JP5531979B2 - Heat engine - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a heat engine that displaces a liquid piston by expansion of steam, converts the displacement of the liquid piston into mechanical energy, and outputs the mechanical energy.

  Conventionally, this type of heat engine is described in Patent Document 1. In the prior art of Patent Document 1, the liquid piston sealed in the container is displaced toward the other end of the container by expanding the vapor at one end of the tubular container, and the displacement of the liquid piston is The liquid piston is converted into mechanical energy at the output section provided at the other end, and the expanded steam is cooled and condensed by the cooling section formed at the intermediate section of the container, thereby allowing the liquid piston to be condensed at one end of the container. Displace to the part side.

  Moreover, in this prior art, in order to ensure the lubricity of an output part, the part by the side of an output part among liquid pistons is comprised with oil. Specifically, the internal space of the container is partitioned by a diaphragm between the cooling unit and the output unit, water is sealed in the first working chamber, which is the space on the cooling unit side of the diaphragm, and the output unit side of the diaphragm Oil is sealed in the second working chamber, which is the space of.

  By partitioning the internal space of the container with a diaphragm, turbidity between water and oil is prevented, and displacement is transmitted between water and oil.

JP 2008-190421 A

  However, according to the above-described conventional technique, when gas dissolved in the oil in the second working chamber is gasified and bubbles are mixed in the oil, the efficiency in which the pressure energy of the steam is transmitted to the output unit due to the compressibility of the bubbles. There is a problem that the efficiency of recovering energy from steam is reduced.

  In view of the above points, an object of the present invention is to suppress the accumulation of bubbles in a working chamber.

In order to achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, a working chamber forming member (12) that forms the working chamber (10, 11);
A partition member (17) for partitioning the working chamber (10, 11) into a first working chamber (10) and a second working chamber (11);
A first hydraulic fluid (14) sealed in a flowable manner in the first working chamber (10);
A second hydraulic fluid (15) enclosed in a full state in the second working chamber (11);
Steam supply means (121, 18, 19) for supplying steam to a portion of the first working chamber (10) opposite to the second working chamber (11);
A conversion mechanism (16) that is connected to an end of the working chamber forming member (12) on the second working chamber (11) side and converts the displacement of the second working fluid (15) into mechanical energy;
The partition member (17) is a member that can be deformed so that displacement is transmitted between the first hydraulic fluid (14) and the second hydraulic fluid (15),
The second hydraulic fluid (15) is a liquid superior in lubrication performance compared to the first hydraulic fluid (14),
Furthermore, discharging means (123, 23, 24, 164b, 30, 31, 32, 36c) for discharging the second working fluid (15) from the second working chamber (11),
Supply means (164c, 25, 26, 124, 36d) for supplying the same type of liquid as the second hydraulic fluid (15) to the second hydraulic chamber (11),
The liquid supplied from the supply means to the second working chamber (11) is discharged from the second working chamber (11) by the discharging means (123, 23, 24, 164b, 30, 31, 32, 36c). It is characterized by being a liquid whose gas volume fraction is lower than that of the liquid (15).

  Thereby, since the 2nd hydraulic fluid (15) of a 2nd working chamber (11) can be replaced, it can suppress that a bubble accumulates in the 2nd working chamber (11).

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the heat engine according to the first aspect, the discharge means is formed at a portion of the working chamber forming member (12) that forms the second working chamber (11), and the second working chamber is formed. A discharge opening (123) opening into the chamber (11);
A supply means is formed in the site | part which forms a 2nd working chamber (11) among working chamber forming members (12), has a supply port (124) opened to a 2nd working chamber (11),
The discharge port (123) is arranged above the supply port (124).

  Thereby, since the air bubbles mixed in the second working fluid (15) of the second working chamber (11) can be effectively discharged, it is possible to effectively suppress the accumulation of bubbles in the second working chamber (11). it can.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the heat engine according to the second aspect, the working chamber forming member (12) has a portion constituting the second working chamber (11) extending in the horizontal direction,
The discharge port (123) is characterized by opening at the top of the second working chamber (11).

  Thereby, the air bubbles mixed in the second working fluid (15) of the second working chamber (11) can be discharged more effectively.

In the invention according to claim 4, in the heat engine according to claim 2, the working chamber forming member (12) has a portion constituting the second working chamber (11) extending in the vertical direction,
The second working chamber (11) is disposed below the first working chamber (10),
The discharge port (123) opens to the second working chamber (11) above the lowest point of the partition member (17) when the partition member (17) is deformed to the lowermost side. Features.

  Thus, the same effect as that attained by the 3rd aspect described above can be obtained.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the heat engine according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, the degassing for degassing the second hydraulic fluid (15) discharged from the second working chamber (11). Means (164, 36),
The supply means supplies the second working fluid (15) degassed by the degassing means (164, 36) to the second working chamber (11).

  Thereby, the 2nd hydraulic fluid (15) of a 2nd working chamber (11) can be replaced efficiently.

  According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the heat engine according to the fifth aspect, the deaeration means (164, 36) is a tank for storing the second working fluid (15) discharged from the second working chamber (11). A chamber (164a, 36a) is formed.

  Thereby, the 2nd hydraulic fluid (15) discharged | emitted from the 2nd working chamber (11) can be deaerated effectively.

  The invention according to claim 7 is characterized in that, in the heat engine according to claim 6, the pressure in the tank chamber (164a) is maintained at a pressure lower than atmospheric pressure.

  Thereby, the deaeration of the second hydraulic fluid (15) in the tank chamber (164a) can be promoted.

