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.

Disclosed techniques include control and configuration of software-defined machines. A hardware design for a mechanical system is obtained. The mechanical system includes a plurality of components that includes a liquid piston heat engine. Couplings between the plurality of components are described. A plurality of layers for the mechanical system is defined. The mechanical system that includes the liquid piston heat engine is implemented. The implementation is across the plurality of layers. The implementation is based on the couplings between the plurality of components. The couplings are described using connectivity maps. The implementation is based on construction rules. An application programming interface is used to communicate information on the plurality of layers for the mechanical system. The plurality of layers provides progressive levels of abstraction for the mechanical system.

The present invention concerns an external heat source engine comprising: —at least one cylinder (2), —a piston (3) that is movable back and forth in the cylinder, —a cylinder head (4) defining a working chamber (5) with the piston and the cylinder, —a heat exchanger (6) for exchanging heat between a working gas and a heat-transfer fluid, —a distribution comprising two rotary slide valves (20, 30) mounted so as to be able to rotate in the cylinder head and bringing the working chamber selectively into communication with the following resources: •a working gas inlet (A), •a cold end (B) of the exchanger, •a hot end (C) of the exchanger, •an exhaust (D). The slide valves (20, 30) comprise internal passages that open through the side wall of same through at least one opening that communicates selectively with the working chamber (5) via at least one opening formed in the cylinder head (4).

A plant for producing mechanical energy from a carrier fluid under cryogenic conditions, including a cryogenic tank configured for storing the carrier fluid under cryogenic conditions and a capacitive tank. The plant further includes a supply circuit, arranged as a connection between the cryogenic tank and the capacitive tank and comprising a pump configured to increase the pressure of the carrier fluid. The plant provides an engine body, configured for producing mechanical energy and including at least one work chamber having an inlet port, arranged in fluid communication with the capacitive tank, and an outlet port connected to a discharge circuit for the spent carrier fluid, and a recirculation circuit designed to convey a portion of the spent carrier fluid into the capacitive tank.

The present invention concerns an external heat source engine comprising: at least one cylinder (2), a piston (3) that is movable back and forth in the cylinder, a cylinder head (4) defining a working chamber (5) with the piston and the cylinder, a heat exchanger (6) for exchanging heat between a working gas and a heat-transfer fluid, a distribution comprising two rotary slide valves (20, 30) mounted so as to be able to rotate in the cylinder head and bringing the working chamber selectively into communication with the following resources: a working gas inlet (A), a cold end (B) of the exchanger, a hot end (C) of the exchanger, an exhaust (D). The slide valves (20, 30) comprise internal passages that open through the side wall of same through at least one opening that communicates selectively with the working chamber (5) via at least one opening formed in the cylinder head (4).

The present invention relates to a gas engine driven heat pump system (GHP) and, more particularly, to a gas engine driven heat pump system with a generator, the system including a generator that is driven to generate power by a gas engine in addition to driving a compressor by driving the gas engine, thereby using external power only in the early-state operation and, later, being able to drive a gas hat pump using self-power generated by the generator without using specific external power and to supply the power to an energy storage system (ESS) storing power and a power system requiring power in buildings, and the system further supplying hot water by restoring engine waste heat.

A multifuel closed-loop thermal cycle piston engine, system and method. An externally-fired continuous combustion piston-driven engine configured to employ water injection post combustion to maintain a temperature of exhaust gas at a set point to form a closed-loop thermal cycle. A multifuel closed-loop thermal cycle piston engine includes a drive stage, a compression stage separate from the drive stage, the compression stage including a pressure-operated exhaust valve of a compression cylinder, an externally-fired continuous combustion chamber configured to conduct continuous combustion of a nonselective fuel, the combustion chamber comprising a water injection stage succeeding the fuel burner chamber, the water injection stage configured to inject water into the combustion chamber post-combustion, and wherein a quantity of water injected post-combustion is configured to maintain engine exhaust at or below a temperature set point.

A radiation thermal absorber based on characteristic absorption spectrum, a Stirling engine and an operation method thereof. The radiation thermal absorber allows working gas in the Stirling engine to absorb radiation heat quickly, and help the Stirling engine adopt assistant heating to ensure steady operation when solar power is not enough. The radiation thermal absorber includes a heater base, a radiation energy conversion device, heating tubes, a combustion chamber and valves of the heating tubes. The radiation energy conversion device converts the solar energy into radiation energy near a characteristic absorption peak of the working gas, and the working gas absorbs the radiation directly in depth.

An efficient stirling engine comprises an expansion chamber with a heater and a compression chamber with a cooler, wherein the two chambers are connected through a regenerator. A passage between the heater and the expansion chamber is provided with a first valve system, a passage between the cooler and the compression chamber is provided with a second valve system, the first valve system can close or open the passage between the heater and the expansion chamber, and the second valve system can close or open the passage between the cooler and the compression chamber. After adopting the structure above, when a heating end is heated to expand, a cooling end at the other end is closed, and on the contrary, when the cooling end is cooled to shrink, the heating end at the other end is closed, so that the heating energy is fully used, so as to increase the efficiency of the stirling engine.

Slide valve (1), in particular for a waste heat recovery system of a combustion engine, having a valve housing (4), wherein an inlet passage (5) and an outlet passage (6) are formed in the valve housing (4). A substantially cylindrical slide (3) is guided in a longitudinally movable manner in a guide bore (20) in the valve housing (4), wherein the guide bore (20) can be connected hydraulically to the inlet passage (5) and to the outlet passage (6). A closing body (35, 35a) is arranged on the slide (3), wherein a slide seat (75, 75a) is formed between the guide bore (20) and the closing body (35, 35a). The guide bore (20) and the sliding body (35, 35a) form a sliding pair, wherein the sliding pair has the material combination steel-graphite or the material combination ceramic-graphite.