SIMPLE AND COMPACT LOW-TEMPERATURE POWER CYCLE
First Claim
1. A thermodynamic power cycle system for extracting a flow of heat from a heat source stream and generating mechanical power from the flow of heat by means of a working fluid flowing within a closed-loop cycle comprising:
- means for transferring heat from the beat source stream to the working fluid such that the working fluid warms from a first temperature to a second temperature that is more than 30°
F. greater than the critical temperature of the working fluid wherein the working fluid has a critical temperature more than 40°
F. lower than a temperature of the heat source stream and has a normal boiling point less than 32°
F.;
means for expanding the working fluid and converting work of expansion of the working fluid to mechanical power;
said means for expanding and converting work of expansion also throttling the working fluid such that a pressure of the working fluid exceeds the critical pressure of the working fluid by an amount greater than 5% of the critical pressure of the working fluid as the working fluid emerges from the means for transferring heat;
means for cooling to condense and subcool the working fluid after the means for expanding;
means for returning the working fluid to the means for transferring heat;
wherein the means for transferring heat, the means for expanding, the means for cooling, and the means for returning the working fluid to the means for transferring heat are the only four means in which energy is removed from or transferred into the working fluid in the form of heat or work.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A simple, compact, and relatively efficient thermodynamic power cycle system and process for extracting heat from a heat source stream and converting a portion of the heat to mechanical power. The system and process are composed of the same series of four processing units or steps found in the most basic form of a Rankine power cycle: (1) heating (means) of a pressurized working fluid to produce a superheated gas, (2) expansion (means) to a lower pressure to produce power, (3) condensation (means) of the low pressure gas to a liquid, and (4) pumping (means) of the liquid to high pressure to complete the cycle. The working fluid is heated under pressures above critical. The working fluid must have a critical temperature more than 40° F. lower than the temperature of the heat source stream and a normal boiling point less than 32° F.
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Citations
31 Claims
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1. A thermodynamic power cycle system for extracting a flow of heat from a heat source stream and generating mechanical power from the flow of heat by means of a working fluid flowing within a closed-loop cycle comprising:
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means for transferring heat from the beat source stream to the working fluid such that the working fluid warms from a first temperature to a second temperature that is more than 30°
F. greater than the critical temperature of the working fluid wherein the working fluid has a critical temperature more than 40°
F. lower than a temperature of the heat source stream and has a normal boiling point less than 32°
F.;
means for expanding the working fluid and converting work of expansion of the working fluid to mechanical power;
said means for expanding and converting work of expansion also throttling the working fluid such that a pressure of the working fluid exceeds the critical pressure of the working fluid by an amount greater than 5% of the critical pressure of the working fluid as the working fluid emerges from the means for transferring heat;
means for cooling to condense and subcool the working fluid after the means for expanding;
means for returning the working fluid to the means for transferring heat;
wherein the means for transferring heat, the means for expanding, the means for cooling, and the means for returning the working fluid to the means for transferring heat are the only four means in which energy is removed from or transferred into the working fluid in the form of heat or work. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A thermodynamic process for the production of mechanical power from a heat source stream of gas, liquid solid, or mixture thereof comprising:
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a. transferring heat from the heat source stream to a working fluid;
wherein the working fluid is at a pressure more than 5 percent greater than the critical pressure of the working fluid;
wherein the working fluid has been heated to a temperature more than 30°
F. greater than the critical temperature of the working fluid; and
wherein the working fluid has a critical temperature more than 40°
F. lower than the temperature of the heat source stream and the working fluid has a normal boiling point less than 32°
F.;
b. expanding the working fluid to produce mechanical power;
c. cooling to condense and subcool the working fluid;
d. pressurizing the working fluid;
e. directing the flow of the working fluid in a continuous loop through the above described process steps a, b, c, d, in that order, and returning to step a to continue the continuous loop;
f. process steps a, b, c, and d being the only four process steps in which energy is removed from or transferred into the working fluid in the form of heat or work.
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Specification