Abstract
A new concept for an air-charged open-cycle engine is presented. The engine is based on a modified automotive engine because these are cheap and readily available when derived from scrap cars. Such engines can often be readily modifed and lightly renovated to provide long life, low cost, light load systems.
The proposed heating system includes locally manufactured linear parabolic solar collectors with low cost tubular biomass furnaces for heating in the dark hours. Use of either or both types of heater is optional depending on local circumstances. Pressurised air from the engine is circulated through the furnace/collector heating system and back to the engine.
The same air is the working medium in the engine. In a typical case two cylinders operate as expansion engines, two as compression cylinders with two regenerators added, one experiencing the hot blow, one experiencing the cold blow. Switching valves are operated by the crankshaft.
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