Abstract: A system, apparatus and method for the combustion of metals and other fuels are provided. The system can include: a fuel combustion apparatus including a combustor having a combustion chamber for burning ground particles from a fuel charge, and a fuel supply apparatus for supplying the ground particles of fuel from the fuel charge to the combustor. The fuel supply system can include a fuel charge holder assembly to house and store the fuel charge, a grinder assembly including a grinder housed within the charge holder assembly and configured to pulverize the fuel charge to produce a combustible fuel to be consumed in the combustion chamber, and a fuel charge linear feed assembly including a piston in contact with the fuel charge within the charge holder assembly to selectively bias the fuel charge into the grinder to thereby a control consumption rate of the fuel charge.

Abstract: A system, apparatus and method for the combustion of metals and other fuels are provided. The system can include: a fuel combustion apparatus including a combustor having a combustion chamber for burning ground particles from a fuel charge, and a fuel supply apparatus for supplying the ground particles of fuel from the fuel charge to the combustor. The fuel supply system can include a fuel charge holder assembly to house and store the fuel charge, a grinder assembly including a grinder housed within the charge holder assembly and configured to pulverize the fuel charge to produce a combustible fuel to be consumed in the combustion chamber, and a fuel charge linear feed assembly including a piston in contact with the fuel charge within the charge holder assembly to selectively bias the fuel charge into the grinder to thereby a control consumption rate of the fuel charge.

Abstract: A thermodynamic power system has a low-temperature closed bottoming cycle using a first working fluid (first gas) and open or closed modified Brayton topping cycles using a second working fluid (second gas). In the bottoming cycle a mixture of a first gas such as helium or hydrogen and a fine dispersed low-temperature non-freezable lubricating liquid is polytropically compressed in a compressor and then the liquid content is separated from the first gas. The separated first gas is isobarically heated using heat from the second gas and then the heated first gas is adiabatically expanded and cooled while performing useful work and thereafter is fed to the compressor and mixed with the separated liquid to serve as a coolant and facilitate rejection of polytropic heat and to supplement the cool gas/liquid mixture providing polytropic compression of the first gas and thus completing the bottoming cycle.

Abstract: A thermodynamic power and cryogenic refrigeration system using a first and second (binary) working fluid has a low-temperature closed bottoming cycle and an open or closed topping cycle. In the bottoming cycle a mixture of a first gas such as helium or hydrogen and a low temperature liquid such as liquefied nitrogen is compressed in a polytropic process and then the liquid content is separated. The separated first gas is heated using rejected heat from a second gas expanded in the topping cycle or ambient air and then the heated first gas is adiabatically expanded and supercooled while performing useful work and thereafter is fed to the compressor and mixed with the separated liquid to serve as a coolant and facilitate rejection of polytropic heat and to supplement the cool gas/liquid mixture providing polytropic compression of the first gas and thus completes the bottoming cycle. The bottoming cycle functions to cool the second gas and liquefy it in the topping cycle.

Abstract: A combined thermodynamic power and cryogenic refrigeration system using a first and second (binary) working fluid has a low-temperature closed bottoming cycle and either a closed or open topping cycle. In the bottoming cycle a mixture of a first gas such as helium or hydrogen and a low temperature liquid such as liquefied nitrogen is isothermally compressed and then the liquid content is separated. The separated first gas is heated using heat from a second gas or ambient air expanded in the topping cycle and then the heated first gas is adiabatically expanded and supercooled while performing useful work and thereafter is mixed with the separated liquid to serve as a coolant and facilitate rejection of adiabatic heat and to supplement the cool gas/liquid fed to the compressor and thus completes the bottoming cycle. The bottoming cycle functions to cool the second gas during its compression in the topping cycle. The topping cycles are closed or open modified Brayton cycles.

Abstract: A thermodynamic closed cycle power and cryogenic refrigeration apparatus which simultaneously produces power and refrigeration. A mixture of a non-condensable first gas such as helium or hydrogen that is in state far from its saturation point and a condensable second gas such as nitrogen or ammonia that is capable of condensing during a working process but non-freezable is isothermally compressed in a sliding-blade gas/liquid compressor then the liquid content that absorbed adiabatic heat during compression of the gas/liquid mixture is separated from the mixture in a vortex separator. The cool non-condensable first gas is supplied to a heat exchanger and isobarically heated using heat of the ambient air or other low-temperature heat source to produce cool refrigerated air. The heated and compressed first gas enters a sliding-blade gas expander and adiabatic expanded and cooled while performing useful work by causing simultaneous rotation of the gas/liquid compressor rotor and gas expander rotor.

