US4894989A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Heater for a stirling engine
Assignee: Aisin Corp
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Filing: 1989-06-08
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Granted: 1990-01-23
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Expires: 2009-06-08
Abstract
Abstract A heater for use with a Stirling engine and a method for heating a working fluid for a Stirling engine is disclosed. The heater has a burner, heater tubes disposed in the burner, a space formed around the heater tubes which is filled with heat-storing material, and a high-temperature heat source. The heat-storing material is sealed by a seal member. Heat produced by the high-temperature heat source is supplied to the heater tubes via the heat-storing material; hence the heat-storing material acts as a secondary heat source. Heat is stored in the heat-storing material in the form of sensible heat or latent heat, or a chemical reaction is employed.
Inventors
- 👤 Tomokimi Mizuno
- 👤 Tetsumi Watanabe
- 👤 Nobuhiro Tanatsugu
- 👤 Ryojiro Akiba
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 06:16
CPC Classifications
F; F02; F02G; F02G1/00; F02G1/04; F02G1/043; F02G1/053; F02G1/055; F24; F24S; F24S20/00; F24S20/20; F24S60/00; F24S60/10; F24S60/20; F02G2243/00; F02G2254/00; F02G2254/40; F02G2270/00; F02G2270/20; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E10/00; Y02E10/40
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
125 words
A heater for a Stirling engine, comprising: a burner; heater tubes disposed in the burner; a primary high-temperature heat source providing a variable amount of heat for heating the heater tubes; and a space formed around the heater tubes in the burner and filled with heat-storing material, the heat storing material being in direct contact with the heater tubes and the space being separated from said primary heat source by a seal member, heat produced by the primary heat source being supplied to the heater tubes solely through the heat-storing material, the heat-storing material acting as a secondary heat source for supplying stored heat by phase change or chemical reaction to the heater tubes, wherein the heat-storing material is substantially free of sensible heat-storing material.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
125 words
A heater for a Stirling engine, comprising: a burner; heater tubes disposed in the burner; a primary high-temperature heat source providing a variable amount of heat for heating the heater tubes; and a space formed around the heater tubes in the burner and filled with heat-storing material, the heat storing material being in direct contact with the heater tubes and the space being separated from said primary heat source by a seal member, heat produced by the primary heat source being supplied to the heater tubes solely through the heat-storing material, the heat-storing material acting as a secondary heat source for supplying stored heat by phase change or chemical reaction to the heater tubes, wherein the heat-storing material is substantially free of sensible heat-storing material.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
A heater for a Stirling engine as set forth in claim 1, wherein said heat-storing material stores heat in the form of latent heat.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
A heater for a Stirling engine as set forth in claim 2, wherein said heat-storing material comprises Li 2 CO 3 , NaCl or MgCl 2 .
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
A heater for a Stirling engine as set forth in claim 1, wherein said heat-storing material stores heat by use of a chemical reaction.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
A heater for a Stirling engine as set forth in claim 4, wherein said heat-storing material comprises Li 2 CO 3 , SrCO 3 or CaCO 3 .
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
30 words
A heater for a Stirling engine as set forth in claim 1, wherein said Stirling engine is operated at a temperature of from about 700° C. to about 900° C.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
174 words
A method for heating a working fluid in a Stirling engine, comprising: providing a high-temperature heat source having a variable output including a low output range and a high output range; transferring heat to the working fluid from the heat source solely through a heat-storing material, the working fluid being contained in heater tubes and the heat-storing material directly contacting the heater tubes and being contained in a space surrounding the heater tubes; storing heat from said heat source when said source is in said high output range in the heat-storing material; and maintaining said heat transfer to said working fluid at a substantially steady rate through transfer by phase change or chemical reaction of said stored heat when said heat source is in said low output range; wherein the heat-storing material is substantially free of sensible heat-storing material; and wherein said heat transferring step includes transferring heat from the high-temperature heat source to the heat-storing material via a seal member separating the high temperature heat source from the space containing the heat-storing material.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
174 words
A method for heating a working fluid in a Stirling engine, comprising: providing a high-temperature heat source having a variable output including a low output range and a high output range; transferring heat to the working fluid from the heat source solely through a heat-storing material, the working fluid being contained in heater tubes and the heat-storing material directly contacting the heater tubes and being contained in a space surrounding the heater tubes; storing heat from said heat source when said source is in said high output range in the heat-storing material; and maintaining said heat transfer to said working fluid at a substantially steady rate through transfer by phase change or chemical reaction of said stored heat when said heat source is in said low output range; wherein the heat-storing material is substantially free of sensible heat-storing material; and wherein said heat transferring step includes transferring heat from the high-temperature heat source to the heat-storing material via a seal member separating the high temperature heat source from the space containing the heat-storing material.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method for heating a Stirling engine as set forth in claim 7, wherein said heat-storing material stores heat in the form of latent heat.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method for heating a Stirling engine as set forth in claim 8, wherein said heat-storing material comprises Li 2 CO 3 , NaCl or MgCl 2 .
