Abstract:
The invention relates to systems and methods for rapidly and isothermally expanding gas in a cylinder. The cylinder is used in a staged hydraulic-pneumatic energy conversion system and includes a gas chamber (pneumatic side) and a fluid chamber (hydraulic side) and a piston or other mechanism that separates the gas chamber and fluid chamber while allowing the transfer of force/pressure between each opposing chamber. The gas chamber of the cylinder includes ports that are coupled to a heat transfer subassembly that circulates gas from the pneumatic side and exchanges its heat with a counter flow of ambient temperature fluid from a reservoir or other source.
Abstract:
A hydropneumatic powertrain includes a fluidic driver connected in parallel with first and second liquid tanks connected, respectively, with first and second gas vessels. The gas within each gas vessel is in fluid communication with the liquid within the corresponding liquid vessel. A prime mover drives a pump to pump liquid alternately into one of the two liquid tanks connected in parallel with the pump. Switch valving directs the discharge of the pump to either the first liquid tank or the second liquid tank, while the liquid tank not receiving liquid from the pump discharge is discharging its liquid, driven by expansion of gas within the corresponding gas vessel, to drive the fluidic driver which, in turn, drives the drive wheels of the vehicle. Each gas tank is equipped with a heater and a cooler whereby the gas vessel, in the compression portion of the cycle, is cooled while the other gas vessel is heated for expansion of the gas contained therein. Thus, the fluidic driver can be continuously driven by alternating discharges from the two liquid tanks.
Abstract:
Vorrichtung zur Bestimmung der Position eines beweglichen Trennelements (10), das innerhalb eines Speichers (12) als Abtrennung zwischen einem Gasraum (14) und einem Fluidraum (16) angeordnet ist, wobei die Bestimmungsvorrichtung zumindest einen Drucksensor (26) zur Erfassung von Druckdaten, zumindest einen Ultraschallsensor (28) zur Erfassung von Ultraschalldaten und zumindest eine Rechnereinheit (30) zum Auswerten der Daten umfasst, mit der die Position des Trennelements bestimmbar ist.
Abstract:
A device for fluid power recuperation with reduced heat losses and increased efficiency of fluid power recuperation combined with better manufacturability and possibility of using off-the-shelf gas receivers (bottles). The device comprises at least one hydropneumatic accumulator, containing in its shell a fluid port communicating with the fluid reservoir of the accumulator separated from the gas reservoir of the accumulator by a movable separator. The gas reservoir of the accumulator communicates via a gas port with at least one gas receiver containing a regenerating heat exchanger made in the form of a metal porous structure. The aggregate volume of the material of the regenerating heat exchanger is in the range from 10 to 50% of the internal receiver volume and the aggregate area of the heat exchange surfaces of the regenerating heat exchanger reduced to the aggregate internal receiver volume exceeds 2000 cm 2 /liter. At gas compression or expansion the heat exchange between the gas and the regenerating heat exchanger occurs at small average distances between the gas and the heat exchange surfaces and on a large heat exchange area, and, therefore, with smaller temperature differentials, which increases reversibility of the heat exchange processes and recuperation efficiency. The proposed device has the following properties: - reduced heat losses and increased efficiency of fluid power recuperation; - better manufacturability; - possibility of using off-the-shelf gas receivers of any type in the device.
Abstract:
A hydropneumatic powertrain includes a fluidic driver (34) connected in parallel with first and second liquid tanks (20, 22) connected, respectively, with first and second gas vessels (10, 12). The gas within each gas vessel is in fluid communication with the liquid within the corresponding liquid vessel. A prime mover (30) drives a pump (36) to pump liquid alternately into one of the two liquid tanks connected in parallel with the pump. Switch valving (43, 44) directs the discharge of the pump to either the first liquid tank or the second liquid tank, while the liquid tank not receiving liquid from the pump discharge is discharging its liquid, driven by expansion of gas within the corresponding gas vessel, to drive the fluidic driver which, in turn, drives the drive wheels of the vehicle. Each gas tank is equipped with a heater and a cooler (14, 16) whereby the gas vessel, in the compression portion of the cycle, is cooled while the other gas vessel is heated for expansion of the gas contained therein. Thus, the fluidic driver can be continuously driven by alternating discharges from the two liquid tanks.
Abstract:
A hydropneumatic powertrain includes a fluidic driver (34) connected in parallel with first and second liquid tanks (20, 22) connected, respectively, with first and second gas vessels (10, 12). The gas within each gas vessel is in fluid communication with the liquid within the corresponding liquid vessel. A prime mover (30) drives a pump (36) to pump liquid alternately into one of the two liquid tanks connected in parallel with the pump. Switch valving (43, 44) directs the discharge of the pump to either the first liquid tank or the second liquid tank, while the liquid tank not receiving liquid from the pump discharge is discharging its liquid, driven by expansion of gas within the corresponding gas vessel, to drive the fluidic driver which, in turn, drives the drive wheels of the vehicle. Each gas tank is equipped with a heater and a cooler (14, 16) whereby the gas vessel, in the compression portion of the cycle, is cooled while the other gas vessel is heated for expansion of the gas contained therein. Thus, the fluidic driver can be continuously driven by alternating discharges from the two liquid tanks.
Abstract:
A plunger pressure accumulator includes a shell; and a plunger which is adapted to move relative to the shell into an interior space of the shell. The interior space is divided into at least two subspaces, a first subspace of which is suppliable with hydraulic fluid of an external system and a second subspace which is provided with a pressurized gas. Between the plunger and the shell is arranged a slide element upon which the plunger is supported to move to a distance apart from an internal surface of the first subspace and from an internal surface of the second subspace. The plunger pressure accumulator is provided with at least one regenerator which is stationary relative to the shell or the plunger.
Abstract:
Vorrichtung zur Bestimmung der Position eines beweglichen Trennelements (10), das innerhalb eines Speichers (12) als Abtrennung zwischen einem Gasraum (14) und einem Fluidraum (16) angeordnet ist, wobei die Bestimmungsvorrichtung zumindest einen Drucksensor (26) zur Erfassung von Druckdaten, zumindest einen Ultraschallsensor (28) zur Erfassung von Ultraschalldaten und zumindest eine Rechnereinheit (30) zum Auswerten der Daten umfasst, mit der die Position des Trennelements bestimmbar ist.
Abstract:
A compression and expansion system includes a pressure vessel having a variable volume working chamber therein. The pressure vessel has a conduit through which at least one fluid can be introduced into and discharged from the working chamber. The system further includes a heat transfer element disposed within the working chamber and including a layer and at least one of a fin and a spacing element. The pressure vessel is operable to compress fluid introduced into the working chamber such that heat energy is transferred from the compressed fluid to the heat transfer element, and is further operable to expand fluid introduced into the working chamber such that heat energy is transferred from the heat transfer element to the expanded fluid.