  The invention according to claim 8 is the heat engine according to claim 6 or 7, further comprising heating means (37) for heating the second working fluid (15) stored in the tank chamber (36a). And

  Thereby, since deaeration of the 2nd hydraulic fluid (15) in a tank chamber (164a) can be accelerated | stimulated, it can suppress effectively that a bubble accumulates in a 2nd hydraulic chamber (11).

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, in the heat engine according to any one of the sixth to eighth aspects, the supply means has a pump (26) that pumps the same type of liquid as the second hydraulic fluid (15). And
The tank chambers (164a, 36a) are provided on the upstream side of the pump (26).

  Thereby, the same kind of liquid as the second working fluid (15) can be reliably supplied to the second working chamber (11).

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, in the heat engine according to any one of the first to eighth aspects, the supply means has a pump (26) that pumps the same kind of liquid as the second hydraulic fluid (15). And
The discharge means has a discharge passage (23) through which the second hydraulic fluid (15) discharged from the second working chamber (11) flows, and a valve mechanism (24) for opening and closing the discharge passage (23),
Furthermore, it has a control means (27) which controls operation | movement of a pump (26) and a valve mechanism (24), It is characterized by the above-mentioned.

  Thereby, the 2nd hydraulic fluid (15) of a 2nd working chamber (11) can be replaced reliably.

  According to an eleventh aspect of the present invention, in the heat engine according to the tenth aspect, when the control means (27) satisfies a predetermined condition, the same kind of liquid as the second hydraulic fluid (15) is pumped. The pump (26) is controlled, and the valve mechanism (24) is controlled so that the discharge passage (23) is opened.

According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, in the heat engine according to the eleventh aspect, a bubble amount detecting means for detecting the amount of bubbles mixed in the second hydraulic fluid (15) of the second working chamber (11). 33)
The predetermined condition is a condition based on a detection result of the bubble amount detection means (33).

  According to a thirteenth aspect of the present invention, in the heat engine according to the eleventh aspect, the predetermined condition is a condition based on an operating time.

The invention according to claim 14 is the heat engine according to any one of claims 11 to 13, further comprising a stop mechanism (28) for stopping the conversion mechanism (16),
The control means (27) controls the stop mechanism (28) so that the conversion mechanism (16) stops when a predetermined condition is satisfied.

  According to this, the displacement (self-excited vibration) of the second working fluid (15) in the second working chamber (11) is suppressed when the second working fluid (15) is discharged from the second working chamber (11). Therefore, it is possible to easily discharge the air bubbles mixed in the second working fluid (15) of the second working chamber (11) from the second working chamber (11). For this reason, it is possible to effectively suppress the accumulation of bubbles in the second working chamber (11).

The invention according to claim 15 is the heat engine according to claim 14, further comprising a drive mechanism (35) for driving the conversion mechanism (16) from the outside,
When the predetermined condition is satisfied, the control means (27) controls the stop mechanism (28) so that the conversion mechanism (16) stops, and the partition member (17) protrudes toward the conversion mechanism (16). The drive mechanism (35) is controlled as described above.

  According to this, when discharging the second working fluid (15) from the second working chamber (11), it is difficult for the air bubbles mixed in the second working fluid (15) to accumulate below the partition member (17). The air bubbles mixed in the second hydraulic fluid (15) can be easily discharged from the second working chamber (11). For this reason, it is possible to effectively suppress the accumulation of bubbles in the second working chamber (11).

According to a sixteenth aspect of the present invention, in the heat engine according to any one of the first to eighth aspects, the supply means includes a pump (26) that pumps the same kind of liquid as the second hydraulic fluid (15). And
The discharge means has a discharge passage (30) through which the second hydraulic fluid (15) discharged from the second working chamber (11) flows, and a throttle mechanism (31) provided in the discharge passage (30),
Furthermore, it has a control means (27) which controls operation | movement of a pump (26) and a valve mechanism (24), It is characterized by the above-mentioned.

  Thereby, the second hydraulic fluid (15) in the second working chamber (11) can be replaced with a simple configuration.

According to a seventeenth aspect of the present invention, in the heat engine according to the sixteenth aspect, the conversion mechanism (16) is a solid piston that is displaced by receiving pressure from the second hydraulic fluid (15) in the second working chamber (11). (161)
The end of the working chamber forming member (12) on the second working chamber (11) side serves as a cylinder that houses the solid piston (161),
A gap (32) constituting a discharge passage and a throttle mechanism is formed between the solid piston (161) and the inner wall of the working chamber forming member (12).

  Thereby, the structure of the discharge passage and the throttle mechanism can be simplified.

  In addition, the code | symbol in the bracket | parenthesis of each means described in this column and the claim shows the correspondence with the specific means as described in embodiment mentioned later.

It is a whole lineblock diagram of the heat engine in a 1st embodiment. It is the elements on larger scale of FIG. It is a time chart which shows the action | operation of the heat engine in 1st Embodiment. It is a whole block diagram of the heat engine in 2nd Embodiment. It is a whole block diagram of the heat engine in 3rd Embodiment. It is a whole block diagram of the heat engine in 4th Embodiment. It is a whole heat engine lineblock diagram in a 5th embodiment. It is the flowchart and time chart which show the action | operation of the heat engine in 5th Embodiment. It is a whole heat engine lineblock diagram in a 6th embodiment. It is a flowchart which shows the action | operation of the heat engine in 6th Embodiment. It is a whole heat engine lineblock diagram in a 7th embodiment. It is a whole heat engine lineblock diagram in an 8th embodiment.

