Patent ID: 6240729
Filing Date: 2001-06-05
Classification: F01K,F03G

Abstract:
An apparatus for converting thermal energy to mechanical motion, comprising:a first frame mounted on an axle for rotation about an axis of rotation substantially perpendicular to a gravitational direction;a heat source located below said axis of rotation; anda first flow circuit, including:at least three elongate chambers mounted on said first frame at angularly equidistant locations;a first plurality of conduits, each conduit connecting one of said at least three chambers in said first flow circuit with a downstream one of said three chambers in said first flow circuit to provide one-way fluid communication between all of said at least three chambers in said first flow circuit, each of said at least three chambers including:an outlet valve in fluid communication with said conduit connected to said downstream one of said at least three chambers, andan inlet valve in fluid communication with a conduit connected to the outlet valve on an upstream one of said at least three chambers; anda motive fluid provided in said at least three chambers in said first flow circuit, said motive fluid having a boiling point lower than a temperature of said heat source such that when one of said at least three chambers in said first flow circuit is in a lowered position, said heat source vaporizes said motive fluid contained in said lowered chamber increasing vapor pressure within said lowered chamber forcing motive fluid out of said outlet valve and into said downstream one of said at least three chambers.