JPH1019405A - External-combustion hot gas engine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To lower manufacturing costs with the curtailing of the number of parts by providing one medium temperature exchanger while pistons are in one row on the high temperature side and on the low temperature side to link a medium temperature chamber to the medium temperature heat exchanger. SOLUTION: In a hot gas engine 1, a high temperature side piston 2 and a low temperature side piston 3 are arranged as opposed to each other in one row and both the pistons 2 and 3 are housed into a container filled with a working gas such as helium. A high temperature chamber 12 in which the high temperature side piston 2 moves and a medium temperature high-order chamber 13 are arranged inside the container while a low temperature chamber 15 in which the low temperature side piston 3 moves and a medium temperature low-order chamber 14 are arranged. Then, a heat absorbing section is constituted of a low temperature heat exchanger 8 and the low temperature chamber 15 while a medium temperature heat exchanger 5, the medium temperature high- order chamber 13 and the medium low-order chamber 14 are linked to make up a heat radiation part. This curtails the number of parts thereby lowering manufacturing costs.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a heater for an external combustion type hot gas engine, which is suitable as a cooling source for a cooling / heating device, a hot water supply device and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, as a device for cooling, heating and hot water supply,
A heat pump using a Vermier cycle, which is an external combustion type hot gas engine (hereinafter referred to as VMHP: Vuilleumier Cycle Hea)
t Pump) has been developed. 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).

[0003] This type of VMHP is provided with a high-temperature side piston moving between a high-temperature chamber and a medium-temperature high-level chamber, and a low-temperature side piston moving between a low-temperature chamber and a medium-temperature low-level chamber.
It comprises a heater, two regenerators, two medium-temperature heat exchangers, and a low-temperature heat exchanger, and these six devices constitute a heat cycle.

[0004]

However, according to the configuration of the conventional external combustion type hot gas engine, a medium heat exchanger for high temperature connected to the medium temperature high chamber through a communication tube, and a communication tube for the medium temperature low chamber are connected. Therefore, since two intermediate temperature heat exchangers, ie, a low-level intermediate temperature heat exchanger connected through the, are required, there is a problem that the number of parts increases and the cost increases.

An object of the present invention is to provide an external combustion type hot gas engine that can reduce the number of parts and reduce the manufacturing cost.

[0006]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, a high temperature side piston moving between a high temperature room and a medium temperature room and a low temperature side piston moving between a low temperature room and a medium temperature room are provided. An external-combustion heat gas engine that recirculates a working gas between the high-temperature chamber and the medium-temperature chamber and between the low-temperature chamber and the medium-temperature chamber. An exchanger is provided, and an intermediate temperature chamber is connected to the intermediate temperature heat exchanger.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a high temperature side piston moving between a high temperature room and a medium temperature high room, and a low temperature side piston moving between a low temperature room and a medium temperature low room. In an external combustion type hot gas engine that recirculates a working gas between a chamber and the middle temperature high chamber, and between the low temperature chamber and the middle temperature low chamber, both pistons are provided in a line, and one medium temperature heat exchanger is provided. And a medium-temperature high-order room and a medium-temperature low-order room are connected to this medium-temperature heat exchanger.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a high temperature side piston moving between a high temperature room and a medium temperature high room, and a low temperature side piston moving between a low temperature room and a medium temperature low room. In an external combustion type hot gas engine that recirculates the working gas between the chamber and the middle-temperature high chamber and between the low-temperature chamber and the middle-temperature low chamber, both pistons are arranged in a line to face each other, and one medium-temperature heat exchange is performed. And a medium-temperature high-temperature chamber and a medium-temperature low-temperature chamber are connected to the medium-temperature heat exchanger.

In any of the inventions, the intermediate temperature heat exchanger is a single product, so that the number of heat exchangers is reduced to one and the number of parts is reduced as compared with the conventional one.

[0010]

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

FIG. 1 shows a cold / hot water supply circuit of an air conditioner, in which a heat gas engine 1 of a Vilmier cycle is employed as a heat source.

