A method and apparatus that reduces the dead volume in a heat engine or heat pump, such as a duplex Stirling or Vuilleumier cycle device, by nesting the components of the displacer and regenerator such that nearly all working fluid is purged from the interstices of the regenerator elements and all other working fluid spaces that are not involved in doing useful work at each portion of the cycle. Particularly, a more scalable and efficient method and apparatus for providing solar air conditioning or refrigeration by means of a heated cylinder that alternately pressurizes and depressurizes a separate cooling cylinder by directly transferring thermally induced pressure changes to that cooling cylinder at optimized times in the cycle, under the control of a numerically controlled actuation system that can cycle at a much lower rate than mechanically coupled or harmonically phased systems.

A method and apparatus that reduces the dead volume in a heat engine or heat pump, such as a duplex Stirling or Vuilleumier cycle device, by nesting the components of the displacer and regenerator such that nearly all working fluid is purged from the interstices of the regenerator elements and all other working fluid spaces that are not involved in doing useful work at each portion of the cycle. Particularly, a more scalable and efficient method and apparatus for providing solar air conditioning or refrigeration by means of a heated cylinder that alternately pressurizes and depressurizes a separate cooling cylinder by directly transferring thermally induced pressure changes to that cooling cylinder at optimized times in the cycle, under the control of a numerically controlled actuation system that can cycle at a much lower rate than mechanically coupled or harmonically phased systems.

A method for increasing working gas flow rate through gas bearings of a free piston, gamma configured Stirling heat pump to avoid failure of the gas bearings while maintaining thermal cooling power. The Stirling heat pump lifts heat from a storage chamber and has pistons that are driven in reciprocation at an operating frequency by linear electric motors. A temperature control maintains a steady state storage chamber temperature by sensing storage chamber temperature and modulating piston amplitude. The invention comprises (a) driving the pistons with linear electric motors that are driven by a variable frequency, AC power source; (b) sensing the pistons' amplitude of reciprocation; and (c) if the sensed piston amplitude is less than a selected piston activation amplitude, increasing the frequency of the AC power source to increase the Stirling heat pump's operating frequency. That decreases thermal cooling power which causes the temperature control to increase piston amplitude.

A method for increasing working gas flow rate through gas bearings of a free piston, gamma configured Stirling heat pump to avoid failure of the gas bearings while maintaining thermal cooling power. The Stirling heat pump lifts heat from a storage chamber and has pistons that are driven in reciprocation at an operating frequency by linear electric motors. A temperature control maintains a steady state storage chamber temperature by sensing storage chamber temperature and modulating piston amplitude. The invention comprises (a) driving the pistons with linear electric motors that are driven by a variable frequency, AC power source; (b) sensing the pistons' amplitude of reciprocation; and (c) if the sensed piston amplitude is less than a selected piston activation amplitude, increasing the frequency of the AC power source to increase the Stirling heat pump's operating frequency. That decreases thermal cooling power which causes the temperature control to increase piston amplitude.

An alpha type Stirling engine is provided and comprises an expansion cylinder and a compression cylinder, a regenerator, a cooler, and a heater. Each one of the expansion cylinder and the compression cylinder has a movable piston connected to a respective linear electric generator/motor, wherein the Stirling engine further comprises a control unit which is operatively connected to the linear electric generators/motors and which is configured to control the linear electric generators/motors individually so as to enable a different stroke length and/or motion profile of the piston in the expansion cylinder compared to the piston in the compression cylinder.

An alpha type Stirling engine is provided and comprises an expansion cylinder and a compression cylinder, a regenerator, a cooler, and a heater. Each one of the expansion cylinder and the compression cylinder has a movable piston connected to a respective linear electric generator/motor, wherein the Stirling engine further comprises a control unit which is operatively connected to the linear electric generators/motors and which is configured to control the linear electric generators/motors individually so as to enable a different stroke length and/or motion profile of the piston in the expansion cylinder compared to the piston in the compression cylinder.

A container-type compressed air storage power generation device (2) comprises compressors (5a-5c); a tank (8); power generators (9a-9c); a control device (12); and a container (4). The compressors (5a-5c) compress air. The tank (8) is driven by air supplied from the compressors (5a-5c). The power generators (9a-9c) are driven by air supplied from the tank (8). The control device drives and controls the compressors (5a-5c) and the power generators (9a-9c). The container (4) houses the compressors (5a-5c) and the power generators (9a-9c), and the tank (8) is disposed outside the container (4). Therefore, the container-type compressed air storage power generation device (2) is easy to transport and construct on-site.

A container-type compressed air storage power generation device (2) comprises compressors (5a-5c); a tank (8); power generators (9a-9c); a control device (12); and a container (4). The compressors (5a-5c) compress air. The tank (8) is driven by air supplied from the compressors (5a-5c). The power generators (9a-9c) are driven by air supplied from the tank (8). The control device drives and controls the compressors (5a-5c) and the power generators (9a-9c). The container (4) houses the compressors (5a-5c) and the power generators (9a-9c), and the tank (8) is disposed outside the container (4). Therefore, the container-type compressed air storage power generation device (2) is easy to transport and construct on-site.

A radial crank external heated engine having multiple alignments of pistons radial to multiple collinear rotary valves, multiple crankshafts connected to alignments of pistons, and a common output shaft connected to the crankshafts. A heat conductive working fluid is cycled to the engine from a heat producing external energy source via a slotted channelled tube extended centrally through the rotary valves. The rotary valves have intake and exhaust sections that communicate with the channelled tube and provide means working fluid exchange with respective pistons at timed intervals. The pistons are reciprocally driven by the entry of pressurized work fluid in the cylinder, and the resulting motive power is transferred along the crankshafts to the output shaft where it can be harnessed.

A radial crank external heated engine having multiple alignments of pistons radial to multiple collinear rotary valves, multiple crankshafts connected to alignments of pistons, and a common output shaft connected to the crankshafts. A heat conductive working fluid is cycled to the engine from a heat producing external energy source via a slotted channelled tube extended centrally through the rotary valves. The rotary valves have intake and exhaust sections that communicate with the channelled tube and provide means working fluid exchange with respective pistons at timed intervals. The pistons are reciprocally driven by the entry of pressurized work fluid in the cylinder, and the resulting motive power is transferred along the crankshafts to the output shaft where it can be harnessed.