(First embodiment)
The first embodiment will be described below with reference to FIG. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a heat engine in the present embodiment. FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged view of FIG. The up and down arrows in FIGS. 1 and 2 indicate the up and down direction (vertical direction) in the installed state of the heat engine.

  The heat engine of the present embodiment is also called a liquid piston steam engine, and is used as a drive source for driving a drive target device (not shown).

  The heat engine includes a tubular container 12 (working chamber forming member) that forms the working chambers 10 and 11, an external evaporator 13 that generates steam outside the container 12, and a working fluid 14 in the working chambers 10 and 11. , 15 (liquid piston) is converted to mechanical energy and output unit 16 (conversion mechanism) for outputting.

  In this example, the container 12 is formed in a straight pipe shape and is disposed so as to extend in the vertical direction (vertical direction). The output unit 16 is connected to the lower end of the container 12.

  The working chambers 10 and 11 are composed of a first working chamber 10 on the upper side (one end side of the container 12) and a second working chamber 11 on the lower side (the other end side of the container 12). A membrane-like diaphragm 17 (membrane-like member) that partitions the first working chamber 10 and the second working chamber 11 is provided inside the container 12.

  The hydraulic fluids 14 and 15 are composed of water 14 (first hydraulic fluid) and oil 15 (second hydraulic fluid). The water 14 is sealed in the first working chamber 10 so as to be flowable. The oil 15 is sealed in the second working chamber 11 in a full state. The oil 15 in the second working chamber 11 is a liquid that has better lubricating performance than the water 14 in the first working chamber 10. In this example, since the working fluid in the first working chamber 10 is water, the container 12 is preferably made of stainless steel.

  The diaphragm 17 can be deformed in the vertical direction as shown by the solid line and the two-dot chain line in FIG. The diaphragm 17 is deformed in the vertical direction, so that displacement can be transmitted between the water 14 and the oil 15. A solid line in FIG. 1 shows a state in which the diaphragm 17 is deformed so as to protrude most downward, and a two-dot chain line in FIG. 1 shows a state in which the diaphragm 17 is deformed so as to protrude most upward.

  The external evaporator 13 heats water (a liquid of the same type as the first hydraulic fluid) to generate steam. In this example, a high-temperature gas such as exhaust gas is used as a heat source for the external evaporator 13. Specifically, the external evaporator 13 includes a heat exchanger (not shown) that heats water by exchanging heat between high-temperature gas and water, and a pump (not shown) that pumps water to the heat exchanger. have.

  The steam generated in the external evaporator 13 is supplied to the first working chamber 10 through the supply passage 18, the supply valve 19, and the supply port 121 (steam supply means). The air supply port 121 is formed at the upper end (one end) of the container 12. The air supply port 121 communicates with the air supply passage 18 through which the steam generated in the external evaporator 13 flows. In this example, the air supply passage 18 is formed of a piping member. The air supply valve 19 opens and closes the air supply passage 18 at a predetermined timing.

  The steam in the first working chamber 10 is exhausted to the outside of the first working chamber 10 by the exhaust port 122, the exhaust passage 20, and the exhaust valve 21 (exhaust means). The exhaust port 122 is formed at the upper end of the container 12. The exhaust port 122 communicates with the exhaust passage 20 opened to the atmosphere. In this example, the exhaust passage 20 is formed of a piping member. The exhaust valve 21 opens and closes the exhaust passage 20 at a predetermined timing.

  The exhaust passage 20 does not necessarily need to be open to the atmosphere. For example, a closed loop system in which the vapor in the first working chamber 10 is returned to the external evaporator 13 through the exhaust passage 20 may be employed. The air supply valve 19 and the exhaust valve 21 can be composed of, for example, a rotary valve or a poppet valve.

  The space above the first working chamber 10 (on the side opposite to the second working chamber 11) constitutes an expansion portion 101 in which the steam supplied from the external evaporator 13 expands. If the expansion unit 101 is also heated with a high-temperature gas in the same manner as the external evaporator 13, vapor condensation in the expansion unit 101 can be suppressed.

  A space of the first working chamber 10 located below the expansion unit 101 (on the second working chamber 11 side) constitutes a cooling unit 102 that cools and condenses the vapor expanded in the expansion unit 101. The site | part which forms the expansion part 101 and the cooling part 102 among the containers 12 may be branched into multiple.

  The cooling unit 102 is provided with a cooler 22. Cooling water (cooling fluid) circulates in the cooler 22. A radiator (not shown) for dissipating heat taken from the steam by the cooling water is disposed in the circulating circuit of the cooling water. In the cooling unit 102, the steam is condensed by the cooler 22 cooling the steam by exchanging heat between the steam and the cooling water.

  The output unit 16 includes a solid piston 161, a crankshaft 162, a connecting rod 163, and a crankcase 164. The solid piston 161 reciprocates (reciprocates) in the lower end (other end) of the container 12. In other words, the lower end of the container 12 constitutes a cylinder that houses the solid piston 161.

  The crankshaft 162 and the connecting rod 163 constitute a crank mechanism (power conversion mechanism) that converts the reciprocating motion of the solid piston 161 into a rotational motion. The lower side of the solid piston 161 (the side opposite to the first working chamber 10). Is arranged.

  An inertia force generating member (not shown) such as a flywheel is connected to the crankshaft 162. Various power conversion mechanisms may be used in place of the crankshaft 162 and the connecting rod 163 (crank mechanism).

  A crankcase 164 that houses the crankshaft 162 and the connecting rod 163 is attached to the lower end of the container 12. Oil 15 (a liquid of the same type as the second hydraulic fluid) is stored in a crank chamber 164a formed in the crankcase 164.

