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AssigneeUniversity of Illinois Foundation
InventorEjup N. Ganic
Estimating the term…
Apparatus for separating an undesired foreign fluid, such as water, from the working fluid, such as ammonia, in a low temperature difference power plant which includes an evaporator and a condensor. A flash separator unit vaporizes the working fluid and separates it from the undesired foreign fluid. The vaporized working fluid is condensed in the condensor. The undesired foreign fluid is accumulated in the evaporator from which it can then be removed. In an alternative embodiment, the separated foreign fluid and liquid ammonia collected in the flash separator unit are not returned to the evaporator, but instead, are coupled back into the flash separator where the separated foreign fluid accumulates so that at the end of the separation process, the undesired foreign fluid can be removed from the flash separator. An alternative embodiment enables the power generating system to continue in operation, although with a decreased capacity during the fluid separation process.
In a low temperature difference power generating system, including an evaporator, a condensor and a working fluid having a relatively low boiling point, the improvement of means for removing foreign fluid from said working fluid during non-operation of said power generating system, said improvement comprising a flash separator unit for vaporizing said working fluid and separating said vaporized working fluid from said foreign fluid, first conduit means for coupling working fluid and foreign fluid from said evaporator to said flash separator unit, and second conduit means for coupling said vaporized working fluid from said flash separator unit to said condensor.
In a low temperature difference power generating system, including an evaporator, a condensor and a working fluid having a relatively low boiling point, the improvement of means for removing foreign fluid from said working fluid, said improvement comprising a flash separator unit for vaporizing said working fluid and separating said vaporized working fluid from said foreign fluid, first conduit means for coupling working fluid and foreign fluid from said evaporator to said flash separator unit, second conduit means for coupling said vaporized working fluid from said flash separator unit to said condensor, and third conduit means for coupling the separated foreign fluid from said flash separator unit to said first conduit means, said third conduit means including means for heating the separated foreign fluid, whereby the working fluid is separated from the foreign fluid during operation of the power generating system.
A process for separating an undesired foreign fluid from the working fluid in a low temperature difference power generating system, including an evaporator, a condensor and a working fluid having a relatively low boiling point, said process comprising the steps of providing a flash separator unit, coupling the working fluid and foreign fluid from the evaporator to the flash separator unit for vaporizing the working fluid and separating the vaporized working fluid from the foreign fluid, and coupling the vaporized working fluid from the flash separator unit to the condensor, and accumulating the undesired foreign fluid for removal from said system.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.