Internal combustion heat engine and process

Claim 2

A process for conversion of chemical energy to mechanical energy comprising: passing combustion-supportable gas into a substantially gastight gas chamber, heating said gas by passage in heat-exchange relation with a moving heat-regenerative means, injecting a combustible fluid fuel into said gas chamber for contact with said heated combustion-supportable gas during said heating, substantially continuous burning of said fuel in contact with said heated combustion-supportable gas during said injecting thereby forming combustion product gas, expanding said gas chamber by movement of a pressure-responsive member, heating said heat-regenerative means by passage of said combustion product gas in heat-exchange relation with said moving heat-regenerative means, and passing said combustion product gas from said gas chamber.

Claim 3

The process of claim 1 wherein said combustible fluid fuel is selected from a class consisting of the liquid or gaseous hydrocarbons.

Claim 4

The process of claim 1 wherein said combustible fluid fuel is selected from the class consisting of methane, ethane, propane and butane.

Claim 5

The process of claim 1 wherein said combustible fluid fuel is natural gas.

Claim 6

The process of claim 1 wherein said combustible fluid fuel is in a gaseous form.

Claim 7

The process of claim 1 wherein said combustible fluid fuel is in a liquid form.

Claim 8

An internal combustion heat engine comprising a casing defining a gas chamber for confining gas, a movable heat-regenerative means within said gas chamber extending substantially across said gas chamber and movable within said gas chamber, said heat-regenerative means dividing said gas chamber into a first and second volume and by movement causing passage of said gas from said first volume through said heat-regenerative means into said second volume at a higher average temperature-pressure relationship and from said second volume through said heat-regenerative means into said first volume at a lower average temperature-pressure relationship, a power means to move said heat-regenerative means, an air intake conduit for passage of a combustion-supportable gas into said first volume, an exhaust conduit for passage of combustion product gas from said first volume, fuel injection means for injection of a combustible fluid fuel into said second volume, an ignition means, and a pressure-responsive member in said casing permitting expansion and contraction of said gas chamber.

Claim 9

An internal combustion heat engine comprising a casing defining a gas chamber for confining gas, a movable heat-regenerative means within said gas chamber extending substantially across said gas chamber and movable within said gas chamber, said heat-regenerative means dividing said gas chamber into a first and second volume and by movement causing passage of said gas from said first volume through said heat-regenerative means into said second volume at a higher average temperature-pressure relationship and from said second volume through said heat-regenerative means into said first volume at a lower average temperature-pressure relationship, a power means to move said heat-regenerative means, an air intake conduit for passage of a combustion-supportable gas into said first volume, an exhaust conduit for passage of combustion product gas from said first volume, fuel injection means for injection of a combustible fluid fuel into said second volume, an ignition means, and a pressure-responsive member in said casing permitting expansion and contraction of said gas chamber.

Claim 10

An internal combustion heat engine comprising a casing comprising a side wall and first and second ends and defining a generally cylindrical gas chamber for confining gas, a generally cylindrical movable heat-regenerative means within said gas chamber extending substantially across said gas chamber and movable within said gas chamber substantially parallel to the axis of said gas chamber, said heat-regenerative means dividing said gas chamber into a first and second volume and by reciprocating movement causing passage of said gas from said first volume through said heat-regenerative means into said second volume at a higher average temperature-pressure relationship and from said second volume through said heat-regenerative means into said first volume at a lower average temperature-pressure relationship, a power means to move said heat-regenerative means, an air intake conduit for passage of a combustion-supportable gas into said first volume, an exhaust conduit for passage of combustion product gas from said first volume, fuel injection means for injection of a combustible fluid fuel into said second volume, an ignition means, and a pressure-responsive member in said casing permitting expansion and contraction of said gas chamber.

