IP Library › Granted Patent US 11,268,476

Granted Patent B2

US 11,268,476 · App. 16/878,875 · Granted Mar 8, 2022

Energy conversion apparatus

Inventors: Joshua Tyler Mook (Cincinnati, OH); Michael Thomas Gansler (Mason, OH); Scott Douglas Waun (Loveland, OH); Kevin Michael VandeVoorde (Cincinnati, OH); Aigbedion Akwara (Cincinnati, OH); Michael Robert Notarnicola (Cincinnati, OH); Jason Joseph Bellardi (Fairfield, OH); Mohammed El Hacin Sennoun (West Chester, OH); Mary Kathryn Thompson (Fairfield Township, OH); Mohamed Osama (Garching, DE)

Assignee: General Electric Company

F02G1/055 F02G1/04 F02G1/044 F02G1/047 F02G1/05 F02G1/053 F02G1/057 F28D9/04 F28F7/02 F28F13/003 F28F13/14 F02G1/0435 F02G2243/00 F02G2244/50 F02G2244/52 F02G2250/00 F02G2254/10 F02G2258/10 F02G2270/80 F02G2280/10 F28D2021/0026 F28F2210/10 F28F2250/04

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Quick Facts

Patent No.: US 11,268,476
App. No.: 16/878,875
Granted: Mar 8, 2022
Kind: B2

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Abstract

An energy conversion apparatus may include an engine assembly, such as a monolithic engine assembly, that includes a first heater body and a first engine body. The first heater body may define a first portion of a first monolithic body or at least a portion of a first monolithic body-segment. The first engine body may define a second portion of the first monolithic body or at least a portion of a second monolithic body-segment operably coupled or operably couplable to the first heater body. The engine assembly may include a second heater body and/or a second engine body. The second heater body may define a portion of a second monolithic body or a third monolithic body-segment. The second engine body may define a portion of the second monolithic body or a fourth monolithic body-segment operably coupled or operably couplable to the second heater body and/or the first engine body.

Claims (99)

1. An engine assembly, comprising:

a first heater body comprising a first hot-side heat exchanger, the first heater body and the first hot-side heat exchanger together defining at least a portion of a first monolithic body-segment; and

a first engine body, the first engine body defining at least a portion of a second monolithic body-segment directly coupled or directly couplable to the first monolithic body-segment;

wherein the first monolithic body-segment defines a first portion of respective ones of a first plurality of piston chambers, and wherein the second monolithic body-segment defines a second portion of the respective ones of the first plurality of piston chambers.

2. The engine assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first engine body comprises:

a first piston body, the first piston body defining at least a portion of the second monolithic body-segment; and/or

a first machine body, the first machine body defining at least a portion of the second monolithic body-segment, or the first machine body defining a third monolithic body-segment operably coupled or operably couplable to the second monolithic body-segment.

3. The engine assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first heater body and/or the first engine body comprises a first regenerator body, the first regenerator body defining at least a portion of the second monolithic body-segment.

4. The engine assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first engine body comprises a first chiller body, the first chiller body defining at least a portion of the second monolithic body-segment.

5. The engine assembly of claim 1 , comprising:

a second heater body comprising a second hot-side heat exchanger, the second heater body and the second hot-side heat exchanger together defining at least a portion of a fourth monolithic body-segment operably coupled or operably couplable to the second monolithic body-segment.

6. The engine assembly of claim 1 , comprising:

a second engine body, the second engine body defining at least a portion of a fifth monolithic body-segment operably coupled or operably couplable to the second heater body and/or to the first engine body.

7. The engine assembly of claim 6 , wherein the second engine body comprises:

a second piston body, the second piston body defining at least a portion of the fifth monolithic body-segment, or the second piston body defining at least a portion of a sixth monolithic body-segment operably coupled or operably couplable to the fifth monolithic body-segment; and/or

a second machine body, the second machine body defining at least a portion of the fifth monolithic body-segment, or the second machine body defining at least a portion of a seventh monolithic body-segment operably coupled or operably couplable to the fifth monolithic body-segment.

8. The engine assembly of claim 6 , wherein the second heater body and/or the second engine body comprises a second regenerator body, the second regenerator body defining at least a portion of the fifth monolithic body-segment.

