RU2201517C2 - Externally heated engine - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: mechanical engineering. SUBSTANCE: proposed invention makes it possible to increase efficiency of Stirling engines owing to complete elimination of leaks through rods of working pistons at absolute sealing of cylinders and engine. Externally heated engine contains at least one cylinder with heater, regenerator, cooler and lines connecting said units, and also working and displacement pistons and mechanism to convert translational motion rotation. Each cylinder is installed for translational displacement inside magnet or electromagnet and is coupled with mechanism converting translational motion into rotation. Each cylinder is installed in guides, and lines are furnished with bellows. Generator coupled with electromagnets by power cables is installed on one axis with crankshaft. EFFECT: increased efficiency of Stirling engines. 5 cl, 2 dwg

Description

 The invention relates to engine building and is intended for use in Stirling engines.

 Known engine of external heating by AS USSR 855241, applicant Kuibyshev Aviation Institute. The external heating engine contains a pair of double-walled cylinders, the inner shells of which are made in the form of bellows, and the outer ones are in the form of cylindrical shells with nozzles for supplying and discharging the working fluid. The use of bellows partially solves the problem of sealing the working fluid, but they are not durable enough. Given that the engine has a greater efficiency, the higher the pressure and temperature of the working fluid, then with an increase in these parameters, the life of the bellows decreases sharply. The proposed engine can only work at low efficiency and a limited period of time. After the destruction of the bellows, the cost of its repair is commensurate with the cost of manufacturing a new engine.

 Known engine with an external supply of heat by AS USSR 1275104, in which the working and displacement pistons are located in different cylinders. Disadvantage: the need to seal the rods of both pistons. Due to the fact that no seals provide absolute sealing, during long-term operation an expensive working fluid will leak. Constant feeding of the engine cylinders with a working fluid is necessary. This makes the engine uncomfortable in operation and reduces its efficiency.

 Known engine of external heating by AS USSR 850884 (prototype), containing at least one cylinder, heater, regenerator, refrigerator, connecting lines, working and displacement pistons and a mechanism for converting translational motion into rotational, for example, a crankshaft. This engine requires sealing on the piston rods to prevent leakage of the working fluid into the crankcase and the atmosphere. At high pressures and temperatures, this is quite problematic.

 The objectives of the invention is to increase engine efficiency due to the complete elimination of leaks of the working fluid.

 This problem was achieved due to the fact that in an external heating engine containing at least one cylinder, a heater, a regenerator, a refrigerator, connecting lines, a working and displacement pistons and a translational to rotational movement conversion mechanism, each cylinder is movable, installed inside a magnet or electromagnet and is connected to a translational to rotational conversion mechanism. A variant is possible when the working and displacement pistons are made as a whole (combined piston).

 All cylinders are absolutely hermetically sealed and installed in guides. Preferably, the mechanism for converting translational motion into rotational motion is in the form of a crankshaft.

 In the line connecting the heater, regenerator and refrigerator, bellows can be installed.

 The electromagnet can be powered by electricity from a generator mounted on the same axis as the crankshaft.

The invention is illustrated in the drawings, where
in FIG. 1 shows a single cylinder engine,
in FIG. 2 - three-cylinder engine.

 The external heating engine (Fig. 1) contains a cylinder 1, a heater 2, a regenerator 3, a refrigerator 4, connecting lines 5, a working piston 6, a displacement piston 7, a mechanism for converting translational motion into rotational (crankshaft) 8, a magnet or electromagnet 9, guides cylinder 10.

 In FIG. 2 shows a variant of a three-cylinder engine, which additionally contains bellows 11 in the connecting lines 5 and a generator 12 connected by power cables 13 to the electromagnets 9. In addition, instead of the working and displacement pistons 6 and 7, one (for each cylinder) universal piston 14 is used.

 The external heating engine operates as follows (Fig. 1).

 When heat is supplied to the heater 2, a hot working fluid pushes the cylinder 1 up, because the working piston 6 is held in place by a magnet (electromagnet) 9. After displacing the working fluid from the cold cavity into a hot massive displacing piston 7 blocks the channels of the connecting line 5 and cuts off the access of the working fluid to the refrigerator 4. Next, the displacing piston 7 moves for some time with the cylinder 1 upwards and compresses the working fluid located between the working 6 and displacement 7 pistons. Cylinder 1 reaches its top dead center TDC and begins to go down, and the massive displacement piston 7 continues to move upward and compresses the working fluid, in which reactive energy is accumulated. The working piston 6 goes in relative upward motion (actually it stands) and reaches the bottom dead center of the BDC of the cylinder. At the same time, it displaces the working fluid from the hot cavity through the heater 2, the regenerator 3 and the refrigerator 4 into the cold (lower) cavity of the cylinder 1.

