Hybrid thermal cycle with independent refrigeration loop
AssigneeHarris Corporation
InventorWilliam R. Palmer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Work is produced from heat in a continuous cycle. A flow of first working fluid is provided to a high pressure boiler to produce a flow of first working fluid vapor. A second working fluid in vaporous form is compressed, after which a third working fluid is formed by mixing the first working fluid vapor and the second working fluid. Thermal energy is transferred directly between the first and second working fluids in the mixing chamber exclusive of any intervening structure. A refrigeration loop containing a fourth working fluid extracts thermal energy from a low grade thermal energy source and moves the thermal energy to the first working fluid and/or the second working fluid.
Claims36
A method for producing work from heat in a continuous cycle, comprising:
- communicating a first flow of a first working fluid to a low pressure boiler;
- setting a pressure of said low pressure boiler below a vaporization pressure of the first working fluid at the temperature of a low temperature thermal source;
- heating said first flow of said first working fluid in said low pressure boiler using said low temperature thermal source to form a first flow of first working fluid vapor;
- providing a second flow of said first working fluid to a high pressure boiler to produce a second flow of first working fluid vapor at a pressure higher than said low pressure boiler, using a high temperature thermal source having a temperature higher than said low temperature thermal source;
- compressing a second working fluid in vaporous form;
- forming a third working fluid by mixing said first flow of first working fluid vapor, said second flow of first working fluid vapor, and said second working fluid which has been compressed;
- transferring thermal energy directly between one or more of said second working fluid, said first flow of first working fluid vapor and said second flow of first working fluid vapor, exclusive of any intervening structure;
- and
- using a refrigeration loop containing a fourth working fluid to extract available thermal energy from an available thermal energy source, and to move said available thermal energy to at least one of the first working fluid and the second working fluid.
A system for producing work from heat in a continuous cycle, comprising:
- a low pressure boiler having an internal pressure below a vaporization pressure of a first working fluid at the temperature of a low temperature thermal source and configured to heat a first flow of said first working fluid using said low temperature thermal source to form a first flow of first working fluid vapor;
- a high pressure boiler configured to heat a second flow of said first working fluid using a high temperature thermal source having a temperature higher than said low temperature thermal source, to produce a second flow of said first working fluid vapor at a pressure higher than said low pressure boiler;
- a compressor configured to compress a second working fluid in vaporous form;
- and
- a mixing chamber configured to form a third working fluid by mixing said first flow of first working fluid vapor, said second flow of first working fluid vapor, and said second working fluid which has been compressed, and configured to facilitate a transfer of thermal energy directly between one or more of said second working fluid, said first flow of first working fluid vapor, and said second flow of first working fluid vapor, exclusive of any intervening structure;
- and
- a refrigeration loop containing a fourth working fluid configured to extract available thermal energy from an available thermal energy source, and to move said available thermal energy to at least one of the first working fluid and the second working fluid.
A method for producing work from heat in a continuous cycle comprising:
- heating a pressurized flow of a first working fluid to form of a first vapor;
- compressing a second working fluid in the form of a second vapor;
- forming a mixture of said first and second working vapor to form a third working fluid;
- transferring thermal energy directly from said first vapor to said second vapor in said third working fluid, exclusive of any intervening structure;
- expanding said third working fluid to perform useful work after or during said transferring;
- cooling said third working fluid to extract a condensate and a residual portion of said third working fluid from which said condensate has been extracted;
- and
- using a fourth working fluid in a refrigeration loop exclusive of said first, second and third working fluid to extract heat energy from a portion of said continuous cycle.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.