Maximum ambient cycle
OwnerThomas L. Cosbyinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system comprising a high pressure gas reservoir, a turbine, a compressor, a low pressure reservoir, a heat exchanger and flow control structure such as valves, etc. The high pressure reservoir is in heat exchange relationship with ambient air and delivers fluid at ambient temperature to a turbine. Spent fluid from the turbine exhausts and is brought into heat exchange relationship with the compressor. The compressor exhaust is at a temperature above that of the turbine exhaust. The exhaust, which is heated by the compressor, is then delivered to a low pressure reservoir which is in heat exchange relationship with ambient air and from there the exhaust heated by the compressor is delivered to the compressor inlet.
Claims13
A fluid circuit for producing work comprising:
- a turbine for producing a work output,
- said turbine having means for causing expansion of a working fluid at an incoming temperature and pressure and exhausting working fluid at a first temperature and pressure below said incoming temperature and pressure;
- a compressor downstream of the turbine;
- first means for effecting heat exchange between the fluid from said turbine that is exhausted at said first temperature and the compressor so that the fluid in the compressor is cooled and the exhaust fluid from the turbine is heated by the compressor through heat exchange therewith to a temperature above said first temperature;
- a reservoir for fluid from said turbine heated by the compressor;
- means for delivering fluid heated by the compressor to the reservoir;
- means for delivering fluid from the reservoir to the compressor for compression thereby;
- a second reservoir;
- means for delivering fluid compressed by the compressor to the second reservoir;
- and
- means for delivering fluid from said second reservoir to said turbine.
A method of operating on a fluid to produce work in a system having a compressor and a turbine comprising the steps of;
- delivering operating fluid to the turbine at an incoming pressure and temperature to develop a work output and produce exhaust fluid at a temperature and pressure below the incoming pressure and temperature;
- cooling the compressor with exhaust fluid from the turbine;
- delivering operating fluid that has exhausted from the turbine and exchange heat with said compressor to a fluid inlet on the compressor for compression thereby;
- compressing operating fluid delivered through the compressor inlet in the compressor;
- delivering operating fluid compressed by the compressor to said turbine;
- and
- introducing additional energy, as necessary, to the system to permit the system to continuously operate.
A method of operating on a working fluid in a system to produce work comprising the steps of:
- providing a fluid compressor and a turbine with a fluid inlet in said system;
- increasing the pressure of the working fluid in the compressor from a first pressure;
- expanding working fluid in the turbine to produce a work output and to reduce the pressure and temperature of working fluid coming into the turbine to a pressure and temperature for fluid exhausted by the turbine below the incoming fluid temperature and pressure;
- maintaining the temperature of the working fluid substantially constant in the compressor as the pressure of the working fluid is increased by the compressor by using the fluid exhausted from the turbine to cool the compressor through heat exchange;
- heating the fluid from the turbine by heat exchange with the compressor;
- delivering fluid from the turbine heated by the compressor to the turbine inlet;
- and
- introducing additional energy, as necessary, to the system to permit the system to continuously operate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.