Thermal drive system for motor vehicles

摘要

The invention consists of a cylinder filled with compressed gas and having a periodically moved displacer piston, of a thermal regenerator and two heat exchangers inserted between the cylinder head and a lower working volume. Heating energy is supplied in the cylinder head via one of these heat exchangers by burning liquid or gaseous fuel at a high temperature, while the lower working space is connected to two pressure vessels via two non-return valves opening in opposite directions. During the periodic piston movement produced by a low-power driving motor, the gas mass is forced into the hot cylinder head at bottom dead centre, i.e. a higher pressure of the working gas is produced and part of it is forced into the high-pressure vessel. At top dead centre of the displacement piston, the working pressure in the overall system falls and a certain quantity of gas flows out of the low-pressure vessel into the lower working space. In the steady condition, two different pressure levels are built up in the two gas buffers, the difference between them being used to perform mechanical work in an expansion motor connected between them. As the flow rate rises, i.e. as the rotational speed increases, the effective pressure difference decreases; with the expansion machine at a standstill, it and hence also the torque are at a maximum. This device can be used for the drive of vehicles, by reversing the motors the combustion energy being used to pump up the high-pressure vessel, i.e. for energy accumulation.