Abstract: A sliding-blade rotary air-heat engine utilizes isothermal compression of air and regeneration of waste heat to achieve high thermal efficiency and reduce environmentally damaging emissions. Ambient air is mixed with fine dispersed water and the air-water mixture is isothermally compressed in a sliding-blade air-water compressor. The compressed air is separated from the water and supplied to a vortex heat exchanger/recuperator where it is preheated using waste heat and arrives at a vortex combustion chamber. Heated air from the combustion chamber enters a sliding-blade gas expander, is adiabatically expanded performing useful work and causing simultaneous rotation of the air-water compressor rotor. Spent working fluid from the gas expander is supplied to the vortex heat exchanger/recuperator isobarically giving up its waste heat to air and is discharged through an exhaust port.

Abstract: A sliding-blade vapor engine has a vortex boiler, condenser, blower and oval-shaped expander and pump chambers with cylindrical expander and pump rotors rotatably mounted eccentrically therein. Each rotor has at least two rectangular blades slidably mounted in slots extending through the cylindrical rotor in mutually perpendicular relation and each blade is independently movable relative to the other in a radial direction. Each blade has a guide element extending from opposed sides and through the opposed end walls of the respective rotor which are slidably received in guide grooves in the respective chamber end walls. The rotors are connected together by shafts in concentric relation whereby rotation of the expander rotor causes simultaneous rotation of the pump rotor and the guide elements traveling in the guide grooves cause the blades to extend and retract radially with their outer ends following the inner periphery of the respective chamber side wall with a constant minimum clearance.

Abstract: A sliding-blade refrigeration apparatus and method which utilizes ambient air mixed with water as the refrigerant medium. A mixture of fine droplets of cool water in ambient air is isothermally compressed in a sliding-blade air-water compressor. Compressed air is separated from the water and adiabatically expanded in a sliding-blade air-motor to perform useful work and produce refrigerated air. Separated water is evaporated in a boiler and during the vapor cycle performs useful work in a sliding-blade steam motor. The spent steam is condensed in a condenser and cool water from the condenser is injected back into the air-water compressor completing the cycle. The rotors of the air-motor and steam motor are connected with the rotor of the air-water compressor and cause simultaneous rotation of the air-water compressor rotor as they rotate. In another embodiment, the rotor of the air-water compressor is rotated by an external power source connected to the shaft of the rotor rather than by the working steam.

Abstract: A sliding-blade water jet propulsion apparatus has an oval-shaped chamber and a water channel extending generally tangential to the chamber with a cylindrical rotor rotatably mounted eccentrically in the chamber. The rotor has at least two rectangular blades slidably mounted in slots extending through the cylindrical rotor in mutually perpendicular relation and each blade is independently movable relative to the other in a radial direction. Each blade has a guide element extending from opposed sides and through the opposed end walls of the rotor which are slidably received in guide grooves in the chamber end walls. The guide elements traveling in the guide grooves cause the blades to extend and retract radially with their outer ends following the inner periphery of the chamber side wall and a portion of the water channel with a constant clearance.

Abstract: A sliding-blade heat engine having a vortex combustion chamber and oval-shaped turbine and compressor chambers with cylindrical turbine and compressor rotors rotatably mounted eccentrically therein, Each rotor has at least two rectangular blades slidably mounted in slots extending through the cylindrical rotor in mutually perpendicular relation and each blade is independently movable relative to the other in a radial direction. Each blade has a guide element extending from opposed sides and through the opposed end walls of the respective rotor which are slidably received in guide grooves in the respective chamber end walls. The rotors are connected together by a shafts in concentric relation whereby rotation of the turbine rotor causes simultaneous rotation of the compressor rotor and the guide elements traveling in the guide grooves cause the blades to extend and retract radially with their outer ends following the inner periphery of the respective chamber side wall with a constant clearance.