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    Heat Exchanger

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    8 views54 pages

    Patent Heat Exchanger

    Uploaded by

    Daniel Olaya
    Heat Exchanger

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    of 54
    6 3) a) oO en 2) 6s) (3) (60) Gy United States Patent Maceda et al. s NGINE HAVING PLATELET HEAT EXCHANGING ELEMENTS Inventors: Joseph P, Maceda, Folsom, CA (US); Randall L. Peeters, Foresthill, CA (US); Felix F. Chen, Roseville, CA (US); Ross A: Hewitt, Sacramento, CA, (US); Juckson I. Ho, Sacramento, CA (US); Kenneth P. Klaas, Carmichael, CA (US); John L. Grimes, Folsom, CA (US); Svein Hestevik, Holen (NO) Assignee: Power Play Energy LLC, Gold River, CA(US) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the tem ofthis patent is extended of adjusted under 35 USC. 1544b) by 0 days. This patent is subjeet to a terminal dis- claimer. Apple No. 10/339,066 Filed: Jan. 8, 2003 Prior Publication Data [Us 20030163000 At Sep. 4 2003 Related U Application Data Continuation of application No. 1080673, lsd on Ma. Sn, now Pat No 613308, Frovishomal aplication No. 60/302.79, fed on Avg. 2 2a am pension spin No. 6279424, eon Im. CW? U, FOLB 29/10 (601824; 60/517 US00693184812 US 6,931,848 B2 *Aug. 23, 2005 (10) Patent No. 5) Date of Patent (58) Field of Se 601517, 524, 526 60) References Cited US. PATENT BOCUMENTS ASOUSK8 A+ “1085 SChetengrber ‘aysas 5393889 A * $1999 Herslowity eal 252373 6051381 A * 42000 spear eta “20/34 6267912 BL * 72001 Hersbkowia el 252373 * cited by examiner Primary Examiner—Hoang Nguyen (74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Berohard Kreten 6 ABSTRACT The present invention provides heat exchanging elements for use in Stiling engines, According 10 the present invention, the heat exchanging elements are made from ‘muliple platelets that arc stacked aod joined together. The tse of platelets io make heat exchanging elements permits Siting engines to aun more elfecieat because the beat transfer and combustion processes are improved. In one embodiment, multi-stage combustion ean be inodueed with plats, along with the Nexibilily to use different types of| fuels. In another embodiment, 3 single component con structed from platelets ean provide the heat transfer rqure- ments hetweeen the combustion gasiworking gas, working 25 inthe regenerator and the working gasicoolant uid of 4 Stirling engine. Ia another embodiment, the pltelet heat fexchanging element can recieve solar energy to beat the Sirling engne’s working gas. Also, this invention provides ‘heat exchanging method that allows for multiple Mud vo Faw in opposing or same direction, 34 Claims, 32 Drawing Sheets US 6,931,848 B2 Aug. 23,2005 Sheet 1 of 32 U.S. Patent T= 84 ye 40 80 | Le 6 2 92, Platelet Stack First Embodiment Fig. 1 U.S. Patent Aug. 23, 2005 Sheet 2 of 32 US 6,931,848 B2 CA 210 42 Air 60 Intake Top View Section 3-3, Fic. 2 Air Intake Paths/Layer ‘ig. 7 Fig. 3 o4 62 Section 4-4 Section 5-5 Air Preheat Layer Combustion Layer Fig. 4 Fig. 5 U.S. Patent Aug. 23, 2005 Sheet 3 of 32 US 6,931,848 B2 42 82 90 ae VA Ve 2 | 210 eal N IRY 220 | — 230 | | 88 52——| q 242 50 = 244 56-——+ 240 246 L ee 248 301 547 ~ 96 Y 1— 252°] 250 300-—| | —254 | | ——~ 300 115 +f NY | 302 110——— NN 1 1 a WN | Working Gas Displacer ——~ bw Piston ij ey Platelet Zones Fig. 6 U.S. Patent Aug. 23, 2005 Sheet 4 of 32 US 6,931,848 B2 300 Section 7-7 Working Gas Expansion/Compression Layer Fig. 7 U.S. Patent Aug. 23, 2005 Sheet 5 of 32 400 La AW det US 6,931,848 B2 420° 420 Displacer Piston ‘Working = SS Platelet Stack ‘Second Embodiment Fig. 8 410 U.S. Patent Aug. 23, 2005 Sheet 6 of 32 US 6,931,848 B2 Intake ce ne freer Fig. 9 Fig. 10 ca ‘530 62, Section 11-11 Section 12-12, Air Prebeat Layer Combustion Layer Fig. 11 Fig. 12 U.S. Patent Sheet 7 of 32 US 6,931,848 B2 500 250 0202908 og0° 9, > o ° Costas 2090 06 Section 13-13 Section 14-14 Working Gas Expansion/ Working Gas Expansion/ Compression Branched Layer Compression Layer Fig. 13 Fig. 14 U.S. Patent Aug. 