Patent ID: 6109040
Filing Date: 2000-08-29
Classification: F01C,F02B,F02G,F25B

Abstract:
A heat exchanger based on the Stirling cycle wherein said heat exchanger comprises:a rotary expander mechanism having a rotor, a housing with a heat input interface, and first and second working gas inlet/outlet ports;a rotary compressor mechanism having a rotor, a housing with a heat rejection interface, and first and second working gas inlet/outlet ports;a drive means for driving the rotary expander mechanism and the rotary compressor mechanism;first and second stationary regenerators, each having first and second working gas inlet/outlet ports; anda working gas contained within said expander mechanism, said compressor mechanism, and said regenerators;said first mechanism having its first working gas inlet/outlet port connected to said first working gas inlet/outlet port of said expander mechanism and its second working gas inlet/outlet port connected to said first working gas inlet/outlet port of said compressor mechanism;said second regenerator mechanism having its first working gas inlet/outlet port connected to said second working gas inlet/outlet port of said expander mechanism and its second working gas inlet/outlet port connected to said second working gas inlet/outlet port of said compressor mechanism;the expander mechanism and compressor mechanism being connected together through said regenerators to form the equivalent of two Stirling-cycle systems, the resulting closed system containing said working gas;whereby in operation each of said regenerators is exposed at its first working gas inlet/outlet port to pressure cycles from said expander mechanism and at its second working gas inlet/outlet port to pressure cycles from said compressor mechanism;said pressure cycles of said expander mechanism and compressor mechanism being generated at a common frequency related to the speed of rotation of said drive means, with the pressure cycles of said expander mechanism leading those of said compressor mechanism by approximately ninety degrees such that said working gas is swept back and forth between said expander mechanism and said compressor mechanism through said regenerators with heat being rejected at said heat rejection interface of said compressor mechanism and heat being absorbed at said heat input interface of said expander mechanism in the manner of a Stirling refrigerator;said closed system functioning as a refrigerator when heat is absorbed into the expander mechanism at a temperature lower than that of the compressor mechanism and power is input to the drive means.