JPH09310929A - Regenerater of hot-gas engine of external combustion type - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To facilitate manufacture and reduction of manufacturing cost and the like. SOLUTION: A regenerater 4 is formed to have an annular configuration having a cylindrical hole 40, through which a cylinder retaining a high- temperature side piston is passed, at the center thereof. The heat storage element 41 of the regenerater 4 is constituted of a corrugated plate 42 and a flat plate 43, both of which are consisting of an extremely thin stainless foil and laminated so as to have a scroll shape, while a gap 44 between the corrugated plate 42 and the flat plate 43 is manufactured so as to run along the flowing direction of operating gas. Further, a multitude of fine through holes 45 are bored on the corrugated plate 42 and the flat plate 43.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a regenerator for an external combustion type hot gas engine, which is suitable as a cold heat source for an air conditioner, a hot water heater, and the like, and more specifically, a technique for facilitating manufacturing and reducing manufacturing cost. Regarding

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, as a device for cooling, heating and hot water supply,
A heat pump that uses the Vermier cycle that is an external combustion type hot gas engine (hereinafter, VMHP: Vuilleumier Cycle Heat
Pump). The VMHP causes a pressure change only by a change in the temperature distribution of He (helium) gas as an encapsulating medium (working gas), thereby enabling direct heating / cooling / hot water supply (for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. HEI 5-5-2).
65777 or JP-A-4-113170).

In the working gas circuit of VMHP, a regenerator is provided between the high temperature chamber and the medium greenhouse or between the medium greenhouse and the low temperature chamber. The regenerator is a device that stores the thermal energy of the working gas.For example, when the working gas flows into the middle greenhouse from the high temperature chamber, it absorbs the thermal energy, and when it recirculates from the middle greenhouse to the high temperature chamber, the stored thermal energy is stored. discharge. As the heat storage element of the regenerator, a stack of a large number of fine meshes and a stack of fine fiber metals are generally used.

[0004]

A heat storage element in a conventional regenerator is manufactured by punching a huge number of wire nets into a predetermined shape and stacking them, or filling a metal mold with a fiber metal and sintering it. It Therefore, it is inevitable that the manufacturing process becomes complicated and the manufacturing cost increases.

An object of the present invention is to provide a regenerator for an external combustion type hot gas engine which facilitates manufacturing and reduces manufacturing cost.

[0006]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the invention of claim 1 is installed in a working gas circuit of an external combustion type hot gas engine, and absorbs thermal energy with respect to a working gas reciprocating. And a regenerator for discharging the heat storage element, both of which are configured by alternately stacking corrugated plates and flat plates made of metal.

According to the present invention, for example, when the working gas moves from the high temperature room to the middle greenhouse, the working gas heats the corrugated plate and the flat plate to absorb the thermal energy. Further, when the working gas moves from the middle greenhouse to the high temperature chamber, the thermal energy stored in the corrugated plate and the flat plate is released to the working gas.

The invention according to claim 2 is a regenerator which is installed in a working gas circuit of an external combustion type hot gas engine and which absorbs and releases thermal energy to and from a reciprocating working gas. The elements are both formed by alternately laminating corrugated plates and flat plates made of metal, and the gap between the corrugated plates and the flat plates is configured to extend substantially along the flow direction of the working gas.

According to the present invention, the working gas passing through the regenerator passes through the gap between the corrugated plate and the flat plate without resistance, and the pressure loss can be suppressed as much as possible.

Further, the invention of claim 3 is a regenerator which is installed in a working gas circuit of an external combustion type hot gas engine and which absorbs and releases thermal energy to and from a reciprocating working gas. The elements are formed by alternately laminating corrugated plates and flat plates made of metal, and at least one of the corrugated plates and the flat plates is a perforated plate.

According to the present invention, the heat transfer coefficient in the corrugated plate or the flat plate is increased, and thereby the absorption and release efficiency of heat energy is improved.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a regenerator which is installed in a working gas circuit of an external combustion type hot gas engine and which absorbs and releases thermal energy to and from a reciprocating working gas. The elements are formed by alternately stacking metal corrugated plates and flat plates, and the corrugated plates and the flat plates are formed in a spiral shape.

According to the present invention, for example, a regenerator can be manufactured by winding one corrugated plate and the flat plate in a superposed state.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a regenerator which is installed in a working gas circuit of an external combustion type hot gas engine and which absorbs and releases thermal energy from a reciprocating working gas. The elements are configured by alternately stacking corrugated plates and flat plates, which are metallic perforated plate materials, and perpendicularly to the flow direction of the working gas.

According to the present invention, for example, a regenerator can be manufactured by punching a corrugated plate made of a perforated plate and a flat plate into an annular shape and stacking them alternately.

