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MEMS CLOSED CHAMBER HEAT ENGINE AND ELECTRIC GENERATORA heat engine, preferably combined with an electric generator, and advantageously implemented using micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) technologies as an array of one or more individual heat engine/generators. The heat engine is based on a closed chamber containing a motive medium, preferably a gas; means for alternately enabling and disabling transfer of thermal energy from a heat source to the motive medium; and at least one movable side of the chamber that moves in response to thermally-induced expansion and contraction of the motive medium, thereby converting thermal energy to oscillating movement. The electrical generator is combined with the heat engine to utilize movement of the movable side to convert mechanical work to electrical energy, preferably using electrostatic interaction in a generator capacitor. Preferably at least one heat transfer side of the chamber is placed alternately into and out of contact with the heat source by a motion capacitor, thereby alternately enabling and disabling conductive transfer of heat to the motive medium.
Document ID
20060009297
Acquisition Source
Headquarters
Document Type
Other - Patent
Authors
Landis, Geoffrey A.
(NASA Glenn Research Center Cleveland, OH, United States)
Date Acquired
August 23, 2013
Publication Date
December 27, 2005
Subject Category
Energy Production And Conversion
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.
Patent
NASA-Case-LEW-17391-1|US-Patent-6,978,611
Patent Application
US-Patent-Appl-SN-453251
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