$10 per kilowatt free piston impulse turbine that achieves 60% efficiency and power density of 6 kW per kg.
vv-tec developed the Reinhardt Turbine as a possible solution to the world energy crisis. The free piston engine was designed to deliver the efficiency of a combined cycle engine with the electrical conversion effectiveness of an impulse turbine at a lower cost to manufacture than an Otto or Diesel engine. These goals are not impossible to achieve. Combined cycle engines that achieve 60% efficiency are currently in service, however they are quite expensive and few in numbers. Nothing that vv-tec is attempting is a physical impossibility. Our experiments prove that by changing the geometry of the internal combustion engine we can achieve our goal.
Miniaturization and cost reduction is possible in engine production. The electronics and informatics markets provide many examples of large expensive technologies that were substantially improved while being miniaturized and mass produced at a fraction of their original cost (VCR, computers, etc). We wish to make our technology available to the people of the world. If you are interested in our practical experiments and our patent portfolio, please contact us.
Generally we talk about integration when individual components are combined to produce a new, special purpose machine. In this sense, vv-tec combines readily available components to create a new integrated machine. By joining an internal combustion engine with a steam engine, vv-tec has succeeded in providing currently known advantages of big powerful thermal power machines in a miniature thermal power machine.
Fig. 1.1
A 14 Zylinder star configuration with co-production of steam and gas
Fig. 1.2
A 3 Zylinder part of a 9 Zylinder configuration with coproduction of steam and gas
Movie 1.1
Prototype combined cycle engine
Movie 1.2
Test of Reinhardt Turbine energy sphere
The new vv-tec thermal power machine, called the Reinhardt Turbine, is a gas driven combustion engine with “n” cylinders, however, without a crankshaft. Instead, the linear movement through the use of sinus discs. Therefore, the cranking of the piston rod, which is responsible for the wear and tear of pistons and also the whole engine, is not necessary. By using the same technology in the same engine “m” steam pistons are built around the gas piston so that the thermal loss of both engine components is practically divided in half. This and the resulting increase of performance, using the waste heat from the previous combustion to the post steam production, resulting in 60% efficiency.
Fig. 1.3
cogeneration gas and steam pistons
Movie 1.3
Steam engine test
vv-tec’s innovation model establishes a new paradigm in designing mass-market power generating machines. Because the world needs more power not less, and because both fossil fuels and our atmosphere are diminishing resources, vv-tec seeks higher power density combined with higher fuel efficiency than existing turbines, which are near to reach the end of their development path.
To solve the energy crisis technological advancements must take advantage of world trade and mass production to achieve Moore’s Law2 in energy production. vv-tec relies on planned miniaturization of existing and reliable components that have been integrated in a new way to achieve two-staged thermodynamic process with a cost-effective, easy to manufacture machine. vv-tec calls this innovation model: Technology x Technology = Technology², in short T².
The vv-engine, which we call the Reinhardt Turbine after its inventor, is a two-staged (gas and steam) thermodynamic process machine that can be built with off-the-shelf components. The German and US-American patent applications as well as a functioning prototype machine are based on existing technology, not anticipated technological breakthroughs. The Reinhardt Turbine offers a new path for power machine development that will lead to machines achieving 80% fuel efficiency and zero emissions in the next decade. Existing piston and turbine technologies do not offer this innovation path, as they are mature technologies.
Fig. 1.4
Fig 1.5
Sinus disc examples
Thermal Power Machines in the form of spheres
Carnot’s law states, “No engine operating between two heat reservoirs can be more efficient than a Carnot engine operating between the same reservoirs”. The spherical form of vv-engines makes it practically possible to increase their efficiency to the highest level possible within Carnot’s Law as shown in Fig. 1.4. Simultaneously every sphere delivers maximum stiffness at a minimum of weight in relation to all other possible shapes and their surface areas.
Three features are to be emphasized in the concept of energy usage in a sphere to achieve these goals.
The first feature sees to the necessary reduction of heat loss through the minimum surface area of a sphere in space as well as the deployment of optimal heat exchanger between integrated process participants out of various steam and gas pistons. By using a spherical design, efficiency is doubled (fuel consumption is cut in half). The production of heat takes place in one or several center or centers of the sphere and will be released in layers to the outside. In every layer, kinetic energy can be created from thermal energy. The temperature of the respective next layer decreases according to this continually.
The second feature is that within a sphere power transmission cannot happen via conventional crankshafts, as with conventional piston machines. In order to transmit power of a linear piston movement within a sphere to a rotating spherical surface an alternative technology has to be found. Such a power transmission functions through sinus-discs, in short SIS.
As you can see in Figure 1.5, sinus disks are simple to engineer and manufacture and are able to transmit several linear movements with varying stroke distances into circular movement. The movement of linear pistons and cylinders can be obtained in the sinus disc symmetrically or asymmetrically.
In a sphere the number of simultaneously used discs can vary. Therefore, together with the properties of symmetry or asymmetry, the arrangement of pistons and cylinders within a sphere can be realized in different ways according to its deployment. Moreover, it is especially easy in this context to switch on or off single pistons to reduce torque, increasing the efficiency of the engine.
The third feature is low-vibration via symmetry of powers. Symmetry of powers emerges in the spheres by using vv-tec’s sinus discs to transmit power from the internal pistons to the outer spherical surface. Together with a high number of crank-free cylinders put on the smallest space to a completely vibration-free and consequently low wear and tear power transmission.
The number of pistons and the diameter of the sinus discs are variable within the given boring and stroke conditions. Thus spheres of different scales are possible for any needed application. This variability allows for maximum efficiency while simultaneously minimizing the emissions depending on the desired application. The spherical design enables nearly frictionless operation while allowing different stroke to bore ratios for the gas and steam processes, even enabling the integration of an after burner, providing a blank slate for engine designers to customize the machine for any application.
The first, second and third Prototype have been developed for different investigations. The main application area of the Reinhardt Turbine is electricity generation. Fig. 13.5 shows the two selected layouts of vv-tec generators.
There is a very important single cycle option for the Reinhardt-Turbine to be mentioned. By this option the turbine will be driven by external heat such as a conventional turbine, as shown in Fig. 13.6. The enormous difference in investment costs between standard turbines and Reinhardt-Turbines are valid for this option as well ($500 - $1,000 per kW for a steam turbine and $20 - $10 per kW for the Reinhardt-Turbine).