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method for heating a Stirling engine as set forth in claim 7, wherein said heat-storing material stores heat by use of a chemical reaction.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method for heating a Stirling engine as set forth in claim 10, wherein said heat-storing material comprises Li 2 CO 3 , SrCO 3 or CaCO 3 .
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method for heating a Stirling engine as set forth in claim 11, wherein said Stirling engine is operated at a temperature of from about 700° C. to about 900° C.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
135 words
A heater for a Stirling engine, comprising: a burner housing; heater tubes disposed in the burner housing; a primary high-temperature heat source providing a variable amount of heat for supplying heat to the heater tubes in the burner housing; and a heat-storing material directly contacting the heater tubes and contained in a space surrounding the heater tubes, said heat storing material being sealed from said heat source via a seal member disposed between the heat source and the space containing the heat-storing material, heat produced by the high-temperature heat source being supplied to the heater tubes solely through the heat-storing material, the heat-storing material acting as a secondary heat source for supplying stored heat by phase change or chemical reaction to the heater tubes; wherein the heat-storing material is substantially free of sensible heat-storing material.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
135 words
A heater for a Stirling engine, comprising: a burner housing; heater tubes disposed in the burner housing; a primary high-temperature heat source providing a variable amount of heat for supplying heat to the heater tubes in the burner housing; and a heat-storing material directly contacting the heater tubes and contained in a space surrounding the heater tubes, said heat storing material being sealed from said heat source via a seal member disposed between the heat source and the space containing the heat-storing material, heat produced by the high-temperature heat source being supplied to the heater tubes solely through the heat-storing material, the heat-storing material acting as a secondary heat source for supplying stored heat by phase change or chemical reaction to the heater tubes; wherein the heat-storing material is substantially free of sensible heat-storing material.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
26 words
A heater for a Stirling engine as set forth in claim 13, wherein said heat source has a high heat output and a low heat output.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
126 words
A heater for a Stirling engine, comprising: a burner; heater tubes disposed in the burner; a primary high-temperature heat source for heating the heater tubes wherein said heat source is intermittent solar heat, and a secondary heat source for heating the heater tubes, wherein said secondary heat source is heat-storing material which directly contacts the heater tubes; and a space formed around the heater tubes in the burner and filled with said heat-storing material, said heat-storing material being sealed from said solar heat source by a seal member, and wherein the heat produced by said solar heat source is supplied to the heater tubes by phase change or chemical reaction solely through said heat-storing material; wherein the heat-storing material is substantially free of sensible heat-storing material.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
126 words
A heater for a Stirling engine, comprising: a burner; heater tubes disposed in the burner; a primary high-temperature heat source for heating the heater tubes wherein said heat source is intermittent solar heat, and a secondary heat source for heating the heater tubes, wherein said secondary heat source is heat-storing material which directly contacts the heater tubes; and a space formed around the heater tubes in the burner and filled with said heat-storing material, said heat-storing material being sealed from said solar heat source by a seal member, and wherein the heat produced by said solar heat source is supplied to the heater tubes by phase change or chemical reaction solely through said heat-storing material; wherein the heat-storing material is substantially free of sensible heat-storing material.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
19 words
An artificial satellite including a Stirling engine and a heater for said Stirling engine as claimed in claim 15.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1993-01-22 | 1993-07-24 | 1994-01-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-01-22 | 1997-07-24 | 1998-01-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-01-22 | 2001-07-24 | 2002-01-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |