Method and improved device for converting thermal energy into kinetic energy
OwnerJasper Hägerinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention relates to a method for converting thermal energy, in particular energy from the environment, into kinetic energy and to a device for converting thermal energy into kinetic energy, said device being used to carry out the method. In the method according to the invention, two circuits with fluids are operatively connected together in that on at least three heat exchangers, one fluid influences the others. The two circuits are additionally provided with environmental heat exchangers which preset the temperature of the fluids being used. The exhaust heat used for this purpose can originate from the industrial sector for example.
Claims11
A method of converting thermal energy to kinetic energy, the method comprising:
- in a first circuit (2):
- compressing a first gaseous fluid with an accompanying increase in temperature, wherein the compressing generates a pumping movement of the fluid through the first circuit (2);
- cooling the first fluid in a first heat exchanger (6) with at least partial condensation;
- further cooling the first fluid in a third heat exchanger (11);
- decompressing the first fluid in a decompression valve (7);
- absorbing heat in a second heat exchanger (8);
- and
- further absorbing thermal energy in a first environmental heat exchanger (4);
- and
- parallelly in a second circuit (3):
- pumping a second fluid through the second circuit (3);
- heating the second fluid in the third heat exchanger (11);
- at least partially evaporating the second fluid in a second environmental heat exchanger (12);
- further heating the second fluid in the first heat exchanger (6);
- transferring the second fluid to a thermal engine (9) with associated pressure reduction and release of thermal energy;
- abstracting the energy in the thermal engine (9);
- and
- recycling the second fluid into the second heat exchanger (8) and liquefying the second fluid;
- wherein the first and second circuits (2, 3) are subject to mutual conditionality in that a condenser in one circuit is an evaporator in the other circuit.
An improved apparatus (1) for conversion of thermal energy to kinetic energy, the apparatus comprising:
- a first circuit (2) for fluids comprising:
- a first environmental heat exchanger (4), a compressor (5), a first heat exchanger (6), a decompression valve (7) and a second heat exchanger (8), wherein, in the first circuit (2), the first heat exchanger (6) serves as condenser and the second heat exchanger (8) serves as evaporator;
- and
- a second circuit (3) for fluids comprising:
- the first heat exchanger (6), a thermal engine (9), the second heat exchanger (8) and a pump (10), wherein, in the second circuit (3), the first heat exchanger (6) serves as evaporator and the second heat exchanger (8) serves as condenser;
- wherein the first and the second circuits (2, 3) are fluidically unconnected but have functional relationships in the first heat exchanger (6) and in the second heat exchanger (8), characterized in that, in the first circuit (2), a third heat exchanger (11) is disposed downstream of the first heat exchanger (6), and, in the second circuit (3), the third heat exchanger (11) and a second environmental heat exchanger (12) are disposed downstream of the pump (10), wherein, in the third heat exchanger (11), a functional relationship exists between the first circuit (2) and the second circuit (3).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.