Apparatus and Method for Converting Heat Energy to Mechanical Energy

A method of transforming heat energy to mechanical energy, comprising the steps of:

• expanding an evaporated working fluid using a low-pressure expansion device connected with an evaporator to form an expanded evaporated working fluid, and
• recycling energy contained in the expanded evaporated working fluid into the evaporator such that the recycled energy is utilized to evaporate additional working fluid.

A system for transforming heat energy to mechanical energy, comprising:

• an evaporator for evaporating a working fluid formed as a mixture comprising first and second components;
• a low-pressure expansion device receiving the evaporated working fluid and expanding the evaporated working fluid;
• an absorption device that is one of integrated with the low-pressure expansion device and downstream of the low-pressure expansion device, the absorption device introducing an absorption fluid to the working fluid, wherein the first component of the working fluid is absorbed by the absorption fluid in the absorption device and heat is transferred to the remaining, evaporated second component, the heat being recyclable.