Energy conversion apparatus

Patent · Tue Oct 18 04:00:00 EDT 1988

OSTI ID:6620154

Porter, D R

This patent describes an energy conversion apparatus comprising: an engine, the engine comprising a cylinder and a piston reciprocally mounted therein, the cylinder defining a combustion chamber on one side of the piston for receiving a fuel mixture and a fluid drive chamber on the other side of the piston for receiving hydraulic fluid, a turbine, the turbine comprising a housing and a vaned turbine wheel rotatably mounted on a drive shaft journalled in the housing, hydraulic means for coupling fluid in the fluid drive chamber of the cylinder with the housing for rotatably driving the turbine wheel and the drive shaft upon a given movement of the piston, means for providing the combustion chamber of the engine with a fuel mixture comprising hydrogen and oxygen, an ignition means for selectively igniting the mixture in the combustion chamber, and purging means for selectively rotating the turbine prior to ignition of the fuel mixture in the engine to remove air therefrom, the purging means comprising a pump means for moving fluid from the reservoir into the fluid drive chambers, the conduit means and the turbine housing, whereby the piston driven by the ignited fuel mixture forces fluid in the fluid drive chamber against the vanes of the turbine wheel to rotate the drive shaft.

• Assignee: NOV; EDB-89-026397; NOV-89-034494
• Patent Number(s): US 4777801
• OSTI ID: 6620154
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS
330103* -- Internal Combustion Engines-- Turbine
CYLINDERS
DESIGN
ELEMENTS
ENGINES
EQUIPMENT
FINS
FUEL SYSTEMS
GAS TURBINE ENGINES
HEAT ENGINES
HYDRAULIC EQUIPMENT
HYDROGEN
IGNITION SYSTEMS
INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES
MACHINE PARTS
MACHINERY
NONMETALS
OXYGEN
PISTONS
PUMPS
SHAFTS
TURBINES
TURBOMACHINERY