Cyrogen production via a cryogenic vapor driven power piston for use in a cryogenic vapor powered vehicle with rotary vane motors attached to the axles of the vehicle next to the vehicle's four wheels, using a heat source such as solar heat, heat of compression (heat pump or air compressor, etc.) or heat of friction (as formed by an electric generator), or chemical heat, or heat formed by electrical resistance, heat of combustion, etc. to generate high-pressure, high-kinetic energy cryogenic vapor

Abstract

A method and apparatus for the manufacture of a cryogenic vapor powered vehicle via the efficient onboard production of air cryogen (liquid air) produced from atmospheric air and a method to impart heat (thermal energy) to the produced cryogen to vaporize the cryogen into energetic cryogenic vapor, having high kinetic energy, capable of generating substantial work, including powering rotary vane motors attached to the axles of the vehicle next to the vehicle's wheels

1 . An air cryogen production unit is hereby claimed. 
 It is claimed that the air cryogen production unit is a cryogenic engine capable of producing air cryogen, having a temperature below −150C., from ambient temperature air within the atmosphere.    
     
     
         2 . A power cylinder and power piston are hereby claimed. 
 It is hereby claimed that liquid air (air cryogen) may be produced using a power piston within a power cylinder that is driven by heated, expanded, and pressurized cryogenic vapor produced within a thermoelectric vaporizer of  claim 13 .    
     
     
         3 . Cryogen production cylinders and cryogen production pistons are hereby claimed. 
 It is claimed that the power piston of  claim 2  is connected to a series of cryogen production pistons within cryogen production cylinders, whose diameters are less than the diameter of the power cylinder and power piston of  claim 2 .    It is claimed that any number of cryogen production pistons within cryogen production cylinders may be connected to and powered by one power piston.    
     
     
         4 . Rods connecting the power piston of  claim 2  to the cryogen production pistons of  claim 3  are hereby claimed. 
 It is claimed that the power piston is connected to the cryogen production cylinders and pistons by connecting rods, and;  
 it is claimed that cryogen production cylinders and pistons are located on each side of the power cylinder and power piston of  claim 2 .  
 
     
     
         5 . It is claimed that the power piston of  claim 2  moves back and forth within the power cylinder of  claim 2 . 
 Solenoid valves are hereby claimed that allow pressurized cryogenic vapor to enter the power cylinder on each side of the power piston and allow the cryogenic vapor to exit the power cylinder on each side of the power piston.  
 It is claimed that cryogenic vapor is allowed to enter through solenoid valves on one (first) side of the power piston of  claim 2  and to exit through solenoid vales on the opposite (second) side of the power piston causing the power piston to move forward.  
 It is claimed that the process is reversed as cryogenic vapor is allowed to enter on the second side of the cylinder and is allowed to exit on the first side. It is claimed that the reversal causes the power piston to move in the opposite direction and, thus, the power piston moves back and forth.  
 
     
     
         6 . It is claimed that as the power piston of  claim 2  moves forward that the cryogen production pistons of  claim 3  are pushed forward or they are pulled backwards by the connecting rods of  claim 4 .  
     
     
         7 . It is claimed that the force of the power piston in  claim 2  causes powerful vacuums to be formed in the production cylinders of  claim 3 . 
 It is claimed that the vacuums are formed on each side of the cryogen production pistons of  claim 3 .  
 
     
     
         8 . Compressed and pre-cooled incoming air from the atmosphere that has a temperature below the inversion temperature of air is hereby claimed. 
 It is claimed that ambient temperature air from the atmosphere is compressed via a compressor turbine of  claim 17  and that the incoming air counter-flows cryogen through a thermoelectric vaporizer of  claim 13  and is substantially cooled.    It is claimed that the incoming air then counter-flows cryogen through a vacuum insulated heat exchanger of  claim 19  to further cool the air, with the vacuum acting to prevent the heat of the environment from coming into contact with the incoming air so that the incoming air may be substantially cooled.    It is claimed that the temperature of the compressed and substantially cooled incoming air is below the inversion temperature of air.    
     
     
         9 . Gas expanders are hereby claimed. 
 It is claimed that compressed and cooled atmospheric air that is below the inversion temperature of air of  claim 8  is allowed to be expanded into the vacuums of  claim 7  formed by the production pistons of  claim 3  through gas expanders.    It is claimed that the expansion causes the temperature of the air to drop according to the Joules-Thompson Effect.    It is claimed that the specific volume of the air reduces (implosion), allowing the vacuum to be substantially maintained.    It is claimed that a portion of the air entering the vacuums condenses and becomes liquid air or solid air crystals (air cryogen).    It is claimed that liquid air or solid air crystals are produced in vacuums formed on each side of the cryogen production pistons.    
     