[0016]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

Overall Description of Air Conditioner FIG. 1 shows a cold / hot water supply circuit of the air conditioner, and a hot gas engine 1 of the Wilmier cycle whose sectional perspective view is shown in FIG. 2 is adopted in this circuit. The hot gas engine 1 is provided with a high temperature side piston 2 and a low temperature side piston 3 which are slidably held in the cylinders 61 and 62 and arranged orthogonal to each other, and these are containers in which a working gas such as helium is sealed. It is stored in. The inside of the container is partitioned into a high-temperature chamber 12, medium-temperature chambers 13 and 14, and a low-temperature chamber 15. Further, a heater 16 is provided at the end of the high temperature chamber 12, and the heater 16 is heated by the combustor 11.

Both pistons 2 and 3 are, for example, when the high temperature side piston 2 reaches an intermediate position between the top dead center and the bottom dead center,
The low-temperature side piston 3 is positioned 9
In order to operate with a phase shift of 0 °, they are connected via a crank 10 driven by a motor 9. When the high-temperature side piston 2 and the low-temperature side piston 3 operate, the enclosed working gas passes through the high-temperature regenerator 4 and the low-temperature regenerator 7 and each chamber 1
Move between 2 and 13, 14 and 15. Then, the working gas is heated or cooled when passing through the regenerators 4 and 7, so that the pressure inside the closed container is increased or decreased.

For example, when the working gas in the high temperature chamber 12 moves to the middle greenhouse 13 through the high temperature regenerator 4, the thermal energy of the working gas is stored in the high temperature regenerator 4 and the pressure of the working gas decreases. . Conversely, when the working gas circulates from the middle greenhouse 13 to the high temperature chamber 12, the thermal energy stored in the high temperature regenerator 4 is released to the working gas, and the pressure of the working gas rises. When the working gas in the low-temperature chamber 15 moves to the medium-temperature chamber 13 through the low-temperature regenerator 7, the working gas is supplied with the thermal energy of the high-temperature regenerator 4, and the pressure of the working gas also increases. On the contrary, when the working gas is recirculated from the middle greenhouse 13 to the low temperature chamber 15, the thermal energy of the working gas is changed to the low temperature regenerator 4.
And the pressure of the working gas decreases.

The exchange of heat energy with the outside is performed by the medium temperature heat exchangers 5 and 6 connected to the intermediate greenhouses 13 and 14 and the low temperature heat exchanger 8 connected to the low temperature chamber. For example, when the heater 16 gives thermal energy to the working gas in the high temperature chamber 12, the working gas in the medium temperature chambers 13 and 14 emits heat energy to the external heat medium via the medium temperature heat exchangers 5 and 6, and The working gas in the low-temperature chamber 15 absorbs heat energy from the external heat medium through the low-temperature heat exchanger 8.

That is, in the hot gas engine 1 of this embodiment, the low temperature heat exchanger 8 and the low temperature chamber 15 constitute a heat absorbing portion, while the medium temperature heat exchangers 5 and 6 and the medium greenhouses 13 and 14 radiate heat. There is provided an air conditioner 100 that constitutes a part and uses the low temperature heat exchanger 8 and the intermediate temperature heat exchangers 5 and 6 of the hot gas engine 1. The air conditioner 100 includes a hot gas engine 1, an indoor unit 200, and an outdoor unit 300.

An indoor heat exchanger 201 is arranged in the indoor unit 200, and an outdoor heat exchanger 300 is arranged in the outdoor unit 300. Reference numeral 203 is an indoor fan, and 303 is an outdoor fan. The low-temperature heat exchanger 8 and the indoor heat exchanger 201 are connected by the pipe 21, the four-way valve 36, and the pipe 22, and the indoor heat exchanger 201 and the low-temperature heat exchanger 8 are connected by the pipe 23 and the four-way valve 37. It is connected to the pipeline 24. Also,
The intermediate heat exchanger 5 and the outdoor heat exchanger 301 are connected by a pipe 31, a four-way valve 36 and a pipe 32, and the outdoor heat exchanger 301 and the intermediate heat exchanger 6 are further connected by a pipe 33 and a four-way valve 37.
And a conduit 34. The medium temperature heat exchangers 5 and 6 are connected to each other by a pipe line 35. Water (hereinafter, referred to as hydraulic fluid) is used as the external heat medium circulating in the pipeline.