23, 2005 Sheet 8 of 32 US 6,931,848 B2 62 86 8 94 530 V4 | —210 f N | 220 a Pp 230 s2— I 4 96 s 242 50 yy = a om 34 a Ky — 246 534 —__ SN SSN 420 —{— FRR} 8 Displacer Piston Platelet Zones Fig. 15 240 U.S. Patent Aug. 23, 2005 Sheet 9 of 32 US 6,931,848 B2 599 926 02 \ 678 745 680 678 722 710 \ | f 670 674 \ WUC 3 aS 8) 83 GU or 1 Fy ZHU Ws GUY g 7 | T SY a 672 \ 629 870 Fig. 16 U.S. Patent Aug. 23, 2005 Sheet 10 of 32 US 6,931,848 B2 Fig. 17 U.S. Patent Aug. 23, 2005 Sheet 11 of 32 US 6,931,848 B2 701 630 Section 18-18 Fig. 18 U.S. Patent Aug. 23, 2005 Sheet 12 of 32 US 6,931,848 B2 691 Fig. 19 U.S. Patent Aug. 23, 2005 Sheet 13 of 32 US 6,931,848 B2 800 810 —— 690 Section 20-20 Fig. 20A U.S. Patent Aug. 23, 2005 Sheet 14 of 32 US 6,931,848 B2 09, 00000 0-0-00°0-0.00.0 0 — 0 LOCO 000000 Ne. 00000000000 0000000000 JO D00000000 0.000000 0000000 0-000 00 \ 800 810 Fig. 20B US 6,931,848 B2 Aug. 23,2005 Sheet 16 of 32 U.S. Patent Fig. 21B RSs RIAN | VM US 6,931,848 B2 Aug. 23,2005 Sheet 18 of 32 U.S. Patent Fig. 22B US 6,931,848 B2 Aug. 23,2005 Sheet 19 of 32 U.S. Patent uonoag afuctoxg, weoH, PML, Rt uonoag s8ueyox wo} puos0g om uooag oueqoxg WOH sng 092 €% BI A () _~ sje, OOD JSBD BuppoM Jo siadery Sun — 008 0 014 — TeIpey 10) wore 8 \syauureyg esau | jueyoo5 spoumey |_4%0 fuvpom S008 309 sep, |" sjauueyy luonsnq®] a sep uonsnquio), -wo3 Je Bunpom JO srodey] Sunewary L— 008 [ors 7 Paar 9 > aa uonsnquio3, 069 US 6,931,848 B2 Aug. 23,2005 Sheet 20 of 32 U.S. Patent Primary ‘Combustor ee 5 333 e 2 Sat 2 zB 8 § Gg 58% jf A : a3 = 8 ss _ ° = s X ee ee LY’ gf Sah #t “Noh |* Et 8/ at a 3 , af: 8 EE 1000. 1040 Exhaust 810 (Cold volume of Working Gas) 760 770 | 610 Fig. 24 U.S. Patent Aug. 23, 2005 Sheet 21 of 32 US 6,931,848 B2 NO and CO Emission Vs. Mixture Ratio at Evol vist} Air ich) oa | : _ S ooos No col lia 8 Ld jemifsion {> 3 5 on | owe 8 é i $B c008 - — | poo 8 3 | ~~ been i ~L o 4 o Fig. 25 US 6,931,848 B2 Aug. 23,2005 Sheet 22 of 32 U.S. Patent Primary 1110 Combustor _> Mfuet-rich) ~ 800 760 —— 800 _-—— 800 Regenerator [I a | 1032 (Hot volume of Working Gas) Exhaust gas | 810 (Cold volume of Working Gas) a 760 | vw 1120 Second Combustor (air-rich) Fig. 26 US 6,931,848 B2 Aug. 23,2005 Sheet 23 of 32 U.S. Patent LZ Bld orel | over zset \ OSE olgt ore over zost fe p= 0021 0191 00bT 0091 ost fe Sie Teer /, [80 / 0s ° %08 %09 06ET LIE ] cost seer’ \ece IT wet Ge: cue ad TObT 0091 vl 001 %06 let % MOLL TV Ieel U.S. Patent Aug. 23, 2005 Sheet 25 of 32 US 6,931,848 B2 Small Holes / Fig. 29 U.S. Patent Aug. 23, 2005 Sheet 26 of 32 US 6,931,848 B2 1400 | 2000 Z LN “ ww IN 0 gi 1350) 1310 1320 ame NY Solar Focusing Unit eS = Ao “Zp3 Fig. 30 1502 —> 1352 1500 1342 U.S. Patent Aug. 23, 2005 Sheet 27 of 32 US 6,931,848 B2 Fig. 31 U.S. Patent Aug. 23, 2005 Sheet 28 of 32 US 6,931,848 B2 2200 Fig. 32 U.S. Patent Aug. 23, 2005 Sheet 29 of 32 US 6,931,848 B2 2280 2209 2230 2270 207 SS ee Fig. 33 U.S. Patent Aug. 23, 2005 Sheet 30 of 32 US 6,931,848 B2 2299 2270 2260 2280 2290 & Fig. 34 U.S. Patent Aug. 23, 2005 Sheet 31 of 32 US 6,931,848 B2 2450 2410 2460 Fig. 35 U.S. Patent Aug. 23, 2005 Sheet 32 of 32 US 6,931,848 B2 2480 2410 2459 -— 2460 2470 Fig. 36 US 6,931,848 B2 1 STIRLING ENGINE HAVING PLATELET HEAT EXCHANGING ELEMENTS This application isa continuation of Sex. No. 1090,673 filed Mar. 4, 2002 now US. Pat. No, 6,513,326, which ‘laims beet of provision of 60/273,424 fled Mar. 5, 2001 and claims benefit of provision 60,309,749 filed Aug, 2001. FIELD OF THE INVENTION ‘The present invention relates o String engines and more particularly to heat exchanging elements thereof which are formed of {OUND OF INVENTION ‘The basie concept ofthe String engine dates back to the developments of Robert Stirling in 1817. Over the years, humerous applications for the Stirling engine have’ been investigated and evaluated. For example, one potential use ‘of the Stirling engine is in automobiles and the like as a prime mover. la addition, the Stirling engine may be used as an engine power unit for hybrid electric applications. Other