Compact tandem cylinder reciprocating engine for CO2 power generation

An engine comprising:

• one or more cylinders having a first end and a second end, and the one or more cylinders is at least partially filled with carbon dioxide;
• a first piston slidably configured inside the one or more cylinder at the first end, and being configured to form a first cylinder with a first end;
• a second piston slidably configured inside the one or more cylinder at second end, and being configured to form a second cylinder with the second end, wherein a fluid thermal barrier exists between the first piston and the second piston for facilitating isolation between the first cylinder and the second cylinder;
• a heater is circumferentially and/or top disposed around the first cylinder and fluidically coupled with the first cylinder, wherein the first piston is configured to expand a hot carbon dioxide received inside the first cylinder from the heater;
• a cooler is circumferentially disposed around the second cylinder and fluidically coupled with the second cylinder, wherein the second piston is configured to compress a cold carbon dioxide received inside the second cylinder from the cooler, and wherein a cooling jacket is configured between the first piston and the cooler to extract heat from the second cylinder;
• and
• a heat exchanger circumferentially configured between the heater and the cooler for facilitating heat exchange between the heater and the cooler, and the heat exchanger is fluidically coupled with the first cylinder and the second cylinder.