Two-phase thermal pump

A thermal system comprising:

• a fluid storage tank configured to store a cooling fluid in a liquid state and a gas state;
• a first heat exchanger configured to release heat into the fluid storage tank;
• a second heat exchanger, the second heat exchanger being fluidly downstream of the fluid storage tank, the second heat exchanger being configured to exchange heat between the cooling fluid and a heat load;
• a turbine arranged fluidly downstream of the second heat exchanger, the turbine configured to extract mechanical energy from the cooling fluid flowing therein;
• and
• a combustor arranged fluidly upstream of the turbine and fluidly downstream of the second heat exchanger,
• wherein the cooling fluid that has been heated by the second heat exchanger passes through the first heat exchanger and thereby heats upstream cooling fluid resident in the fluid storage tank,
• wherein the combustor is configured to ignite the cooling fluid flowing from the second heat exchanger, and
• wherein a first portion of the combusted cooling fluid flows through and drives the turbine and a second portion of the combusted cooling fluid flows through the first heat exchanger to heat upstream cooling fluid resident in the fluid storage tank.

A method comprising:

• storing a cooling fluid in a fluid storage tank in a liquid state and a gas state;
• providing a first heat exchanger configured to release heat into the fluid storage tank;
• arranging a second heat exchanger fluidly downstream of the fluid storage tank;
• receiving the cooling fluid in the second heat exchanger to exchange heat between the cooling fluid and a heat load;
• arranging a turbine fluidly downstream of the second heat exchanger, the turbine configured to extract mechanical energy from the cooling fluid flowing therein;
• arranging a combustor fluidly upstream of the turbine and fluidly downstream of the second heat exchanger;
• passing the cooling fluid that has been heated by the second heat exchanger through the first heat exchanger and thereby heating upstream cooling fluid resident in the fluid storage tank such that a portion of the upstream cooling fluid in the fluid storage tank in the liquid state is changed to the gas state to increase a pressure within the fluid storage tank;
• forcing remaining upstream cooling fluid in the liquid state out of the fluid storage tank and toward the second heat exchanger due to the increased pressure;
• and
• igniting the cooling fluid flowing from the second heat exchanger and to the turbine in the combustor such that combusted cooling fluid flows through and drives the turbine.