Waste heat recovery
OwnerKevin L. BROWNinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for a vacuum tube configured to produce heat during operation. A boiler is configured to hold a fluid used to cool at least a portion of the vacuum tube during operation, wherein the fluid, when used to cool at least the portion of the vacuum tube, produces vapor. A turbine is configured to receive at least a first portion of the vapor produced when the fluid is used to cool at least the portion of the vacuum tube, wherein the turbine, when at least the first portion of the vapor produced when the fluid is used to cool at least the portion of the vacuum tube is received, is further configured to convert into electrical energy at least the first portion of the vapor produced when the fluid is used to cool at least the portion of the vacuum tube.
Claims21
An apparatus, comprising:
- a device configured to produce heat during operation;
- a first container configured to hold a fluid used to cool at least a portion of the device during operation, wherein the fluid, when used to cool at least the portion of the device, produces vapor;
- and
- an electrical generating device configured to receive at least a first portion of the vapor produced when the fluid is used to cool at least the portion of the device, wherein the electrical generating device, when at least the first portion of the vapor produced when the fluid is used to cool at least the portion of the device is received, is further configured to convert into electrical energy at least the first portion of the vapor produced when the fluid is used to cool at least the portion of the device.
An apparatus, comprising:
- a vacuum tube configured to produce heat during operation;
- a boiler configured to hold a fluid used to cool at least a portion of the vacuum tube during operation, wherein the fluid, when used to cool at least the portion of the vacuum tube, produces vapor;
- and
- a turbine configured to receive at least a first portion of the vapor produced when the fluid is used to cool at least the portion of the vacuum tube, wherein the turbine, when at least the first portion of the vapor produced when the fluid is used to cool at least the portion of the vacuum tube is received, is further configured to convert into electrical energy at least the first portion of the vapor produced when the fluid is used to cool at least the portion of the vacuum tube.
A method, comprising:
- producing heat from a device during operation;
- holding, in a first container, a fluid used to cool at least a portion of the device during operation, wherein the fluid, when used to cool at least the portion of the device, produces vapor;
- receiving, by an electrical generation device, at least a first portion of the vapor produced when the fluid is used to cool at least the portion of the device;
- and
- converting, at least in part by the electrical generation device when at least the first portion of the vapor produced when the fluid is used to cool at least the portion of the device is received, into electrical energy at least the first portion of the vapor produced when the fluid is used to cool at least the portion of the device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.