas containers 242.

Deviating from the embodiment shown, the heating element 138 can be assigned to the first working space 14 and the cooling element 238 to the second working space 15. An embodiment is also possible in which a pipe system provided as a heating element contains an electrical heating element that can be connected to a power source.

The hot gas engine shown in FIG. 8 differs from the embodiment according to FIG. 2 essentially by the use of a combustible working medium and by a modified heating device 130 for heating this working medium. The following description is therefore limited to the corresponding differences. Any combustible gas, e.g. B. hydrogen, methane, butane or, as assumed in the example shown, natural gas

The heating device 130 required for the operation of the hot gas engine contains an injection arrangement 132, which can be controlled and connected to a source 131 of a liquefied oxidizing agent, for introducing a certain amount of the oxidizing agent into the first working space 14. As oxidizing agent, liquefied oxygen or, as assumed in the example shown, can be used , liquefied air may be provided. The injection arrangement 132 contains an injection member 133 passing through the cylinder wall 2, which is connected to a supply line 134 for the oxidizing agent and opens into the first working chamber 14 above the top dead center position of the working piston 4, which is indicated by dash-dotted lines in the drawing. The injection arrangement 132 is connected to a control device, not shown, which via known control means, for. B. can be influenced by control signals derived from a specific angular position of the crankshaft 11 in the sense of a cyclical actuation of the injection member 133. Injection assembly 132 can also contain two or more injection members 133 offset in the circumferential direction.

The liquefied oxidizing agent is, for. B. shortly before or after the end of the compression phase of the working process of the hot gas engine, in the first

Working space 14 is injected, a portion of the working medium that can be determined by controlling the quantity of oxidizing agent to be injected being burned, and the amount of heat generated in this way is given directly to the working medium present in the cylinder space 6, and from there to the regenerator 27. The combustible working medium used for the working process can be provided as the coolant. The combustion product resulting from the injection of the oxidizing agent, together with the excess amount of the working medium accumulated during the cooling process, is discharged from the first working chamber 14 via the discharge arrangement 41 in the manner already described.

The heating device 130, consisting of relatively simple, inexpensive parts, requires little maintenance and enables efficient, direct transfer of the heat generated by the supply of the oxidizing agent to the working medium. The generation of the amount of heat required in each case can be influenced with relatively little control effort, by appropriate metering of the amount of the oxidizing agent to be injected into the cylinder space 6, and can be adapted to the respective operating requirements. The described embodiment enables, particularly in connection with the displacement device 5 and the regenerator 27, which can be implemented with relatively small dimensions, an advantageously simple, compact design of the hot gas engine. The hot gas engine shown in FIG. 9 differs from the embodiment according to FIG. 8 essentially by the modified cylinder 81, a modified cylinder cover 145, a modified discharge arrangement 172 for the excess working medium and the combustion product, a modified displacement device 173 and a modified regenerator 174 The following description is therefore limited to the corresponding differences. The discharge arrangement 172 contains at least one exhaust valve arranged on the cylinder cover 145, as shown two exhaust valves 175, each of which is controlled by a control device 176, e.g. B. by control signals derived from a certain angular position of the crankshaft 11, can be actuated at the end of the expansion phase in the sense of a cyclical opening.

The displacement device 173 comprises a guide element 177 which is arranged in a stationary manner in the cylinder space 6 and a fan 179 which is arranged essentially in the second work space 15 and can flow through the central passage opening 21 of the guide element 177, as shown an axial fan, the rotor of which via a shaft 181 in a on the cylinder cover 145 attached bearing 182 is held freely rotatable. The rotor is designed with a blading 183 consisting of a plurality of, as shown, four, inclined blades, such that the rotor is driven by the working medium flowing through the passage opening 21 when the outlet valves 175 are open, and the fan 179 thus acts as a turbine. The guide element 177 essentially consists of a flywheel 184 connected to the rotor in a rotationally fixed manner, which surrounds the blading 183 and delimits the peripheral passage opening 22 with the wall section 85 of the cylinder 81. The flywheel 184 can as shown, be provided with a second blading 185 formed on its circumference, as a result of which the conveyance of the working medium flowing through the peripheral passage opening 22 can be improved. The regenerator 174 contains a heat-storing pack 186 through which the working medium can flow radially, with a multiplicity of pin-shaped or wire-shaped storage elements arranged next to one another, which are attached in a brush-like arrangement in a free-standing manner in an annular holder 187 attached to the cylinder cover 145.