     
         10 . Electrically controlled solenoid valves for the supply of liquid cryogen to the cryogen production cylinders of  claim 3  are hereby claimed. 
 It is claimed that the solenoid valves supply previously produced pressurized liquid air to the cryogen production cylinders.  
 
     
     
         11 . Joules-Thompson expansion valves are hereby claimed. 
 It is claimed that as the vacuum of  claim 7  declines in the cryogen production cylinders of  claim 3  that the solenoid valves of  claim 10  supply high-pressure, super-cold, liquid cryogen that was previously produced to the cylinders through Joules-Thompson expansion valves, thus cooling the liquid further and absorbing the latent heat from any remaining gases from the atmospheric air of  claim 8  previously introduced into the production cylinders and causes any solid air crystals of  claim 9  to be melted by the incoming cryogen.    It is claimed that the cryogen production cylinders become pressurized by this process and that the cryogenic production cylinders are filled with liquid air and the pressure is made equal to or near equal to that of the pressurized liquid air entering the cylinders.    
     
     
         12 . It is claimed that the power piston of  claim 2  provides a powerful force to compress the cryogen from the cryogen production cylinders of  claim 3  as the power piston moves back and forth. 
 Cryogen production check valves are hereby claimed that allow the flow of cryogen out of the cryogen production cylinders.  
 It is claimed that as the power piston forces the cryogen from the cryogen production cylinders, of  claim 3  the cryogen passes through cryogen check valves that allow flow in only one direction.  
 
     
     
         13 . A thermoelectric vaporizer is hereby claimed. 
 It is claimed that the liquid air in the cryogenic line is heated, expand, and generates greater pressure than the original pressure of the liquid by passing the cryogen through a thermoelectric vaporizer that has a counter-flowing heat source such as heat from the atmosphere, heat produced by a geothermal heat source, heat generated by a solar collector, heat produced by the compression of air, heat as a by-product of manufacturing, chemically produced heat, or heat of friction, heat generated by combustion, etc.    It is claimed that the heat source causes the liquid to transform into cryogenic vapor, having a substantially increased temperature, pressure and/or specific volume if allowed to expand with no increase in pressure.    It is claimed that according to Boyle's Law the volume of an ideal gas at a constant temperature is inversely proportional to its pressure and that according to Charles' Law doubling the temperature of a gas will double the volume of the gas. Temperature, volume and pressure are therefore directly and proportionally related. If the temperature of a gas within a closed container (constant volume) is doubled, the pressure of the gas is also doubled as the gas cannot expand in volume.    
     
     
         14 . It is hereby claimed that the production of liquid air (cryogenics) in  claim 1  may require less energy to produce the cryogen than the amount of energy that may be generated by the heated, expanded, and pressurized cryogenic vapor formed from the liquid air, so long as sufficient thermal energy is gained by the cryogenic vapor to provide sufficient internal energy to the cryogenic vapor as to exceed the energy required to produce the liquid air (in an open cycle), with such excess energy coming from heat sources such as thermal energy in the atmosphere, concentrated solar heat, geothermal heat, the heat of compression, the heat of combustion, or the heat of friction, etc. or any combination of heat sources as may be available.  
     
     
         15 . A cryogenic vehicle using the cryogenic production unit (cryogenic engine) of  claim 1  is hereby claimed. 
 It is claimed that the production of liquid air (air cryogen) as described in  claim 1  provides the mechanism for the production of energetic cryogenic vapor produced within the thermoelectric vaporizer of  claim 13  by vaporizing the cryogen into cryogenic vapor, and;  
 it is claimed that subsequent heating of the cryogenic vapor within the vaporizer causes the pressure of the cryogenic vapor to increase and, thus, causes the internal energy of the cryogenic vapor to increase, and;  
 It is claimed that the pressurized cryogenic vapor has sufficient internal energy to produce a kinetic energy drive force capable of powering a vehicle.  
 
     
     
         16 . Rotary vane motors, axles, bearings, wheels, and solenoid valves are hereby claimed. 
 It is claimed that rotary vane motors are attached to axles that are adjacent to the vehicle's wheels and it is claimed that bearing allow the axles to rotate.    It is claimed that heated and expanded cryogenic vapor causes rotary motion of the rotary vane motors in both the forward direction and reverse direction by reversing the direction of cryogenic vapor flow through the rotary vane motor with the use of electrically controlled solenoid valves.    It is claimed that the rotary vane motors provide rotary motion to the wheels of the vehicle.    
     
