System for producing work using a small temperature differential

摘要

The small temperature differential between a warmer zone and a colder zone is exploited to produce work. A brightly volatile fluid is confined within a substantially closed air-free, air emptied chamber in the warmer zone so as to drive the fluid by its own vapor pressure up a tube into an air-free upper end of an air emptied vertical duct in the colder zone to its lower end at the warm zone. As the fluid descends in the duct it passes over and drives a turbine so as to create mechanical work and then flows into another ductward opened chamber. Once all of the fluid has flown out of the one chamber and into the other a pair of conduits between the lower and upper regions of the other chamber and the lower and lower ends of the duct are closed and the corresponding conduits of the first chamber are opened so that the same process can occur in this other chamber.