 Then the displacement piston 7 moves in relative motion (with respect to the cylinder) down.

 Then the cycle repeats.

 The engine (Fig. 2) works similarly, but the cycles of each cylinder are shifted by 120 degrees. The bellows 11 make it possible not to move the heater 2, the regenerator 3 and the refrigerator 4 together with the cylinder 1. The generator 12 feeds the electromagnets via power cables 9. In addition, as already noted, instead of the working and displacement pistons 6 and 7, a universal piston 14 is used.

 In the proposed design (in all versions), the cylinders are absolutely tight, due to this, leakage of the working fluid is prevented and engine efficiency is increased. There is no need to recharge with a working fluid, that is, the engine is simplified in operation and can work for years without the presence of maintenance personnel.

The claimed engine can be performed with a load on the crankshaft, and not on the system of gears, connecting rods and levers, as has always been done. And this is the heart for the car engine!
Theoretically calculated efficiency is almost double the efficiency of internal combustion engines. The design can be performed compactly, which is the most important condition for its installation on the car. Although prototypes of Stirling engines of leading foreign companies are functional, they occupy the entire engine compartment of the engine compartment of a passenger car and are 2 times heavier than ICE.

 It is also promising to use an engine to produce electricity in remote areas when working on local raw materials or as backup stations in hospitals, radio and television centers, in airports and military facilities.

 The proposed scheme allows to increase the power and speed of rotation of the crankshaft, engine reliability by reducing the temperature gradient along the length of the cylinder and the working piston, reducing leaks through the seals between the pistons and cylinder cavities and completely eliminating external leaks of the working fluid.

 The new design provides shock damping.

 The main advantage of the developed design is its high efficiency. An increase in efficiency, in turn, reduces the emission of toxic products (nitrogen and carbon oxides) per unit capacity. The engine is able to operate at low compression ratios, creates less noise and vibration, is easier to operate and manufacture, fire and explosion-proof, has a huge, almost unlimited service life.

 The author has claimed countless options for constructive execution of the engine both in the number of cylinders and in design in the amount of 5 claims.

 It is possible, for example, to install a heater, a regenerator and a refrigerator rigidly on the cylinder. A variant of the fixed placement of the heater, regenerator and refrigerator on the base of the engine (the base is not shown) and the use of the connection of these units with the cylinder using bellows have also been developed.

 Various options arise when using permanent magnets or electromagnets in motors. In the first version, the engine will be more compact, but very strong magnets are needed.

 Depending on the purpose, the engine can be made either of very small sizes, for example for toys and models, or very large: for ships, submarines and thermal power plants. It is possible to create DVN with pistons several meters in diameter. ICE with such dimensions, in principle, cannot be created, since the combustion process in them is explosive and is accompanied by shock loads. In external heating engines, heat is supplied slowly and its supply is easily regulated. The combustion process, regardless of the operating mode of the engine, can be carried out in an optimal mode in terms of completeness of combustion. This will require the complication of fuel injectors and the use of computers to control the ratio of fuel to air consumption, but in modern conditions it is technically feasible.

 One of the engine options can work without fuel, for example, on the energy of sunlight or on the temperature difference on the surface of the water and in the depths of the reservoir. And this is free energy, and obtained as a result of environmentally friendly processes.

 Of greatest interest is the use of Stirling to generate electricity, that is, as a motor generator.

 I would like to note that in this case the engine is structurally simpler than a diesel generator.

Claims (5)

 1. An external heating engine comprising at least one cylinder with a heater, a recuperator, a refrigerator with connecting lines, a working and displacement pistons installed inside the cylinder, and a translational to rotational movement conversion mechanism, characterized in that each cylinder is sealed, with the possibility of translational movement, is installed inside magnets or electromagnets and is connected with the mechanism for converting translational motion into rotational.  2. An external heating engine according to claim 1, characterized in that the working and displacement pistons are rigidly connected or combined into one.  3. An external heating engine according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the connecting lines of each cylinder are equipped with bellows, and each cylinder is installed in the guides.  4. The external heating engine according to claim 1, or 2, or 3, characterized in that the mechanism for converting translational motion into rotational is made in the form of a crankshaft.  5. An external heating engine according to claim 1, or 2, or 3, or 4, characterized in that a generator is installed on the same axis as the crankshaft, which is connected with electromagnets by power cables.

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