     
         17 . An electric generator, shaft, compressor turbine, and rotary vane motor are claimed. 
 It is claimed that energetic cryogenic vapor produced in the thermoelectric vaporizer of  claim 13  provides the kinetic energy to cause the rotary vane motor to rotate.    It is claimed that the rotary vane motor is connected to the shaft and that the shaft is connected to the electric generator and the compressor turbine.    It is claimed that as the shaft turns, the electric generator generates electricity and the compressor turbine compresses atmospheric air into the thermoelectric vaporizer of  claim 13 .    It is claimed that cryogen produced by the cryogen production unit of  claim 1  counter-flows through the thermoelectric vaporizer of  claim 13  in the opposite direction to the flow of the atmospheric air compressed into the thermoelectric vaporizer by the compressor turbine.    
     
     
         18 . It is claimed that the thermoelectric vaporizer of  claim 13  generates electricity thermoelectrically with the atmospheric air as a heat source and with the cryogen as the cold source. 
 It is claimed that heat is produced by the generator due to friction, and;  
 it is claimed that compression of the atmospheric air by the compressor turbine causes heat of compression to be formed, and;  
 it is claimed that the heat is transferred to the atmospheric air compressed into the thermoelectric vaporizer by the compressor turbine of  claim 17 .  
 It is claimed that the thermoelectric vaporizer transforms the cryogen into energetic cryogenic vapor via the transfer of heat from the atmospheric air, containing the heat of fiction from the generator and heat of compression, compressed into the thermoelectric vaporizer by the compressor turbine which causes the cryogen to change from the liquid state to the gaseous state to form energetic cryogenic vapor.  
 
     
     
         19 . A vacuum insulated thermoelectric heat exchanger is hereby claimed. 
 It is claimed that a vacuum insulated heat exchanger further cools the compressed incoming air by counter-flowing cryogen output in the opposite direction to the direction of flow of the incoming atmospheric air that is pre-cooled and is compressed within the thermoelectric vaporizer of  claim 13 .    It is claimed that electricity is produced thermoelectrically by the vacuum insulated thermoelectric heat exchanger.    It is claimed that the vacuum insulation surrounding the heat exchanger keeps ambient heat contained in the atmosphere from preventing the further cooling of the incoming pre-cooled and compressed atmospheric air.    
     
     
         20 . Electrical resistance heating units are hereby claimed. 
 It is claimed that electricity is produced by the thermoelectric generator of  claim 13 , and by the electrical generator of  claim 17 , and by the vacuum insulated thermoelectric heat exchanger of  claim 19 .    It is claimed that high-temperature heat may be generated by electrical resistance heating units.    It is claimed that the electrical resistance heating units may be used as high-temperature heat sources.    It is claimed that the high-temperature produced by the electrical resistance heating units may be used to increase the temperature of a portion of the cryogenic vapor produced within the thermoelectric vaporizer of  claim 13  and that such increase in temperature of that portion of the cryogenic vapor will result in greater volume and/or greater pressure within that portion of cryogenic vapor, making that portion of the cryogenic vapor more energetic, having a higher internal energy.    
     
     
         21 . An electrical storage battery is hereby claimed. 
 It is claimed that electricity produced by the thermoelectric generator of  claim 13 , and by the electrical generator of  claim 17 , and by the vacuum insulated thermoelectric heat exchanger of  claim 19  may be stored in an electrical storage battery that may be used at a later time to either provide heat via the electrical resistance heating units of  claim 20  or as otherwise used.    
     
     
         22 . An electrolyzer is hereby claimed to disassociate water into hydrogen and oxygen. 
 It is claimed that cold electrolysis of water may take place using the electricity, and;    it is claimed that steam may be produced by electric resistance heating units of  claim 20 , and;    it is claimed that steam may be produced by combusting a portion of the hydrogen and oxygen produced, and;    it is claimed that high-temperature steam electrolysis generally has an efficiency higher than ninety percent.    The applicant has simultaneously with the filing of this patent filed a U.S. Patent application for patent protection on a process to produce hydrogen and oxygen via electrolysis of pure water, titled, “Solid Oxide or Solid Acid High-Temperature Steam Electrolyzer Constructed in Alternating Layers of P-Type, N-Type, and Solid Oxide or Solid Acid Materials for the Self-Generation of Electricity Thermoelectrically for Electrolysis of High-Temperature Steam into Hydrogen and Oxygen”.    
     
