An energy conversion apparatus may include an engine assembly, such as a monolithic engine assembly. The engine assembly may include a first monolithic body segment and a plurality of second monolithic body segments directly coupled or directly couplable to the first monolithic body segment. The first monolithic body segment may define a combustion chamber and a recirculation pathway in fluid communication with the combustion chamber. The recirculation pathway may be configured to recirculate combustion gas through the combustion chamber. The plurality of second monolithic body segments may respectively define at least a portion of a piston chamber and a plurality of working-fluid pathways fluidly communicating with the piston chamber.

A Stirling engine includes an engine main body including at least an engine unit and a cooler heat exchanger, and a heater structure including at least a heater heat exchanger. The engine main body and the heater structure have separate structures, and the engine main body and the heater structure are connected via a coupling pipe portion.

A Stirling engine includes an engine main body including at least an engine unit and a cooler heat exchanger, and a heater structure including at least a heater heat exchanger. The engine main body and the heater structure have separate structures, and the engine main body and the heater structure are connected via a coupling pipe portion.

An integrated wind and solar solution is provided, including a solar energy collection assembly (100) and a vertical axis wind turbine (400), combined to provide an integrated power output. In preferred embodiments, the vertical axis wind turbine is positioned above the solar energy collection assembly. Concentrating solar mirror collectors (116) are used to direct sunlight to a heat engine (250), which converts the collected heat energy into rotary motion. Rotary motion from the heat engine and from the vertical axis wind turbine preferably are on the same rotating axis (600), to facilitate load sharing between these two sources. A dual axis azimuth-altitude solar panel alignment tracking system is used in order to boost the energy conversion capability of the solar energy collectors.

An integrated wind and solar solution is provided, including a solar energy collection assembly (100) and a vertical axis wind turbine (400), combined to provide an integrated power output. In preferred embodiments, the vertical axis wind turbine is positioned above the solar energy collection assembly. Concentrating solar mirror collectors (116) are used to direct sunlight to a heat engine (250), which converts the collected heat energy into rotary motion. Rotary motion from the heat engine and from the vertical axis wind turbine preferably are on the same rotating axis (600), to facilitate load sharing between these two sources. A dual axis azimuth-altitude solar panel alignment tracking system is used in order to boost the energy conversion capability of the solar energy collectors.

A working cylinder is provided, comprising at least one disc-like displacer (120) rotatably supported in a cylindrical block (114), which displacer (120) is arranged between two annular flanges (110) extending radially inwards from said block (114) on each sides of said displacer (120) such that said displacer (120) will be arranged in parallel with said flanges (110) upon rotation, wherein at least one of said flanges (110) comprises a plurality of sections including a first section (112a) having a first temperature, a second section (112b) having a second temperature being lower than said first temperature, and two insulating sections (112c, 112d) completely preventing contact between said first section (112a) and said second section (112b), and wherein said displacer (120) comprises a cutout (122) for rotating a volume of working fluid across the sections (112), which cutout is dimensioned such that for every rotational position it does not overlap the first section (112a) and the second section (112b) at the same time.

A working cylinder is provided, comprising at least one disc-like displacer (120) rotatably supported in a cylindrical block (114), which displacer (120) is arranged between two annular flanges (110) extending radially inwards from said block (114) on each sides of said displacer (120) such that said displacer (120) will be arranged in parallel with said flanges (110) upon rotation, wherein at least one of said flanges (110) comprises a plurality of sections including a first section (112a) having a first temperature, a second section (112b) having a second temperature being lower than said first temperature, and two insulating sections (112c, 112d) completely preventing contact between said first section (112a) and said second section (112b), and wherein said displacer (120) comprises a cutout (122) for rotating a volume of working fluid across the sections (112), which cutout is dimensioned such that for every rotational position it does not overlap the first section (112a) and the second section (112b) at the same time.

A Stirling engine can take advantage of adiabatic compression (which heats working gas leaving the cold cylinder) and adiabatic expansion (which cools working gas leaving the hot cylinder) to increase efficiency. In some implementations, partially-heated gas leaving the cold cylinder and partially-cooled gas leaving the hot cylinder can be routed directly to a regenerator using bypass paths that are opened using one-way valves. The resultant relatively reduced temperature difference across the regenerator, e.g., as compared to a typical Stirling engine, can reduce thermal loss and improve efficiency. In some implementations, the compression ratios of the Stirling engine can be adjusted such that the temperature of the adiabatic heated gas is the same or higher than the temperature of the adiabatic cooled temperatures, thus eliminating the need for a regenerator.

A Stirling engine can take advantage of adiabatic compression (which heats working gas leaving the cold cylinder) and adiabatic expansion (which cools working gas leaving the hot cylinder) to increase efficiency. In some implementations, partially-heated gas leaving the cold cylinder and partially-cooled gas leaving the hot cylinder can be routed directly to a regenerator using bypass paths that are opened using one-way valves. The resultant relatively reduced temperature difference across the regenerator, e.g., as compared to a typical Stirling engine, can reduce thermal loss and improve efficiency. In some implementations, the compression ratios of the Stirling engine can be adjusted such that the temperature of the adiabatic heated gas is the same or higher than the temperature of the adiabatic cooled temperatures, thus eliminating the need for a regenerator.

A Stirling engine comprising: a crank case (1) with a crank shaft (2) arranged therein, a displacer cylinder (3) with a reciprocatingly arranged displacer piston (4) therein, said displacer piston (4) being connected to said crank shaft (2) via a connecting rod (5) extending through a first end of said displacer cylinder (3), and wherein the displacer cylinder (3) defines a hot chamber (6) and a cool chamber (7) separated by the displacer piston (4), a working cylinder (8) defining a working cylinder chamber (11) with a reciprocatingly arranged working piston (9) therein, said working piston (9) being connected to said crank shaft (2) via a connecting rod (10) extending through a first end of the working cylinder (8), a heater device (14), arranged at a second end of said displacer cylinder (3) opposite to said first end and configured to heat a working gas which is present in the hot chamber (6) of the displacer cylinder (3) and in fluid communication with the working cylinder chamber (11) through a working gas channel which comprises a first heat exchanger (16) extending from a head (19) of the displacer cylinder (3) into the heater device (14), and a second heat exchanger (17) formed by a regenerator arranged outside the heater device (14). The regenerator (17) comprises a regenerator element (17) formed by metal foam that has an open porosity.