The hot gas engine 1 includes a high-temperature side displacer piston (hereinafter, referred to as a “high-temperature side piston”) 2 and a low-temperature side displacer piston (hereinafter, referred to as a “low-temperature side piston”) 3 arranged in a row. These are housed in a container filled with a working gas such as helium. The inside of the container is divided into a high-temperature chamber 12, a medium-temperature high chamber 13, a medium-temperature low chamber 14, and a low-temperature chamber 15. A heater 16 is provided at an end of the high temperature chamber 12.
Is heated by the combustor 11.

When the high temperature side piston 2 reaches an intermediate position between the top dead center and the bottom dead center, for example,
The low-temperature-side pistons 3 are connected via a crank 10 driven by a motor 9 so as to operate at phases shifted from each other so as to be located at the top dead center. 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 enters each of the chambers 12 and 1.
Move between 3, 14 and 15. The working gas is heated or cooled when passing through the regenerators 4 and 7, so that the pressure in the closed vessel is increased or reduced.

For example, when the working gas in the high temperature chamber 12 moves to the middle temperature high chamber 13 through the high temperature regenerator 4, the heat energy of the working gas is stored in the high temperature regenerator 4, and the pressure of the working gas decreases. I do. Conversely, when the working gas recirculates from the middle temperature high chamber 13 to the high temperature chamber 12, the heat energy stored in the high temperature regenerator 4 is released to the working gas, and the pressure of the working gas increases. Further, when the working gas in the low temperature chamber 15 moves to the middle temperature low 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. Conversely, when the working gas recirculates from the low-temperature chamber 13 to the low-temperature chamber 15, the heat energy of the working gas is absorbed by the low-temperature regenerator 4, and the pressure of the working gas decreases. The exchange of heat energy with the outside includes a single medium-temperature heat exchanger 5 connected to both the medium-temperature high chamber 13 and the medium-temperature low chamber 14, and a low-temperature heat exchanger 8 connected to the low-temperature chamber 15.
Do.

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 releases heat energy to the external heat medium via the medium-temperature heat exchanger 5 and The working gas on the low temperature chamber 15 side absorbs heat energy from the external heat medium through the low temperature heat exchanger 8.

That is, in the hot gas engine 1 of the present embodiment, the low-temperature heat exchanger 8 and the low-temperature chamber 15 constitute a heat-absorbing section, while the medium-temperature heat exchanger 5 and the medium-temperature chambers 13 and 14 constitute a heat-radiating section. There is provided an air conditioner 100 configured and using the low-temperature heat exchanger 8 of the hot gas engine 1 and the single medium-temperature heat exchanger 5. 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 provided in the indoor unit 200, and an outdoor heat exchanger 300 is provided in the outdoor unit 300. 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 a pipe 21, a four-way valve 36 and a pipe 22, and the indoor heat exchanger 201 and the low-temperature heat exchanger 8 are further connected by a pipe 23 and a four-way valve 37. It is connected to a pipe 24.

The intermediate heat exchanger 5 and the outdoor heat exchanger 30
1 is connected by a pipe 31, a four-way valve 36 and a pipe 32, and the outdoor heat exchanger 301 and the intermediate temperature heat exchanger 5 are connected by a pipe 33, a four-way valve 37 and a pipe 34. Water (hereinafter, referred to as liquid refrigerant) is used as an external heat medium circulating in the pipeline.

At the time of cooling operation, the hot gas engine 1 is operated by the ignition of the combustor 11, and the heat energy of the working gas is released to the liquid refrigerant via the intermediate heat exchanger 5, while the low temperature heat exchanger 8 is turned on. The heat energy of the liquid refrigerant is absorbed by the working gas through the liquid refrigerant. At this time, the four-way valves 36 and 37 are switched as shown by a solid line in FIG. 1, and the liquid refrigerant that has released the heat energy in the low-temperature heat exchanger 8 is connected to the pipeline 21, the four-way valve 36,
It flows to the indoor heat exchanger 201 via the pipe 22. In the indoor unit 200, air is blown from the indoor fan 203 to the indoor heat exchanger 201, which has become low temperature, and cool air is sent out (cooling is performed) into the room. It recirculates to the low-temperature heat exchanger 8 via the pipe 23, the four-way valve 37, and the pipe 24.