The embodiment described above enables a further improvement in the design of the displacement device 173 which can be attached to the cylinder cover 145 and an essentially continuous drive of the fan 179, on the one hand by the flow energy of the working medium which is active during the exhaust phase and stored in the flywheel 184, and on the other hand by the stored rotational energy of the flywheel 184 acting when the outlet valves 175 are closed. The fan 179, which can be driven independently of external energy, thus enables the working medium to be displaced to be conveyed in a correspondingly cost-effective manner.

As can further be seen from FIG. 9, the hot gas engine shown can be provided with an additional heating device 115, which can be used to supplement the heating device 130, and which can be switched on or off, and which comprises a heating element 116 arranged in the first working space 14 and through which a heat transfer fluid can flow, and a heating arrangement 117 associated therewith , Provided as heating element 116 is a pipe system 121, which runs along the inner circumference of wall section 85 and is shown as a simple pipe coil a number of turns extends over a section of the working space 14 and thus forms a heating surface 118 surrounding this section. The heating arrangement 117 contains a heat accumulator 120, which is connected to a source 119 in an arbitrary manner, e.g. B. is connected geothermally or by waste heat, heated storage medium. The heating element 116 is, similar to the heating element 48 (FIG. 2), connected to a heating circuit 58, the heat exchanger 49 of which is arranged in the heat accumulator 120.

FIG. 10 shows parts of an embodiment according to FIG. 9 with a modified working piston 146 shown in the top dead center position and an additional heating device 147ι which supplements the heating device 130, either selectively or continuously

Heating the working medium. The working piston 146 has a cavity 148 which is delimited by an end wall 150 facing the first working chamber 14, a peripheral wall 151 and a bottom part 152 connected to a hollow piston rod 153, at least the end wall 150 being made of a material with high thermal conductivity, e.g. B. an aluminum alloy. The end wall 150 and the bottom part 152 can, as shown, be designed as rigid plates which are screwed to a ring with the U-shaped cross section forming the peripheral wall 151.

The bottom part 152 contains a passage 154 open against the hollow piston rod 153 for a line member 155 which opens into the cavity 148 and is intended for supplying a fluid operating medium, which passes through the piston rod 153 in the longitudinal direction and with the wall of which a connecting channel 156 open to the cavity 148 Removal of the operating medium limited .. The management body 155 and the connecting channel 156 can each be coupled via a connection part 157 or 160 provided on the wall of the piston rod 153 and a movable line section 158 to a first or second connection element 159 or 161 attached to the housing 1 for the operating medium. The peripheral wall 151, the bottom portion 152 and the piston rod 153 can each with at least one layer 162 made of a heat-insulating material, for. B. glass wool or the like., Lined. The line member 155, which can be provided with a corresponding heat-insulating outer insulation, is designed as an element of the additional heating device 147 for heating the working medium located in the first working space 14.

The heating device 147 comprises a heating surface 163 formed on the end wall 150 of the working piston 146 and directed towards the first working chamber 14 and a heating arrangement 165 for the end wall. The heating arrangement 165 contains a stationary feed unit 166 with a feed line 168 that can be connected to a heat source 167 for any fluid heat transfer medium. As a heat source, for example, a burner can be provided, the combustion product of which serves as a heat transfer medium. The feed line 168 can be coupled via the first connection element 159 to the line element 155, which ensures reliable supply of the heat transfer medium into the cavity 148, heat being continuously emitted to the working medium located in the first working space 14 via the heated end wall 150. The heat transfer medium cooled in the cavity 148 is discharged through the connecting channel 156 and can be released to the environment via a discharge line 169 which can be coupled to the second connection element 161 or, as shown, to a collector 170. An embodiment is also possible in which the feed line 168 with the second connection element 161, and the discharge line 169 is coupled to the first connection element 159.

According to a modified, not shown embodiment, an arrangement according to FIG. 10 can also contain an additional cooling device for cooling the working medium, which can supplement the cooling device 8, can be switched on or off, and which has a cooling surface formed on the end wall 150 of the working piston 146 and a corresponding cooling arrangement with a Source of a heat transfer medium intended for cooling the end wall 150.

