Apparatus for converting thermal energy into electric energy

Claim 1

IN AN APPARATUS FOR CONVERTING THERMAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRIC ENERGY, IN COMBINATION: (1) A FIRST, SUBSTANTIALLY BULB-SHAPED, LOWER HEATED RESERVOIR, THE LOWER PART OF WHICH IS MADE OF A METAL WELDABLE TO GLASS, AND THE UPPER PART OF WHICH IS MADE OF GLASS AND IS WELDED TO SAID LOWER PART; SAID LOWER RESERVOIR HAVING AN AXIS; (2) A POOL OF A VAPORIZABLE AND EASILY IONIZABLE METALLIC SUBSTANCE CONTAINED IN THE LOWERMOST PART OF SAID FIRST RESERVOIR; (3) HEATING MEANS DISPOSED OUTSIDE SAID LOWERMOST PART FOR HEATING SAID POOL AND VAPORIZING SAID SUBSTANCE; THE HEATING OF SAID SUBSTANCE CREATING IN SAID FIRST LOWER RESERVOIR A PRESSURE OF A FEW CENTIMETERS OF MERCURY; (4) AN ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE HELICAL COIL, THE TURNS OF WHICH ARE WOUND AROUND THE UPPER PART OF SAID FIRST LOWER RESERVOIR, SAID COIL CARRYING A HIGH FREQUENCY ELECTRIC CURRENT, WHICH PRODUCES AN ELECTRO-MAGNETIC FIELD WHICH IONIZES THE VAPOR OF SAID SUBSTANCE; (5) A FIRST GLASS TUBULAR PIPE EXTENDING FROM THE UPPERMOST END OF, AND COAXIAL WITH, SAID FIRST LOWER RESERVOIR, AND COMMUNICATING WITH THE LATTER THROUGH AN OPENING IN SAID UPPERMOST END; THE DIAMETER OF SAID FIRST TUBULAR PIPE BEING SMALLER THAN THE MAXIMUM DIAMETER OF SAID BULB-SHAPED LOWER RESERVOIR; (6) A SECOND GLASS BULB INTEGRALLY CONNECTED TO THE UPPERMOST END OF SAID FIRST TUBULAR PIPE, COAXIAL WITH THE LATTER AND HAVING A DIAMETER GREATER THAN THAT OF SAID FIRST TUBULAR PIPE; (7) AN UPWARDLY DIRECTED GLASS VENTURI-NOZZLE, FITTED WITHIN SAID SECOND GLASS BULB AND HAVING ITS BASE SECURED TO SAID UPPERMOST END OF SAID FIRST TUBULAR