Patent ID: 8196402

Claim:
A method for generating electrical energy using a thermal cycle of a working gas, the method comprising: using the motions of a first piston in a cylinder and a second piston in the cylinder, the cylinder containing the working gas performing the thermal cycle, to electromagnetically induce current in an electrical circuit coupled to the cylinder, the electrical circuit comprising an electronic power converter; using compression and expansion of the working gas between the first piston and the second piston to perform the thermal cycle; using the electrical circuit to store the electrical energy, produced by the current induced in the electrical circuit, in an electrical storage device; using the electrical energy stored in the electrical storage device to electromagnetically provide a first motive force to the first piston and to electromagnetically provide a second motive force to the second piston; using the electronic power converter to perform closed-loop electronic control of the motions of the first piston and the second piston; the cyclically using the electrical circuit to store the electrical energy and using the stored energy to provide the first motive force to the first piston and the second motive force to the second piston effecting a net positive average power transfer into the electrical storage device over the course of the thermal cycle; and the working gas being cycled through an internal combustion cycle.