11 contains two thermal machine units 189 and 190, which are coupled to one another via a common drive device 191. One unit 189 can

Piston engine of any type, e.g. B. be a diesel or gasoline engine, the other unit 190 may be a hot gas engine according to one of Figures 1 to 5, 8 or 9. In the example shown, a hot gas engine according to FIG. 9 is assumed, which has a device according to FIG. 10. The two units 189 and 190 are further coupled via a line arrangement 192 which connects the additional heating device 147 of the hot gas engine to the cooling system 193 of the piston internal combustion engine and thus enables mutual heat exchange. Correspondingly, the first connection element 159 of the heating device 147 is connected via a first line 194 to an outlet element 195 for heated cooling water connected to the cooling system 193, and the second connection element 161 is connected via a second line 196 to an inlet element 197 for cooled cooling water connected to the cooling system 193 , The one occurring in the hot gas engine during the cooling process Excess amount of the working medium and the combustion product obtained in the embodiment shown can be introduced into the head part of the piston internal combustion engine via the outlet line 43 connected to the cylinder cover 145. The heating arrangement 165 of the heating device 147 which can be connected via the feed line 168 can be switched on temporarily or continuously as required. The arrangement described enables an optional increase in the overall performance of the machine arrangement. The

Hot gas engine can e.g. B. can be used as a peak load unit.

Instead of a piston internal combustion engine, another thermal machine of any type, e.g. B. a Stirling refrigerator. There are also corresponding arrangements with several, for. B. four or twelve, coupled machine units possible. Such an arrangement can e.g. B consist of a hot gas engine and three other thermal machines or two hot gas engines and ten other thermal machines. Numerous other embodiments of the invention are possible. For example, a conventional piston internal combustion engine or any piston machine, e.g. B. a piston pump or a

Compressor to be converted to a hot gas engine by a head section of the

Piston internal combustion engine or a corresponding piston machine is provided with a displacement device and with organs of one of the heating and cooling devices described above. The head section can be designed as an add-on part that can be placed on a cylinder section of the piston internal combustion engine or the piston machine.

Claims

claims

1. hot gas engine with at least one cylinder (2; 81) and a reciprocating working piston (4; 80; 146) which delimits a cylinder space (6) intended for receiving a working medium, with a displacement device (5; 123 173), which divides the cylinder space into a first working space (14) delimited by the working piston (4; 80; 146) and a second working space (15) delimited by a cylinder cover (3; 46; 145), with a heating device (7; 47; 61; 70; 115; 124; 130) for heating the working medium and with a cooling device (8; 125) for cooling the heated working medium, the working spaces (14 and 15) being communicatively connected via a regenerator (27; 126), characterized in that that the heating device (7; 47; 61; 70; 115; 124; 130) comprises at least one heating element (31; 48; 62; 71; 107; 116; 138) which can be fixedly attached to the cylinder (2; 81) and which has at least one has the heating surface (33; 118) facing the cylinder space (6).

2. Hot gas engine with at least one cylinder (2; 81) and a reciprocating working piston (4; 146) which delimits a cylinder space (6) intended for receiving a working medium, with a displacement device (5; 173) which defines the cylinder space divided into a first working space (14) delimited by the working piston (4; 146) and a second working space (15) delimited by a cylinder cover (46; 145), with a heating device (130) for heating the working medium and with a cooling device (8) for cooling the heated working medium, the working rooms (14 and 15) being communicatively connected via a regenerator (27; 174), characterized in that a combustible gas is provided as the working medium and that the heating device (130 ) comprises an injection arrangement (132) which contains at least one injection member (133) directed into the first working space (14) for supplying a liquefied oxidizing agent.

3. Engine according to claim 1, characterized in that the heating element (31) is formed on the cylinder cover (3), the inside of which is provided as a heating surface (33).

4. Engine according to claim 3, characterized in that the cylinder cover (3) is designed with a heatable outer surface (34) intended for absorbing thermal radiation (35).

5. Engine according to claim 1, characterized in that the heating element (48; 62; 71; 107) is arranged in the first working space (14), that the heating surface (33) extends essentially over the cross section of the first working space (14) and that in the area of the heating element (48; 62; 71; 107) there is at least one passage opening (53) through which the working medium can flow.

6. Engine according to claim 1, characterized in that the heating element (116; 138) is arranged in a section of the cylinder space (6) which extends over at least a portion of the first and / or the second working space (14 and 15) and that the heating surface (118) is in the Extends essentially over the scope of this section.

7. Engine according to claim 7 or claim 6, characterized in that the heating element (48; 116; 138) contains a heating arrangement through which a heat transfer fluid can flow, which connecting elements passing through the wall of the cylinder (2; 81) to a supply line (56) for heated heat transfer fluid and can be connected to a discharge line (57) for the cooled heat transfer fluid.

8. An engine according to claim 5, characterized in that the heating element (62) contains a catalytic heating unit (60) which through the wall of the cylinder (2) penetrating line elements (63, 64, and 65) to a source (66) of fluid fuel, can be connected to a source (67) of a reaction or oxidizing agent or to a discharge line (68) for combustion products.

