Closed cycle heat engine

Patent · 20 April 2021

OSTI ID:1823871

Ertas, Bugra Han; Hofer, Douglas Carl

Heat engines employing fluid bearing assemblies hermetically sealed with a closed flowpath for a working fluid are generally disclosed. For example, the heat engine includes a rotating drivetrain and a fluid bearing assembly. The rotating drivetrain includes a compressor section, an expander section, and a heat exchanger. The compressor section and expander section together define at least in part a closed flowpath for the flow of a working fluid. The heat exchanger is thermally coupled to the closed flowpath for adding heat to the working fluid. The fluid bearing assembly is configured to utilize the working fluid to support the rotating drivetrain. Further, the fluid bearing assembly is hermetically sealed with the closed flowpath.

• Research Organization: General Electric Co., Schenectady, NY (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: EE0007109
• Assignee: General Electric Technology GmbH (Schenectady, NY)
• Patent Number(s): 10,982,713
• Application Number: 15/933,672
• OSTI ID: 1823871
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English