  That is, the crank chamber 164a plays a role of accommodating the crank mechanisms 162 and 163 and a role of a tank chamber in which the oil 15 is stored.

  The oil 15 is deaerated in the crank chamber 164a. In other words, the crankcase 164 forming the crank chamber 164a constitutes a deaeration means for separating gas from the oil 15. In this example, the pressure in the crank chamber 164a is maintained at a pressure lower than the atmospheric pressure so that the degassing of the oil 15 in the crank chamber 164a is promoted.

  Although not shown, the crankshaft 162 is mechanically connected to the air supply valve 19 and the exhaust valve 21 in this example, and the air supply valve 19 and the exhaust valve are synchronized with the rotational phase of the crankshaft 162. 21 is driven. For connecting the crankshaft 162 to the air supply valve 19 and the exhaust valve 21, for example, a pulley, a belt, or the like can be used.

  The oil 15 in the second working chamber 11 is discharged to the crank chamber 164a by the oil discharge port 123, the oil discharge passage 23, the electromagnetic valve 24, and the oil inlet 164b (discharge means). The oil discharge port 123 (discharge port) is configured by a hole that penetrates the tube wall of the container 12.

  The oil discharge port 123 communicates with one end of the oil discharge passage 23 (discharge passage). The other end of the oil discharge passage 23 communicates with an oil inlet 164b (second hydraulic fluid inlet) formed in the crankcase 164. In this example, the oil drain passage 23 is formed of a piping member provided outside the container 12 and the crankcase 164. The electromagnetic valve 24 (valve mechanism) opens and closes the oil drain passage 23.

  The oil 15 in the crank chamber 164a is supplied to the second working chamber 11 through the oil outlet 164c, the oil supply passage 25, the pump 26, and the oil supply port 124 (supply means). The oil outlet 164c (second hydraulic fluid outlet) is formed in the crankcase 164. The crank chamber 164a communicates with one end of the oil supply passage 25 (supply passage) through the oil outlet 164c.

  The other end of the oil supply passage 25 communicates with an oil supply port 124 (supply port) formed in the container 12. The oil filler port 124 is configured by a hole that penetrates the tube wall of the container 12. In this example, the oil supply passage 25 is formed by a piping member provided outside the crankcase 164 and the container 12.

  The pump 26 pumps the oil 15 in the crank chamber 164 a to the second working chamber 11. In this example, the pump 26 is provided in the oil supply passage 25. In other words, the crank chamber 164 a is provided on the upstream side of the flow of the oil 15 relative to the pump 26.

  The oil discharge port 123 of the container 12 is preferably open to the second working chamber 11 as high as possible. In this example, the oil discharge port 123 opens to the second working chamber 11 immediately below the diaphragm 17. More specifically, the oil discharge port 123 opens into the second working chamber 11 above the lowest point of the diaphragm 17 when the diaphragm 17 is deformed so as to protrude downwards.

  The oil supply port 124 of the container 12 is preferably open to the second working chamber 11 on the lower side than the oil discharge port 123. In this example, the fuel filler opening 124 opens into the second working chamber 11 above the top dead center of the solid piston 161 (the two-dot chain line position in FIG. 1).

  The oil outlet 164c of the crankcase 164 is preferably open to the crank chamber 164a as low as possible. In this example, the oil outlet 164 c is provided on the bottom surface of the crankcase 164. The oil inlet 164b of the crankcase 164 is preferably provided above the oil outlet 164c. In this example, the oil outlet 164c is provided on the upper surface of the crankcase 164.

  The operation of the solenoid valve 24 and the pump 26 is controlled by a control device 27 (control means). The control device 27 has a timer 27a that measures the operating time of the heat engine. The control device 27 also controls the operation of a rotation stop mechanism 28 (stop mechanism) that stops the rotation of the crankshaft 162.

  Next, the basic operation in the above configuration will be described. Hereinafter, the position when the water 14 in the first working chamber 10 comes to the uppermost side (expanding portion 101 side) is referred to as top dead center, and the water 14 in the first working chamber 10 comes to the lowermost side (second working chamber) (11 side) is the bottom dead center.

  When the air supply valve 19 is opened while the water 14 in the first working chamber 10 is at the top dead center, the steam from the external evaporator 13 is supplied to the expansion portion 101. When the high-temperature and high-pressure steam supplied to the expansion unit 101 expands, the water 14 in the first working chamber 10 is pushed downward (to the second working chamber 11 side). The displacement direction of the water 14 at this time can be expressed as an expansion direction. A stroke in which the water 14 is displaced in the expansion direction can be expressed as an expansion stroke.

  When the water 14 is displaced downward (second working chamber 11 side), the diaphragm 17 is deformed so as to protrude downward, and the oil 15 in the second working chamber 11 is pressed downward (solid piston 161 side). As a result, the oil 15 in the second working chamber 11 is displaced downward. In other words, the displacement of the water 14 in the first working chamber 10 is transmitted to the oil 15 in the second working chamber 11 via the diaphragm 17.

  When the oil 15 in the second working chamber 11 is displaced downward, the solid piston 161 is pushed downward (crankshaft 162 side), so that the crankshaft 162 rotates and mechanical energy is output. When the crankshaft 162 rotates by a predetermined angle, the air supply valve 19 is closed, and the supply of steam to the expansion portion 101 is shut off.