9. The engine according to claim 5, characterized in that the heating element (107) contains an electrical heating element (108) which can be connected to a current source (111) via a line arrangement passing through the wall of the cylinder (2; 81).

10. Engine according to claim 5, with at least one on the cylinder cover (46) arranged connecting member (75) of a solar collector system (74) and a in the cylinder (2) insertable line element (77) for introducing a concentrated solar radiation (73) in the first Work space (14), characterized in that a plate is provided as the heating element (71), which consists of a heat-absorbing material with high thermal conductivity and on which the concentrated solar radiation (73) can be concentrated.

11. The engine according to claim 6, characterized in that a heating system (116; 138) is a pipe system (121) running along the cylinder wall, which through the wall of the cylinder (2; 81) passes through connecting elements to a heating circuit (58) or can be connected to a storage unit (140) for a heated heat transfer fluid and to a discharge arrangement for the cooled heat transfer fluid.

12. Engine according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the cooling device (8) an injection device (40) for introducing liquid or liquefied working medium provided as a coolant into the first working space (14) and a discharge arrangement (41; 82; 93; 172) for discharging the excess working medium from the cylinder space (6), characterized in that the discharge arrangement (82; 93; 172) contains at least one exhaust valve (89; 98; 175) which can be actuated in cycles.

13. Engine according to claim 12, wherein the working piston (4; 80) via a piston rod (9; 84; 91) can be coupled to a drive device (10; 92), characterized in that the piston rod (9; 84; 91) one has longitudinal bore (87; 94) communicating with the first working space (14) and that the outlet valve (89; 98) is assigned to this longitudinal bore (87; 94).

14. Engine according to claim 13, characterized in that the outlet valve (98) is arranged at the free end of the piston rod (91) and a valve seat (101) directed against the longitudinal bore (94) and a valve body (102) held thereon in the closed position. contains and that for actuating the outlet valve (98) a stationary stop part (103) is provided which projects into the range of motion of the valve body (102) held in the closed position in order to lift it off the valve seat (101).

15. The engine according to claim 12, characterized in that the exhaust valve (175) is attached to the cylinder cover (145) and is assigned to the second working space (15).

16. An engine according to claim 15, wherein the displacement device (5; 173) is a guide element (16; 177) arranged in a stationary manner in the cylinder space (6) with at least one central passage opening (21) and at least one peripheral passage opening (22) for the working medium and one Fan (23; 179) for displacing the working medium from the first working space (14) into the second working space (15) and for returning the displaced working medium into the first working space (14), characterized in that the fan (179) comprises a rotor which is freely rotatable in a bearing (182) arranged on the cylinder cover (145) and has a blading (183) by means of which the rotor can be driven by the working medium flowing through the central passage opening (21), and that the rotor with a Flywheel (184) is rotatably connected.

17. Engine according to claim 16, characterized in that the flywheel (184) is designed as a guide element (177) which, with the wall of the cylinder (81), delimits the peripheral passage opening (22).

18. Engine according to claim 16 or 17, characterized in that the flywheel (184) has a second blading (185) formed on its circumference, which is intended for conveying the working medium flowing through the peripheral passage opening (22).

19. The engine according to claim 6 or 11, wherein the displacement device (123) has a displacer piston (127) which is displaceable relative to the working piston (80), characterized in that the displacement piston (127) is stationary in a cylinder (81) surrounding its stroke range is attached pipe section (136) which, with a wall portion of the cylinder (81), delimits a flow channel (137) connecting the working spaces (14 and 15) and which is intended for receiving the regenerator (126) that the heating element (116; 138) is arranged in an end section of the flow channel (137) which is assigned to one working space (15 or 14) and that the cooling device (125) has a cooling pipe system (242) which in an end section of the Flow channel (137) is arranged and extends over at least a portion of this working space and which connecting or penetrating through the cylinder wall go to a storage unit (240) for a liquefied coolant and to a collector (241) for the Cooling the working medium evaporating coolant can be connected.

20. Engine according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one on the wall of the cylinder (81) stationary and sealingly attachable flexible membrane (83) is provided as the working piston (80).

21. Engine according to one of claims 1 to 19, characterized by an auxiliary device (147) for additional heating or cooling of the working medium, which is formed on the working piston (146), the first working chamber (14) facing the heat transfer surface (163) and the working piston ^' (146) associated arrangement (165) for heating or cooling the heat transfer surface (163).

22. Machine arrangement with at least two thermal machine units (189, 190) coupled via a common drive arrangement (191), at least one of which (190) is a hot gas engine according to one of the preceding claims.