potential applications are the use ofthe Stirling engine as a Auxiliary power unit and the use of the Stdiag engine in ‘marine applications and solae energy conservation applica- Stirling engines have a reversible thermodynamic eyele sand therefore cam be used as a means of delivering mechani ‘al output energy from a source of heat, or acting 26 a heat pump through the application of mechanical input energy. Using various heat sources, mechanical energy ean be “delivered by the engine. This energy’can be used 1 generate ‘electricity or be ditetly mechanically coupled to a load, One of the disadvantages of current String engines is theit ineticieney due to the presence of dead volume of a working gas and the overall volumelsic size of a burner device of the heat exchanging assembly. A heat transfer ‘system utilizes heat transfer from the burner device to the ‘working gis to cause a piston tobe displaced asthe working, fs expand under heat and then compresses (contrits) "pon cooling of the working gas. One conventional burnee ‘device is am apparatus in which ar and fucl are injected into the burner device and then ignited 19 cause heat to be generated, The working gas is carried within a plurality of heater tubes, which are positioned proximate to the burner ‘device so that heat is transferred from the burner device 10 the working gas flowing within the heater tubes, ‘One end of each heater tube isin communication with a piston chamber which houses one or more pistons and the heated, expanded working gas causes displacement of the ‘one or more pistons within the piston cylinder. Tae anc oF mote pistons are operatively coonected to other working ‘mechanical components for moving a drive member, such as a crankshaft to cause mechanical energy to be delivered by the engine, Teciuse a single burner devioe is used to generate and zone 240, The fuel intake corxluts 84 are formed within the platelet zone 210 at a different level than the air intake ‘conduits 62 s0 that the fuel intake conduits 84 and the aie Jake conduits 62 do not cross-over and interfere with one another. “The fuel intake 80 alko includes a second air intake ‘conduit 86 which isa vertical condi formed in the platelet zones 210, 220, 280 and includes first end in fluid ‘communication with one of the fuel intake conduits 4 and 2 second endl which is in fluid communication with the ‘uel conduit 70. Thus, both ait and fuel are delivered 10 the airfuel conduit 70 which preferably comprises longi- tudinal conduit formed ia the arTuel mixing platelet zone 2230, Anairfuel inet conduit 88 connects the ait fuel conduit, 70 10 one combustion chamber $0. In other words, the aigfuel inlet conduit 88 opens into the combustion chamber 50 for delivering the airfuel mixture into the combustio ‘chamber 50. In the illustrated embodiment, the airfuel inlet ‘conduit 88 is peneally perpendicular to the aifuel conduit ‘0 and generally parallel tothe fuel intake conduit 84. Iwill be undersood tha al of the conduits Forming the Fuel intake '80 are preferably formed in the platelets using the above= mentioned formation techniques, eg, phototching, laser cting, ete ‘As use herein, the term “fuel” refers a material thats ‘combusted to release heat energy. Any number of fuels may be used so long as they ae suitable for use in the environ- ments described herein, In otter words, the fuel must be ‘combustible under the conditions described herein and must senerate sufficient heat eneggy to efficiently heat the working fas The fuel may come in different forms and may for ‘example be a liquid, solid or gas. One prefered fuel is natural gas, which is mixed with air in a predetermined ratio for the combustion of this mixture. Another fusl that is suitable for use is propane gas (or other types of carbon bused gases) and yet another suitable fuel is diesel fuel I will be understood that the aboveslsted fuels are merely ‘exemplary and any oumber of other types of fuels may be ‘used, Whe different fuels ae used, the bot end may have 10 be slightly moxifed to permit proper introduction