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Title: Start-up and control method and apparatus for resonant free piston Stirling engine

Abstract

A resonant free-piston Stirling engine having a new and improved start-up and control method and system. A displacer linear electrodynamic machine is provided having an armature secured to and movable with the displacer and having a stator supported by the Stirling engine housing in juxtaposition to the armature. A control excitation circuit is provided for electrically exciting the displacer linear electrodynamic machine with electrical excitation signals having substantially the same frequency as the desired frequency of operation of the Stirling engine. The excitation control circuit is designed so that it selectively and controllably causes the displacer electrodynamic machine to function either as a generator load to extract power from the displacer or the control circuit selectively can be operated to cause the displacer electrodynamic machine to operate as an electric drive motor to apply additional input power to the displacer in addition to the thermodynamic power feedback to the displacer whereby the displacer linear electrodynamic machine also is used in the electric drive motor mode as a means for initially starting the resonant free-piston Stirling engine.

Inventors:
 [1]
  1. Schenectady, NY
Issue Date:
OSTI Identifier:
864903
Patent Number(s):
4434617
Assignee:
Mechanical Technology Incorporated (Latham, NY)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
F - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING F02 - COMBUSTION ENGINES F02G - HOT GAS OR COMBUSTION-PRODUCT POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT ENGINE PLANTS
DOE Contract Number:  
DEN3-56
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
start-up; control; method; apparatus; resonant; free; piston; stirling; engine; free-piston; improved; displacer; linear; electrodynamic; machine; provided; armature; secured; movable; stator; supported; housing; juxtaposition; excitation; circuit; electrically; exciting; electrical; signals; substantially; frequency; desired; operation; designed; selectively; controllably; causes; function; generator; load; extract; power; operated; operate; electric; drive; motor; apply; additional; input; addition; thermodynamic; feedback; whereby; mode; means; initially; starting; electrical excitation; input power; piston stirling; control circuit; stirling engine; free piston; excitation signal; control method; drive motor; engine housing; resonant free; desired frequency; free-piston stirling; electric drive; /60/62/

Citation Formats

Walsh, Michael M. Start-up and control method and apparatus for resonant free piston Stirling engine. United States: N. p., 1984. Web.
Walsh, Michael M. Start-up and control method and apparatus for resonant free piston Stirling engine. United States.
Walsh, Michael M. Sun . "Start-up and control method and apparatus for resonant free piston Stirling engine". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/864903.
@article{osti_864903,
title = {Start-up and control method and apparatus for resonant free piston Stirling engine},
author = {Walsh, Michael M},
abstractNote = {A resonant free-piston Stirling engine having a new and improved start-up and control method and system. A displacer linear electrodynamic machine is provided having an armature secured to and movable with the displacer and having a stator supported by the Stirling engine housing in juxtaposition to the armature. A control excitation circuit is provided for electrically exciting the displacer linear electrodynamic machine with electrical excitation signals having substantially the same frequency as the desired frequency of operation of the Stirling engine. The excitation control circuit is designed so that it selectively and controllably causes the displacer electrodynamic machine to function either as a generator load to extract power from the displacer or the control circuit selectively can be operated to cause the displacer electrodynamic machine to operate as an electric drive motor to apply additional input power to the displacer in addition to the thermodynamic power feedback to the displacer whereby the displacer linear electrodynamic machine also is used in the electric drive motor mode as a means for initially starting the resonant free-piston Stirling engine.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1984},
month = {Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1984}
}