DOE Patents Patent: Method of operating a thermal engine powered by a chemical reaction
Title: Method of operating a thermal engine powered by a chemical reaction
The invention involves a novel method of increasing the efficiency of a thermal engine. Heat is generated by a non-linear chemical reaction of reactants, said heat being transferred to a thermal engine such as Rankine cycle power plant. The novel method includes externally perturbing one or more of the thermodynamic variables of said non-linear chemical reaction. 7 figs.
Ross, J.; Escher, C.
Stanford Univ., CA (United States)
Leland Stanford Junior Univ., Stanford, CA (United States) OAK; EDB-94-117913
AT03-82ER13018
Patent File Date: 24 Jul 1987
42 ENGINEERING; RANKINE CYCLE ENGINES; ENERGY EFFICIENCY; HEAT TRANSFER; CHEMICAL REACTIONS; OPTIMIZATION; THERMODYNAMICS; EFFICIENCY; ENERGY TRANSFER; ENGINES; HEAT ENGINES; 425002* - Engineering- Power Cycles- Rankine- (1980-)
Ross, J., and Escher, C. Method of operating a thermal engine powered by a chemical reaction. United States: N. p., 1988. Web.
Ross, J., & Escher, C. Method of operating a thermal engine powered by a chemical reaction. United States.
Ross, J., and Escher, C. Tue . "Method of operating a thermal engine powered by a chemical reaction". United States.
title = {Method of operating a thermal engine powered by a chemical reaction},
author = {Ross, J. and Escher, C.},
abstractNote = {The invention involves a novel method of increasing the efficiency of a thermal engine. Heat is generated by a non-linear chemical reaction of reactants, said heat being transferred to a thermal engine such as Rankine cycle power plant. The novel method includes externally perturbing one or more of the thermodynamic variables of said non-linear chemical reaction. 7 figs.},
Method of operating a thermal engine powered by a chemical reaction
Patent Ross, J.; Escher, C.
A method of increasing the efficiency of a thermal engine of the type which includes a primary heat engine and a source of heat for the engine is described which comprises the steps of generating heat in the heat source by a non-linear chemical reaction of reactants, supplying heat from the reaction to the heat engine and externally perturbing by varying at predetermined frequency one or more of the thermo-dynamic variables of the non-linear chemical reaction in the heat source to reduce dissipation and thereby increase the total power output.
Patent Ross, John (Stanford, CA); Escher, Claus (Nieder-Ronstadt, DE)
The invention involves a novel method of increasing the efficiency of a thermal engine. Heat is generated by a non-linear chemical reaction of reactants, said heat being transferred to a thermal engine such as Rankine cycle power plant. The novel method includes externally perturbing one or more of the thermodynamic variables of said non-linear chemical reaction.
Steam engine reaction chamber, fuel composition therefore, and method of making and operating same
Patent Hubele, N.D.; Johnson, K.L.
This patent describes a heat-supplying reaction chamber apparatus for use with a heat engine comprising; a vessel defining a chamber therewithin, an inlet means for receiving a reactant, and an outlet means for efflux of a gaseous reaction product; a two-part fuel mass disposed within the chamber including a hypergolic first starting fuel part comprised of lithium hydride and at least one other metallic element and being so disposed with respect to the inlet as to be first contact by the reactant for reaction therewith to liberate (a) heat, (b) a reaction intermediate which is more reactive with the remaindermore » of the fuel mass at ambient temperatures than is the reactant, and (c) the gaseous reaction product at a first determined rate of evolution; a second main fuel part comprising a metallic element which upon being raised to a determined temperature by reaction of the starting fuel part with the reactant itself reacts with the latter to further liberate heat and the gaseous reaction product at a second certain rate of evolution which is substantially equal to the first determined rate of evolution of the gaseous reaction product; and heat transfer means in association with the fuel mass for transfer of heat energy therefrom to the heat engine; whereby the reaction chamber apparatus provides during operation including both a starting reaction phase and a main fuel reaction phase a substantially constant rate of efflux of the gaseous reaction product from the outlet means.« less
This patent describes an apparatus comprising a chambered housing defining an inlet to and an outlet from the chamber therein, a main fuel part composed essentially of metallic aluminum and metallic magnesium substantially in two-to-one molal relation, respectively, disposed in a lower portion of the chamber, a water reactive hypergolic starting fuel part disposed both in heat transfer relation with the main fuel part and in juxtaposition with the inlet. The starting fuel part is composed essentially of lithium hydride and a metallic element from the group including magnesium and aluminum. The starting fuel part includes both metallic magnesium andmore » metallic aluminum along with lithium hydride in substantially one-to-one-to-one molal relationship. The starting fuel part and the main fuel part are present in one-to-four weight relation, respectively, means in association with the inlet for receiving water flow and delivering the water flow first to the starting fuel part for hypergolic reaction therewith and then to the main fuel part, filter means in association with the outlet for allowing passage of substantially only hydrogen gas therethrough, and heat transfer means in association with the fuel parts.« less
Luminosity detector for internal combustion engine, method of operating engine and method of sensing temperature
Patent Remboski, D.J.
This patent describes an improvement in a luminosity detector for an internal combustion engine having a combustion chamber, light probe means in the combustion chamber for transmitting light from the combustion chamber through a body of the engine defining at least in part the combustion chamber, a photodiode fixed relative to the body and in light receiving relationship to the light probe to receive light therefrom and generate an electrical signal for transmission to an electrical module for providing engine operating data. The improvement comprises the photodiode being manufactured and biased to operate within the range of zero temperature coefficientmore » for the wavelength being measured by the detector.« less