Solar powered free-piston stirling engine

Patent · Tue Feb 17 04:00:00 EST 1987

OSTI ID:7092072

Benson, G M

A solar-powered Stirling engine is described comprising: a solar receiver which converts solar radiation to thermal energy; a storage chamber for thermal energy in heat transfer communication with the receiver; a displacer including a displacer chamber and a differential area displacer piston with variable electromagnetic damping means dividing the displacer chamber into separate hot and cold subchambers respectively, the hot subchamber being in heat transfer communication with the storage chamber; means for cooling the cold subchamber; an alternator including an alternator chamber and an alternator piston dividing the alternator chamber into working and bounce subchambers respectively, the working subchamber being in fluid communication with the cold subchamber of the displacer; a working fluid circulating through be cold subchamber and the working subchamber and in heat transfer communication with the storage chamber, the working fluid being displaced by the displacer piston to drive the alternator piston; and means for obtaining work output from the alternator piston.

• Assignee: New Process Industries, Inc., Minneapolis, MN
• Patent Number(s): US 4642988
• OSTI ID: 7092072
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140909* -- Solar Thermal Utilization-- Miscellaneous Solar Applications-- (1980-)
33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS
330201 -- External Combustion Engines-- Stirling Cycle
ALTERNATORS
CONVERSION
COOLING SYSTEMS
DAMPING
DESIGN
ELECTRIC GENERATORS
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
ELECTROMAGNETS
ENERGY CONVERSION
ENERGY SYSTEMS
ENERGY TRANSFER
ENGINES
EQUIPMENT
FLUID FLOW
FLUIDS
HEAT ENGINES
HEAT TRANSFER
MAGNETS
OPERATION
PISTONS
SOLAR ENERGY CONVERSION
SOLAR HEAT ENGINES
SOLAR RECEIVERS
STIRLING ENGINES
THERMAL ENERGY STORAGE EQUIPMENT
WORKING FLUIDS