At this time, the liquid refrigerant having absorbed the heat energy in the intermediate-temperature heat exchanger 5 is supplied to the pipe 31, the four-way valve 36, and the pipe 32.
Then, after being cooled by the air blown from the outdoor fan 303, it flows back to the above-mentioned medium temperature heat exchanger 5 through the pipe 33, the four-way valve 37, and the pipe 34.

Also, during the heating operation, the hot gas engine 1 is operated by the ignition of the combustor 11, and the heat energy of the working gas is absorbed by the liquid refrigerant via the medium temperature heat exchanger 5,
The heat energy of the liquid refrigerant is released to the working gas through the low-temperature heat exchanger 8, and in this case, the four-way valves 36, 37
Is switched as shown by the dotted line.

In this case, the liquid refrigerant having absorbed the heat energy in the intermediate temperature heat exchangers 5 and 6 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, which has become relatively high temperature, so that warm air is blown into the room (heating is performed). The liquid refrigerant that has released energy is connected to line 2
3, circulates to the intermediate temperature heat exchanger 5 via the four-way valve 37 and the pipeline 34.

At this time, the liquid refrigerant that has released the thermal energy in the low-temperature heat exchanger 8 is supplied to the pipe 21, the four-way valve 36, the pipe 32.
Then, after flowing into the outdoor heat exchanger 301 through the outdoor fan 303 to absorb the heat energy of the outside air, the air flows back to the low-temperature heat exchanger 8 via the pipe 33, the four-way valve 37, and the pipe 24.

In the above-described hot gas engine 1, first, the high-temperature displacer piston 2 and the low-temperature displacer piston 3 are arranged in a line to face each other. Second, a single medium-temperature heat exchanger 5 is annularly arranged so as to surround the outer periphery of the crank chamber 101. Third, a single conduit 103 is connected to the single medium-temperature heat exchanger 5, and the conduit 103 is divided into two branch conduits 103.
a and 103b, which are connected to a medium temperature high chamber 13 and a medium temperature low chamber 14, respectively.

According to this embodiment, when the hot gas engine 1 is manufactured, two intermediate temperature heat exchangers are conventionally required, but now only one annular medium temperature heat exchanger 5 is required.
The number of parts required for manufacturing is reduced, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced as compared with the conventional one.

FIG. 2 shows another embodiment.

According to this embodiment, the structure is the same in that there is one annular middle-temperature heat exchanger 5, but this middle-temperature heat exchanger 5 is connected to the middle- and high-temperature chambers through the two conduits 105 and 107, respectively. 13 in that it is connected to the low temperature chamber 14.

Conductive tube 105 connected to medium temperature high chamber 13
Is connected to the right end of the middle-temperature heat exchanger 5 in the figure, and a conduction pipe 107 connected to the middle-temperature low-order chamber 14 is connected to the left end of the middle-temperature heat exchanger 5 in the figure. According to this embodiment,
Although two intermediate temperature heat exchangers are required, only one intermediate temperature heat exchanger is required, so that not only the manufacturing cost can be reduced as compared with the conventional one, but also the working gas can be reduced to a medium temperature heat exchanger. Since the heat exchanger 5 flows in almost the entire area, the heat exchanger 5 can be effectively used.

FIG. 3 shows still another embodiment.

FIG. 3 shows a free piston type VMHP. This free piston mechanism is obtained by replacing the mechanism of the crank 10 (see FIG. 1) in the above-described embodiment with a spring. In this type, both the pistons 2 and 3 are forced by using a spring force of a spring (not shown) supporting the displacer pistons 2 and 3 and a forcible vibration system generated by a forcing force acting on the displacer pistons 2 and 3. Get continuous exercise.

