US 12,276,211 B2
Heat engine
Anthony Paul Roskilly, Newcastle upon Tyne (GB); and Andrew John Smallbone, Newcastle upon Tyne (GB)
Assigned to University of Newcastle upon Tyne, Newcastle upon Tyne (GB)
Appl. No. 16/481,238
Filed by University of Newcastle upon Tyne, Newcastle upon Tyne (GB)
PCT Filed Jan. 26, 2018, PCT No. PCT/GB2018/050221
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jul. 26, 2019,
PCT Pub. No. WO2018/138509, PCT Pub. Date Aug. 2, 2018.
Claims priority of application No. 1701368 (GB), filed on Jan. 27, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2019/0376418 A1, Dec. 12, 2019
Int. Cl. F01K 7/36 (2006.01); F01K 23/06 (2006.01); F01K 25/06 (2006.01); F01K 25/08 (2006.01)
CPC F01K 7/36 (2013.01) [F01K 23/065 (2013.01); F01K 25/06 (2013.01); F01K 25/08 (2013.01)] 23 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A heat engine comprising:
a compressor comprising:
a compression chamber; and
a first positive displacement member reciprocable within the compression chamber;
an expander comprising:
an expansion chamber; and
a second positive displacement member reciprocable within the expansion chamber;
a first conduit fluidly coupling an outlet of the compressor to an inlet of the expander;
a second conduit fluidly coupling an outlet of the expander to an inlet of the compressor;
a working fluid comprising a diluent;
a reactor in which first and second reactants in the working fluid can react with each other, the reactor arranged in the first conduit between the compressor and the expander; and
a condenser arranged in the second conduit between the expander and the compressor, the condenser receiving the working fluid having a pre-condenser concentration of the diluent, the condenser for condensing a gas in the working fluid into a condensate, the gas being a combustion product from a reaction of the first and second reactants, the condenser comprising a drainage line for draining the condensate from the condenser, and the remaining working fluid flowing from the condenser having a post-condenser concentration of the diluent that is greater than the pre-condenser concentration;
wherein the first and second positive displacement members are of a low friction piston design;
wherein the diluent operates in a closed loop in the heat engine;
wherein the pre-condenser concentration of the diluent in the working fluid is at least 5% by volume;
wherein the diluent has a ratio of specific heats which is at least 1.4; and
wherein the diluent is selected from the group consisting of Ar, He, Ne, Kr, and Xe.