DOE Patents title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Variable gas spring for matching power output from FPSE to load of refrigerant compressor

Abstract

The power output of a free piston Stirling engine is matched to a gas compressor which it drives and its stroke amplitude is made relatively constant as a function of power by connecting a gas spring to the drive linkage from the engine to the compressor. The gas spring is connected to the compressor through a passageway in which a valve is interposed. The valve is linked to the drive linkage so it is opened when the stroke amplitude exceeds a selected limit. This allows compressed gas to enter the spring, increase its spring constant, thus opposing stroke increase and reducing the phase lead of the displacer ahead of the piston to reduce power output and match it to a reduced load power demand.

Inventors:
 [1];  [1]
  1. Athens, OH
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
867318
Patent Number(s):
4912929
Assignee:
Sunpower, Inc. (Athens, OH)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
F - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING F02 - COMBUSTION ENGINES F02G - HOT GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT ENGINE PLANTS
F - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING F25 - REFRIGERATION OR COOLING F25B - REFRIGERATION MACHINES, PLANTS OR SYSTEMS
DOE Contract Number:  
AC05-84OR21400
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
variable; gas; spring; matching; power; output; fpse; load; refrigerant; compressor; free; piston; stirling; engine; matched; drives; stroke; amplitude; relatively; constant; function; connecting; drive; linkage; connected; passageway; valve; interposed; linked; exceeds; selected; limit; allows; compressed; enter; increase; opposing; reducing; phase; lead; displacer; ahead; reduce; match; reduced; demand; piston stirling; gas compressor; gas spring; refrigerant compressor; compressed gas; relatively constant; power output; stirling engine; free piston; reduce power; variable gas; spring constant; selected limit; power demand; /60/62/

Citation Formats

Chen, Gong, and Beale, William T. Variable gas spring for matching power output from FPSE to load of refrigerant compressor. United States: N. p., 1990. Web.
Chen, Gong, & Beale, William T. Variable gas spring for matching power output from FPSE to load of refrigerant compressor. United States.
Chen, Gong, and Beale, William T. Mon . "Variable gas spring for matching power output from FPSE to load of refrigerant compressor". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/867318.
@article{osti_867318,
title = {Variable gas spring for matching power output from FPSE to load of refrigerant compressor},
author = {Chen, Gong and Beale, William T},
abstractNote = {The power output of a free piston Stirling engine is matched to a gas compressor which it drives and its stroke amplitude is made relatively constant as a function of power by connecting a gas spring to the drive linkage from the engine to the compressor. The gas spring is connected to the compressor through a passageway in which a valve is interposed. The valve is linked to the drive linkage so it is opened when the stroke amplitude exceeds a selected limit. This allows compressed gas to enter the spring, increase its spring constant, thus opposing stroke increase and reducing the phase lead of the displacer ahead of the piston to reduce power output and match it to a reduced load power demand.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {1990},
month = {1}
}