     
         23 . A computer control unit is hereby claimed. 
 It is claimed that a computer control unit acts to operate all of the valves, switches, etc. of the cryogenic vehicle as required.    
     
     
         24 . It is claimed that spent cryogenic vapor that is allowed to exit through exhaust solenoid valves in  claim 5  from the power cylinder of  claim 2 , still contains substantial internal energy, and; 
 it is claimed that the spent cryogenic vapor that exits the exhaust solenoid valves of  claim 5  is directed to the rotary vane motor of  claim 17  that operates the compressor turbine of  claim 17 .  
 It is claimed that spent cryogenic vapor exiting from the exhaust solenoid valves of  claim 16  from the rotary vane motors of  claim 16  that drive the wheels of  claim 16  of the vehicle of  claim 15  still contains substantial internal energy, and;  
 it is claimed that the spent cryogenic vapor that exits the exhaust solenoid valves of  claim 16  is directed to the rotary vane motor of  claim 17  that operates the compressor turbine of  claim 17 .  
 
     
     
         25 . A heating and cooling unit is hereby claimed. 
 It is claimed that the cryogen production unit of  claim 1  along with the thermoelectric vaporizer of  claim 13  may be used as a heating and cooling system.    It is claimed that heat may be produced by compression of atmospheric air by a compressor turbine as in  claim 17 , and;    it is claimed that cold air may be produced by the thermoelectric vaporizer by counter-flowing cryogen with the air to be cooled within the thermoelectric vaporizer as in  claim 13 .    It is claimed that electricity will be produced thermoelectrically within the thermoelectric vaporizer of  claim 13  as a process of cooling the air.    
     
     
         26 . It is claimed that the cryogen production unit of  claim 1  may be used for the production of air cryogen, and; 
 it is claimed that industrial gases such as oxygen, nitrogen, argon, etc. may be obtained by separating the cryogen into the specific gases by well known methods.  
 
     
     
         27 . An electric power generating plant is hereby claimed. 
 It is claimed that the cryogenic engine of  claim 1  and the thermoelectric vaporizer of  claim 13  may be used together to form an electric power generating plant.    It is hereby claimed that the cryogen production unit of  claim 1 , and the thermoelectric vaporizer of  claim 13  may be used as an electric power plant for the production of electricity.    The applicant has simultaneously with the filing of this patent filed a U.S. Patent application for patent protection on a process to produce electricity by use of a thermoelectric vaporizer as in  claim 13  to thermoelectrically produce electrical power titled, “Thermoelectric Vaporizer for the Efficient Generation of Electricity Thermoelectrically and for the Simultaneous Vaporization of a Cryogen”.    
     
     
         28 . It is claimed that the cryogen production unit in  claim 1 , may be used to produce water from the water vapor in the atmosphere. 
 It is claimed that the low operating temperature of the thermoelectric vaporizer of  claim 13 , having extremely low-temperature cryogen flowing through the vaporizer, will cause water vapor to condense into water.    It is claimed that the compressor turbine of  claim 17  causes a substantial of atmospheric air to pass through the vaporizer; and,    it is claimed that the atmospheric air contains a significant amount of water vapor, and;    it is claimed that a significant amount of water will be produced from condensation of the water vapor, and;    it is claimed that pure water will be formed.    
     
     
         29 . It is hereby claimed that the cryogen unit in  claim 1  and thermoelectric vaporizer of  claim 13  as used together for the production of cryogen, production of high-pressure energetic cryogenic vapor, and the production of electricity are capable of providing mechanical drive. 
 It is claimed that mechanical drive may be produced by use of the kinetic energy contained in the energetic cryogenic vapor produced by the thermoelectric vaporizer, and;  
 it is claimed that mechanical drive may be produced by use of the electricity generated by the thermoelectric vaporizer of  claim 13 , and by the electrical generator of  claim 17 , and by the vacuum insulated thermoelectric heat exchanger of  claim 19  to operate an electric motor.  
 It is claimed that the mechanical drive may be used to power an airplane, a land vehicle, a boat or water craft, an electric generator, or any other device that may be operated by mechanical drive, such as hydraulic systems, piston driven or rotary driven motors, gas expanders or turbine engines, and can provide the energy needed for manufacturing and industrial processes as well as for agriculture and aquaculture, such as pumping water.