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U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Method of converting thermal energy to work

Patent ·
OSTI ID:5912443
A method is described for converting sensible heat energy of a heating fluid supplied by a high-temperature heat source to work, by means of a thermodynamic cycle employing a multi-component working fluid, wherein a rich solution having a higher concentration of a lower boiling component, or components generated in an absorber is pressurized by means of a pump and is divided into at least a first and a second part. The first part of the rich solution is passed through a preheater in indirect counter-current heat exchange with the partially exhausted heating fluid emerging from a vapor generator, whereby the first part of the rich solution extracts additional heat from the heating fluid and is heated to the liquid saturation state. The second part of the rich solution is passed through a regenerative heat exchanger so as to extract heat from at least one internal stream of the cycle by indirect counter-current heat exchange, and is then introduced, into the vapor generators and heated therein by indirect counter-current heat exchange with the heating fluid to produce a vapor-liquid mixture.
Assignee:
NOV; NOV-89-063016; EDB-89-108236
Patent Number(s):
US 4819437
OSTI ID:
5912443
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English