ofthe fuel ino the combustion chamber 0, However, the vesailiy of platelets permits modifications to be easily made and also these new cansiuetions can be made in stock platelets 50 as to tailor the construction for the given application. These ‘light modifications do not change the overriding physical Principles as to how the Stirling engine of platelet consiruc- tion operates. % o 8 Because a combustion resetion takes place in the com: bustion chamber 50, the heat transfer manifold 10 has an exhaust means incorporated into the platelet structure 200 {or venting exist geses and the like. An exist poet 90 is formed inthe airuel intake platelet zone 210 and ts open to the eavironment surrounding the heat transfer manifold 10, Similar to the openings 42 and 82, the exhaust port 90 is spaced apart from the openings 42, 82 and has an annular shape. A plurality of fist exhaust conduits 92 ae formed! ia fone layer of the platelet construction 200, Preferably, the fist exhaust conduits 92 are longitudinal conduits, which are ormed in the airfuel platelet zane 210. The first exhaust conduits 92 are foeed within the platelet zone 210 at 3 dlferent level than the air intake conduits 62 and the fuel {take conduits 840 tha he frst exhaust conduits 92 do not ‘cross-over and interfere with the otber conduits Formed in the platelet zone 210. ‘A-second exhist conduit 94 is provided in the form of 3 vertical conduit which is formed inthe platelet zones 210, 220, 230, 240 and includes a frst end in fuid communica: ‘tion with one ofthe fest exhaust conduits 92 and a second tend whichis in uid communication with an exhaust outlet conduit 96 which is itself in fluid communication with the ‘combustion chamber 50. The second exhaust conchit 94 is thus formed in one or more platelets of the combustion platelet zone 240. In the exemplary embodiment, combus- tion platelet zone 240 is actually formed of four platelet zones 242, 244, 246,248 with the exhaust outlet conduit 96 being parially formed in the bottommest combustion plate- Jet zone 248, As the fuel buens within the combustion chamber $0, exhaust gs is produced and the exhaust system fof the present invention provides a means for venting the exhaust gas from the eombustion chamber 80. Exhaust gas ‘rom individual combustion chambers $0 8 vented thratigh the respective second exhaust conduit 94 into one ofthe frst exhaust cooxuits 92 and then to the exhaust port 90 for venting to the surrounding environment It will be appreciated that the above-described exhaust system is merely exemplary in nature and the exhaust outlet ‘cnt 96 may be formed in a imber of different locations, For example, the exhaust outle conduit 96 may commu cate wih the combustion chamber 80 at an upper section S2 thereof instead of a lower section S4 thereol, a8 shown in Fla. 6. The combustion chamber $0 is thus designed to receive the fuel and air mixture whieh is then ignited using any ‘umber Of suitable ignition devices 98 resulting in. beat being generated as the fuel burns. For example, suitable ignition devices. 98 include but are aot limited to spark generating devices, clectrostatie devices, and any numberof ther deviees, which act fo cause the selective ignition ofthe ficl in the combustion chamber $0, The ignition device 9 ‘ay communicate with the combustion chamber 50 in 3 ‘number of different ways and for purposes of illustration ‘only, FIG. 6 shows the ignition device 98 extending longi- ‘udinally through one of the combustion platelet zones 240 And inte the combustion chamber So. I will be understood that the ignition device 98 may be formed verially within the heat iransfer manifold 10 so that the ignition device 98 ceteds through platelet zones 210, 220, 230, 240 and ‘communicates with the upper section 82 of the combustion camber 50, Like the conduit elements of the heat transfor manifold 10,the combustion chamber 80 i formed in various platelets ofthe platelet construction 200 using traditional tetnigues, ‘eg. Pholo-ctching, Platelet technology permits the combs. tion chamber $0 to be