9. The engine assembly of claim 6 , wherein the second heater body and/or the second engine body comprises a second chiller body, the second chiller body defining at least a portion of the fifth monolithic body-segment.

10. The engine assembly of claim 1 , comprising:

a second engine body, the second engine body defining at least a portion of a fifth monolithic body-segment; and

a third engine body, the third engine body defining at least a portion of an eighth monolithic body-segment operably coupled or operably couplable to the first engine body.

11. The engine assembly of claim 10 , wherein the third engine body comprises:

a third machine body, the third machine body defining a first portion of the eighth monolithic body-segment, or the third machine body defining at least a portion of a ninth monolithic body-segment operably coupled or operably couplable to the eighth monolithic body-segment; and

a third piston body, the third piston body defining a second portion of the eighth monolithic body-segment, or the third piston body defining at least a portion of a tenth monolithic body-segment operably coupled or operably couplable to the eighth monolithic body-segment.

12. The engine assembly of claim 11 , wherein the third piston body comprises a third chiller body, the third chiller body defining a third portion of the eighth monolithic body-segment, or the third chiller body defining at least a portion of an eleventh monolithic body-segment operably coupled or operably couplable to the third piston body.

13. The engine assembly of claim 10 , comprising:

a fourth engine body, the fourth engine body defining at least a portion of a twelfth monolithic body-segment operably coupled or operably couplable to the third engine body and/or to the second engine body.

14. The engine assembly of claim 13 , wherein the fourth engine body comprises:

a fourth machine body, the fourth machine body defining a first portion of the twelfth monolithic body-segment; and/or

a fourth piston body, the fourth piston body defining a second portion of the twelfth monolithic body-segment.

15. The engine assembly of claim 14 , wherein the fourth piston body comprises a fourth chiller body, the fourth chiller body defining a third portion of the twelfth monolithic body-segment, or the fourth chiller body defining at least a portion of a thirteenth monolithic body-segment operably coupled or operably couplable to the fourth piston body.

16. The engine assembly of claim 1 , comprising:

a second engine body, the second engine body defining a at least a portion of a fifth monolithic body-segment operably coupled or operably couplable to the first engine body and/or to a second heater body.

17. The engine assembly of claim 16 , wherein the second engine body comprises:

a second machine body, the second machine body defining at least a portion of the fifth monolithic body-segment, or the second engine body defining at least a portion of a seventh monolithic body-segment operably coupled or operably couplable to the fifth monolithic body-segment.

18. The engine assembly of claim 1 , comprising:

a first fuel injector body directly coupled or directly couplable to the first heater body, the first fuel injector body comprising a first combust or cap and/or a first fuel nozzle.

19. The engine assembly of claim 1 , comprising:

a piston assembly operably inserted or operably insertable into a first piston chamber, the first piston chamber defined at least in part by the first engine body.

20. The engine assembly of claim 1 , comprising:

a load device operably inserted or operably insertable into a first generator housing, the first generator housing defined at least in part by the first engine body.

21. The engine assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first hot-side heat exchanger defines a plurality of first heating fluid pathways configured to receive a heating fluid.

22. The engine assembly of claim 21 , wherein the first hot-side heat exchanger defines a plurality of working fluid pathways configured to transfer a working fluid between a piston chamber and a regenerator conduit.

23. The engine assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first hot-side heat exchanger defines a first single thermal energy output source to a plurality of piston chambers.

24. An engine assembly, comprising:

a first engine body, the first engine body defining at least a portion of a second monolithic body-segment directly coupled or directly couplable to the first monolithic body-segment;

wherein the first hot-side heat exchanger defines a first single thermal energy output source to a plurality of piston chambers.

25. The engine assembly of claim 24 , wherein the first engine body comprises:

a first piston body, the first piston body defining at least a portion of the second monolithic body-segment; and/or

26. The engine assembly of claim 24 , wherein the first heater body and/or the first engine body comprises a first regenerator body, the first regenerator body defining at least a portion of the second monolithic body-segment.

27. The engine assembly of claim 24 , wherein the first engine body comprises a first chiller body, the first chiller body defining at least a portion of the second monolithic body-segment.

