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US 11,767,824 B2Granted
Power generating system utilizing expanding fluid
AssigneeLook for the Power, LLC
InventorJohn A. Saavedra
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system for extracting work from the expansion of a working fluid includes a vessel having at least a portion of the working fluid, a heating device in thermal communication with the portion of the working fluid in the vessel for heating the portion of the working fluid in the vessel and expanding the working fluid, and a conversion tool. The conversion tool is in fluid communication with the vessel and is configured to receive working fluid from the vessel when the working fluid expands. The conversion tool is further configured to extract work from the expanded working fluid.
Claims18
A system for extracting work from the expansion of a working fluid, comprising:
- a vessel comprising at least a portion of the working fluid and defining an interior, wherein the working fluid is not water;
- a heating device in thermal communication with the portion of the working fluid in the vessel for heating the portion of the working fluid in the vessel and expanding the working fluid, the heating device being in fluid flow isolation from the working fluid within the interior of the vessel;
- and
- a conversion tool in fluid communication with the vessel configured to receive working fluid from the vessel when the working fluid expands, the conversion tool further configured to extract work from the expanded working fluid;
- a first fluid line assembly extending between the vessel and the conversion tool and connecting the vessel to the conversion tool for supplying expanded working fluid from the vessel to the conversion tool;
- a second fluid line assembly fluidly connects the conversion tool to the vessel for returning working fluid from the conversion tool to the vessel, wherein substantially all of the working fluid from the conversion tool is provided back to the vessel through the second fluid line assembly;
- wherein the heating device is not a combustion engine heating device, wherein the heating device is a component of a motor vehicle, wherein the vessel is mounted in thermal communication with the component, wherein in extracting work from the expanded working fluid the conversion tool is configured to generate electricity using the expanded working fluid, wherein the motor vehicle comprises an electric energy storage unit, and wherein the conversion tool is configured to provide electrical power to the electric energy storage unit during operation of the system, and wherein the heating device does not include vehicle exhaust gasses in direct fluid communication with the working fluid.
4 more elements
A system for extracting work from the expansion of a working fluid, comprising:
- a vessel comprising at least a portion of the working fluid and defining an interior, wherein the working fluid is not water;
- a heating device in thermal communication with the portion of the working fluid in the vessel for heating the portion of the working fluid in the vessel and expanding the working fluid, the heating device being disposed within the interior of the vessel;
- and
- a conversion tool in fluid communication with the vessel configured to receive working fluid from the vessel when the working fluid expands, the conversion tool further configured to extract work from the expanded working fluid;
- a first fluid line assembly extending between the vessel and the conversion tool and connecting the vessel to the conversion tool for supplying expanded working fluid from the vessel to the conversion tool;
- a second fluid line assembly fluidly connects the conversion tool to the vessel for returning working fluid from the conversion tool to the vessel, wherein substantially all of the working fluid from the conversion tool is provided back to the vessel through the second fluid line assembly;
- wherein the heating device is not a combustion engine heating device, wherein the heating device is a component of a motor vehicle, wherein the vessel is mounted in thermal communication with the component, wherein in extracting work from the expanded working fluid the conversion tool is configured to generate electricity using the expanded working fluid, wherein the motor vehicle comprises an electric energy storage unit, and wherein the conversion tool is configured to provide electrical power to the electric energy storage unit during operation of the system, and wherein the heating device does not include vehicle exhaust gasses in direct fluid communication with the working fluid.
4 more elements
A method for extracting work from the expansion of a working fluid in a system, the method comprising:
- heating, via a heating device, the working fluid in a vessel by exposing the vessel to thermal radiation to expand the working fluid in the vessel using radiation heat transfer;
- transferring at least a portion of the expanded working fluid to a conversion tool in fluid communication with the vessel;
- extracting work with the conversion tool from the expanded working fluid from the vessel transferred to the conversion tool;
- and
- returning substantially all of the working fluid from the conversion tool to the vessel;
- wherein the working fluid is not water, wherein the heating device is a component of a motor vehicle, wherein the vessel is mounted in thermal communication with the component, wherein in extracting work from the expanded working fluid the conversion tool is configured to generate electricity using the expanded working fluid, wherein the motor vehicle comprises an electric energy storage unit, and wherein the conversion tool is configured to provide electrical power to the electric energy storage unit during operation of the system, and wherein the heating device does not include vehicle exhaust gasses in direct fluid communication with the working fluid.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.