Intrinsically irreversible heat engine
Abstract
A class of heat engines based on an intrinsically irreversible heat transfer process is disclosed. In a typical embodiment the engine comprises a compressible fluid that is cyclically compressed and expanded while at the same time being driven in reciprocal motion by a positive displacement drive means. A second thermodynamic medium is maintained in imperfect thermal contact with the fluid and bears a broken thermodynamic symmetry with respect to the fluid. the second thermodynamic medium is a structure adapted to have a low fluid flow impedance with respect to the compressible fluid, and which is further adapted to be in only moderate thermal contact with the fluid. In operation, thermal energy is pumped along the second medium due to a phase lag between the cyclical heating and cooling of the fluid and the resulting heat conduction between the fluid and the medium. In a preferred embodiment the engine comprises an acoustical drive and a housing containing a gas which is driven at a resonant frequency so as to be maintained in a standing wave. Operation of the engine at acoustic frequencies improves the power density and coefficient of performance. The second thermodynamic medium can be coupled to suitable heat exchangersmore »
- Inventors:
-
- Los Alamos, NM
- Santa Fe, NM
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 865290
- Patent Number(s):
- 4489553
- Assignee:
- United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
F - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING F02 - COMBUSTION ENGINES F02G - HOT GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT ENGINE PLANTS
F - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING F05 - INDEXING SCHEMES RELATING TO ENGINES OR PUMPS IN VARIOUS SUBCLASSES OF CLASSES F01-F04 F05C - INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO MATERIALS, MATERIAL PROPERTIES OR MATERIAL CHARACTERISTICS FOR MACHINES, ENGINES OR PUMPS OTHER THAN NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-36
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- intrinsically; irreversible; heat; engine; engines; based; transfer; process; disclosed; typical; embodiment; comprises; compressible; fluid; cyclically; compressed; expanded; time; driven; reciprocal; motion; positive; displacement; drive; means; thermodynamic; medium; maintained; imperfect; thermal; contact; bears; broken; symmetry; respect; structure; adapted; flow; impedance; moderate; operation; energy; pumped; due; phase; lag; cyclical; heating; cooling; resulting; conduction; preferred; acoustical; housing; containing; gas; resonant; frequency; standing; wave; acoustic; frequencies; improves; power; density; coefficient; performance; coupled; suitable; exchangers; utilize; simple; refrigeration; device; mechanical; moving; alternatively; reversible; function; utilizable; prime; mover; coupling; sources; sinks; compressible fluid; heat engines; positive displacement; heat conduction; engine comprises; prime mover; heat engine; resonant frequency; heat exchange; heat exchanger; heat transfer; preferred embodiment; thermal energy; fluid flow; heat exchangers; standing wave; power density; thermal contact; thermodynamic medium; housing containing; drive means; resulting heat; suitable heat; suitable source; intrinsically irreversible; phase lag; transfer process; reversible heat; typical embodiment; acoustical drive; irreversible heat; /60/62/
Citation Formats
Wheatley, John C, Swift, Gregory W, and Migliori, Albert. Intrinsically irreversible heat engine. United States: N. p., 1984.
Web.
Wheatley, John C, Swift, Gregory W, & Migliori, Albert. Intrinsically irreversible heat engine. United States.
Wheatley, John C, Swift, Gregory W, and Migliori, Albert. Sun .
"Intrinsically irreversible heat engine". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/865290.
@article{osti_865290,
title = {Intrinsically irreversible heat engine},
author = {Wheatley, John C and Swift, Gregory W and Migliori, Albert},
abstractNote = {A class of heat engines based on an intrinsically irreversible heat transfer process is disclosed. In a typical embodiment the engine comprises a compressible fluid that is cyclically compressed and expanded while at the same time being driven in reciprocal motion by a positive displacement drive means. A second thermodynamic medium is maintained in imperfect thermal contact with the fluid and bears a broken thermodynamic symmetry with respect to the fluid. the second thermodynamic medium is a structure adapted to have a low fluid flow impedance with respect to the compressible fluid, and which is further adapted to be in only moderate thermal contact with the fluid. In operation, thermal energy is pumped along the second medium due to a phase lag between the cyclical heating and cooling of the fluid and the resulting heat conduction between the fluid and the medium. In a preferred embodiment the engine comprises an acoustical drive and a housing containing a gas which is driven at a resonant frequency so as to be maintained in a standing wave. Operation of the engine at acoustic frequencies improves the power density and coefficient of performance. The second thermodynamic medium can be coupled to suitable heat exchangers to utilize the engine as a simple refrigeration device having no mechanical moving parts. Alternatively, the engine is reversible in function so as to be utilizable as a prime mover by coupling it to suitable sources and sinks of heat.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1984},
month = {1}
}