A cooling device employing a thermodynamic cycle of the reverse stirling cycle type is provided. The device includes a compressor with a reciprocating piston driven by a rotary motor about an axis by means of a crankshaft. The device further comprises a monobloc support forming a cylinder in which the piston of the compressor moves. The crankshaft is supported by a single bearing. The bearing is positioned without an intermediate component in a housing of the monobloc support.

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 cycle heat engine 10 includes one moving part, rotor 24 that combines the traditional functions of piston, displacer, and flywheel. There is no reciprocating motion and no travel of the center of gravity. It can be built as a hermetically closed unit with few parts.

A variable volume chamber device is disclosed. The chambers may be defined by the space between four pivotally connected vanes contained within two side plates. The vanes may be connected so as to create a sealed interior chamber that may be used as a combustion chamber in an internal combustion engine, or as a pumping chamber in a pump or compressor. The four vane assembly may also form additional variable volume chambers between the vanes and a surrounding structure. The plurality of variable volume chambers may be interconnected to progressively act on a working fluid.

A cooling device implementing a stirling-type thermodynamic cycle includes a compressor with a reciprocating piston driven by an electric motor rotating about an axis via a crankshaft. The electric motor comprises an internal stator and an external rotor and is connected to the crankshaft via a link with at least one degree of freedom in rotation about the axis of the electric motor.

A cooling device employing a thermodynamic cycle of the reverse stirling cycle type is provided. The device includes a compressor with a reciprocating piston driven by a rotary motor about an axis by means of a crankshaft. The device further comprises a monobloc support forming a cylinder in which the piston of the compressor moves. The crankshaft is supported by a single bearing. The bearing is positioned without an intermediate component in a housing of the monobloc support.

The price per performance advantages of double-acting Stirling engines have long been known, and recent experiments have demonstrated the performance and behavior advantages of Stirling engines which involve optimal parameters, such as an optimal phase angle between the pistons. Herein disclosed are new Stirling engine designs which permit both of these advantages to be achieved at once, as well as other benefits such as compactness, simplicity, reliability and lower cost.

A Stirling-cycle apparatus is provided comprising a hermetically sealable housing; a first rotary displacement unit in fluid communication with a second rotary fluid displacement unit, each operably mounted in a separate, fluidly sealed portion within said housing and adapted to provide a cyclic change of at least one thermodynamic state parameter of a working fluid during use. Furthermore, each one of said first and second rotary displacement unit comprises a compressor mechanism, having a first compressor working chamber that is adapted to receive a first portion of said working fluid, and at least a second compressor working chamber that is adapted to receive a second portion of said working fluid, said first compressor working chamber comprises a first outlet port and said second compressor working chamber comprises a second outlet port. Each one of said first and second rotary displacement unit further comprises an expander mechanism, having a first expander working chamber that is adapted to receive said first portion of said working fluid, and at least a second expander working chamber that is adapted to receive said second portion of said working fluid, said first expander working chamber comprises a first inlet port and said second expander working chamber comprises a second inlet port; a drive coupling assembly, adapted to operably and operatively couple said first expander mechanism to said first compressor mechanism. The drive coupling assembly further comprises a rotating valve mechanism, adapted to provide a predetermined sequence of a cyclic fluid exchange between said first compressor working chamber and said first expander working chamber, and between said second compressor working chamber and said second expander working chamber, at predetermined intervals of the angle of rotation of said first and second rotatory displacement unit. The Stirling-cycle apparatus further comprises an actuator, operably coupled to said first and second rotary displacement unit, and adapted to synchronously link the rotational movement of said first rotary displacement unit with said second rotary displacement unit, such that said first predetermined cyclic change of at least one thermodynamic state parameter of said working fluid is offset in relation to said second predetermined cyclic change of at least one thermodynamic state parameter of said working fluid by a predetermined phase angle, during use.

A Stirling-cycle apparatus is provided comprising a hermetically sealable housing; a first rotary displacement unit in fluid communication with a second rotary fluid displacement unit, each operably mounted in a separate, fluidly sealed portion within said housing and adapted to provide a cyclic change of at least one thermodynamic state parameter of a working fluid during use. Furthermore, each one of said first and second rotary displacement unit comprises a compressor mechanism, having a first compressor working chamber that is adapted to receive a first portion of said working fluid, and at least a second compressor working chamber that is adapted to receive a second portion of said working fluid, said first compressor working chamber comprises a first outlet port and said second compressor working chamber comprises a second outlet port. Each one of said first and second rotary displacement unit further comprises an expander mechanism, having a first expander working chamber that is adapted to receive said first portion of said working fluid, and at least a second expander working chamber that is adapted to receive said second portion of said working fluid, said first expander working chamber comprises a first inlet port and said second expander working chamber comprises a second inlet port; a drive coupling assembly, adapted to operably and operatively couple said first expander mechanism to said first compressor mechanism. The drive coupling assembly further comprises a rotating valve mechanism, adapted to provide a predetermined sequence of a cyclic fluid exchange between said first compressor working chamber and said first expander working chamber, and between said second compressor working chamber and said second expander working chamber, at predetermined intervals of the angle of rotation of said first and second rotatory displacement unit. The Stirling-cycle apparatus further comprises an actuator, operably coupled to said first and second rotary displacement unit, and adapted to synchronously link the rotational movement of said first rotary displacement unit with said second rotary displacement unit, such that said first predetermined cyclic change of at least one thermodynamic state parameter of said working fluid is offset in relation to said second predetermined cyclic change of at least one thermodynamic state parameter of said working fluid by a predetermined phase angle, during use.

A variable volume chamber device is disclosed. The chambers may be defined by the space between four pivotally connected vanes contained within two side plates. The vanes may be connected so as to create a sealed interior chamber that may be used as a combustion chamber in an internal combustion engine, or as a pumping chamber in a pump or compressor. The four vane assembly may also form additional variable volume chambers between the vanes and a surrounding structure. The plurality of variable volume chambers may be interconnected to progressively act on a working fluid.