  When the vapor expanded in the expansion unit 101 enters the cooling unit 102 and the liquid level of the water 14 is lowered to the cooling unit 102, the vapor that has entered the cooling unit 102 is cooled by the cooler 22 and condensed. As a result, the force pushing the water 14 downward disappears, so that the solid piston 161 is pushed back upward by the inertial force of an inertial force generating member (not shown). Thereby, the oil 15 in the second working chamber 11 is also pushed back upward (to the first working chamber 10 side).

  When the oil 15 in the second working chamber 11 is pushed back upward, the diaphragm 17 is deformed so as to protrude upward (the first working chamber 10 side), and the water 14 in the first working chamber 10 is moved upward ( Since the pressure is applied to the expansion portion 101 side, the water 14 in the first working chamber 10 is displaced upward. In other words, the displacement of the oil 15 in the second working chamber 11 is transmitted to the water 14 in the first working chamber 10 via the diaphragm 17. The displacement direction of the water 14 at this time can be expressed as a compression direction. A stroke in which the water 14 is displaced in the compression direction can be expressed as a compression stroke.

  In the compression stroke, the exhaust valve 21 is opened by the rotation of the crankshaft 162, and the steam that has not been condensed by the cooling unit 102 is exhausted from the exhaust port 122 and the exhaust passage 20 to the atmosphere. Note that when the exhaust passage 20 is not open to the atmosphere and is in a closed loop system, the steam that has not been condensed in the cooling unit 102 is returned to the external evaporator 13 through the exhaust port 122 and the exhaust passage 20. It becomes.

  When the crankshaft 162 rotates by a predetermined angle after the exhaust valve 21 is opened, the exhaust valve 21 is closed. The exhaust valve 21 is preferably closed shortly before the water 14 in the first working chamber 10 reaches top dead center. When the crankshaft 162 further rotates by a predetermined angle and the water 14 in the first working chamber 10 reaches the top dead center, the air supply valve 19 is opened again, and steam is supplied to the expansion portion 101.

  By repeating such an operation, the water 14 and the oil 15 (liquid piston) in the working chambers 10 and 11 are periodically displaced (so-called self-excited vibration), and the solid piston 161 is continuously reciprocated. At this time, the sliding portion (the outer peripheral surface of the solid piston 161 and the inner wall surface of the container 12) is lubricated by the oil 15 in the second working chamber 11.

  Since the crankshaft 162 is continuously rotated by the reciprocating motion of the solid piston 161 continuously, the output can be continuously obtained.

  As the operating time of the heat engine becomes longer, bubbles are generated in the oil 15 of the second working chamber 11 due to gasification of the gas dissolved in the oil 15 of the second working chamber 11. When bubbles are generated in the oil 15 of the second working chamber 11, the efficiency with which the pressure energy of the steam is transmitted to the solid piston 161 is reduced due to the compressibility of the bubbles, and the efficiency of recovering energy from the steam is reduced.

  Therefore, in the present embodiment, the deaeration control shown in the time chart of FIG. 3 is performed to suppress the accumulation of bubbles in the oil 15 in the second working chamber 11. Specifically, when the measurement time of the timer 27a reaches or exceeds a predetermined time (when a predetermined condition is satisfied), the control device 27 stops the operation of the heat engine (operation OFF) and then starts the pump 26 At the same time, the solenoid valve 24 is opened (pump / solenoid valve ON). In this example, the operation of the heat engine is stopped by the rotation stop mechanism 28.

  By stopping the operation of the heat engine, the reciprocating displacement (self-excited vibration) of the oil 15 in the second working chamber 11 is stopped. Since the pump 26 operates in this state and the electromagnetic valve 24 is opened, the oil 15 in the crank chamber 164a is supplied to the second working chamber 11 through the oil outlet 164c, the oil supply passage 25 and the oil supply port 124, and the second The oil 15 in the working chamber 11 is discharged to the crank chamber 164a through the oil discharge port 123, the oil discharge passage 23, and the oil inflow port 164b. At this time, air bubbles mixed in the oil 15 in the second working chamber 11 are also discharged into the crank chamber 164a.

  The oil 15 discharged from the second working chamber 11 to the crank chamber 164a is temporarily stored in the crank chamber 164a and deaerated in the crank chamber 164a. For this reason, the oil 15 supplied from the crank chamber 164a to the second working chamber 11 is an oil having a lower gas volume fraction than the oil discharged from the second working chamber 11.

  The control device 27 stops the pump 26 and closes the solenoid valve 24 when a predetermined deaeration time has elapsed after the pump 26 is started and the solenoid valve 24 is opened, and further restarts the operation of the heat engine by resetting the timer. Let Thereby, deaeration control is performed regularly.

  According to the present embodiment, during the deaeration control, the air bubbles mixed in the oil 15 in the second working chamber 11 are also discharged from the second working chamber 11 as the oil 15 is discharged from the second working chamber 11. The oil 15 deaerated in the crank chamber 164a is supplied to the second working chamber 11. That is, in the second working chamber 11, oil in which bubbles are mixed and the gas volume fraction is increased is replaced with oil having a low gas volume fraction. For this reason, it is possible to suppress the accumulation of bubbles in the second working chamber 11.

  Moreover, since the operation of the heat engine is stopped during the deaeration control, the reciprocating displacement (self-excited vibration) of the oil 15 in the second working chamber 11 can be stopped to facilitate the discharge of bubbles. Furthermore, since the pressure in the crank chamber 164a is kept lower than the atmospheric pressure, the deaeration of the oil 15 in the crank chamber 164a can be promoted. For this reason, it is possible to effectively suppress bubbles from being accumulated in the second working chamber 11.

