Heat engine

Abstract

Abstract A heat engine adapted to perform work utilizing the temperature differential between hot and cold heat reservoirs as a source of energy, includes a horizontally disposed, rotatable shaft attached to one end to the center of a disc which is adapted to rotate about the longitudinal axis of the shaft. A plurality of heat exchanger sets are disposed in mutually spaced-apart relationship around the circumference of the disc. Each heat exchanger set comprises two pairs of heat exchangers, with each pair communicatingly connected with the other pair, and respectively disposed at diametrically opposing edges of the disc. Each of the pairs of heat exchangers includes two enclosed containers acting as heat exchangers and communicatingly connected with each other and adapted to be immersed simultaneously in respective hot and cold heat reservoirs disposed preferably at the bottom edge of the disc. Each heat exchange set contains a high vapor pressure liquid. When a particular container is in the hot heat reservoir, the liquid therein is heated and the vapor pressure is increased to drive liquid from the container into the container in the cold reservoir and then across the disc into the other pair of heat exchangers. As the volume of liquid increases in the opposite pair of heat exchangers, gravity forces the disc to rotate, and energy to perform work is thereby generated. In one embodiment, all containers adapted for immersion in the cold heat reservoir are replaced by a single tube-like container disposed about the circumference of the disc and connected to all heat exchanger containers which are adapted to be immersed in a hot heat reservoir.

Inventors

• 👤 Ej Fairbanks

Bibliographic Details