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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7877999 | Power generation and space conditioning using a thermodynamic engine driven through environmental heating and cooling A thermodynamic engine is configured to convert heat provided in the form of a temperature difference to a nonheat form of energy. Heat is directed through a heating loop in thermal contact with a first side of the thermodynamic engine. A second side of the thermody... | 02/01/2011 |
| 7340898 | Solar-thermal powered generator A solar-thermal powered generator has an absorber assembly which includes a gas permeable body of light absorbing material operative to absorb incident light and convert the absorbed light into heat. The gas permeable body of light absorbing material is supported in... | 03/11/2008 |
| 7290737 | Nonsurvivable momentum exchange system A demiseable momentum exchange system includes a base and a flywheel rotatably supported on the base. The flywheel includes a web portion defining a plurality of web openings and a rim portion. The momentum exchange system further includes a motor for driving the fl... | 11/06/2007 |
| 7131270 | Apparatus and method for a heat engine A heat engine includes a plurality of heating side expansion chambers and cooling side expansion chambers, positioned on opposite sides of an axis, for providing rotation of an apparatus about its axis when the fluids inside the chambers expand and contract on the s... | 11/07/2006 |
| 7052251 | Shape memory alloy wire driven positive displacement micropump with pulsatile output Apparatuses and methods for pumping fluid are disclosed. An exemplary apparatus is a miniature pump that includes a shape memory wire that obtains a plastic condition below a transformation temperature and has a memorized shape such that the shape memory wire produc... | 05/30/2006 |
| 6922998 | Apparatus and method for a heat engine A heat engine includes a plurality of heating side expansion chambers and cooling side expansion chambers, positioned on opposite sides of an axis, for providing rotation of an apparatus about its axis when the fluids inside the chambers expand and contract on the s... | 08/02/2005 |
| 5809784 | Method and apparatus for converting radiation power into mechanical power A method and apparatus for converting radiation power, especially solar radiation, into mechanical power. A piston is provided that is movable in a cylinder accompanied by the formation of a variable-sized working chamber. During a compression stroke, the... | 09/22/1998 |
| 5284628 | Convection towers Convection towers which are capable of cleaning the pollution from large quantities of air and of generating electricity utilize the evaporation of water sprayed into the towers to create strong airflows and to remove pollution from the air. Turbines in t... | 02/08/1994 |
| 4646523 | Wire engine for water pumps Mechanical energy is provided in the form of continuous reciprocating motion by causing repeated temperature alternations in wire arrays made of alloys of shape memory metals when alternating changes in the lengths of the wires result from repeatedly heat... | 03/03/1987 |
| 4622949 | Floating solar pond and associated power plant A floating solar pond includes a reservoir of an aqueous solution having a predetermined density, and structure for enclosing a body of solution and segregating it from the reservoir. The enclosed solution has an average density less than the density of t... | 11/18/1986 |
| 4602614 | Hybrid solar/combustion powered receiver An improved hybrid solar/combustion powered receiver, for use e.g. with a hot gas engine, the receiver being of the type having a housing and an aperture for admitting solar radiation to the cavity defined by the housing. The improved receiver includes a ... | 07/29/1986 |
| 4551978 | Bimetallic solar engine The motion produced by a temperature change in a bimetallic element is used as a source of mechanical work energy in a way similar to the way that the bimetallic strip operates in a thermostat but in this thermal engine an array of massive bimetallic stri... | 11/12/1985 |
| 4475535 | Segregated solar pond A segregated solar pond includes an upper level of water overlying a lower level of water, and an impermeable barrier interposed between the two levels for preventing intermixing. The average density of the upper level exceeds the average density of the u... | 10/09/1984 |
| 4397150 | Power generating apparatus using radiant energy Power generating apparatus for conversion of radiant to mechanical or electrical energy utilizes radiometric drive rotors coupled to mechanical or electrical output devices; radiometer internal pressure regulating means controls output speed and power. Pa... | 08/09/1983 |
| 4339626 | Solar pond power plant Method of operation and apparatus for a salt gradient solar pond employing a novel barge carrying a plurality of two axis stabilized high temperature concentrator solar cell arrays including means to control the flow rate of the concentrator solar cell ar... | 07/13/1982 |
| 4337622 | Energy storage Apparatus for storing solar energy, including a thermal-expansion motor operating through a ratchet mechanism to compress a coil spring located in an energy cell.... | 07/06/1982 |
| 4307571 | Device driven by heat energy A rotatable device having outwardly extending weighted arms of thermally expandable material is supported for rotation about an axis arranged at an angle to the vertical. The device is exposed to the sun or other source of radiant energy, causing the arms... | 12/29/1981 |
| 4283914 | Solar energy system Solar collectors are supported for accurate alignment with the sun through all daylight hours, as guided by a tracking system employing a sensor for light level and subordinate sensors for two axis tracking, each of the subordinate sensors having a relati... | 08/18/1981 |
| 4236377 | Heat expansion machine A gravity motor utilizes a heat expansion mechanism comprising a frame, a rotational shaft supported by the frame, a drive gear connected to the rotational shaft, the drive gear having a plurality of teeth around the outer periphery thereof, a plurality o... | 12/02/1980 |
| 4231720 | Pump for fluid media having different temperatures A pump for fluid media having different temperatures. The pump has two chambers for the two media, respectively, each chamber having an inlet and an outlet each provided with a respective check valve. The chambers are separated by a displacement body whos... | 11/04/1980 |
