US3839863A — Fluid pressure power plant

Claim 1

Independent Claim 159 words

A fluid pressure power plant comprising: means for generating heat energy; at least one piston for converting the heat energy to high hydraulic pressure; said energy converting piston having an upper chamber for receiving the heat energy and a lower chamber for receiving a hydraulic fluid at low pressure; means supplying low pressure hydraulic fluid to the lower chamber of the energy converting piston; means releasing the low pressure hydraulic fluid into the lower chamber when the piston reaches the bottom of its stroke to force the piston upward; means for accumulating the high pressure hydraulic fluid output of the energy converting piston; means for utilizing the power from the high pressure hydraulic fluid output of the energy converting piston; means for controlling the flow of high pressure hydraulic fluid from the accumulating means to the power utilizing means; and means for returning the hydraulic fluid from the power utilizing means to the low pressure hydraulic fluid supplying means.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 159 words

A fluid pressure power plant comprising: means for generating heat energy; at least one piston for converting the heat energy to high hydraulic pressure; said energy converting piston having an upper chamber for receiving the heat energy and a lower chamber for receiving a hydraulic fluid at low pressure; means supplying low pressure hydraulic fluid to the lower chamber of the energy converting piston; means releasing the low pressure hydraulic fluid into the lower chamber when the piston reaches the bottom of its stroke to force the piston upward; means for accumulating the high pressure hydraulic fluid output of the energy converting piston; means for utilizing the power from the high pressure hydraulic fluid output of the energy converting piston; means for controlling the flow of high pressure hydraulic fluid from the accumulating means to the power utilizing means; and means for returning the hydraulic fluid from the power utilizing means to the low pressure hydraulic fluid supplying means.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 63 words

The fluid pressure power plant of claim 1 wherein the means for generating heat energy comprises: a steam generator; means supplying hydraulic fluid to said steam generator; means for preheating the hydraulic fluid supplied to the steam generator; means for accumulating the steam generator under low pressure; and means for turning off the steam generator when the steam accumulator reaches a predetermined limit.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 124 words

The fluid pressure power plant of claim 2 wherein the energy converting piston includes: an intake valve for releasing steam into the upper chamber when the piston is at the top of its stroke and on its downward stroke; an exhaust valve for expending the steam from the upper chamber when the piston is on its upward stroke; hydraulic means for opening the intake valve and closing the exhaust valve when the piston is at the top of its stroke and closing the intake valve and opening the exhaust valve when the piston is at the bottom of its stroke; and means for controlling the flow of hydraulic fluid at high pressure to the accumulating means when the piston is on its downward stroke.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 124 words

The fluid pressure power plant of claim 3 wherein the hydraulic means for opening and closing the intake and exhaust valve comprises a port connected to the lower chamber, said port receiving the low pressure hydraulic fluid when the piston reaches a predetermined position in its upward stroke so that the intake valve is opened and the exhaust valve is closed; the hydraulic fluid port to the intake and exhaust valves being situated at a point in the lower chamber so that as the lower end of the piston passes the port on its downward stroke, the hydraulic pressure can gradually bleed off the valves until the intake valve is closed and the exhaust valve is opened at the bottom of the piston stroke.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 62 words

The fluid pressure power plant of claim 4 wherein the means for supplying hydraulic fluid at low pressure comprises: a reservoir; means for cooling the reservoir; means for pumping the hydraulic fluid in the reservoir to a low pressure accumulator; and control means connecting the low pressure hydraulic fluid to the steam generator and the lower chamber of the power conversion piston.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 44 words

The fluid pressure power plant of claim 5 wherein the means for returning the hydraulic fluid to the low pressure supply comprises: means for feeding the hydraulic fluid back to the reservoir after the high pressure has been dissipated in the power utilizing means.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 63 words

The fluid pressure power plant of claim 6 wherein the hydraulic fluid is comprised of: a lubricating fluid mixed with the hydraulic fluid capable of passing through a vapor cycle; and a centrifugal separator receiving the hydraulic fluid and lubricant mixture from the low pressure accumulator and separating the lubricant from the mixture prior to passing the hydraulic fluid to the steam generator.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 131 words

