GB645298A - Improvements in hot gas engines - Google Patents

Abstract

645,298. Hot gas engines. SHELL REFINING & MARKETING CO., Ltd., LUBBOCK, I., and TIPLER, W. March 30, 1948, No. 8973. [Class 7(i)] [Also in Group XIII] The outer face of the or each cylinder head is exposed to radiation from a burner and an annular space surrounds the cylinder wall and contains a number of ducts for the flow of working gas into and out of the cylinder alternating with a number of separate ducts for the egress of combustion products from the burner and a plurality of radial passages or channels are formed in or on the interior face of the cylinder head and connect the ducts for the flow of the working gas with the interior of the cylinder. Each cylinder 1 of the engine (one cylinder only being shown) is provided with a combustion chamber 2 above a cylinder head 3. The products of combustion from a burner 4 pass into spaces 9 between fins 8 arranged in an annular space around the cylinder and after leaving the spaces 9 flow through a combustion air preheater 11 to a duct 12 leading to atmosphere. As shown (Fig. 2) there are a number of sets of fins 8 in the annular space and each set is separated from the next by a radial pocket 10 having fins 10a projecting into it. The upper end of the cylinder has an inturned lip 24 and fins 25 on the underside of the cylinder head 3 extend to this lip. In between the fins 25 streamlined fins 22 also carried by the cylinder head are located. Thus working medium in the interior of the cylinder can flow through spaces 26 between the fins into the pockets 10 and thus to a regenerator 19. Below the regenerator is located a cooler comprising tubes 20 for the passage of the working medium, which are cooled by fluid e.g. water circulated by a pump (not shown) from a tank 21. Below the cooler is a space 29 connected by a pipe 30 with the space below the piston of the next cylinder of the engine. The pipe 30 of the last cylinder (not shown) is connected to the space at the underside of the piston 18. Combustion air for the burner 4 enters at 13 passes through the preheater 11 and then through an annular space 15 between a refractory lining 14 and the combustion chamber. The preheater comprises a corrugated metal sheet having corrugations running parallel to, the axis of the combustion chamber. The fins 22, 25 assist in cooling the cylinder head. In a modification a large number of fine radial bores or channels in the cylinder head are provided instead of passages defined by a series of fins and connect the interior of the cylinder, with the gas ducts so as to provide cooling of the cylinder head by the working gas. If desired the head may be provided both with a system of fins and with a series of fine bores or channels. An air bleed 16 is provided for cooling the burner and preventing carbon deposits. The burner is ignited by an igniter 5.