During the cooling operation, the hot gas engine 1 is operated by the ignition of the combustor 11, and the thermal energy of the working gas is released to the working liquid via the intermediate temperature heat exchangers 5 and 6, while the low temperature heat exchanger is also used. The thermal energy of the working fluid is absorbed by the working gas via 8. At this time, the four-way valves 36 and 37 are switched as shown by the solid line in FIG. 1, and the working fluid that has released the heat energy in the low-temperature heat exchanger 8 is the conduit 21 and the four-way valve 3
6, it flows into the indoor heat exchanger 201 via the pipe line 22.
In the indoor unit 200, the indoor heat exchanger 201 becomes low in temperature.
The indoor fan 203 blows air into the room, cool air is blown out into the room (cooling is performed), and the working fluid that has absorbed the thermal energy of the room air passes through the conduit 23, the four-way valve 37, and the conduit 24. Recirculate to the low temperature heat exchanger 8.

At this time, the hydraulic fluid that has absorbed the heat energy in the intermediate temperature heat exchanger 5 has a pipe 31, a four-way valve 36, and a pipe 32.
To the outdoor heat exchanger 301, where it is cooled by the air blown from the outdoor fan 303, then flows to the intermediate temperature heat exchanger 6 through the conduit 33, the four-way valve 37, and the conduit 34, and further through the conduit 35. Return to vessel 5.

Also during heating operation, the hot gas engine 1 is activated by the ignition of the combustor 11, and the thermal energy of the working gas is absorbed by the working liquid via the intermediate temperature heat exchangers 5 and 6, while the low temperature is maintained. The heat energy of the working fluid is released to the working gas via the heat exchanger 8, and at this time, the four-way valves 36 and 37 are switched as shown by the dotted line in FIG. In this case, the working fluid that has absorbed the heat energy in the medium temperature heat exchangers 5 and 6 is
It flows to the indoor heat exchanger 201 via the pipe 31, the four-way valve 36, and the pipe 22. In the indoor unit 200, air is blown from the indoor fan 203 to the indoor heat exchanger 201 having a relatively high temperature, and hot air is blown into the room (heating is performed), while heat energy is released into the room. The hydraulic fluid thus produced recirculates to the intermediate temperature heat exchangers 5 and 6 via the pipe 23, the four-way valve 37 and the pipe 34.

At this time, the working fluid that has released the thermal energy in the low temperature heat exchanger 8 is the pipe 21, the four-way valve 36, and the pipe 32.
To the outdoor heat exchanger 301, where after the heat energy of the outside air is absorbed by the air blown from the outdoor fan 303, it is circulated to the low temperature heat exchanger 8 via the pipe 33, the four-way valve 37 and the pipe 24.

Embodiment of Regenerator Hereinafter, embodiments of the high temperature regenerator 4 and the low temperature regenerator 7 will be described. However, since both regenerators 4 and 7 are substantially the same product, a detailed description will be given. (Hereinafter, simply referred to as a regenerator) Performed only for 4.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the regenerator 4 according to the present invention, and FIG. 4 shows an enlarged view of arrow A in FIG.

As shown in these figures, the regenerator 4 of this embodiment has an annular shape having a cylindrical hole 40 at the center through which the cylinder 61 passes. The heat storage element 41 of the regenerator 4 is formed by stacking a corrugated plate 42 and a flat plate 43, both of which are made of a very thin metal foil (stainless steel foil having a thickness of about 50 μm in the present embodiment), in a spiral shape. A gap 44 between the flat plate 43 and the flat plate 43 is manufactured so as to be along the flow direction of the working gas. In addition, the corrugated plate 42 and the flat plate 43,
As shown in FIG. 5, many fine through holes 45 are formed. In FIG. 3, 46 is an outer ring that forms the outer shell of the regenerator 4, and 47 is an inner ring that forms the inner shell.

In the regenerator 4 of the first embodiment, when the working gas passes through the gap 44, it comes into contact with the surfaces of the corrugated plate 42 and the flat plate 43 so that the regenerator 4 absorbs and releases thermal energy. . The through hole 45 is formed in the corrugated plate 42 and the flat plate 43.
Since the holes are drilled, the heat transfer coefficient of the working gas can be improved, and the heat energy absorption and release efficiency can be improved. In addition, the corrugated plate 4 of the void 44 and the through hole 45
The volume ratio with respect to 2 and the flat plate 43 (that is, the porosity of the heat storage element 41) can be easily adjusted by changing the wave height of the corrugated plate 42.

On the other hand, the heat storage element 4 in the first embodiment
In the manufacture of 1, first, a band-shaped corrugated plate 42 and a flat plate 43 are each coated with a binder, a foil wax is attached, and the like, and then the two are superposed and wound around a mandrel (not shown). After that, the binder is dried and vacuum heat treatment is performed to firmly integrate the corrugated plate 42 and the flat plate 43.
Incidentally, instead of brazing joining, diffusion joining or the like having higher productivity may be used.

