HEAT ENGINE WITH CASCADED CYCLES
First Claim
1. A method of converting thermal energy into another energy form using a thermodynamic cycle, the method comprising the steps of:
- pressurizing a working fluid;
supplying thermal energy to heat the working fluid from a liquid or substantially liquid state to a supercritical fluid state;
in a first expander, substantially isentropically expanding the working fluid to yield energy in the other energy form;
separating the expanded working fluid to form a first portion of the fluid diverted to a second expander and a second portion of the working fluid diverted to bypass the second expander;
in the second expander, substantially isentropically expanding the first portion of the working fluid to yield energy in the other energy form;
condensing the expanded first portion of the working fluid to a liquid or substantially liquid state; and
recombining the first and second portions of the working fluid to be recirculated in the cycle.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of converting thermal energy into another energy form using a thermodynamic cycle is disclosed, the method including the steps of: pressurizing a working fluid; supplying thermal energy to heat the working fluid from a liquid or substantially liquid state to a supercritical fluid state; in a first expander, substantially isentropically expanding the working fluid to yield energy in the other energy form; separating the expanded working fluid to form a first portion of the fluid diverted to a second expander and a second portion of the working fluid diverted to bypass the second expander; in the second expander, substantially isentropically expanding the first portion of the working fluid to yield energy in the other energy form; condensing the expanded first portion of the working fluid to a liquid or substantially liquid state; and recombining the first and second portions of the working fluid to be recirculated in the cycle.
53 Citations
42 Claims
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1. A method of converting thermal energy into another energy form using a thermodynamic cycle, the method comprising the steps of:
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pressurizing a working fluid; supplying thermal energy to heat the working fluid from a liquid or substantially liquid state to a supercritical fluid state; in a first expander, substantially isentropically expanding the working fluid to yield energy in the other energy form; separating the expanded working fluid to form a first portion of the fluid diverted to a second expander and a second portion of the working fluid diverted to bypass the second expander; in the second expander, substantially isentropically expanding the first portion of the working fluid to yield energy in the other energy form; condensing the expanded first portion of the working fluid to a liquid or substantially liquid state; and recombining the first and second portions of the working fluid to be recirculated in the cycle. - 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, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 40, 41)
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39. An apparatus for converting thermal energy into another energy form comprising:
a closed cycled heat engine comprising; a first pump configured to pressurize a working fluid; a first heat exchanger configured to supply thermal energy for a heat source to heat the working fluid from a liquid or substantially liquid state to a supercritical fluid state; a first expander configured to receive the heated working fluid in the supercritical state and substantially isentropically expand the working fluid to yield energy in the other energy form; a bypass mechanism configured to separate the expanded working fluid to form a first portion of the fluid diverted to a second expander and a second portion of the working fluid diverted to bypass the second expander; the second expander configured to substantially isentropically expand the first portion of the working fluid to yield energy in the other energy form; a condenser configured to reject heat from the expanded first portion of the working fluid to condense the expanded first portion of the working fluid to a liquid or substantially liquid state; and a combining mechanism configured to recombine the first and second portions of the working fluid and directed the combined working fluid to the first pump to be recirculated in the cycle.
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42. The apparatus of claim, further comprising a second combining mechanism configured to combine the third and fourth portions of the expanded first portion of the working fluid
Specification