Heat engine

Abstract

A heat engine body comprising a container defining a sealed region within which a working fluid is circulated when the heat engine body is in use, the sealed region having spaced apart first and second ends which are in fluid flow communication via a working fluid passageway, the first end is at a different temperature than the second end when the heat engine body is use, and a heat exchanger comprising at least one member defining a plurality of openings having louvers which are configured and arranged to cause at least a portion of a fluid to flow through the openings as the fluid flows through the heat exchanger.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A heat engine body comprising: 
 (a) a container defining a sealed region within which a working fluid is circulated when the heat engine body is in use, the sealed region having spaced apart first and second ends which are in fluid flow communication via a working fluid passageway, the first end is at a different temperature than the second end when the heat engine body is in use; and,    (b) a heat exchanger comprising at least one member defining a plurality of openings having associated louvres which are configured and arranged to cause at least a portion of a fluid to flow through the openings as the fluid flows through the heat exchanger.    
     
     
         2 . The heat engine body as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the louvres are configured and arranged to cause a portion of a fluid flowing through the heat exchanger to flow from the first opposed side to the second opposed side through at least some of the openings and then from the second opposed side to the first opposed side through at least some of the openings.  
     
     
         3 . The heat engine body as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the louvers are configured and arranged to cause at least a portion of a fluid flowing through the openings to swirl as the fluid flows through the heat exchanger.  
     
     
         4 . The heat engine body as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the heat exchanger comprises a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart fins.  
     
     
         5 . The heat engine body as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the heat exchanger comprises a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart fins which are mounted to a wall of the heat engine body and at least some of the fins have a hub adjacent the wall and an annular body portion extending away from the hub, and the openings are provided in the annular body portion.  
     
     
         6 . The heat engine body as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the heat exchanger comprises a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart fins which are mounted to a wall of the heat engine body and at least some of the fins have a hub adjacent the wall and a plurality of blades extending away from the hub, the blades defining the openings through which the fluid flows.  
     
     
         7 . The heat engine body as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the heat exchanger comprises a helical fin.  
     
     
         8 . The heat engine body as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the heat exchanger comprises a helical fin which is mounted to a wall of the heat engine body and has a hub adjacent the wall and an annular body portion extending away from the hub, and the openings are provided in the annular body portion.  
     
     
         9 . The heat engine body as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the heat exchanger comprises a helical fin which is mounted to a wall of the heat engine body and has a hub adjacent the wall and a plurality of blades extending away from the hub, the blades defining the openings through which the fluid flows.  
     
     
         10 . The heat engine body as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the heat exchanger comprises a longitudinally extending member, the openings are oriented generally parallel to the direction of travel of the fluid and the louvres extend outwardly from the longitudinally extending member to impinge the fluid.  
     
     
         11 . The heat engine body as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the heat exchanger comprises at least one fin which is constructed from metal and are prepared by stamping.  
     
     
         12 . The heat engine body as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the heat exchanger comprises at least one fin which has a deformable collar for lockingly engaging the inner surface to which the fin is attached.  
     
     
         13 . The heat engine body as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the heat exchanger comprises at least one fin which is mechanically mounted to a wall of the heat engine body by a pressure which is exerted between the at least one fin and the wall which is sufficient to ensure that the rate of heat transfer between the fin and the wall is maintained over the normal operating temperature of the wall.  
     
     
         14 . The heat engine body as claimed in  claim 1  wherein at least some of the louvres have at least one opening provided therein and the louvre is configured and arranged to cause a portion of the fluid to pass at least twice through the louvre as the fluid flows through the heat exchanger.  
     
     
         15 . The heat engine body as claimed in  claim 1  wherein at least some of the louvres have a first side, a second side and at least one opening which is configured and arranged to cause a portion of the fluid to flow unidirectionally from the first side of a louvre to the second side of the louvre as the fluid flows through the heat exchanger.  
     
     
         16 . The heat engine body as claimed in  claim 1  wherein at least some of the louvres have at least one opening and the at least one opening has associated sublouvres provided therein and the sublouvres are configured and arranged to cause a portion of the fluid to pass at least twice through the louvre as the fluid flows through the heat exchanger.  
     
     
         17 . The heat engine body as claimed in  claim 1  wherein at least some of the louvres have a first side, a second side and at least one opening and the at least one opening has associated sublouvres provided therein and the sublouvres are configured and arranged to cause a portion of the fluid to flow unidirectionally from the first side of a louvre to the second side of the louvre as the fluid flows through the heat exchanger.  
     
     
         18 . A heat engine body comprising: 
 (a) a container defining a sealed region within which a working fluid is circulated when the heat engine is in use, the sealed region having first and second ends which are in fluid flow communication via a working fluid passageway, the first end is at a different temperature than the second end when the heat engine is in use; and,    (b) the heat engine having a plurality of fins which are prepared by stamping.    
     
     
         19 . A heat exchanger means capable of being mounted in an fluid flow passage which is located between first and second walls, the walls having a first end and a spaced apart second end, the heat exchanger means comprising fin means having first and second opposed sides and first directing means for generating a main flow of fluid through the fin means as the fluid flows from the first end to the second end and secondary directing means for generating a secondary fluid flow which passes through at least some of the first directing means whereby the heat transfer between the fluid and the heat exchanger means is enhanced.  
     
     
         20 . A heat engine body comprising: 
 (a) inner and outer spaced apart longitudinally extending walls, at least one of the inner and outer walls being of a thin walled construction, the inner wall surrounding a cavity, each of the inner and outer wall having longitudinally spaced apart first and second ends, the first end is at a different temperature than the second end when the heat engine is in use, the first and second ends in fluid flow communication via a passageway, the first and second ends and the passageway defining a sealed region within which a working fluid is circulated when the heat engine body is in use; and,    (b) positioning members for dimensionally stabilizing the one of the inner and outer wall which is of a thin walled construction.