With such a structure, the regenerator 4 of the first embodiment can easily realize the automation of the manufacturing process by the winding machine or the like. Therefore, mass production can be performed easily and the manufacturing cost can be reduced as compared with the conventional device that requires a process of punching and laminating a huge number of metal nets or filling a metal mold with a metal fiber and sintering it. It became possible.

FIG. 6 shows an exploded perspective view of the heat storage element 41 in the second embodiment of the regenerator 4 according to the present invention. In this embodiment, the corrugated plate 4 similar to that of the first embodiment is used.
2 and the flat plate 43 are punched into an annular shape, and these are alternately laminated so as to be perpendicular to the flow direction of the working gas. In this embodiment, the working gas passes through the through holes 45 and reciprocally flows, but by appropriately setting the diameter and the number of the through holes 45, the same working effect as that of the first embodiment can be obtained. In the second embodiment as well, it is desirable to use brazing bonding, diffusion bonding, or the like in manufacturing.

The description of the specific embodiment is finished above.
The present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above.
For example, in the first embodiment, the gap between the corrugated plate and the flat plate may be spiral to increase the passage time of the working gas, or the corrugated plate and the flat plate may be further reduced in order to further reduce the manufacturing cost. The through hole may be omitted. As for the shape of the regenerator, a cylindrical cross section, a rectangular cross section, or the like may be adopted depending on design considerations. Also,
As a material for the corrugated plate or the flat plate, a material other than a stainless steel foil such as a copper foil or a titanium foil may be used, or a relatively thick metal plate may be used. Further, the regenerator of the present invention can be applied to an external combustion type hot gas engine such as a Stirling engine in addition to the Vermier cycle.

[0035]

As described above, according to the regenerator of the present invention, since the corrugated plates and the flat plates made of metal are alternately laminated, the regenerator has the same performance as the conventional device. However, facilitation of manufacturing, reduction of manufacturing cost, etc. can be realized.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram showing a configuration of a heat pump type air conditioner.

FIG. 2 is a sectional perspective view showing a structure of a hot gas engine.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a first embodiment of a regenerator.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged arrow view of A in FIG.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of a main part of the heat storage element according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a heat storage element according to a second embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Hot Gas Engine 2 High Temperature Side Piston 3 Low Temperature Side Piston 4 High Temperature Regenerator 5,6 Medium Temperature Heat Exchanger 7 Low Temperature Regenerator 8 Low Temperature Heat Exchanger 9 Motor 10 Crank 11 Combustor 12 High Greenhouse 13,14 Medium Greenhouse 15 Low Greenhouse 16 Heater 21-24, 31-35 Pipeline 36, 37 Four-way valve 40 Cylindrical hole 41 Heat storage element 42 Corrugated plate 43 Flat plate 44 Gap 45 Through hole 46 Outer ring 47 Inner ring 100 Air conditioner 200 Indoor unit 201 Indoor heat exchange Unit 203 Indoor fan 300 Outdoor unit 301 Outdoor heat exchanger 303 Outdoor fan

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A regenerator, which is installed in a working gas circuit of an external combustion type hot gas engine and absorbs and releases thermal energy from a reciprocating working gas, the heat storage elements of which are both made of metal. A regenerator for an external combustion type hot gas engine, characterized in that the plate and the flat plate are alternately laminated. 2. A regenerator, which is installed in a working gas circuit of an external combustion type hot gas engine and absorbs and releases thermal energy to and from a reciprocating working gas, the heat storage elements of which are both made of metal. A regenerator for an external combustion type hot gas engine, characterized in that the plate and the flat plate are alternately laminated, and the gap between the corrugated plate and the flat plate is substantially along the flow direction of the working gas. . 3. A regenerator, which is installed in a working gas circuit of an external combustion type hot gas engine and absorbs and releases thermal energy to and from a reciprocating working gas, the heat storage elements of which are both made of metal. A regenerator for an external combustion type hot gas engine, wherein plates and flat plates are alternately laminated and at least one of the corrugated plate and the flat plate is a porous plate. 4. A regenerator, which is installed in a working gas circuit of an external combustion type hot gas engine and absorbs and releases thermal energy from a reciprocating working gas, the heat storage elements of which are both made of metal. A regenerator for an external combustion type hot gas engine, characterized in that the plate and the flat plate are alternately laminated, and the corrugated plate and the flat plate are formed in a spiral shape. 5. A regenerator, which is installed in a working gas circuit of an external combustion type hot gas engine and absorbs and releases thermal energy to and from a reciprocating working gas, the heat storage elements of which are both made of a metal porous material. A regenerator for an external combustion type hot gas engine, characterized in that corrugated plates and flat plates, which are plate materials, are laminated alternately and perpendicularly to the flow direction of the working gas.