Abstract: A channelized stratified regenerator with integrated heat exchangers are disclosed using micromachining to precisely construct structural geometries, such as fins and axial stratification of material to be used in a Stirling cycle based system. In operation, a working fluid passes through the regenerator when traveling between two heat exchangers. In some implementations, the regenerator and the heat exchangers are formed as a single construction. In other implementations, the regenerator and heat exchangers are formed separately, but are constructed to integrate efficiently with one another.

Abstract: A channelized stratified regenerator with integrated heat exchangers are disclosed using micromachining to precisely construct structural geometries, such as fins and axial stratification of material to be used in a Stirling cycle based system. In operation, a working fluid passes through the regenerator when traveling between two heat exchangers. In some implementations, the regenerator and the heat exchangers are formed as a single construction. In other implementations, the regenerator and heat exchangers are formed separately, but are constructed to integrate efficiently with one another.

Abstract: A channelized stratified regenerator with integrated heat exchangers are disclosed using micromachining to precisely construct structural geometries, such as fins and axial stratification of material to be used in a Stirling cycle based system. In operation, a working fluid passes through the regenerator when traveling between two heat exchangers. In some implementations, the regenerator and the heat exchangers are formed as a single construction. In other implementations, the regenerator and heat exchangers are formed separately, but are constructed to integrate efficiently with one another.

Abstract: A reduced shedding regenerator and method are disclosed with regenerator surfaces to minimize shedding of particles from the regenerator thereby alleviating a source of potential damage and malfunction of a thermal regenerative machine using the regenerator.

Abstract: A displacement sensing system and method addresses demanding requirements for high precision sensing of displacement of a shaft, for use typically in a linear electro-dynamic machine, having low failure rates over multi-year unattended operation in hostile environments. Applications include outer space travel by spacecraft having high-temperature, sealed environments without opportunity for servicing over many years of operation. The displacement sensing system uses a three coil sensor configuration, including a reference and sense coils, to provide a pair of ratio-metric signals, which are inputted into a synchronous comparison circuit, which is synchronously processed for a resultant displacement determination. The pair of ratio-metric signals are similarly affected by environmental conditions so that the comparison circuit is able to subtract or nullify environmental conditions that would otherwise cause changes in accuracy to occur.

Abstract: A heater head assembly is provided with potential advantages of low assembly and integration requirements. A significant portion of the heater head assembly is formed or machined as a single piece of material to reduce assembly demands. The heater head assembly has a planar surface to reduce complications involved with integration of the heater head assembly with various sources of heat.

Abstract: An active balance system is provided for counterbalancing vibrations of an axially reciprocating machine. The balance system includes a support member, a flexure assembly, a counterbalance mass, and a linear motor or an actuator. The support member is configured for attachment to the machine. The flexure assembly includes at least one flat spring having connections along a central portion and an outer peripheral portion. One of the central portion and the outer peripheral portion is fixedly mounted to the support member. The counterbalance mass is fixedly carried by the flexure assembly along another of the central portion and the outer peripheral portion. The linear motor has one of a stator and a mover fixedly mounted to the support member and another of the stator and the mover fixedly mounted to the counterbalance mass. The linear motor is operative to axially reciprocate the counterbalance mass.

Abstract: A linear electrodynamic system for conversion of mechanical motion into electrical power or conversion of electrical power into mechanical motion allows for advantageous mass and size reductions. Magnet volume is increased through use of non-annular shaped magnets affixed to stator poles. Mover sections complementary in shape to the non-annular magnets. The mover, stator and associated windings used have reduced mass and size resulting in overall mass and size reductions of the innovative linear electrodynamic system compared with conventional linear electrodynamic systems of similar performance capability.

Abstract: A heater head assembly is provided with potential advantages of low assembly and integration requirements. A significant portion of the heater head assembly is formed or machined as a single piece of material to reduce assembly demands. The heater head assembly has a planar surface to reduce complications involved with integration of the heater head assembly with various sources of heat.

Abstract: A linear electrodynamic system for conversion of mechanical motion into electrical power or conversion of electrical power into mechanical motion allows for advantageous mass and size reductions. Magnet volume is increased through use of non-annular shaped magnets affixed to stator poles. Mover sections complementary in shape to the non-annular magnets. The mover, stator and associated windings used have reduced mass and size resulting in overall mass and size reductions of the innovative linear electrodynamic system compared with conventional linear electrodynamic systems of similar performance capability.

Abstract: An active balance system is provided for counterbalancing vibrations of an axially reciprocating machine. The balance system includes a support member, a flexure assembly, a counterbalance mass, and a linear motor or an actuator. The support member is configured for attachment to the machine. The flexure assembly includes at least one flat spring having connections along a central portion and an outer peripheral portion. One of the central portion and the outer peripheral portion is fixedly mounted to the support member. The counterbalance mass is fixedly carried by the flexure assembly along another of the central portion and the outer peripheral portion. The linear motor has one of a stator and a mover fixedly mounted to the support member and another of the stator and the mover fixedly mounted to the counterbalance mass. The linear motor is operative to axially reciprocate the counterbalance mass. A method is also provided.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for adaptively controlling a closed-cycle thermal regenerative machine. The apparatus includes a housing having at least one chamber for containing a thermodynamic working gas, a linear motor associated with the housing, and a first moving member carried by the linear motor for axial reciprocation within the housing. A second moving member is carried for axial reciprocation within the housing and communicates with the first moving member via the contained thermodynamic working gas. Also included are a pair of permanent magnets, one magnet carried by each moving member; a pair of Hall-effect sensors, one sensor carried by the housing proximate each of the magnets and operative to detect axial displacement amplitude of the proximate reciprocating magnet and moving member. A power supply is coupled to the linear motor and is operative to deliver operating power to the linear motor.

