GB1380739A - Hydraulic heat engines - Google Patents

Abstract

1380739 Liquid piston engines SOC EUROPEENNE DE PROPULSION 9 March 1972 [19 March 1971 20 April 1971] 10970/72 Headings F1B and F1M An hydraulic heat engine having means driven by liquid movement comprises means for introducing into a working chamber a working fluid or chemical reaction products capable of yielding energy by expansion, a first flow-path for injecting into the chamber a liquid which is colder than the working fluid when yielding energy, a second flowpath for extracting the liquid and at least a portion of any condensed part of the working fluid and at least one of the two flow-paths passing through the means arranged to be driven by the liquid movement. In a simple form reagents from reservoirs (1), Fig. 1 (not shown) are combusted in a chamber (1a) and expand to force a water column (2) through a one-way valve 7 until the pressure is approximately half that of the ambient medium e.g. water, the pressure being further reduced by cooling. Energy is recovered by causing the ambient water to return into the chamber through an hydraulic motor (23a). In another embodiment compressed oxygen and a hydrocarbon from reservoirs 1, Fig.2a are supplied at a regulated pressure to chamber 3 through a valve 4 operated by a control device 5 driven from a crank-shaft 17. In the t.d.c. position shown water fills chamber 3 up to level n and chamber 3 is connected to a transfer chamber 8 via an extraction flow-path 6 which includes a valve.7 operated by device 5. Another transfer chamber 11 is connected to ambient water through a conduit 13 having a valve 14 operated by device 5. The volumes of chambers 8 and 11 are varied simultaneously by tandem pistons 9 and 12 connected to the crank-shaft 17. During combustion water in chamber 3 is driven through extraction flowpath 6 into chamber 8 through open valve 7 whilst chamber 11 takes in ambient water through open valve 14. At b.d.c. valves 7, 14 close whilst valves 20, 22 open so that chamber 11 is connected to chamber 3 through flow-path 19 and atomizing nozzles 23. Similarly chamber 8 is connected to the ambient water. The water mist injected through nozzle 23 cools the combustion gases so that the water vapour produced by combustion condenses, the carbon-dioxide dissolves and any remaining gases are recompressed for the next cycle when valve 4 reopens. In a modification a further valve 24, Fig.4 operated by device 5 connects the chamber 3 to the outside for the removal of gases which cannot be dissolved or condensed. The transfer chambers may be replaced by a rotary mechanism e.g. pumps or hydraulic motors. Energy is recovered by work performed by crank-shaft 17 or energy may be stored as pressure in an accumulator 26 for later use in hydraulic motors or jacks. In a modification two expansion chambers (3, 3') Fig.3 (not shown) may be used in phase opposition. The engines of Figs.2 (not shown) and 4 may be arranged for two stroke or four stroke operation. Alternatively the engine is supplied with fluid from a boiler or a combustion chamber 27. The latter may supply several expansion chambers having staggered cycles through a distribution device 29 operated by device 5.