Method and apparatus for implementing a thermodynamic cycle with intercooling

A method for implementing a thermodynamic cycle comprising the steps of:

• superheating an evaporated working fluid;
• expanding said superheated fluid to transform its energy into a usable form;
• reheating said expanded fluid;
• expanding said reheated fluid to transform its energy into a usable form;
• cooling said expanded, reheated fluid;
• expanding said cooled fluid to a spent low pressure level to transform its energy to a usable form;
• condensing said spent working fluid;
• and
• evaporating said condensed working fluid using heat transfered from said expanded, reheated fluid during cooling.

A method for implementing a thermodynamic cycle comprising the steps of:

• preheating an initial working fluid to a temperature approaching its boiling temperature;
• splitting the preheated initial working fluid into first and second fluid streams;
• evaporating said first stream using a first heat source;
• evaporating said second stream using a second heat source:
• recombining said first and second evaporated streams;
• superheating said recombined working fluid to produce a charged gaseous main working fluid;
• expanding the charged main working fluid to transform its energy into a usable form;
• reheating said expanded, charged main working fluid;
• expanding the reheated main working fluid to transform its energy into a usable form;
• cooling substantially all of said expanded, reheated charged main working fluid to provide said heat source for evaporating said second fluid stream;
• expanding the cooled main working fluid to a spent low pressure level to transform its energy into a usable form;
• and
• cooling said condensed, spent main working fluid to form said initial working fluid.

An apparatus for implementing a thermodynamic cycle comprising:

• a turbine device having first and second turbine sets, each set including at least one turbine stage, each of said sets having a vapor inlet and a vapor outlet, said first turbine set including first and second turbine sections, each of said sections including at least one turbine stage and having a vapor inlet and a vapor outlet;
• a turbine vapor reheater connected between the vapor outlet of said first turbine section and the vapor inlet of said second turbine section;
• and
• a turbine vapor cooler connected between the vapor outlet of of the first set and vapor inlet of the said second set, such that most of the fluid passing through the turbine device would pass through the turbine vapor cooler and back to said turbine device.