초록 ▼

A process and apparatus by means of which the premier vapor cycle, known as the Carnot cycle, can be approximated in practice, involve the application of novel energy-efficient, mixed phase, high volume-ratio fluid-handling machinery to a single-component working fluid that exists during certain pro

A process and apparatus by means of which the premier vapor cycle, known as the Carnot cycle, can be approximated in practice, involve the application of novel energy-efficient, mixed phase, high volume-ratio fluid-handling machinery to a single-component working fluid that exists during certain processes as a mixture of fine droplets of saturated liquid in saturated vapor. This combination of fluid-handling machinery and the saturated mixed-phase working fluid enables the approximation of isentropic saturated liquid/vapor expansion and compression. These process approximations, in addition to isothermal heat addition and rejection, enable Carnot heat engine, refrigeration and heat pump cycles to be approximated.

대표청구항 ▼

A heat engine cycle comprising: (a) compressing in a compressor a dual-phase working fluid in the form of a mixture of fine droplets of saturated liquid in saturated vapour; (b) heating the working fluid as compressed in step (a) under substantially isothermal conditions while vaporizing the working

A heat engine cycle comprising: (a) compressing in a compressor a dual-phase working fluid in the form of a mixture of fine droplets of saturated liquid in saturated vapour; (b) heating the working fluid as compressed in step (a) under substantially isothermal conditions while vaporizing the working fluid; (c) expanding the heated working fluid provided by step (b) in an expander to produce a work output while the working fluid, during at least an initial portion of the expansion, is in the form of a mixture of fine droplets of saturated liquid in saturated vapour; (d) cooling and partially condensing the working fluid after the expansion step (c) under substantially isothermal conditions to provide a dual-phase working fluid mixture of saturated vapour and saturated liquid for compression in step (a); and (e) repeating the steps (a)-(d) recited above in a continuous cycle.