more precisely dimensioned and US 6,931,848 B2 7 ‘shaped for individual applications, Unlike in conventional ‘tiling engine designs, the beat tansfer manifold 10 of the present invention has 4 multitude of combustion chambers 50 instcadof just a single burner device. For example, inone ‘embodiment, for each piston cylinder 110, there are over 200) ‘combustion chambers 80 for causing the axial displacement ‘of the displacer and working pistons 120, 130, and more particularly, ia one embodiment, there are approximately 260 combustion chambers 50 per each piston eylinder 110. “The exemplary combustion chamber 80, shown in FIGS, 15, is a generally annular member and includes the upper section 82 and the lower section $4 with the upper section 852 having a greater diameter than the ower section S4, As best shown in FIG. 6 the lower section 84 has an inward taper defined by an inwardly tapered wall 86. This results ia the diameter of the Tower section $4 being less than the “diameter a the top section 52 ‘As can be seen in FIG. $ and ia accordance with one ‘emiesdiment, the combustion ebambers 80 are formed in the heat transfer manifold 10 in radial relationship so that a umber of rings ate formed. Unlike conventional huraing ‘devices, which Iypically have length greater than about 14 lnches, the cominustion chamber 80 ofthe present invention has suistantially reduced dimessions relative to convene tional burner devices. According (0 the present invention, the combustion chamber $0 has a substantially reduced size relative to the conventional burning devices. For example, the height ofthe combustion chamber 50 is preferably only ‘several inches, about 2 inches, fora 3-kilowatt engine. Iwill, be appreciated that as the size of the Stirling engine increases, the sizeof the combustion chamber $0 will also ‘change and in this case will increase correspondingly The heat transfer manifold 10 also includes working e8s ‘conduits 300 which carry the working gs, which is heated to cause the displacement ofthe pistons 120, 130 within the piston eylinder 110. Any number of types of working gases, \hiel are suitable for use in Stirling engines, may be used inthe present invention, inchuding but not limited to helium as. Each ofthe working gas conduits 300 is generally an Usshaped conduit formed in several platelets. In one ‘embodiment, each working gs conduit 300 has « pair of ‘open ends 302 which are in fluid communication with the Piston eylinder 11 to permit the working gas to freely flow from the piston cylinder 10 and into any sumber af working as conduits 300, An U-shaped bend 301 ofthe working gas ‘conduit 300i located proximate to one or more combustion ‘chambers 50. In tho embodiment shown in FIG. 6 the tapered second section $4 of the combustion chamber 50 is formed between adjacent working gas conduits 300. ‘Because ofthe precision of platelet technology, the working gas conduits 300 can be formed relatively close to the ‘combustion chamber 50, This results in more elicient heat transfer from the combustion chamber SO the working gas owing within the working gas conduits 300 disposed around the combustion chamber SO. Advantageously, the platelet construction 200 permits the dimensions of the ‘working gas conduits 300 to be reduced. For exsmpl, in ‘conventional beater bes, the Working gas flows within the tube about 6 inches, to location proximate the burnee device before owing back 6 inebes tothe piston cylinder In the present invention, the working gas only flows about several inches within the working gas coaduit before flow ing back the same or similar distance tothe piston eylinder 10. Because the length ofthe low path ofthe working gas 's substantially reduced, the amount of dead volume within the working gas conduit 300 is reduced. This results in more ‘ffcicat flow of the working gas and as result, the heat leansferelficency is increased % o 10 One will also appreciate that by providing a substantial ‘number of combustion chambers 50 and working gas con-

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