RESONANT FREE-PISTON STIRLING ENGINE HAVING VIRTUAL ROD DISPLACER AND DISPLACER LINEAR ELECTRODYNAMIC MACHINE CONTROL OF DISPLACER DRIVE/DAMPING

摘要

A novel virtual rod assembly (12) reciprocates with the displacer (11) of a free piston Stirling engine. A rod piston area (12A) formed opposite the displacer (11) is subject to the working gas periodic pressure wave. Bearings (14) support the rod and displacer. Opposed gas springs (15, 16) create a natural frequency of oscillation. One end (D1) of the displacer is designed to have a greater effective area acted upon by the gas than the effective area of the opposite end (D2) whereby the unbalanced areas of the opposing displacer ends create a differential force when acted upon by a periodic pressure wave, causing reciprocating motion of the displacer and virtual rod assembly.