(Second Embodiment)
In the first embodiment, the oil discharge passage 23 is provided outside the container 12, but in the second embodiment, the oil discharge passage 30 is formed integrally with the container 12 as shown in FIG. 4. ing. Specifically, the oil drain passage 30 is formed inside the tube wall of the container 12.

  In the first embodiment, the oil discharge passage 23 is opened and closed by the electromagnetic valve 24. In the second embodiment, a fixed throttle 31 (throttle mechanism) is provided instead of the electromagnetic valve 24.

  The operation of this embodiment will be described. The oil 15 in the second working chamber 11 is discharged to the crank chamber 164 a through the oil discharge passage 30. Since the fixed throttle 31 is provided in the oil discharge passage 30, the oil 15 in the second working chamber 11 is discharged to the crank chamber 164a with a small flow rate.

  The control device 27 operates the pump 26 to supply the oil 15 in the crank chamber 164 a to the second working chamber 11. The control device 27 preferably controls the pump 26 so that the pumping amount of the oil 15 by the pump 26 is substantially the same as the discharge amount of the oil 15 from the second working chamber 11.

  Also in this embodiment, since the oil 15 in the second working chamber 11 is replaced, it is possible to suppress the accumulation of bubbles in the second working chamber 11.

  Moreover, according to this embodiment, since the oil drain passage 30 is formed integrally with the container 12, the configuration can be simplified. Further, since the solenoid valve 24 is not provided, the configuration and control can be simplified.

(Third embodiment)
In the second embodiment, the oil discharge passage 30 is formed inside the tube wall of the container 12, and the fixed throttle 31 is provided in the oil discharge passage 23. In the third embodiment, as shown in FIG. In addition, a minute gap 32 formed between the solid piston 161 and the tube wall of the container 12 constitutes an oil drainage passage and a fixed throttle.

  According to this embodiment, compared with the said 2nd Embodiment in which the oil drainage passage 30 is formed in the inside of the pipe wall of the container 12, a structure can be simplified further.

(Fourth embodiment)
In the first embodiment, the container 12 is formed in a straight pipe shape and is arranged to extend in the vertical direction (vertical direction). However, in the fourth embodiment, as shown in FIG. Is formed in an L-shaped shape, and the parts of the container 12 that constitute the expansion part 101 and the cooling part 102 extend in the vertical direction, and the remaining part of the container 12 extends in the horizontal direction. . In connection with this, the output part 16 is connected to the edge part of the part extended in the horizontal direction among the containers 12. FIG.

  The oil discharge port 123 of the container 12 opens at the top of the second working chamber 11. For this reason, the air bubbles mixed in the oil 15 in the second working chamber 11 can be efficiently discharged. Further, the fuel filler opening 124 of the container 12 is opened at the lowermost part of the second working chamber 11. For this reason, the bubbles mixed in the oil 15 of the second working chamber 11 can be discharged more efficiently.

(Fifth embodiment)
In the first embodiment, the deaeration control is performed when the operation time of the heat engine reaches a predetermined time or more. In the fifth embodiment, the bubbles contained in the oil 15 in the second working chamber 11 are removed. Deaeration control is performed when the amount exceeds a predetermined amount.

  A specific configuration of this embodiment is shown in FIG. A bubble amount detection sensor 33 (bubble amount detection means) is provided in a portion of the container 12 constituting the second working chamber 11. The detection signal of the bubble amount detection sensor 33 is input to the control device 27.

  In this example, a sensor that detects the light transmittance is used as the bubble amount detection sensor 33. As the bubble amount detection sensor 33, for example, a sensor for detecting the refractive index of light, a sensor for detecting the arrival time of ultrasonic waves, a sensor for detecting capacitance, or the like may be used. It is preferable that the bubble amount detection sensor 33 is provided as high as possible.

  FIG. 8A is a flowchart showing a main part of the control process executed by the control device 27, and FIG. 8B is a time chart showing an operation example according to the flowchart of FIG. 8A. In step S <b> 100, the bubble amount detection sensor 33 detects the light transmittance in the container 12. Next, the process proceeds to step S110, where it is determined whether or not the transmittance detected by the bubble amount detection sensor 33 is equal to or greater than a predetermined value (sensor output ON).

  When it is determined that the transmittance detected by the bubble amount detection sensor 33 is equal to or greater than a predetermined value (in the case of YES determination), the amount of bubbles mixed in the oil 15 in the second working chamber 11 is equal to or greater than a predetermined amount. The process proceeds to step S120, the operation of the heat engine is stopped, the pump 26 is started, and the solenoid valve 24 is opened (operation OFF, pump / solenoid valve ON).

  In step S110, when it is determined that the transmittance detected by the bubble amount detection sensor 33 is less than a predetermined value (in the case of NO determination), the amount of bubbles mixed in the oil 15 in the second working chamber 11 is less than the predetermined amount. And the process returns to step S100.

  According to the present embodiment, the deaeration control is performed based on the transmittance detected by the bubble amount detection sensor 33 (the detection result of the bubble amount detection means). Deaeration control can be performed according to the amount. For this reason, deaeration control can be performed at an appropriate timing.

(Sixth embodiment)
In each of the above embodiments, the deaeration control is performed in a state where the operation of the heat engine is stopped. However, in the sixth embodiment, the deaeration is further performed in a state where the diaphragm 17 is convex toward the second working chamber 11 side. Control is performed.

  A specific configuration of this embodiment is shown in FIG. The crankshaft 162 is provided with a crank angle sensor 34 and a crankshaft drive motor 35. The crank angle sensor 34 serves as a rotation angle detection means for detecting the rotation angle (rotation angle) of the crankshaft 162. A detection signal of the crank angle sensor 34 is input to the control device 27.