The heat cycle is almost the same as that of the VMHP shown in FIG. 1, and the interior of the container is divided into a high temperature chamber 112, a medium temperature chamber 113, and a low temperature chamber 114. High temperature room 1
12 has a heater 116 at the end thereof.
6 is heated by the combustor 117. When the high-temperature-side piston 2 and the low-temperature-side piston 3 linearly move integrally, the enclosed working gas is supplied to the high-temperature regenerator 104 and the low-temperature regenerator 10.
7 and move between the respective chambers 112, 113, 114. The working gas is supplied to these regenerators 104 and 107.
When passing through, will be heated or cooled,
The pressure in the closed container is increased or reduced. For example, the working gas in the high temperature chamber 112 passes through the high temperature
When moving to 13, the thermal energy of the working gas is stored in the high-temperature regenerator 104, and the pressure of the working gas decreases.

Conversely, when the working gas recirculates from the middle temperature chamber 113 to the high temperature chamber 112, the heat energy stored in the high temperature regenerator 104 is released to the working gas, and the pressure of the working gas increases. When the working gas in the low-temperature chamber 114 moves to the medium-temperature chamber 13 through the low-temperature regenerator 107, the working gas is supplied with the thermal energy of the high-temperature regenerator 104, and the pressure of the working gas also increases. On the contrary, the working gas is
When the gas flows back to the low temperature chamber 114, the thermal energy of the working gas is absorbed by the low temperature regenerator 107, and the pressure of the working gas decreases. The exchange of heat energy with the outside is performed by the middle-temperature heat exchanger 5 connected to the middle-temperature room 113 and the low-temperature heat exchanger 8 connected to the low-temperature room 114. For example, when the heater 116 gives thermal energy to the working gas in the high temperature chamber 112, the working gas in the medium temperature
Releases heat energy to the external heat medium through
The working gas on the low temperature chamber 114 side absorbs heat energy from the external heat medium through the low temperature heat exchanger 8.

Even in such a free-piston type VMHP, the number of parts can be reduced and the manufacturing cost can be reduced since only one intermediate-temperature heat exchanger 5 which has been conventionally required is required. Can be suppressed.

[0035]

As described above, according to the present invention, since the intermediate-temperature heat exchanger is a single product, the number of parts is reduced, and the manufacturing cost is reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram showing a configuration of an air conditioner driven by a hot gas engine.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing another embodiment of the hot gas engine.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing still another embodiment of the hot gas engine.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Hot gas engine 2 High temperature side piston 5 Medium temperature heat exchanger 10 Crank 11 Combustor 12 High temperature room 13 Medium temperature high room 14 Medium temperature low room 15 Low temperature room 16 Heater

Claims (3)

[Claims] A high-temperature side piston that moves between a high-temperature room and a medium-temperature room, and a low-temperature side piston that moves between a low-temperature room and a medium-temperature room, wherein a high-temperature side piston moves between the high-temperature room and the medium-temperature room. And in the external combustion type hot gas engine that recirculates the working gas between the low temperature chamber and the medium temperature chamber, both pistons are provided in a line,
An external-combustion heat gas engine comprising a medium-temperature heat exchanger, and a medium-temperature chamber connected to the medium-temperature heat exchanger. 2. A high temperature side piston moving between a high temperature room and a medium temperature high room, and a low temperature side piston moving between a low temperature room and a medium temperature low room, wherein the high temperature room and the medium temperature high room In the external combustion type hot gas engine that recirculates the working gas between the low temperature chamber and the middle temperature lower chamber, both pistons are provided in a line, and one middle temperature heat exchanger is provided. An external combustion type hot gas engine characterized by connecting a medium temperature high chamber and a medium temperature low chamber to a vessel. 3. A high temperature side piston moving between a high temperature room and a medium temperature high room, and a low temperature side piston moving between a low temperature room and a medium temperature low room, wherein said high temperature room, said medium temperature high room and In the external combustion type hot gas engine that recirculates the working gas between the low-temperature chamber and the medium-temperature low-temperature chamber, both pistons are arranged in line and one medium-temperature heat exchanger is provided. An external combustion type hot gas engine characterized by connecting a medium temperature high chamber and a medium temperature low chamber to a heat exchanger.