DEVICE FOR THERMAL COMPRESSION OF A GASEOUS FLUID

摘要

A device for compressing a gaseous fluid includes a first chamber thermally coupled with a hot source, a second chamber thermally coupled with a cold source, a movable piston moved by a rod, and a regenerating exchanger establishing fluid communication between the first and second chambers. The rod is arranged in a cylindrical socket and guided in axial translation by a linear guiding system such as to guide the piston without contact relative to the sleeve. A sealing ring attached to the cylindrical socket surrounds the rod with a very low radial clearance, in order to limit the passage of the gaseous fluid along the mobile rod. Also disclosed is an integral cold casing having machined boreholes, a thermal screen in the hot casing, and a self-driving system with a resilient return means.

主权项

1. A device for thermal compression of a gaseous fluid, comprising:
an inlet for the gaseous fluid to be compressed and an outlet for the gaseous fluid in compressed form, a work enclosure containing the gaseous fluid, a first chamber thermally coupled with a heat source adapted to provide heat to the gaseous fluid, a second chamber thermally coupled with a cold source in order to transfer heat from the gaseous fluid to the cold source, a piston mounted so as to be movable along an axial direction within a cylindrical sleeve and separating the first chamber and second chamber inside said work enclosure, the piston being moved by a rod integral with the piston, a regenerative heat exchanger and communication channels placing the first and second chambers in fluid communication, wherein the rod is arranged within a cylindrical socket integral with the work enclosure, and the rod is guided in axial translation by a linear guiding system so as to guide the piston without contact with the sleeve, and a cylindrical sealing ring attached within the cylindrical socket and surrounding the rod with a radial clearance of between 2 and 20 μm, in order to greatly limit passage of the gaseous fluid along the movable rod to and from an auxiliary chamber.