Energy conversion system involving change in the density of an upwardly moving liquid

Patent · Sun Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1989

OSTI ID:866834

Petrick, Michael ^[1]

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1. Jolliet, IL

A system for converting thermal energy into electrical energy includes a fluid reservoir, a relatively high boiling point fluid such as lead or a lead alloy within the reservoir, a downcomer defining a vertical fluid flow path communicating at its upper end with the reservoir and an upcomer defining a further vertical fluid flow path communicating at its upper end with the reservoir. A variable area nozzle of rectangular section may terminate the upper end of the upcomer and the lower end of the of the downcomer communicates with the lower end of the upcomer. A mixing chamber is located at the lower end portion of the upcomer and receives a second relatively low boiling point fluid such as air, the mixing chamber serving to introduce the low boiling point fluid into the upcomer so as to produce bubbles causing the resultant two-phase fluid to move at high velocity up the upcomer. Means are provided for introducing heat into the system preferably between the lower end of the downcomer and the lower end of the upcomer. Power generating means are associated with the one of the vertical fluid flow paths one such power generating means being a magneto hydrodynamic electrical generator.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
• Assignee: Solmecs Corporation N.V. (NL)
• Patent Number(s): US 4800727
• OSTI ID: 866834
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

energy
conversion
involving
change
density
upwardly
moving
liquid
converting
thermal
electrical
fluid
reservoir
relatively
boiling
lead
alloy
downcomer
defining
vertical
flow
path
communicating
upper
upcomer
variable
nozzle
rectangular
section
terminate
communicates
mixing
chamber
located
portion
receives
air
serving
introduce
produce
bubbles
causing
resultant
two-phase
move
velocity
means
provided
introducing
heat
preferably
power
generating
associated
paths
magneto
hydrodynamic
generator
two-phase fluid
generating means
power generating
electrical generator
flow paths
electrical energy
thermal energy
fluid flow
flow path
energy conversion
mixing chamber
phase fluid
fluid reservoir
moving liquid
converting thermal
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