Abstract: An improved free piston Stirling machine having a gamma configuration. The displacer and each piston is reciprocatable within a cylinder having an unobstructed opening at its inner end into a common volume of the workspace. The common volume is defined by the intersection of inward projections of the displacer cylinder and the piston cylinders. The displacer and the pistons each have a range of reciprocation that extends into the common volume. A displacer drive rod is reciprocatable in a drive rod cylinder and both are positioned outside the common volume and on the opposite side of the common volume from the displacer. The displacer is connected to the displacer drive rod by a displacer connecting rod. Importantly, the displacer and pistons have complementary interfacing surface contours formed on their inner ends which substantially reduces the dead volume of this gamma configured machine.

Abstract: A first target wheel has an opening and rotates about an axis of rotation to move the opening along a generally circular path. A second target wheel adjacent the first target wheel has a second projection projecting into the opening of the first target wheel with the second projection being movable along the generally circular path. A single sensor is positioned adjacent the generally circular path and senses movement of the opening and the second projection past the sensor. An electronic controller may be used to process signals from the sensor to determine the relative angular difference between the first target wheel and the second target wheel.

Abstract: A method for generating energy from low-density fluids is provided. The method includes placing a first object in a first portion of fluid having a first density, injecting low-density fluids into the first portion of fluid in order to reduce the density thereof to a second density less than the density of the first object and thereby induce buoyancy-dependent translation of the first object in response thereto, and generating energy based upon buoyancy-dependent translation of the first object. Related apparatuses and systems are also disclosed.

Abstract: A continuously variable valve timing apparatus may include an end plate connected to a camshaft, a drive sprocket rotating the end plate, a first friction plate disposed to be coaxial to the end plate, a second friction plate disposed to be coaxial to the end plate, a first brake selectively braking the first friction plate, a second brake selectively braking the second friction plate, and a control gear portion which changes relative phase between the end plate and the drive sprocket according to braking of the first friction plate or the second friction plate.

Abstract: The apparatus includes a driving shaft with a first gear wheel, a frame able to rotate within limits about the driving shaft, a servo mechanism for controlling the angular position of the frame, a valve-lifting crankshaft with a second gear wheel supported by the frame, a rocker cam assembly, a connecting rod pivotally connected to the valve-lifting crankshaft and the rocker cam assembly, a cam follower operatively connected to a charge exchange valve, and a spring for urging the cam follower against a cam lobe. The engine rotates the driving shaft. The first gear wheel rotates the second gearwheel and the valve-lifting crankshaft. The connecting rod transmits motion from the valve-lifting crankshaft to the rocker cam assembly. Stroke, lifting duration, and phase can be controlled by the angular position of the frame.

Abstract: A method and system for generating electrical power for sub-sea applications includes assembling each of the main components (132, 138, 142, 146) of an organic Rankine cycle (ORC) system (100) inside a pressure vessel to form a series of vessels (104, 106, 108, 110) removably connected to one another and configured to be placed near, on or below a sea floor. The main components of the ORC system include an evaporator (132), a turbine (138), a condenser (142) and a pump (146). A working fluid (135) is circulated through the pressure vessels in order to generate mechanical shaft power that is converted to electrical power (P). In some embodiments, the ORC system includes at least one redundant component that corresponds to one of the main components. The working fluid may be circulated through at least one redundant ORC component such that the ORC system is able to continue operating when one of more of the main components is not operating properly.