Thermal combustion engine which converts thermal energy into mechanical energy and use thereof

Abstract

The invention relates to a thermal combustion engine which converts thermal energy into mechanical energy, comprising at least one vapour producing device which at least partially vaporises a first liquid working medium by means of thermal energy supplied to the combustion engine, at least one rotor which can be driven by means of a vaporised first working medium in order to produce mechanical energy and rotated with respect to at least one stator around a first rotational axis, and at least one condensation device for condensation of the vaporised first working medium after the rotor has been driven. The rotor surrounds the stator in an essentially complete manner. The invention also relates to the use of the inventive thermal combustion engine.

1 . A thermal combustion engine for converting thermal energy into mechanical energy, comprising: 
 at least one vapor generation device for at least partially vaporizing liquid a first working medium using thermal energy supplied to the thermal combustion engine;    at least one rotor, which is drivable using a vaporized first working medium to generate mechanical energy and is rotatable in relation to at least one stator around at least one axis of rotation; and    at least one condensation device for condensing the vaporized first working medium after driving the rotor, the rotor generally surrounding the stator and the rotor generally completely enclosing the vapor generation device and the condensation device,    wherein a centrifugal force may be generated on the liquid first working medium by a rotational movement of the rotor, through which a centrifugal force closure may be implemented between the condensation device and the vapor generation device and the liquid first working medium is conveyable out of the condensation device into the vapor generation device using the centrifugal force closure.    
   
   
       2 . A thermal combustion engine for converting thermal energy into mechanical energy, comprising: 
 at least one vapor generation device for at least partially vaporizing a first liquid working medium using thermal energy supplied to the thermal combustion engine;    at least one rotor which is drivable using a vaporized first working medium to generate mechanical energy and is rotatable in relation to at least one stator around at least one axis of rotation; and    at least one condensation device for condensing the vaporized first working medium after driving the rotor, the rotor at least partially surrounding the stator,    wherein a centrifugal force may be generated on the liquid first working medium by a rotational movement of the rotor, through which a centrifugal force closure may be implemented between the condensation device and the vapor generation device and the liquid first working medium is conveyable out of the condensation device into the vapor generation device using the centrifugal force closure.    
   
   
       3 . The thermal combustion engine according to  claim 2 , wherein the rotor generally completely surrounds the vapor generation device and/or the condensation device.  
   
   
       4 . The thermal combustion engine according to  claim 2  or  3 , wherein the stator generally completely surrounds the vapor generation device and/or the condensation device.  
   
   
       5 . The thermal combustion engine according to  claim 2 , wherein the vapor generation device and/or the condensation device are implemented in at least two parts and the rotor surrounds a first part of the condensation device and/or a first part of the vapor generation device and the stator surrounds the other part of the vapor generation device and/or the condensation device.  
   
   
       6 . The thermal combustion engine according to  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 at least one first chamber forming the vapor generation device;    at least one second chamber forming the condensation device; and    at least one turbine chamber,    wherein the first chamber and the second chamber, the first chamber and the turbine chamber, and/or the second chamber and the turbine chamber are at least partially separated from one another using a thermally insulating wall in particular.    
   
   
       7 . The thermal combustion engine according to  claim 6 , by further comprising at least one first connection device which connects the first chamber and the turbine chamber for passage of the vaporized first working medium, comprising at least one first nozzle, the geometry and/or the orientation of the nozzle opening being adjustable, and at least one first pipe and/or at least one first opening implemented in the thermally insulating wall.  
   
   
       8 . The thermal combustion engine according to  claim 6 , further comprising at least one second connection device which connects the turbine chamber and the second chamber for passage of the vaporized first working medium, comprising at least one second nozzle, the geometry and/or the orientation of the nozzle opening being adjustable, and at least one second pipe and/or at least one second opening, implemented in the thermally insulating wall.  
   
   
       9 . The thermal combustion engine according to  claim 7  or  8 , further comprising at least one first flow control which is operationally linked to the first connection device, and/or at least one second flow control which is operationally linked to the second connection device in the form of a first and/or second valve.  
   
   
       10 . The thermal combustion engine according to  claim 6 , further comprising at least one third connection device which connects the first chamber and the turbine chamber for passage of the liquid first working medium, in the form of a third opening implemented in the thermally insulating wall.  
   
   
       11 . The thermal combustion engine according to  claim 6 , further comprising at least one fourth connection device which connects the turbine chamber and the second chamber for passage of the liquid first working medium in the form of at least one fourth opening is particularly implemented in the thermally insulating wall.  
   
   
       12 . The thermal combustion engine according to  claim 10  or  11 , wherein the liquid first working medium prevents the vaporized first working medium from exiting the first chamber through the third and/or fourth connection device during a rotation of the rotor and blocks the third and/or fourth opening due to the centrifugal force acting on the working medium.  
   
   
       13 . The thermal combustion engine according to claims  10  or  11 , further comprising at least one third flow control, which is operationally linked to the third connection device, and/or at least one fourth flow control which is operationally linked to the fourth connection device, in the form of a third and/or fourth valve.  
   
   
       14 . The thermal combustion engine according to  claim 6 , wherein the second chamber and the turbine chamber are molded in one piece.  
   
   
       15 . The thermal combustion engine according to  claim 6 , further comprising at least one flow guiding body implemented in the first chamber, the second chamber, and/or the turbine chamber.  
   
