Energy-conversion apparatus and process

Abstract

One embodiment of an energy-conversion apparatus includes a first container to contain working fluid under pressure, a first heat-transfer component in the first container, a second container to contain fluid under pressure, a second heat-transfer component in the second container, and an energy converter coupled to the first and second containers that performs work in response to a flow of fluid through the energy converter, wherein the flow is motivated by varying a pressure within the first container or within second container (or both) caused by the first heat-transfer component or the second heat-transfer component, respectively, without a need for heat conduction through an exterior surface of either container. An energy-conversion method includes, from within one or both of first or second containers, varying an internal temperature to cause a resultant pressure differential that motivates the fluid to flow between the first and second containers, and performing work as fluid flows through the energy converter between the containers.

1 . An energy-conversion apparatus, comprising:
 a first container to contain working fluid under pressure;   a first heat-transfer component in the first container;   a second container to contain working fluid under pressure; and   an energy converter coupled to the first and second containers that performs work in response to a flow of working fluid through the energy converter, wherein the flow is motivated by varying a pressure within the first container caused by the first heat-transfer component.   
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first heat-transfer component is operable to internally manipulate an internal temperature within the first container. 
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the first heat-transfer component is operable to provide heat to or remove heat from an interior of the first container. 
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the first heat-transfer component includes one or more of:
 an arrangement of conduit in an interior cavity of the first container that allows for a circulation of a heat-transfer fluid that facilities heat transfer;   an interior wall of the container exposed to the interior cavity, the interior wall including voids though which heat-transfer fluid can be circulated; and   an arrangement of conduit through which working fluid can flow and that is coupled to one or both of the first and second containers, the arrangement allowing a geothermal process to be utilized to effect heat transfer from or to the working fluid as it flows though the arrangement.   
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the heat-transfer fluid includes a gas, a liquid, or combination thereof. 
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the heat-transfer fluid is capable of being subjected to a temperature-changing process including one or more of:
 utilizing solar energy to effect a temperature change;   utilizing geothermal heating or cooling to effect a temperature change;   utilizing a heat pump to effect a temperature change; or   utilizing an ignitable fuel source to effect the temperature change.   
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 6  wherein the ignitable fuel source is ignitable from within an interior of the first or second containers. 
   
   
       8 . An energy-conversion apparatus, comprising:
 a first container to contain working fluid under pressure;   a first heat-transfer component in the first container that is operable to manipulate an internal temperature of the first container (first internal temperature) from within the first container;   a second container to contain working fluid under pressure;   a second heat-transfer component in the second container that is operable to manipulate an internal temperature of the second container (second internal temperature) from within the second container; and   an energy converter coupled to the first and second containers that performs work in response to a flow of working fluid between the containers.   
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the first container is insulated. 
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the first heat-transfer component is further operable to internally manipulate the first internal temperature substantially independently of an ambient temperature of an environment. 
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the energy converter generates electricity via rotational motion. 
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the flow of the working fluid between the containers is urged by a difference in pressure within one of the containers compared to a pressure within the other of the containers, wherein the difference in pressure is induced by varying one or more of the first or second internal temperatures utilizing one or more of the first or second heat-transfer components. 
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the energy converter that performs work includes an energy converter that can be used to generate electricity. 
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the flow of working fluid between the containers includes a flow from the first container to the second container or a flow from the second container to the first container. 
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , further comprising a pressure-balancing component that reduces the pressure differential between the exterior of the first heat-transfer component and the interior of the first heat-transfer component below a threshold amount. 
   
   
       16 . An energy-conversion apparatus that utilizes a heat-transfer fluid (HTF), the apparatus comprising:
 a first container to contain working fluid under pressure;   a first inlet port that allows HTF to be introduced into an interior of the first container;   a second container to contain working fluid under pressure; and   an energy converter coupled to the first and second containers that performs work in response to a flow of working fluid through the energy converter, wherein the flow is motivated by internally varying a pressure within the first container caused by direct heat transfer between the HTF and the working fluid.   
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , further comprising a second inlet port that allows HTF to be introduced into an interior of the second container. 
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , further comprising an arrangement of conduit through which working fluid can flow and that is coupled to one or both of the first and second containers, the arrangement allowing a geothermal process to be utilized to effect heat transfer from or to the working fluid as it flows though the arrangement. 
   
   
       19 . An energy-conversion apparatus, comprising:
 a first container of working fluid under pressure;   a second container of working fluid under pressure coupled to the first container;   a first heat-transfer component in the first container that, without a need for heat conduction through an exterior surface of the first container, is operable to perform one or more of
 (1) internally increase a temperature within the first container above a temperature within the second container, and/or 
 (2) internally decrease a temperature within the first container below a temperature within the second container; and 
   an energy converter coupled to the first container and to the second container and adapted to perform work in response to a force exerted upon it, the force created as a result of a change in pressure in at least the first container caused by an internal manipulation of an internal temperature within at least the first container.   
   
   
       20 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , further comprising a second heat-transfer component in the second container that is operable to internally manipulate an internal temperature within the second container. 
   
   
       21 . The apparatus of  claim 20 , wherein, without a need for heat conduction through an exterior surface of the first container, the second heat-transfer component is operable to perform one or more of:
 internally increase a temperature within the second container above a temperature within the first container, and/or   to internally decrease a temperature within the second temperature below a temperature within the first container.   
   
