A heat engine with a dynamically controllable hydraulic outlet driven by a high-pressure pump and a gas turbine that include a pressure vessel (1), a lid (1.1), a movable partition (2), a gas working space (4), a liquid working space (5), and a recuperator (7), wherein a sealing (1.4) is disposed between the pressure vessel (1) and the lid (1.1), wherein in the inner space of the pressure vessel (1) the partition (2) is movably attached to a folded membrane (3) which is attached to the lid (1.1), wherein the partition (2) divides the inner space of the pressure vessel (1) into the gas working space (4) and the liquid working space (5), and shaped parts (1.8) are arranged within the pressure vessel, which define an external gas channel (10) which is led between a shell of the pressure vessel (1) and the shaped parts.

The present invention relates to a low temperature, low frequency Stirling engine. Its special geometry allows for large heat exchanger surfaces and great regenerators in order to reach good Carnoization efficiency factors. Displacer and power piston may be connected with circular polymer based membrane sealings to the cylinder walls. The cold space of the Stirling Engine may cylindrically Surround the outer periphery of the working cylinder, making thermal isolation obsolete. The engine is for instance suited to operate as base power prime mover using thermal solar collectors and may be coupled with hot oil or pressurized water heat storages. In the reverse mode, the Engine works as effective Heat-Pump/Cooling Engine.

An energy conversion device includes a first acoustic wave generator, a second acoustic wave generator, and an output unit which are provided in a pipe member. The first acoustic wave generator has a thermal energy generator configured to generate thermal energy from electric energy, and converts the thermal energy generated by the thermal energy generator into acoustic energy to generate acoustic wave in working gas by a self-excited thermo acoustic vibration. The second acoustic wave generator converts thermal energy supplied from a heat supply source into acoustic energy and generates acoustic wave in working gas by a self-excited thermo acoustic vibration. The output unit converts the acoustic energy of the acoustic waves from the first acoustic wave generator and the second acoustic wave generator into cold energy to output.

A method for limiting the amplitude of reciprocation of a piston reciprocating in a cylinder of a free-piston Stirling engine. The method is the combination of both at least partially covering the heat rejecter cylinder port by the piston sidewall during a peak part of the inward reciprocation of the piston and at least partially covering the heat rejecter cylinder port by the displacer sidewall during a peak part of the outward reciprocation of the displacer. The piston and the displacer, at times during their reciprocation, fully cover the effective heat rejecter cylinder port when the piston amplitude of reciprocation is large and approaches the physical limit of the amplitude of reciprocation in order to avoid internal collisions by a reciprocating component.

An engine utilizing multiple closed loop heat exchangers. The engine makes use of a first exchanger dedicated to a given chamber of a piston assembly. This exchanger is configured to provide both heating and cooling to the chamber for changing the volume thereof in stroking the piston. The second exchanger is configured similarly to provide both heating and cooling to another chamber at the opposite side of the piston for correspondingly facilitating a change in its volume as the piston is stroked. This unique configuration allows for the working substance in the chambers, generally an operating CO.sub.2 fluid, to effectively remain in a supercritical state for the substantial duration of the thermal cycle.

A closed cycle regenerative heat engine has a housing (12) defining a chamber (14). A displacer (18) is housed in the chamber. A shaft (24) is connected with the displacer and extends from the chamber. A power piston (30) is housed in the chamber. The displacer (18) is secured to the housing (12) and is resiliently deformable from a rest condition in response to movement of the shaft (24) to displace the working fluid in the chamber. The displacer may be a multi-start volute spring. The displacer (18) may be provided with a heat storage reservoir to store heat received from a working fluid as the working fluid is displaced from a heating location in the chamber (14) to a cooling location in the chamber and reject heat to the working fluid when the working fluid is displaced from the cooling location to the heating location.

An aspect of the present disclosure is directed to a system for energy conversion. The system includes a closed cycle engine containing a volume of working fluid. The engine includes an expansion chamber and a compression chamber each separated by a piston attached to a connection member of a piston assembly. The engine further includes a plurality of heater conduits extended from the expansion chamber. The engine includes a plurality of chiller conduits extended from the compression chamber. The expansion chamber and heater conduits are fluidly connected to the compression chamber and chiller conduits via a walled conduit.

A control system algorithm is provided for the computer control of a solid-state switching device in a Stirling-electric hybrid vehicle. The algorithm satisfies the demands for electrical energy management, regulation, allocation and distribution to the electrical system of the vehicle during the operation thereof. The control system controls the management, regulation, allocation and distribution of electrical current throughout the vehicle's electrical system in response the commands of the vehicle operator. This includes the operation of wheel motors, electrical storage systems, the drivetrain and a plurality of other components, accessories and subsystems.

A four-process cycle is disclosed for a Vuilleumier heat pump that has mechatronically-controlled displacers. Vuilleumier heat pumps that use a crank to drive the displacers have been previously developed. However, mechatronic controls provides a greater degree of freedom to control the displacers. The four-process cycle provides a higher coefficient of performance than prior cycles in the crank-driven Vuilleumier heat pump and those previously disclosed for a mechatronically-driven Vuilleumier heat pump. The four-process cycle can be drawn out to provide a low demand condition by causing both displacers to remain stationary for a period of time. The four processes in which one of the displacers is commanded to move are separated by periods of inactivity in which both displacers remain stationary.

A heat engine with a dynamically controllable hydraulic outlet driven by a high-pressure pump and a gas turbine that include a pressure vessel (1), a lid (1.1), a movable partition (2), a gas working space (4), a liquid working space (5), and a recuperator (7), wherein a sealing (1.4) is disposed between the pressure vessel (1) and the lid (1.1), wherein in the inner space of the pressure vessel (1) the partition (2) is movably attached to a folded membrane (3) which is attached to the lid (1.1), wherein the partition (2) divides the inner space of the pressure vessel (1) into the gas working space (4) and the liquid working space (5), and shaped parts (1.8) are arranged within the pressure vessel, which define an external gas channel (10) which is led between a shell of the pressure vessel (1) and the shaped parts.