   
       16 . The thermal combustion engine according  claim 2 , further comprising at least one first blade wheel surrounded by the stator to which the vaporized first working medium may be supplied, via a first connection device for rotating the rotor axially, radially, and/or at a predefined angle in relation to the axis of rotation.  
   
   
       17 . The thermal combustion engine according to  claim 16 , further comprising at least one flow guiding wheel which is operationally linked to the rotor and connectable thereto for secure rotational driving, and is positioned upstream and/or downstream of the vaporized working medium in relation to the first blade wheel, the flow guiding wheel being positioned at least partially concentrically to the first blade wheel inside and/or outside the first blade wheel.  
   
   
       18 . The thermal combustion engine according to  claim 17 , further comprising: 
 at least one second blade wheel surrounded by the stator and positioned downstream of the vaporized working medium in relation to the flow guiding wheel; and    at least one deflection wheel operationally linked to the rotor and connectable thereto for secure rotational driving, being positioned upstream and/or downstream of the vaporized working medium in relation to the second blade wheel, the deflection wheel being positioned at least partially concentrically to the first and/or second blade wheel, either inside and/or outside the first and/or second blade wheel.    
   
   
       19 . The thermal combustion engine according to one of claims  claim 18 , wherein the first blade wheel, the flow guiding wheel, the second blade wheel and/or the deflection wheel are at least partially positioned in the turbine chamber.  
   
   
       20 . The thermal combustion engine according to  claim 18  or  19 , wherein the second blade wheel has a second diameter deviating from a first diameter of the first blade wheel and/or a number and/or geometry of the blades deviating from the number and/or geometry of the blades of the first blade wheel.  
   
   
       21 . The thermal combustion engine according to  claim 18 , further comprising multiple second blade wheels and/or deflection wheels, the second blade wheels preferably having different diameters, different geometries, and/or a different number of blades from one another and/or the deflection wheels having different diameters, different geometries, and/or a different number of blades from one another.  
   
   
       22 . The thermal combustion engine according to  claim 18 , wherein the geometry and/or the position of at least one blade of the first blade wheel, of at least one second blade wheel, of the flow guiding wheel, and/or of at least one deflection wheel is/are adjustable, preferably during operation of the thermal combustion engine.  
   
   
       23 . The thermal combustion engine according to  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 at least one heating apparatus for applying heat to the vapor generation device in the form of a fluid heating medium;    a heat source in the form of at least one heating spindle which is integrated in a wall of the vapor generation device and which comprises a material of high thermal conductivity and/or is structured for high conductive thermal transport, and/or is implemented on the surface of the wall;    at least one first flow device for a heating fluid;    at least one first structure which is implemented on an outside of the wall of the vapor generation device having the heating fluid flow through it; and    at least one second structure, is implemented on an inside of the wall of the vapor generation device having the vaporized working medium flow through it.    
   
   
       24 . The thermal combustion engine according to  claim 23 , wherein the first flow device is integrated in the wall, the heating fluid being supplied to the first flow device via a shaft of the stator and/or the heating fluid being circulated in a closed heating loop which comprises the first flow device.  
   
   
       25 . The thermal combustion engine according to  claim 2 , further comprising: 
 at least one cooling apparatus to apply cold to the condensation device in the form of a fluid cooling medium;    a cooling source in the form of at least one Peltier element which is implemented in a wall of the condensing device, which comprises a material of high thermal conductivity and/or is structured for high convective heat transport, and/or is implemented on the surface of the wall;    at least one second flow device for a cooling fluid;    at least one third structure, implemented on an outside of the wall of the condensing device and having the cooling fluid flow through it; and    at least one fourth structure implemented on an inside of the wall of the condensing device having the working medium flow through it.    
   
   
       26 . The thermal combustion engine according to  claim 25 , wherein the second flow device is integrated in the wall, the cooling fluid being supplied to the second flow device via a shaft of the stator and/or the cooling fluid being circulated in a closed cooling loop which comprises the second flow device.  
   
   
       27 . The thermal combustion engine according to  claim 23 , wherein the heating fluid has a flow direction in the area of the heating apparatus which runs generally radially outward from the first axis of rotation to the external circumference of the rotor, and/or the cooling fluid has a flow direction in the area of the cooling apparatus which runs generally radially from the outer circumference of the rotor in the direction of the axis of rotation.  
   
   
       28 . The thermal combustion engine according to  claim 2 , further comprising at least one supply device for supplying at least one vaporized second working medium, the first and second vaporized working media being identical.  
   
   
       29 . The thermal combustion engine according to  claim 2 , further comprising at least one removal device for removing at least a part of the vaporized and/or liquid first working medium.  
   
   
       30 . The thermal combustion engine according to  claim 28  or  29 , further comprising at least one fifth flow control which is operationally linked to the supply device, and/or at least one sixth flow control which is operationally linked to the removal device.  
   
   
       31 . The thermal combustion engine according to  claim 30 , further comprising at least one control which is operationally linked to the vapor generation device, the condensation device, a first and/or second nozzle of the first, second, third, fourth, fifth, and/or sixth flow control, the first blade wheel, at least one second blade wheel, the flow guiding wheel and/or at least one deflection wheel, the heating apparatus, the cooling apparatus, and/or a sensor for measuring the rotational velocity of the rotor.  
   
   
       32 . A use of a thermal combustion engine according to  claim 1  as a topping turbine, exhaust vapor turbine, back pressure turbine, extraction turbine, impulse turbine, and/or reaction turbine.