Abstract: A Stirling cycle machine control system includes an energy converter having a moving member. A detector is operatively associated with the moving member. The detector is configured to detect stroke of the moving member. A converter circuit is coupled with an output of the energy converter and is operative to convert output from AC to DC. A regulator is coupled with the converter circuit and a useful load, and is operative to regulate DC voltage. A controllably variable load member is coupled to the converter circuit and is operative to adjust load to the energy converter. Adjustment of the load to the energy converter regulates power output of the energy converter which in turn controls movement of the moving member. Control circuitry is signal coupled with the detector and the load member. The control circuitry is configured to receive a feedback signal correlated with the detected stroke of the moving member.

Abstract: A burner assembly is taught for a heater head of an external combustion engine. Preferably, the external combustion engine is a Stirling cycle machine. The burner assembly includes a housing having a cavity sized to receive a heater head and a matrix burner element carried by the housing and configured to transfer heat to a received heater head. A fuel inlet also communicates with the housing for delivering fuel to the matrix burner element and an exhaust outlet communicates with the housing for delivering combustion gases from the matrix burner element to an exterior of the housing. According to another version, a burner and engine assembly are taught for generating power from a Stirling cycle machine. The burner/engine assembly includes a Stirling cycle power generator in combination with the above-recited burner assembly.

Abstract: Improved flexures and flexure assemblies are taught for use in thermal regenerative machines. In one aspect, the flexure is a flat spring formed from a flat metal sheet having kerfs forming axially movable arms across them, and at least one aperture communicating with and extending from an end portion of the kerf. One variation includes a flexure bearing assembly having such a flexure. In accordance with another aspect, a thermodynamic machine has a housing carried stator and a piston and linear moving element carried by a flexure bearing assembly. In accordance with yet another aspect, a piston and displacer assembly are configured to be movably supported together within a chamber in a housing of a thermal regenerative machine via a flexure assembly.

Abstract: A passive balance system for counterbalancing vibrations of a machine is taught. The passive balance system includes a support member adapted to be fixedly carried by the machine and a flexure assembly carried by the support member. The flexure assembly is in the form of at least one flat spring including connections along a central portion. The central portion is fixedly mounted to the support member, and an outer peripheral portion of the flat spring provides at least in part a movable counterbalance mass. The flexure assembly presents the counterbalance mass for movement in substantial alignment with a desired rectilinear component of vibration of the machine to counterbalance vibrations emanating therefrom. A vibration balanced machine having the passive balance system is also disclosed.

Abstract: A heater head for use with a thermal regenerative machine has a heater shell formed from a single piece of material. The shell has a tubular body with a cap-shaped end portion provided at a distal end and an open mouth portion provided at a proximal end. The heater head also has a mounting flange with a receiving portion configured to mate in fixed assembly with the open mouth portion of the heater shell. The mounting flange is constructed and arranged to mount the shell assembly to a housing of the thermal regenerative machine. The shell assembly and housing are hermetically sealed there between. Furthermore, a heater head for use with a thermal regenerative machine typically has a heater shell and a heat exchanger portion. The heat exchanger portion is formed substantially from a corrugated piece of sheet metal. The heat exchanger portion is affixed to an inner portion of the heater shell.

Abstract: A linear electrodynamic machine (10) includes mover (12) and stator assemblies (14). The stator assembly (14) includes an inner stator having laminations (30-45) and an outer stator having laminations (60-75) for defining a closed loop magnetic flux path. A magnet (95) mounted on an outside portion of the stator assembly (14) produces a constant flux extending through the flux path. The inner and outer stators form at least one pair of aligned spaced apart magnetic poles (50, 80) forming a gap. A group of slugs (24) mounted on the mover assembly (12) moves into and out of the gap to interact electrodynamically with the magnetic flux within the gap. A linear electrodynamic machine (10) includes a stator assembly (14) having at least one pair of elongated stator poles (50, 80) defining a flux gap and having magnets (283A-288A) disposed thereon to interact electrodynamically with a group of slugs (24, 26) mounted on a mover assembly (12) for moving into and out of the gap.

Abstract: A displacer assembly for use with a thermal regenerative machine has a housing configured to receive a displacer therein. The displacer has a drive area formed by a rod portion of the displacer that extends through a hole in the housing to form a clearance seal therebetween. The housing and displacer form a sub-assembly that can be pre-assembled to provide a clearance seal prior to assembly with a linear drive motor. Another feature is provided by a fluid flow path extending centrally of the displacer rod, and in part along an outer peripheral surface of the rod adjacent a heat rejection region of the housing. Heat transference there along provides for a more efficient stirling thermodynamic cycle in response thereto.

Abstract: A displacer assembly for use in a thermal regenerative machine has a housing with a displacer bore configured to carry a displacer in the displacer bore. A flexure bearing assembly is configured to carry the displacer in axial reciprocation within the displacer bore to form a clearance seal there between. A gas spring bore is formed within the displacer assembly and communicates with a gas spring volume defined by a volume forming member. A gas spring piston is carried within the gas spring bore and is configured to form a clearance seal there between. The gas spring piston and the gas spring bore cooperate with the volume forming member to form a gas spring there between. One of the gas spring bore and the gas spring piston is carried in fixed relation with the housing while the other of the gas spring bore and the gas spring piston is carried by the displacer for relative reciprocation there between. A thermal regenerative machine having the above-described displacer assembly is also taught.