Stirling engine having platelet heat exchanging elements

Abstract

The present invention provides heat exchanging elements for use in Stirling engines. According to the present invention, the heat exchanging elements are made from muliple platelets that are stacked and joined together. The use of platelets to make heat exchanging elements permits Stirling engines to run more effiecient because the heat transfer and combustion processes are improved. In one embodiment, multi-stage combustion can be introduced with platlets, along with the flexibility to use different types of fuels. In another embodiment, a single component constructed from platelets can provide the heat transfer rquirements betweeen the combustion gas / working gas, working gas in the regenerator and the working gas / coolant fluid of a Stirling engine. In another embodiment, the platelet heat exchanging element can recieve solar energy to heat the Stirling engine's working gas. Also, this invention provides a heat exchanging method that allows for multiple fuilds to flow in opposing or same direction.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to Stirling engines and more particularly to heat exchanging elements thereof which are formed of platelets. BACKGROUND OF INVENTION [0002] The basic concept of the Stirling engine dates back to the developments of Robert Stirling in 1817. Over the years, numerous applications for the Stirling engine have been investigated and evaluated. For example, one potential use of the Stirling engine is in automobiles and the like as a prime mover. In addition, the Stirling engine may be used as an engine power unit for hybrid electric applications. Other potential applications are the use of the Stirling engine as an auxiliary power unit and the use of the Stirling engine in marine applications and solar energy conservation applications. [0003] Stirling engines have a reversible thermodynamic cycle and therefore can be used as a means of delivering mechanical output energy from a source of heat, or acting as a heat pump through the ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

"The present invention is about a heat exchange manifold for a Stirling engine. The manifold is made up of multiple platelets that are stacked and joined together using a platelet construction. This design allows for better heat transfer and improved efficiency of the combustion process. The platelets have openings and conduits that are oriented relative to each other to form the elements of the manifold. The manifold includes a combustion chamber, working gas circuits, and a piston cylinder head end. The use of small platelet coolant passageways makes possible small, efficient heat exchangers. The invention also includes a multi-stage combustor with inter-stage cooling to reduce NOx emissions. The head end of the engine includes a working gas heat exchanging plate that is bonded onto the platelet manifold. The platelet air injector is a platelet manifold that unburned combustion air and acts to simultaneously cool the air manifold platelets and preheat the incoming combustion air. The invention utilizes multi-staged micro-combustion for burning the fuel rich gas to completion, resulting in improved efficiency and performance of the engine."

Problems solved by technology

One of the disadvantages of current Stirling engines is their inefficiency due to the presence of dead volume of a working gas and the overall volumetric size of a burner device of the heat exchanging assembly.

Because a single burner device is used to generate and effectuate heat transfer to the working gas flowing within a number of heater tubes, heat is often not evenly distributed to the working gas within the heater tubes.

The associated disadvantage of such a system is that conventional heater tubes usually contain a dead volume of working gas.

This results in inefficient heat transfer from the burner device to the working gas and in turn leads to inefficient operation of the Stirling engine itself.

In addition, due to the typical size of the burner device, the burner device first heats a significant volume of air before heat transfer occurs to the working gas.

This results in a considerable amount of energy being consumed before the working gas is heated and as a result, the working gas is exposed to less heat due to the inefficiencies of the burner device.

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