Thermal energy conversion method
First Claim
1. A method for converting thermal energy into mechanical energy with a working fluid in a closed loop thermodynamic cycle, comprising:
- placing a thermal energy source in thermal communication with a heat exchanger arranged within a working fluid circuit, the working fluid circuit having a high pressure side and a low pressure side, and the working fluid comprises carbon dioxide in a supercritical state in the high pressure side;
regulating an amount of working fluid within the working fluid circuit via a mass management system, the mass management system having a working fluid vessel fluidly connected to the low pressure side of the working fluid circuit;
pumping the working fluid through the working fluid circuit by operation of a pump, the pump being configured to supply working fluid in a supercritical or subcritical state;
expanding the working fluid in an expander to generate mechanical energy, the expander being fluidly coupled to the pump in the working fluid circuit;
directing the working fluid away from the expander through the working fluid circuit and back to the pump;
controlling a flow of the working fluid in a supercritical state from the high pressure side of the working fluid circuit to the working fluid vessel; and
controlling an amount of working fluid in a subcritical or supercritical state from the working fluid vessel to the low pressure side of the working fluid circuit and to the pump.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for converting thermal energy into mechanical energy in a thermodynamic cycle includes placing a thermal energy source in thermal communication with a heat exchanger arranged in a working fluid circuit containing a working fluid (e.g., sc-CO2) and having a high pressure side and a low pressure side. The method also includes regulating an amount of working fluid within the working fluid circuit via a mass management system having a working fluid vessel, pumping the working fluid through the working fluid circuit, and expanding the working fluid to generate mechanical energy. The method further includes directing the working fluid away from the expander through the working fluid circuit, controlling a flow of the working fluid in a supercritical state from the high pressure side to the working fluid vessel, and controlling a flow of the working fluid from the working fluid vessel to the low pressure side.
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Citations
53 Claims
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1. A method for converting thermal energy into mechanical energy with a working fluid in a closed loop thermodynamic cycle, comprising:
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placing a thermal energy source in thermal communication with a heat exchanger arranged within a working fluid circuit, the working fluid circuit having a high pressure side and a low pressure side, and the working fluid comprises carbon dioxide in a supercritical state in the high pressure side; regulating an amount of working fluid within the working fluid circuit via a mass management system, the mass management system having a working fluid vessel fluidly connected to the low pressure side of the working fluid circuit; pumping the working fluid through the working fluid circuit by operation of a pump, the pump being configured to supply working fluid in a supercritical or subcritical state; expanding the working fluid in an expander to generate mechanical energy, the expander being fluidly coupled to the pump in the working fluid circuit; directing the working fluid away from the expander through the working fluid circuit and back to the pump; controlling a flow of the working fluid in a supercritical state from the high pressure side of the working fluid circuit to the working fluid vessel; and controlling an amount of working fluid in a subcritical or supercritical state from the working fluid vessel to the low pressure side of the working fluid circuit and to the pump. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method for converting thermal energy into mechanical energy comprising:
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providing a working fluid in a working fluid circuit having components interconnected by conduit through which the working fluid flows, the components comprising; a pump operative to circulate the working fluid through the working fluid circuit; a heat exchanger fluidly coupled to the pump for transferring thermal energy to the working fluid; an expander fluidly coupled to the heat exchanger and operative to convert energy from the working fluid into mechanical energy; and a mass control tank in fluid communication with a low pressure side and a high pressure side of the working fluid circuit; controlling flow of the working fluid through the working fluid circuit by operation of the pump; delivering a portion of the working fluid from the working fluid circuit to the expander and cooling one or more parts of the expander with the portion of the working fluid; and controlling a rate of operation of the expander and an amount of working fluid in the working fluid circuit by controlling an amount of working fluid mass in the mass control tank. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A method of converting thermal energy into mechanical energy with a working fluid in a closed loop thermodynamic cycle, comprising:
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placing a thermal energy source in thermal communication with a heat exchanger arranged within a working fluid circuit, the working fluid circuit having a high pressure side and a low pressure side; regulating an amount of working fluid within the working fluid circuit via a mass management system, the mass management system having a working fluid vessel fluidly connected to the low pressure side of the working fluid circuit; pumping the working fluid through the working fluid circuit by operation of a pump, the pump being configured to supply working fluid in a supercritical or subcritical state; expanding the working fluid in an expander to generate mechanical energy, the expander being fluidly coupled to the pump in the working fluid circuit; directing the working fluid away from the expander through the working fluid circuit and back to the pump; controlling a flow of the working fluid in a supercritical state from the high pressure side of the working fluid circuit to the working fluid vessel; controlling an amount of working fluid in a subcritical or supercritical state from the working fluid vessel to the low pressure side of the working fluid circuit and to the pump; and delivering a portion of the working fluid from the high pressure side of the working fluid circuit to the expander and cooling one or more parts of the expander with the portion of the working fluid. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
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Specification