Working fluids for electrical generating plants

• US 4,467,609 A
• Filed: 08/27/1982
• Issued: 08/28/1984
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/1982
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: University of Cincinnati
• Original Assignee: University of Cincinnati
• Inventors: Loomis, Robert G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ostrager, Allen M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Husar, Stephen F.
• Application Number:
  US06/412,155
• Time in Patent Office: 732 Days
• Field of Search: 60/651, 60/655, 60/671, 252/67
• US Class Current: 60/651
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 23/04 condensation heat from one cycle heating the fluid in another cycle
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 25/08 using special vapours

Abstract

Halides of tungsten and molybdenum are described for use as working fluids in power plants. Specifically, tungsten pentachloride, tungsten hexachloride, molybdenum hexafluoride and molybdenum hexachloride are used as working fluids in power plants. These working fluids can be used alone in a single cycle. However, they are preferably used in one or two loops of a binary system. The working fluids can be used in combination with other known working fluids in a binary system. Specifically useful, working fluids would include water-Hg, aluminum iodide, water, and nitrogen tetroxide. The use of the novel boiler fluids of the present invention provide numerous advantages, particularly, improved efficiency.

Claims

1. The method of converting heat energy to mechanical energy which comprises vaporizing a first fluid by passing said first fluid in a heat exchange relationship with a heat source and utilizing the kinetic energy of the resulting expanding vapors to perform work, wherein said first fluid is selected from the group consisting of molybdenum hexafluoride, tungsten pentachloride, tungsten hexachloride and tungsten hexafluoride.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said first fluid is tungsten hexachloride.

3. The method claimed in claim 1 wherein said fluid is tungsten pentachloride.

4. The method of converting heat energy to mechanical energy which comprises vaporizing a first fluid by passing said fluid in heat exchange relationship with a heat source and utilizing the kinetic energy of the resulting expanding vapors to perform work and subsequently passing a second fluid in heat exchange relationship with said first fluid and utilizing the kinetic energy of the resulting expanding vapors to perform work wherein either said first or said second fluid is selected from the group consisting of molybdenum hexafluoride, tungsten pentachloride, tungsten hexachloride and tungsten hexafluoride.

5. The method claimed in claim 4 wherein said first fluid is tungsten hexachloride and said second fluid is selected from the group consisting of molybdenum hexafluoride, tungsten pentachloride and tungsten hexafluoride.

6. The method claimed in claim 4 wherein said first fluid is tungsten pentachloride and said second fluid is selected from the groups consisting of molybdenum hexafluoride and tungsten hexafluoride.

7. The method claimed in claim 4 wherein said first fluid is aluminum trichloride and said second fluid is selected from the group consisting of molybdenum hexafluoride, tungsten pentachloride, tungsten hexachloride and tungsten hexafluoride.