HEAT ENGINE
An improved heat engine is disclosed. The heat engine comprises at least one heat pipe containing a working fluid flowing in a thermal cycle between vapor phase at an evaporator end and liquid phase at a condenser end. Heat pipe configurations for high-efficiency/high-performance heat engines are disclosed. The heat pipe may have an improved capillary structure configuration with characteristic pore sizes between 1μ and 1 nm (e.g. formed through nano- or micro-fabrication techniques) and a continuous or stepwise gradient in pore size along the capillary flow direction. The heat engine may have an improved generator assembly configuration that comprises an expander (e.g. rotary/turbine or reciprocating piston machine) and generator along with magnetic bearings, magnetic couplings and/or magnetic gearing. The expander-generator may be wholly or partially sealed within the heat pipe. A heat engine system (e.g. individual heat engine or array of heat engines in series and/or in parallel) for conversion of thermal energy to useful work (including heat engines operating from a common heat source) is also disclosed. The system can be installed in a vehicle or facility to generate electricity.
1 . A heat engine configured to generate power from a heat source comprising:
at least one heat pipe containing a working fluid and having an evaporator section where the working fluid is heated to vapor phase and a condenser section where the working fluid is condensed to liquid phase;
an expander between the evaporator section and condenser section of the heat pipe so that the working fluid enters from the evaporator section in vapor phase and flows to the condenser section;
a generator assembly comprising at least one generator;
a coupling system to couple the expander to the generator;
wherein the coupling system comprises a magnetic coupling system.
2 . The heat engine of claim 1 further comprising a magnetic gearing system between the expander and the generator.
3 . The heat engine of claim 1 further comprising a bearing system for the generator assembly.
4 . The heat engine of claim 3 further comprising a bearing system for the expander.
5 . The heat engine of claim 3 wherein the expander has a shaft.
6 . The heat engine of claim 4 wherein the bearing system comprises a magnetic bearing system.
7 . The heat engine of claim 6 wherein the bearing system comprises a first bearing system and a second bearing system.
8 . The heat engine of claim 7 wherein the first bearing system comprises a magnetic bearing system.
9 . The heat engine of claim 1 wherein the magnetic coupling system comprises the magnetic gearing system.
10 . The heat engine of claim 1 wherein the expander comprises a rotating shaft.
11 . The heat engine of claim 1 wherein the expander comprises a reciprocating member.
12 . The heat engine of claim 1 wherein the expander comprises one of a turbine system, turbo-fan, turbo-machine, rotary engine, reciprocating device, reciprocating piston, root expander, screw expander, scroll expander, or axial turbine.
13 . (canceled)
14 . (canceled)
15 . The heat engine of claim 1 wherein the generator assembly comprises a shaft.
16 . The heat engine of claim 1 wherein the expander comprises a first stage and a second stage.
17 . The heat engine of claim 1 comprising a flow path for the working fluid in liquid phase from the condenser to the evaporator.
18 . (canceled)
19 . The heat engine of claim 1 comprising a plurality of heat pipes.
20 - 25 . (canceled)
26 . The heat engine of claim 1 wherein the heat pipe comprises a capillary structure for flow of the working fluid in liquid phase between the condenser section and the evaporator section and an axial passage for flow of the working fluid in vapor phase from the evaporator section to the condenser section.
27 . (canceled)
28 . (canceled)
29 . The heat engine of claim 1 wherein the expander comprises a turbine system.
30 - 33 . (canceled)
34 . The heat engine of claim 1 wherein the generator assembly comprises the generator and a power conditioning system including a voltage converter.
35 . (canceled)
36 . (canceled)
37 . The heat engine of claim 1 wherein the generator assembly comprises a generator system with the expander and the generator.
38 . (canceled)
39 . The heat engine of claim 1 wherein the generator is indirectly coupled to a rotor of the expander.
40 - 47 . (canceled)
48 . The heat engine of claim 1 wherein the expander comprises a turbine system having fan blades coupled to an inner wall of the heat pipe.
49 - 52 . (canceled)
53 . The heat engine of claim 1 wherein the generator comprises an alternator.
54 . The heat engine of claim 1 wherein the generator comprises an AC power system.
55 . The heat engine of claim 1 wherein the generator comprises a DC power system.
56 . The heat engine of claim 1 wherein the generator assembly comprises a plurality of generators.
57 . A heat engine configured to generate power from a heat source comprising:
at least one heat pipe containing a working fluid and having an evaporator section where the working fluid is heated to vapor phase and a condenser section where the working fluid is condensed to liquid phase;
an expander between the evaporator section and condenser section of the heat pipe so that the working fluid enters from the evaporator section in vapor phase and flows to the condenser section;
a generator assembly comprising at least one generator and a bearing system;
a coupling system to couple the expander to the generator;
wherein the bearing system comprises a magnetic bearing system.
58 - 103 . (canceled)
104 . A heat engine configured to generate power from a heat source comprising:
at least one heat pipe containing a working fluid and having an evaporator section where the working fluid is heated to vapor phase and a condenser section where the working fluid is condensed to liquid phase;
an expander between the evaporator section and condenser section of the heat pipe so that the working fluid enters from the evaporator section in vapor phase and flows to the condenser section;
a generator assembly comprising at least one generator;
a coupling system to couple the expander to the generator;
wherein each heat pipe has a capillary structure for the flow of working fluid in liquid phase from the condenser section to the evaporator section;
wherein the expander is installed within the heat pipe system; and
wherein the capillary structure comprises a first capillary structure adjacent the evaporator section having a first feature size and a second capillary structure adjacent the condenser section having a second feature size; and wherein the first feature size is smaller than the second feature size.
105 - 173 . (canceled)