IP Library Granted Patent US 7,640,740
Granted Patent B2
US 7,640,740 · App. 10/577,804 · Granted Jan 5, 2010

Stirling engine

Assignees: Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency; Panasonic Corporation; National Maritime Research Institute
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,640,740
App. No.
10/577,804
Granted
Jan 5, 2010
Kind
B2
Abstract

A high efficient stirling engine with excellent thermal efficiency, which can increase the heating temperature of a high temperature section, is obtained by preventing the heat from being lost in a member connecting the high temperature section and a low temperature section. The high temperature section 5 and the member (a regenerator housing 16 ) connecting the high temperature section and the low temperature section are formed to have a split configuration by using different materials for the each, in which the high temperature section 5 is formed of a heat resistant/high heat conductive material having high heat resistance property and high heat conductivity, the regenerator housing 16 connecting the high temperature section 5 and the low temperature section 7 is formed of a heat resistant/low heat conductive material having low heat conductivity, and the both are bonded integrally to each other to obtain an integral sealed structure.

Claims (25)

1. A stirling engine comprising:

a high temperature section;

a low temperature section; and

a member connecting the high temperature section and the low temperature section, wherein

the member and the high temperature section are formed of different materials and are integrally bonded to each other,

the high temperature section is formed into an integral structure by means of a heat resistant/high heat conductive material having high heat resistance property and high heat conductivity, and

the member is formed of a heat resistant/low heat conductive material having low heat conductivity and contacts a flow of working gas.

2. The stirling engine according to claim 1 , characterized in that the heat resistant/high heat conductive material for forming the high temperature section is a ceramics selected from silicon carbide ceramics, silicon nitride ceramics, aluminum nitride ceramics, or alumina ceramics, or a functionally gradient material of the ceramics and metal.

3. The stirling engine according to claim 1 , characterized in that the heat resistant/low heat conductive material for forming the member connecting the high temperature section and the low temperature section is a ceramics selected from silicon oxide, cordierite, mica, aluminum titanate, or quartz ceramics, or a functionally gradient material of the ceramics and metal.

4. The stirling engine according to claim 1 , wherein the stirling engine is a β type stirling engine in which a displacer piston and a power piston are disposed in the same cylinder.

5. The stirling engine according to claim 1 , characterized in that the stirling engine is a γ type stirling engine in which a displacer piston and a power piston are disposed independently in different cylinders.

6. The Stirling engine according to claim 1 , characterized in that the stirling engine is an α type Stirling engine having two independent pistons, which are, an expansion piston disposed in an expansion cylinder and a compression piston disposed in a compression cylinder.

7. A stirling engine comprising:

a high temperature section;

a low temperature section; and

a member connecting the high temperature section and the low temperature section,

wherein

the member and the high temperature section are formed of different materials and are integrally bonded to each other, and

the high temperature section is formed by integrally molding an expansion space head portion and a high-temperature side heat exchanger main body with the same heat resistant/high heat conductive material having high heat resistance property and high heat conductivity.

8. The stirling engine according to claim 7 , characterized in that the heat resistant/high heat conductive material for forming the high temperature section is a ceramics selected from silicon carbide ceramics, silicon nitride ceramics, aluminum nitride ceramics, or alumina ceramics, or a functionally gradient material of the ceramics and metal.

9. The stirling engine according to claim 7 , characterized in that the member connecting the high temperature section and the low temperature section is formed of a heat resistant/low heat conductive material having low heat conductivity.

10. The stirling engine according to claim 9 , characterized in that the heat resistant/low heat conductive material for forming the member connecting the high temperature section and the low temperature section is a ceramics selected from silicon oxide, cordierite, mica, aluminum titanate, or quartz ceramics, or a functionally gradient material of the ceramics and metal.

11. The stirling engine according to claim 7 , wherein the stirling engine is a β type stirling engine in which a displacer piston and a power piston are disposed in the same cylinder.

12. The Stirling engine according to claim 7 , characterized in that the stirling engine is a γ type stirling engine in which a displacer piston and a power piston are disposed independently in different cylinders.

13. The Stirling engine according to claim 7 , characterized in that the stirling engine is an α type Stirling engine having two independent pistons, which are, an expansion piston disposed in an expansion cylinder and a compression piston disposed in a compression cylinder.

Assignments (7)
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Aug 26, 2020
From: YANMAR CO., LTD.
To: YANMAR POWER TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 054162/0112 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Oct 6, 2017
From: NATIONAL MARITIME RESEARCH INSTITUTE
To: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MARITIME, PORT AND AVIATION TECHNOLOGY
Reel/Frame 044148/0170 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 6, 2017
From: JAPAN AEROSPACE EXPLORATION AGENCY
To: YANMAR CO., LTD.; NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MARITIME, PORT AND AVIATION TECHNOLOGY
Reel/Frame 043806/0858 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 1, 2016
From: ESTIR CO., LTD.
To: YANMAR CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 037857/0742 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 25, 2014
From: PANASONIC CORPORATION
To: ESTIR CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 032333/0577 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Mar 5, 2009
From: MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
To: PANASONIC CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 022351/0438 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 28, 2006
From: HOSHINO, TAKESHI; AKAZAWA, TERUYUKI; HIRATA, KOICHI; KAWADA, MASAKUNI
To: JAPAN AEROSPACE EXPLORATION AGENCY; MATSUSHITA ELECTRIC INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.; NATIONAL MARITIME RESEARCH INSTITUTE
Reel/Frame 018068/0557 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2003-371147 · Oct 30, 2003 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20080282693A1 · Nov 20, 2008