  The crankshaft drive motor 35 forms a drive mechanism that drives the crankshaft 162 from the outside. The operation of the crankshaft drive motor 35 is controlled by the control device 27.

  FIG. 10 is a flowchart showing a main part of the control process executed by the control device 27. This flowchart is executed at the start of the deaeration control. First, in step S200, the operation of the heat engine is stopped. Next, in step S210, the crankshaft drive motor 35 is controlled to rotate the crankshaft 162 by a predetermined angle.

  Next, the process proceeds to step S220, and it is determined whether or not the rotation angle (detected rotation angle) detected by the crank angle sensor 34 is a rotation angle at which the solid piston 161 becomes the bottom dead center. When it is determined that the detected rotation angle is the rotation angle at which the solid piston 161 becomes the bottom dead center (in the case of YES determination), it is determined that the diaphragm 17 is convex downward (second working chamber 11 side). In step S230, the pump 26 is started and the solenoid valve 24 is opened (pump / solenoid valve ON).

  In step S220, when it is determined that the detected rotation angle is not the rotation angle at which the solid piston 161 becomes the bottom dead center (in the case of NO determination), the diaphragm 17 is on the lower side (the second working chamber 11 side). It judges that it is not convex, and returns to step S210.

  According to this embodiment, deaeration control is performed in a state where the solid piston 161 is at the bottom dead center, that is, in a state where the diaphragm 17 is convex downward (on the second working chamber 11 side).

  For this reason, compared with the case where the diaphragm 17 is convex toward the first working chamber 10 side (upper side), the bubbles mixed in the oil 15 in the second working chamber 11 are immediately below the diaphragm 17. Since it becomes difficult to collect, the air bubbles mixed in the oil 15 of the second working chamber 11 can be more easily discharged.

(Seventh embodiment)
In each of the above embodiments, the oil 15 discharged from the second working chamber 11 is deaerated in the crank chamber 164a. In the seventh embodiment, as shown in FIG. 11, the oil 15 discharged from the second working chamber 11 is discharged. The oil 15 is deaerated by an oil tank 36 (deaeration means) dedicated to deaeration.

  In a tank chamber 36a formed in the oil tank 36, oil 15 (a liquid of the same type as the second hydraulic fluid) is stored. In this example, an air hole 36b is formed in the upper wall of the oil tank 36, and the pressure in the tank chamber 36a is the same as the atmospheric pressure.

  The oil tank 36 is formed with an oil inlet 36 c that communicates with the oil discharge passage 23 and an oil outlet 36 d that communicates with the oil supply passage 25. The oil inflow port 36c is preferably disposed above the oil outflow port 164c. The oil outlet 36d is preferably provided as low as possible. In this example, the oil tank 36 is disposed upstream of the flow of the oil 15 relative to the pump 26.

  The operation of this embodiment will be described. When the control device 27 starts the pump 26, the oil 15 circulates between the second working chamber 11 and the tank chamber 36a. The oil 15 flowing into the tank chamber 36a from the second working chamber 11 is once stored in the tank chamber 36a and deaerated. For this reason, since the oil 15 deaerated in the tank chamber 36 a is supplied to the second working chamber 11, it is possible to suppress the accumulation of bubbles in the second working chamber 11.

(Eighth embodiment)
In the eighth embodiment, as shown in FIG. 12, a heat exchanger 37 (heating means) is provided in the tank chamber 36a of the seventh embodiment. The heat exchanger 37 exchanges heat between the high-temperature steam supplied from the external evaporator 13 to the expansion unit 101 of the first working chamber 10 and the oil 15 of the tank chamber 36a.

  According to this embodiment, since the oil 15 in the tank chamber 36a is heated by the high-temperature steam from the external evaporator 13, degassing of the oil 15 in the tank chamber 36a can be promoted. For this reason, since the volume fraction of the gas in the oil 15 supplied from the oil tank 36 to the second working chamber 11 can be further reduced, it is possible to further suppress the accumulation of bubbles in the second working chamber 11.

(Other embodiments)
Of course, the above embodiments may be appropriately combined within a possible range.

Moreover, in each said embodiment, although the oil 15 discharged | emitted from the 2nd working chamber 11 is deaerated and returned to the 2nd working chamber 11, the oil 15 discharged | emitted from the 2nd working chamber 11 is made into 2nd operation | movement. Instead of returning to the chamber 11, new unused oil 15 may be supplied to the second working chamber 11.

10 First working chamber (working chamber)
11 Second working chamber (working chamber)
12 Container (working chamber forming member)
17 Diaphragm (partition member)
14 1st hydraulic fluid 15 2nd hydraulic fluid 121 Supply port (steam supply means)
18 Air supply passage (steam supply means)
19 Supply valve (steam supply means)
16 Output unit (conversion mechanism)
123 Oil discharge port (discharge port, discharge means)
23 Oil drainage passage (discharge passage, discharge means)
24 Solenoid valve (valve mechanism, discharge means)
164b Oil inlet (discharge means)
164c Oil outlet (supply means)
25 Oil supply passage (supply passage, supply means)
26 Pump (supply means)
124 Refueling port (supply port, supply means)
164 Crankcase (deaeration means)
164a Crank chamber (tank chamber, deaeration means)
27 Control device (control means)
28 Rotation stop mechanism (stop mechanism)

Claims (17)