Claim 11

An internal combustion heat engine comprising a casing comprising a side wall and first and second ends and defining a generally cylindrical gas chamber for confining gas, a generally cylindrical movable heat-regenerative means within said gas chamber extending substantially across said gas chamber and movable within said gas chamber substantially parallel to the axis of said gas chamber, said heat-regenerative means dividing said gas chamber into a first and second volume and by reciprocating movement causing passage of said gas from said first volume through said heat-regenerative means into said second volume at a higher average temperature-pressure relationship and from said second volume through said heat-regenerative means into said first volume at a lower average temperature-pressure relationship, a power means to move said heat-regenerative means, an air intake conduit for passage of a combustion-supportable gas into said first volume, an exhaust conduit for passage of combustion product gas from said first volume, fuel injection means for injection of a combustible fluid fuel into said second volume, an ignition means, and a pressure-responsive member in said casing permitting expansion and contraction of said gas chamber.

Claim 12

The internal combustion heat engine of claim 8 wherein said pressure-responsive member is a piston comprising said second end.

Claim 13

The internal combustion enginE of claim 8 wherein said combustible fluid fuel is selected from a class consisting of the liquid or gaseous hydrocarbons.

Claim 14

The internal combustion engine of claim 8 wherein said heat-regenerative means reciprocates at from about 30 to 600 cycles per minute.

Claim 15

The internal combustion heat engine of claim 8 wherein said heat-regenerative means reciprocates at from about 100 to 300 cycles per minute.

Claim 16

A cooling apparatus comprising an internal combustion heat engine comprising a casing comprising a side wall and first and second ends and defining a generally cylindrical gas chamber for confining gas, a generally cylindrical movable heat-regenerative means within said gas chamber extending substantially across said gas chamber and movable within said gas chamber substantially parallel to the axis of said gas chamber, said heat-regenerative means dividing said gas chamber into a first and second volume and by reciprocating movement causing passage of said gas from said first volume through said heat-regenerative means into said second volume at a higher average temperature-pressure relationship and from said second volume through said heat-regenerative means into said first volume at a lower average temperature-pressure relationship, a power means to move said heat-regenerative means, an air intake conduit for passage of a combustion-supportable gas into said first volume, an exhaust conduit for passage of combustion product gas from said first volume, fuel injection means for injection of a combustible fluid fuel into said second volume, an ignition means, and a pressure-responsive member in said casing permitting expansion and contraction of said gas chamber, in combination with a cooling mechanism comprising condenser means, expansion means, evaporation means, compression means and contained refrigerant wherein said compression means is actuated by movement of said pressure-responsive member.

Claim 17

A cooling apparatus comprising an internal combustion heat engine comprising a casing comprising a side wall and first and second ends and defining a generally cylindrical gas chamber for confining gas, a generally cylindrical movable heat-regenerative means within said gas chamber extending substantially across said gas chamber and movable within said gas chamber substantially parallel to the axis of said gas chamber, said heat-regenerative means dividing said gas chamber into a first and second volume and by reciprocating movement causing passage of said gas from said first volume through said heat-regenerative means into said second volume at a higher average temperature-pressure relationship and from said second volume through said heat-regenerative means into said first volume at a lower average temperature-pressure relationship, a power means to move said heat-regenerative means, an air intake conduit for passage of a combustion-supportable gas into said first volume, an exhaust conduit for passage of combustion product gas from said first volume, fuel injection means for injection of a combustible fluid fuel into said second volume, an ignition means, and a pressure-responsive member in said casing permitting expansion and contraction of said gas chamber, in combination with a cooling mechanism comprising condenser means, expansion means, evaporation means, compression means and contained refrigerant wherein said compression means is actuated by movement of said pressure-responsive member.

Claim 18

The cooling apparatus of claim 13 wherein said combustible fluid fuel is selected from the class consisting of the liquid or gaseous hydrocarbons.

Claim 19

The cooling apparatus of claim 13 wherein said pressure-responsive member is a piston comprising said second end.

Claim 20

The cooling apparatus of claim 13 wherein said heat-regenerative means reciprocates at from about 30 to 600 cycles per minute.

Claim 21

The cooling apparatus of claim 13 wherein said heat-regenerative means receiprocates at from about 100 to 300 cycles per minute.