   
       22 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the first heat-transfer component is operable to alternately:
 internally increase a temperature within the first container above a temperature within the second container or vice versa; and/or to   internally decrease a temperature within the first temperature below a temperature within the second container or vice versa.   
   
   
       23 . The apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the energy converter includes a piston. 
   
   
       24 . An energy-conversion apparatus comprising:
 a first container to contain working fluid under pressure, the first container including an inlet port;   a second container to contain working fluid under pressure; and   an energy converter coupled to the first and second containers that performs work in response to a flow of working fluid through the energy converter, wherein the flow is motivated by internally varying a pressure within the first container caused by varying a temperature of the working fluid in at least the first container.   
   
   
       25 . The apparatus of  claim 24 , wherein the inlet port facilitates varying the temperature of the working fluid in the first container by directly exposing the working fluid to an effect from burning an ignitable fuel source burning within the container. 
   
   
       26 . A method for converting energy by utilizing a system comprising first and second containers to contain working fluid under pressure coupled to an energy converter, the method comprising:
 from within one or both of the first and second containers, varying an internal pressure; and   performing work as the energy converter is stimulated in response to a flow of working fluid motivated to pass through the energy converter by the varying internal pressure, wherein the varying of the internal pressure comprises effecting a temperature change from within the first container, thereby causing a resultant change in pressure.   
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein varying the internal pressure(s) of the container(s) comprises varying a temperature of the working fluid by introducing a heat-transfer fluid into the first and/or second container that is of such a temperature that can vary the internal pressure of the container(s). 
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein introducing the heat-transfer fluid includes varying a temperature of the heat transfer fluid; 
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein varying the temperature of the heat-transfer fluid includes one or more of:
 utilizing solar energy to effect a temperature change;   utilizing geothermal heating or cooling to effect a temperature change;   utilizing a heat pump to effect a temperature change; or   utilizing an ignitable fuel source to effect the temperature change.   
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein varying the internal pressure(s) of the container(s) comprises varying a temperature of the working fluid by exposing the working fluid to an effect from burning an ignitable fuel source burning within the container. 
   
   
       31 . A method for converting energy by utilizing a system comprising a first container to contain working fluid under pressure coupled by way of an energy converter to a second container to contain working fluid under pressure, the method comprising:
 from within one or both of the first or second containers, varying an internal temperature to cause a resultant pressure differential that motivates the working fluid to flow between the first and second containers; and   performing work as working fluid flows through the energy converter between the containers in response to the pressure differential.   
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 31 , varying the internal temperature includes introducing heat to or withdrawing heat from the working fluid within the first or second containers. 
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the introducing or withdrawing heat includes one or more of:
 exposing an interior of at least one of the containers to the effects of a heat-transfer fluid;   circulating a heat-transfer fluid through a portion of conduit in the first or second containers;   utilizing a geothermal heating or cooling process; and   introducing and igniting an ignitable fuel within the first or second containers.   
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 33 , wherein the exposing includes circulating the heat-transfer fluid through one or more cavities that includes at least one surface that is in communication with the interior of the first or second containers. 
   
   
       35 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the heat-transfer fluid is subjected to a warming process prior to circulation through the one or more cavities. 
   
   
       36 . The method of  claim 35 , wherein the warming process includes concentrating sunlight to a localized volume of the heat-transfer fluid. 
   
   
       37 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the performing work includes one or more of generating electricity, converting energy from a first form to another, and effecting motion. 
   
   
       38 . A method for converting energy as working fluid flows between a first container that contains working fluid under pressure and a second container that contains working fluid under pressure, the method comprising stimulating an energy converter by inducing a fluid-exchange cycle through the energy converter by varying the pressure of at least one of the containers relative to the other by internally varying the temperature of the working fluid of at least one of the containers. 
   
   
       39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein internally varying the temperature of the working fluid of at least one of the containers includes internally varying the temperature substantially independently of an ambient temperature associated with an ambient environment in which the first or second containers are exposed. 
   
   
       40 . A method for converting energy, comprising:
 providing a first a container to contain working fluid under pressure, the first container substantially surrounding a first heat-transfer component that can internally change an internal temperature within the first container;   providing a second container to contain working fluid under pressure, the second container substantially surrounding a second heat-transfer component that can internally change an internal temperature within the second container;   providing an energy converter coupled to the first container and to the second container;   stimulating the energy converter with a flow of working fluid from the first container to the second container by internally varying a pressure within the first or second container by varying a temperature within the first or second container so that a first pressure differential between the two containers is sufficiently high that it motivates the flow until the differential pressure between the two containers reaches a desired low pressure differential; and   increasing the desired low pressure differential to a second sufficiently high pressure differential so as to motivate a flow of the working fluid from the second container to the first container by varying a temperature within the first or second containers.   
   
   
       41 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the energy converter includes an oscillating member. 
   
   
       42 . The method of  claim 41 , wherein stimulating the energy converter includes utilizing the working fluid within the first container to exert a force against the oscillating member. 
   
   
       43 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein utilizing the working fluid to exert the force against the oscillating member includes heating a heat-transfer fluid prior to it entering an interior of the first container.