A working chamber forming member (12) forming the working chamber (10, 11);
A partition member (17) for partitioning the working chamber (10, 11) into a first working chamber (10) and a second working chamber (11);
A first hydraulic fluid (14) sealed in a flowable manner in the first working chamber (10);
A second working fluid (15) enclosed in a filled state in the second working chamber (11);
Steam supply means (121, 18, 19) for supplying steam to a portion of the first working chamber (10) opposite to the second working chamber (11);
A conversion mechanism (16) that is connected to an end of the working chamber forming member (12) on the second working chamber (11) side and converts the displacement of the second working fluid (15) into mechanical energy; Prepared,
The partition member (17) is a member that can be deformed so that displacement is transmitted between the first hydraulic fluid (14) and the second hydraulic fluid (15),
The second hydraulic fluid (15) is a liquid superior in lubrication performance compared to the first hydraulic fluid (14),
Furthermore, discharge means (123, 23, 24, 164b, 30, 31, 32, 36c) for discharging the second hydraulic fluid (15) from the second working chamber (11),
Supply means (164c, 25, 26, 124, 36d) for supplying the same type of liquid as the second hydraulic fluid (15) to the second hydraulic chamber (11);
The liquid supplied to the second working chamber (11) by the supply means is a volume fraction of gas as compared with the second working fluid (15) discharged from the second working chamber (11) by the discharge means. A heat engine characterized by being a low rate liquid. The discharge means has a discharge port (123) formed in a portion of the working chamber forming member (12) forming the second working chamber (11) and opening into the second working chamber (11). ,
The supply means has a supply port (124) that is formed in a portion of the working chamber forming member (12) that forms the second working chamber (11) and opens into the second working chamber (11). ,
The heat engine according to claim 1, wherein the discharge port (123) is disposed above the supply port (124). In the working chamber forming member (12), a portion constituting the second working chamber (11) extends in the horizontal direction,
The heat engine according to claim 2, wherein the discharge port (123) opens at an uppermost portion of the second working chamber (11). In the working chamber forming member (12), a portion constituting the second working chamber (11) extends in a vertical direction,
The second working chamber (11) is disposed below the first working chamber (10),
The discharge port (123) opens to the second working chamber (11) above the lowest point of the partition member (17) when the partition member (17) is deformed to the lowermost side. The heat engine according to claim 2, wherein Degassing means (164, 36) for degassing the second hydraulic fluid (15) discharged from the second working chamber (11);
The said supply means supplies the said 2nd working fluid (15) which the said deaeration means (164,36) deaerated to the said 2nd working chamber (11), Any one of Claim 1 thru | or 4 characterized by the above-mentioned. The heat engine as described in one.   The degassing means (164, 36) form tank chambers (164a, 36a) for storing the second hydraulic fluid (15) discharged from the second working chamber (11). The heat engine according to claim 5.   The heat engine according to claim 6, wherein the pressure in the tank chamber (164a) is maintained at a pressure lower than atmospheric pressure.   The heat engine according to claim 6 or 7, further comprising heating means (37) for heating the second hydraulic fluid (15) stored in the tank chamber (36a). The supply means includes a pump (26) that pumps the same kind of liquid as the second hydraulic fluid (15),
The heat engine according to any one of claims 6 to 8, wherein the tank chamber (164a, 36a) is provided upstream of the pump (26). The supply means includes a pump (26) that pumps the same kind of liquid as the second hydraulic fluid (15),
The discharge means includes a discharge passage (23) through which the second hydraulic fluid (15) discharged from the second working chamber (11) flows, and a valve mechanism (24) for opening and closing the discharge passage (23). Have
The heat engine according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising control means (27) for controlling operations of the pump (26) and the valve mechanism (24).   The control means (27) controls the pump (26) so that the same kind of liquid as the second hydraulic fluid (15) is pumped when the predetermined condition is satisfied, and the discharge passage (23) 11. A heat engine according to claim 10, wherein the valve mechanism (24) is controlled to be opened. A bubble amount detecting means (33) for detecting the amount of bubbles mixed in the second working fluid (15) of the second working chamber (11);
The heat engine according to claim 11, wherein the predetermined condition is a condition based on a detection result of the bubble amount detection means (33).   The heat engine according to claim 11, wherein the predetermined condition is a condition based on an operation time. A stop mechanism (28) for stopping the conversion mechanism (16);
The control means (27) controls the stop mechanism (28) so that the conversion mechanism (16) stops when the predetermined condition is satisfied. Heat engine described in one. A drive mechanism (35) for driving the conversion mechanism (16) from the outside;
The control means (27) controls the stop mechanism (28) so that the conversion mechanism (16) stops when the predetermined condition is satisfied, and the partition member (17) further controls the conversion mechanism (16). The heat engine according to claim 14, wherein the drive mechanism (35) is controlled so as to protrude toward the side. The supply means includes a pump (26) that pumps the same kind of liquid as the second hydraulic fluid (15),
The discharge means includes a discharge passage (30) through which the second hydraulic fluid (15) discharged from the second working chamber (11) flows, and a throttle mechanism (31) provided in the discharge passage (30). Have
The heat engine according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising control means (27) for controlling operations of the pump (26) and the valve mechanism (24). The conversion mechanism (16) has a solid piston (161) that is displaced by receiving pressure from the second hydraulic fluid (15) of the second working chamber (11),
The end of the working chamber forming member (12) on the second working chamber (11) side serves as a cylinder that houses the solid piston (161).
17. A gap (32) constituting the discharge passage and the throttle mechanism is formed between the solid piston (161) and the inner wall of the working chamber forming member (12). The heat engine described in.

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