The fluid pressure power plant of claim 1 wherein the means for converting heat energy to high hydraulic pressure comprises: a group of at least four cylinders with each piston therein being 90* out of phase with the preceding piston, said cylinders comprising: a heat input chamber; an expansion chamber adjacent to the top of the piston containing a heat expandable gas and separated from the heat chamber by a thin metal membrane acting as a heat exchanger; a cool gas chamber below the head of the piston including means for cycling and recycling the heat expandable gas from the chamber above the piston to the cool gas chamber below the piston of the next adjacent piston; and a low pressure hydraulic fluid chamber at the lower end of the piston.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 43 words

The fluid pressure power plant of claim 8 wherein the means for cycling and recycling the heat expandable gas includes heat regenerators for preheating the gas when it is flowing from the cool gas chamber to the hot gas chamber above the piston.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 53 words

The fluid pressure power plant of claim 9 including means for cyclically providing low pressure hydraulic fluid to the power conversion pistons, said means including a series of valves for switching the flow of low pressure hydraulic fluid from one piston to another as each sUccessively reaches the bottom of its downward stroke.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 24 words

The fluid pressure power plant of claim 10 wherein the cool gas chamber below the piston head is surrounded by a water cooling jacket.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 21 words

The fluid pressure power plant of claim 11 wherein the heat energy is supplied to the heat chambers through heat pipes.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 27 words

The fluid pressure power plant of claim 11 wherein the heat for the hot gas chamber is supplied by direct heat transfer from a built-in heat source.

Claim 15

Independent Claim 74 words

A method of producing power from heat energy comprising: supplying hydraulic fluid at low pressure to at least one power converting piston; generating heat energy; feeding the heat energy to the power converting piston; converting the heat energy to high hydraulic pressure; storing the high pressure hydraulic fluid for use on demand; recycling the piston with the low pressure hydraulic fluid; driving a power unit with the power created by the high hydraulic pressure.

Claim 16

Independent Claim 74 words

A method of producing power from heat energy comprising: supplying hydraulic fluid at low pressure to at least one power converting piston; generating heat energy; feeding the heat energy to the power converting piston; converting the heat energy to high hydraulic pressure; storing the high pressure hydraulic fluid for use on demand; recycling the piston with the low pressure hydraulic fluid; driving a power unit with the power created by the high hydraulic pressure.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 42 words

The method of claim 14 further including the steps of: controlling the flow of high hydraulic pressure to the power units; and directing the hydraulic fluid after use by the power unit back to a main reservoir for recycling through the system.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 34 words

The method of claim 15 wherein the step of generating heat energy comprises: generating steam; storing the steam in an accumulator at low pressure; and controlling the flow of steam to power converting piston.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 35 words

The method of claim 15 wherein the heat energy generation step comprises: generating heat; directing the heat to the power converting piston; and transferring the heat to a heat expandable gas to drive the piston.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 39 words

The method of claim 17 wherein the power conversion system includes the steps of: cyclically operating a group of four pistons with the pistons operating at a phase angle of 90 mechanical degrees with respect to the preceding piston.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 19 words

The fluid pressure power plant of claim 11 wherein the high pressure accumulator is an air bladder type accumulator.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 19 words

The fluid pressure power plant of claim 7 wherein the high pressure accumulator is an air bladder type accumulator.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 48 words

The method of claim 16 including the steps of: condensing the steam to a fluid after use by the power conversion piston; preheating the hydraulic fluid flowing to the steam generator with the heat of condensation; and feeding the condensed steam back to the main reservoir for recycling.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 40 words

The method of claim 21 including the steps of: reclaiming heat from the exhaust of the steam generator with a heat exchanger; and preheating the hydraulic fluid flowing to the steam generator with the heat reclaimed in the heat exchanger.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1977-10-07	1978-04-08	1978-10-08	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1981-10-07	1982-04-08	1982-10-08	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1985-10-07	1986-04-08	1986-10-08	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Fluid pressure power plant

Abstract

Inventors

Bibliographic Details

Claims Analysis

References Cited (Backward Citations)

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Assigned Categories & Tags

Assign Category Tag