Externally cooled absorption engine

A method for converting thermal energy into mechanical energy comprising:

• obtaining a dual fluid system comprising a first fluid having a relatively lower boiling point as a working fluid and a second fluid having a relatively higher boiling point as a solvent for the first fluid, the second fluid having a relatively high degree of absorptivity for the first fluid, the combined first fluid and second fluid forming a third fluid solution;
• enclosing the dual fluid system within a closed system comprising a first, external combustion source, a distiller, a second, external combustion source, a superheater, a mechanical expansion engine means, an absorption column, and a heat exchanger, the distiller comprising a cylindrical column and a coaxial flue in spaced relationship to the column, the flue conducting heat energy through the column from the first external combustion source, the flue further comprising a plurality of frustoconical distributor rings for distributing the third solution over the flue to separate the first fluid from the second fluid with heat energy from the first, external combustion source, the absorption column comprising a cylindrical column with a coaxial, hollow cylinder and a plurality of apertures in the hollow cylinder, the hollow cylinder introducing the first fluid into the column with the apertures introducing the first fluid into the second fluid;
• distilling the third fluid in the distiller means by distributing the third fluid over the surface of the flue with the distributor rings to absorb heat energy from the first, external combustion source thereby separating the first fluid from the second fluid and creating a working fluid with the first fluid;
• superheating the working fluid in the superheater means with heat energy from the second, external combustion source;
• converting thermal energy in the working fluid into mechanical energy by passing the working fluid through the mechanical expansion engine means;
• and
• absorbing the working fluid from the mechanical expansion engine means with solvent from the distiller by introducing the working fluid into the solvent through the apertures thereby increasing the efficiency of the mechanical engine expansion means by reducing the backpressure thereto, the absorbing step further comprising increasing the efficiency of the absorption means by cooling solvent from the distillation means with cooled solution from the absorption means and correspondingly increasing the efficiency of the distiller means by heating the solution prior to introducing the same into the distiller means in the heat exchange means, the heating step further comprising passing the solvent through an after heater in the distiller prior to passing the solvent through the heat exchange means, the after heater comprising a heat exchange tube coiled around the lower end of the flue, the tube having an open end immersed in the solvent in the bottom of the distiller, the open end drawing in solvent and conducting the solvent in heat exchange relationship with the flue.