Regenerators for external combustion heat engines

Abstract

The invention describes a regenerator (5) for an external combustion heat engine, in particular a Stirling engine, which is adapted to be mounted on a flow from the hot side of the engine to the cold side of the engine and from In the passage of the working fluid that flows sideways to the hot side of the engine. When the working fluid passes through the regenerator (5) on the way from the hot side to the cold side of the engine, the regenerator (5) can receive and temporarily store the heat stored by the working fluid, and when the working fluid passes through the regenerator (5) from the cold side of the engine Passing the regenerator (5) on the way to the hot side, the regenerator (5) is able to release the heat again to the working fluid. The regenerator (5) includes at least one through channel (50), and the through channel (50) is tapered from the hot side port to the cold side port of the through channel (50) along the extending direction of its axis, so that along the through channel (50) ) The flowing working fluid (10) is maintained at a substantially constant pressure.

Description

technical field [0001] The invention relates to a regenerator for an external combustion heat engine, in particular for a Stirling engine. Background technique [0002] External combustion heat engines, especially Stirling engines, generally operate by cyclic compression and expansion of a working fluid, such as air, helium, hydrogen, or other gases. The cyclic compression and expansion of the working fluid is carried out at different temperature levels, allowing the direct conversion of externally provided thermal energy into mechanical work. The engine may also be referred to as a closed cycle heat engine, preferably a regenerative heat engine, with a permanently working gaseous fluid. The term "closed cycle" may be defined as a thermodynamic system in which a working fluid is permanently present. "Regenerating" refers to the provision of a specific type of heat exchanger and heat storage system, called a regenerator. The inclusion of a regenerator distinguishes the Sti...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

One problem with this type of regenerator known in the prior art is that this type of regenerator introduces too much extra volume which creates dead space for the engine

Dead space in an external combustion heat engine results in a loss of available pressure differential in the working fluid, reducing the thermodynamic and mechanical efficiency of the system

Another type of regenerator using a stack of pure wire mesh has the problem of creating eddy currents in the working fluid as it flows through the regenerator

These eddies cause flow resistance of the working fluid, which negatively affects the thermal efficiency of the heat engine

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