28. The engine assembly of claim 24 , comprising:

29. The engine assembly of claim 24 , comprising:

a first fuel injector body directly coupled or directly couplable to the first heater body, the first fuel injector body comprising a first combust or cap and/or a first fuel nozzle.

30. The engine assembly of claim 24 , comprising:

a piston assembly operably inserted or operably insertable into a first piston chamber, the first piston chamber defined at least in part by the first engine body.

31. The engine assembly of claim 24 , comprising:

a load device operably inserted or operably insertable into a first generator housing, the first generator housing defined at least in part by the first engine body.

32. The engine assembly of claim 24 , wherein the first hot-side heat exchanger defines a plurality of first heating fluid pathways configured to receive a heating fluid.

33. The engine assembly of claim 32 , wherein the first hot-side heat exchanger defines a plurality of working fluid pathways configured to transfer a working fluid between a piston chamber and a regenerator conduit.

34. The engine assembly of claim 24 , wherein the first hot-side heat exchanger defines a first single thermal energy output source to a plurality of piston chambers.

35. The engine assembly of claim 24 , wherein the first monolithic body-segment defines a first portion of respective ones of a first plurality of piston chambers, and wherein the second monolithic body-segment defines a second portion of the respective ones of the first plurality of piston chambers.

36. An engine assembly, comprising:

a first engine body, the first engine body defining at least a portion of a second monolithic body-segment directly coupled or directly couplable to the first monolithic body-segment;

wherein the first engine body comprises a first chiller body, the first chiller body defining at least a portion of the second monolithic body-segment.

37. The engine assembly of claim 36 , comprising:

38. The engine assembly of claim 37 , wherein the second engine body comprises:

39. The engine assembly of claim 37 , wherein the second heater body and/or the second engine body comprises a second regenerator body, the second regenerator body defining at least a portion of the fifth monolithic body-segment.

40. The engine assembly of claim 37 , wherein the second heater body and/or the second engine body comprises a second chiller body, the second chiller body defining at least a portion of the fifth monolithic body-segment.

41. The engine assembly of claim 36 , comprising:

a second engine body, the second engine body defining at least a portion of a fifth monolithic body-segment; and

a third engine body, the third engine body defining at least a portion of an eighth monolithic body-segment operably coupled or operably couplable to the first engine body.

42. The engine assembly of claim 41 , wherein the third engine body comprises:

43. The engine assembly of claim 42 , wherein the third piston body comprises a third chiller body, the third chiller body defining a third portion of the eighth monolithic body-segment, or the third chiller body defining at least a portion of an eleventh monolithic body-segment operably coupled or operably couplable to the third piston body.

44. The engine assembly of claim 41 , comprising:

45. The engine assembly of claim 44 , wherein the fourth engine body comprises:

a fourth machine body, the fourth machine body defining a first portion of the twelfth monolithic body-segment; and/or

a fourth piston body, the fourth piston body defining a second portion of the twelfth monolithic body-segment.

46. The engine assembly of claim 45 , wherein the fourth piston body comprises a fourth chiller body, the fourth chiller body defining a third portion of the twelfth monolithic body-segment, or the fourth chiller body defining at least a portion of a thirteenth monolithic body-segment operably coupled or operably couplable to the fourth piston body.

47. The engine assembly of claim 36 , comprising:

48. The engine assembly of claim 47 , wherein the second engine body comprises:

Assignments (2)

ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 12, 2023

From: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY

To: HYLIION HOLDINGS CORP

Reel/Frame 064226/0545 →

ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 19, 2020

From: MOOK, JOSHUA TYLER; GANSLER, MICHAEL THOMAS; WAUN, SCOTT DOUGLAS; VANDEVOORDE, KEVIN MICHAEL; AKWARA, AIGBEDION; NOTARNICOLA, MICHAEL ROBERT; BELLARDI, JASON JOSEPH; SENNOUN, MOHAMMED EL HACIN; THOMPSON, MARY KATHRYN; OSAMA, MOHAMED

To: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY

Reel/Frame 052986/0365 →

Continuity (6)

Provisional Application 62850623 · May 21, 2019

Provisional Application 62850599 · May 21, 2019

Provisional Application 62850692 · May 21, 2019

Provisional Application 62850678 · May 21, 2019

Provisional Application 62850701 · May 21, 2019

Related Publication 20200370446A1 · Nov 26, 2020