| 4177019 | Heat-powered water pump A heat-powered water pump including a vapor generator and a vapor-inflatable pumping member enclosed in a pumping chamber. The vapor generator and pumping member form a closed system for a volatile working fluid. Check valves control the movement of vapor... | 12/04/1979 |
| 4175381 | Electromagnetic reactor engine system-apparatus and method An electromagnetic reactor engine system is disclosed wherein hydrogen and chlorine are conducted into a reactor and are combined with controlled explosive violence when exposed to electromagnetic radiation. Atmospheric oxygen is used as a control medium ... | 11/27/1979 |
| 4173123 | Optically driven solar engine A solar engine having a plurality of elements which convert solar energy to usable mechanical motion, such as a piston and a thermally expandable fluid in a cylinder. The sun's rays are focused on a movable mirror which is provided to selectively direct t... | 11/06/1979 |
| 4150923 | Reciprocating pump powered by solar and wind energy Two spaced-apart closed pipes containing a vaporizable working fluid are each successively heated by focusing sun rays on the pipe and then chilled by directing wind along the pipe while shielding the pipe from the sun rays. As one pipe is heated, the oth... | 04/24/1979 |
| 4141218 | Buoyancy operated Sunmill A sun-powered engine converts the heat of the sun's rays into mechanical energy which can be used to power a generator or other mechanism having a rotating shaft. The engine, called the "Sunmill" by its inventor, uses heat expanded trapped bubbles to prov... | 02/27/1979 |
| 4094751 | Photochemical diodes Photochemical diodes are provided which use light to drive both endoergic and exoergic chemical reactions such that optical energy is converted into chemical energy. The photochemical diodes are typically suspended in a bulk volume matrix of the constitue... | 06/13/1978 |
| 4079249 | Solar energy operated motor apparatus A motor apparatus is described for orientating solar responsive devices. The motor apparatus is solar energy operated and comprises a plurality of containers connected in closed systems having fluid therein, support means for the containers including rota... | 03/14/1978 |
| 4075847 | Direct conversion of solar energy to mechanical energy Disclosed is a method and means for direct conversion of solar energy to mechanical energy through alternate warming and cooling of material consisting of highly aligned, high density polymer molecules. A strip of said material, when warmed by any means, ... | 02/28/1978 |
| 4055956 | High torque solar motor A frame having two or more thin elongate vanes mounted thereon and a shaft for supporting the frame for rotation so that each of the two opposite surfaces of the vanes is sequentially exposed to heat energy from the sun or the like. One surface is an abso... | 11/01/1977 |
| 4044752 | Solar collector with altitude tracking A device is provided for turning a solar collector about an east-west horizontal axis so that the collector is tilted toward the sun as the EWV altitude of the sun varies each day. It includes one or more heat responsive elements and a shading means align... | 08/30/1977 |
| 4027480 | Hydraulic engine A hydraulic engine for the conversion of thermal energy as from the sun into reciprocating mechanical energy, the engine comprising a long cylindrical pipe filled with water and having a thermal receiver at one end and a bellows at the other end. Boiling ... | 06/07/1977 |
| 4023368 | High density-third dimension geometry solar panels The high density, third dimension geometry solar panels consist of closely placing any type of conventional solar cells in an in depth, oblique attitude to the sun's normal rays. In one panel arrangement, highly polished side reflectors are applied to ref... | 05/17/1977 |
| 4022024 | Thermosiphon engine and method A thermal engine in which two interconnected columns of liquid form a closed path with one of the columns being heated and the other being cooled thereby to induce circulation of the liquid in the closed path. A fluid actuated rotary member is placed in t... | 05/10/1977 |
| 4012911 | Engine powered by low boiling liquid An engine powered by low boiling liquid and adapted to operate upon partial immersion in a heated liquid, which may be solar heated, is provided by a circular train of tubular compartments in which adjacent compartments are sealed to interconnectors and t... | 03/22/1977 |
| 4006594 | Solar power plant A solar power plant having a means for collecting solar heat and a means for applying the heat so collected to a selected portion of a plurality of expansile-contractile members movably mounted between two wheels set at a desired angle on to the other, sa... | 02/08/1977 |
| 3998056 | Solar energy apparatus and method Method and apparatus for converting solar energy to mechanical or electrical energy includes an enclosed fluid containing field of pipes and a reservoir in fluid communication therewith. During the daylight hours, solar produced heat impinges upon the fie... | 12/21/1976 |
| 3989417 | Apparatus for converting solar energy into mechanical energy An apparatus for producing mechanical energy utilizing the sun's rays is disclosed. The apparatus includes a continuously rotating structure having a plurality of thermally actuated pump units, consisting of a temperature sensitive cell and a piston assem... | 11/02/1976 |
| 3984985 | Solar engine A solar engine including a vessel disposed for motion along a predetermined path and having an array of discrete expandable and contractable chambers disposed in spaced relation along the path. The vessel contains relatively non-expandable fluid while the... | 10/12/1976 |
| 3983704 | Solar operated thermodynamic drive A liquid-tight fluid container forming a primary chamber is provided with a vertical standpipe communicating, at its depending end, with the bottom area of the primary chamber and communicating with an elevated tank and chamber, at its upper end, in verti... | 10/05/1976 |
| 3934573 | Spherical system for the concentration and extraction of solar energy A spherical system for the concentration and extraction of solar energy includes a boiler fitted with a heat transfer fluid such as liquid sodium and connectable to means for converting heat energy to electrical energy such as a magneto-hydrodynamic gener... | 01/27/1976 |
