A thermal engine system is characterized by a cylinder having a suitable working fluid disposed therein and having a piston reciprocally movable in first and second directions within the cylinder, the piston dividing the cylinder into first and second pressurization regions. In one embodiment, a thermally responsive, expansible member is operatively connected directly at one free terminus thereof to the piston. In an alternate embodiment, the free terminus of the thermally responsive, expansible member is indirectly attached to one or more double-acting piston-cylinders through lever connections. The thermally responsive, expansible member is connected at the second end thereof to suitable means for maintaining the second end of the expansible member in a substantially stationary position. The thermally responsive, expansible member responds to the temperature of driving fluids introduced thereto to alternately thermally expand and contract to thereby cause reciprocating motion of the piston within the cylinder. Reciprocation of the piston within the cylinder alternatively pressurizes working fluid disposed within the first and the second regions of the cylinder. The pressure energy transmitted to the working fluid in the first and second regions of the cylinder is stored within a suitable energy storing arrangement to be utilized in any desired manner.
A power actuator comprises an enclosure (5) separated by transverse partitions (6) into two sections (7, 8) which are filled in succession with a heat-transfer agent. A load-bearing casing (1) the walls of which are made of a material possessing a "form-remembering" ability is arranged along the longitudinal axis of the enclosure (5). At a definite temperature the walls of the load-bearing casing (1) deflect inwardly, thereby reducing the internal volume of the load-bearing casing (1). The transverse partitions are made of an elastic material and are installed for coming in contact with the external surfaces of the walls of the casing (1) when their position is changed.
An engine for conversion of low grade thermal energy into useful rotational energy incorporates a plurality of hollow deformable shape memory elements coupled in series with the crankpins of a crankshaft and with load limiting members. Hot and cold fluids are alternately directed through the crankshaft to the inner surface of the shape memory elements to provide rotation of the crankshaft.
A hydraulic shape memory material force converter is provided comprising a shape memory material. The force converter utilizes hydraulic units and a hydraulic fluid. The hydraulic unit is changed from a first position to a second position when the shape memory material, connected at one end to one end of the hydraulic unit and its other to a fixed point or a second end of the hydraulic unit, changes from a martensitic to an austenitic state upon heating. The hydraulic fluid responds to the movement of the hydraulic unit by moving from the hydraulic unit to a receiving device, which receiving device performs work due to the motion of the hydraulic fluid. Upon cooling the shape memory material to change it from the austenitic state back to the martensitic state, the hydraulic unit returns to its original position, with a biasing means being provided to return the hydraulic unit to its rest position.
An energy conversion system for deriving useful power from the thermal gradients in the ocean, or from solar, geothermal, or other sources of low level heat, by using warm water to heat a confined working gas such as air whereby a pressure increase results due to warming the gas, arranging so that the expansion moves a piston or other device to extract power, and then cooling the gas and compressing it back to initial conditions while directly or indirectly contacting it with cooler water to thereby decrease the work needed for recompression. Net useful work results from the difference between the work of expansion at higher temperature and the work of recompression at lower temperature.
A fluid circulating system includes a thermal differential engine having a pair of expansion-contraction vessels each containing an expansion component expansible with heat for discharging fluid to a delivery line when heated and drawing fluid from a return line when cooled. Heated water is supplied alternatively to the pair of vessels to circulate the fluid through the delivery and return lines. The pair of expansion-contraction vessels are identical in volume and other characteristics and have multiple ports connected to anti-convectional valves and change-over valve.
