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A waste heat recovery system and a method for operating a thermodynamic cycle using a working fluid in a working fluid circuit which has a high pressure side and a low pressure side. The system comprises a waste heat exchanger, a waste heat source, an expander, a recuperator, a cooler, a pump, and a

A waste heat recovery system and a method for operating a thermodynamic cycle using a working fluid in a working fluid circuit which has a high pressure side and a low pressure side. The system comprises a waste heat exchanger, a waste heat source, an expander, a recuperator, a cooler, a pump, and a mass management system connected to the working fluid circuit. The mass management system comprises a working fluid vessel connected to the low pressure side of the working fluid circuit and configured to passively control an amount of working fluid mass in the working fluid circuit.

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1. A heat engine system operative to execute a thermodynamic cycle using a working fluid, comprising: a working fluid circuit having a high pressure side and a low pressure side, and a working fluid comprising carbon dioxide contained in the working fluid circuit, wherein at least a portion of the w

1. A heat engine system operative to execute a thermodynamic cycle using a working fluid, comprising: a working fluid circuit having a high pressure side and a low pressure side, and a working fluid comprising carbon dioxide contained in the working fluid circuit, wherein at least a portion of the working fluid is in a supercritical state;a heat exchanger in the working fluid circuit and in thermal communication with a heat source, whereby thermal energy is transferred from the heat source to the working fluid in the working fluid circuit;an expander in the working fluid circuit and located between the high pressure side and the low pressure side of the working fluid circuit and operative to convert a pressure drop in the working fluid to mechanical energy;a recuperator in the working fluid circuit operative to transfer thermal energy between the high pressure side and the low pressure side of the working fluid circuit;a cooler in thermal communication with the low pressure side of the working fluid circuit and operative to control a temperature of the working fluid in the low pressure side of the working fluid circuit;a pump in the working fluid circuit and fluidly connected between the low pressure side and the high pressure side of the working fluid circuit and operative to move the working fluid through the working fluid circuit;a mass management system fluidly connected to the working fluid circuit, the mass management system having a working fluid vessel fluidly connected to the low pressure side of the working fluid circuit; anda working fluid storage tank fluidly connected to the mass management system via a working fluid supply line, the working fluid supply tank being configured to store a working fluid supply and distribute the working fluid supply to the mass management system. 2. The heat engine system of claim 1, wherein the working fluid supply comprises carbon dioxide. 3. The heat engine system of claim 1, further comprising a valve in the working fluid supply line. 4. The heat engine system of claim 1, further comprising a first thermocouple in fluid communication with the working fluid supply line and arranged proximate the working fluid vessel. 5. The heat engine system of claim 1, wherein the working fluid supply line is fluidly connected to a lower region of the working fluid vessel. 6. The heat engine system of claim 1, further comprising a dip tube arranged in the working fluid vessel, the dip tube being fluidly connected to the working fluid circuit via a vent line. 7. The heat engine system of claim 6, further comprising a vent valve arranged in the vent line and configured to control the temperature and/or pressure of the working fluid supply within the working fluid vessel. 8. The heat engine system of claim 6, further comprising a thermocouple in thermal communication with the working fluid vessel and configured to indicate when the working fluid vessel is full. 9. The heat engine system of claim 1, further comprising a heater in thermal communication with the working fluid vessel and configured to increase a pressure of the working fluid supply within the working fluid vessel. 10. The heat engine system of claim 1, wherein the working fluid storage tank is located external to a housing of the heat engine system. 11. The heat engine system of claim 1, wherein the working fluid storage tank is located within a housing of the heat engine system. 12. The heat engine system of claim 1, further comprising a connection to the working fluid supply line at an exterior of a housing of the heat engine system. 13. The heat engine system of claim 1, further comprising a working fluid pump fluidly connected to the working fluid supply line and operative to pump working fluid supply through the working fluid supply line and to the working fluid vessel. 14. The heat engine system of claim 13, further comprising a purge valve arranged in the working fluid supply line and located between the working fluid pump and the working fluid vessel. 15. The heat engine system of claim 13, further comprising a working fluid vapor line fluidly coupling the working fluid storage tank to the working fluid vessel. 16. The heat engine system of claim 1, wherein the working fluid supply line is fluidly connected to an upper region of the working fluid storage tank. 17. The heat engine system of claim 15, wherein the working fluid vapor line is fluidly connected to an upper region of the working fluid storage tank. 18. The heat engine system of claim 1, wherein the working fluid supply line is fluidly connected to a lower region of the working fluid storage tank. 19. The heat engine system of claim 15, further comprising a suction return line fluidly coupling the working fluid pump to the working fluid vapor line. 20. The heat engine system of claim 15, further comprising a valve in the working fluid vapor line. 21. The heat engine system of claim 1, wherein the working fluid supply contains an amount of working fluid greater than an amount of working fluid required for operation of the heat engine. 22. The heat engine system of claim 2, wherein the working fluid storage tank is a dewar. 23. A method of converting thermal energy into mechanical energy, comprising: placing a thermal energy source in thermal communication with a heat exchanger arranged within a working fluid circuit, the working fluid circuit having a high pressure side and a low pressure side;regulating an amount of working fluid within the working fluid circuit using a mass management system, the mass management system having a working fluid vessel fluidly connected to the both the high pressure and low pressure sides of the working fluid circuit;supplying a working fluid comprising carbon dioxide to the working fluid vessel from a working fluid supply tank fluidly connected to the working fluid vessel via a working fluid supply line, wherein at least a portion of the working fluid is in a supercritical state;pumping the working fluid through the working fluid circuit by operation of a pump, the pump being configured to supply working fluid in a supercritical or subcritical state;expanding the working fluid in an expander to generate mechanical energy, the expander being fluidly coupled to the pump in the working fluid circuit;directing the working fluid away from the expander through the working fluid circuit and back to the pump;controlling a flow of the working fluid in a super-critical state from the high pressure side of the working fluid circuit to the working fluid vessel; andcontrolling an amount of working fluid in a sub-critical or super-critical state from the working fluid vessel to the low pressure side of the working fluid circuit and to the pump. 24. The method of claim 23, further comprising drawing the working fluid from the working fluid supply tank to the working fluid vessel by a pressure differential between the working fluid supply tank and the working fluid vessel. 25. The method of claim 24, further comprising drawing the working fluid from an upper region of the working fluid supply tank. 26. The method of claim 23, further comprising supplying the working fluid from the working fluid supply tank directly to the working fluid circuit. 27. The method of claim 26, further comprising pumping the working fluid from the working fluid supply tank to the working fluid circuit. 28. The method of claim 23, further comprising pumping the working fluid from the working fluid supply tank to the working fluid vessel. 29. The method of claim 23, further comprising supplying the working fluid to the working fluid circuit in a liquid state. 30. The method of claim 23, further comprising controlling a flow of working fluid from the working fluid supply tank to the working fluid vessel by operating at least one valve arranged in a working fluid supply line. 31. The method of claim 23, further comprising controlling a temperature and a pressure of the working fluid in the working fluid vessel using a vent valve arranged in a vent line that is in fluid communication with the working fluid circuit.