Hybrid thermal cycle with imbedded refrigeration

Abstract

A cycle ( 100 ) for producing work from heat involves pressurizing a first working fluid (F 1 ), and heating the first working fluid under pressure ( 102 ) to obtain a first vapor. A second working fluid (F 2 ) is compressed ( 106 ) in a compressor ( 204 a, 204 b ). The first vapor and the second vapor are then mixed ( 108 ) to form a third vapor (F 3 ). Heat is thereby transferred directly between the vapors at a common pressure. The third vapor is expanded ( 112 ) to perform work. All or a portion of the third vapor is communicated ( 121 ) to a low pressure expansion zone ( 214, 215 ) where it functions as a refrigerant used to provide cooling for the third vapor, thereby facilitating the condensate of the first fluid to liquid extracted from the third vapor. Heat extracted during the condensate process is used for later performing work. The first fluid condensate is returned to the initial pressurizing step with capacity to again acquire heat that is useful for performing work.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method for producing work from heat in a continuous cycle, comprising:
 pressurizing a first working fluid;   heating the first working fluid under pressure to obtain a first vapor comprised of the first working fluid;   compressing a second working fluid comprising a second vapor;   mixing said first vapor and said second vapor to form a third vapor;   transferring heat from said first vapor to said second vapor subsequent to said mixing;   expanding said third vapor to perform work;   cooling at least a first portion of said third vapor to extract from said first portion a condensate of said first vapor;   routing at least a second portion of said third vapor to a low pressure expansion zone to function as a refrigerant; and   repeating said continuous cycle using said condensate recovered in said cooling step, and said second working fluid reconstituted from at least said first and second portions.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising using said refrigerant to perform said cooling of said first portion of said third vapor. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising combining said second portion with a remainder of said first portion after extraction of said condensate to at least partially reconstitute said second working fluid. 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising spraying a liquid into a flow of said second working fluid during said compressing to reduce a temperature of said second working fluid during said compressing relative to a temperature without said spraying. 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein said liquid is comprised of said first working fluid. 
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising pre-heating said first working fluid prior to said heating step using thermal energy released from said compressing step, from an adjacent thermal source within the cycle, or from an external thermal source. 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising spraying a liquid into a flow of said second portion of said third vapor immediately prior to or concurrently with entering said low pressure expansion zone. 
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 7 , wherein said liquid is comprised of said first working fluid. 
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein said first and second working fluids have different chemical compositions. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising adding heat to said third working fluid from a source external to said cycle prior to said expanding. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of said heat transferred from said first vapor to said second vapor comprises energy stored in said first vapor as a latent heat of vaporization. 
     
     
         12 . A method for producing work from heat comprising:
 heating a pressurized flow of a first working fluid to form of a first vapor;   compressing a second working fluid in the form of a second vapor;   forming a mixture of said first and second working vapor to form a third working fluid;   transferring thermal energy directly from said first vapor to said second vapor in said third working fluid, exclusive of any intervening structure;   expanding said third working fluid to perform useful work after or during said transferring; and   using a second portion of said third working fluid as a refrigerant to cool a first portion of said third working fluid in a condensing step.   
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein said thermal energy that is transferred comprises at least a portion of energy stored in said first vapor as a latent heat of vaporization of said first working fluid. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein said condensing step further comprises separating a condensate of said first vapor from said first portion of said third vapor. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 14 , further comprising, using said first and second portion after said condensing step to at least partially reconstitute said second working fluid. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 12 , further comprising spraying a liquid into a flow of said second working fluid before or during said compressing to reduce a temperature of said second working fluid during said compressing relative to a temperature without said spraying. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein said liquid is comprised of said first working fluid 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 12 , further comprising spraying a liquid into a flow of said second portion of said third working fluid immediately prior to or concurrently with entering said low pressure expansion zone 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 18 , wherein said liquid is said first working fluid. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 12 , further comprising pre-heating said first working fluid prior to said heating step using thermal energy released from said compressing step, from an adjacent thermal source within the cycle, or from an external thermal source. 
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 12 , further comprising adding heat to the third working fluid from an external thermal source prior to said expanding. 
     
     
         22 . An apparatus for producing work from heat comprising:
 a boiler configured for heating a pressurized flow of a first working fluid to form of a first vapor;   at least one compressor configured for compressing a second working fluid in the form of a second vapor;   a mixing chamber configured for mixing said first vapor with said second vapor to form a third vapor and to transfer thermal energy directly from said first vapor to said second vapor, exclusive of any intervening structure;   an expander configured for expanding said third vapor to perform work after or during said transferring; and   a condenser configured to receive at least a first and second portion of said third working fluid from said expander, said condenser including a low pressure heat exchanger configured for using said second portion as a refrigerant to cool said first portion.   
     
     
         23 . The apparatus according to  claim 22 , wherein said low pressure heat exchanger is disposed in an environment which comprises said first portion. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus according to  claim 22 , wherein said condenser is configured for separating a condensate of said first vapor from said third vapor. 
     
     
         25 . The apparatus according to  claim 24 , wherein said apparatus is configured to re-use in said boiler said condensate recovered in said condenser, and re-use in said compressor said second working fluid at least partially reconstituted from said first and second portions. 
     
     
         26 . The apparatus according to  claim 25 , wherein said low pressure heat exchanger is configured to transfer heat from said first portion to said second portion, prior to said re-use. 
     
     
         27 . The apparatus according to  claim 22 , further comprising a spray system configured to spray a liquid into a flow of said second working fluid before or during compressing operations in said compressor. 
     
     
         28 . The apparatus according to  claim 27 , wherein said liquid is comprised of said first working fluid. 
     
     
         29 . The apparatus according to  claim 22 , further comprising a spray system configured to spray a liquid into a flow of said second portion of said third working fluid concurrent with or immediately prior to using said second portion as a refrigerant. 
     
     
         30 . The apparatus according to  claim 29 , wherein said liquid is comprised of said first working fluid. 
     
     
         31 . The apparatus according to  claim 22 , further comprising a pre-heater arranged to pre-heat said first working fluid prior to first working fluid being heated in said boiler, wherein said pre-heater is configured to perform said pre-heating using thermal energy released from said compressing step, thermal energy from an adjacent thermal source within the cycle, or thermal energy from a source external to the cycle. 
     
     
         32 . The apparatus according to  claim 22 , wherein said mixing chamber is configured to add heat to the mixture of said first and second vapor from an external thermal source. 
     
     
         33 . A method for producing work from heat in a continuous cycle, comprising:
 pressurizing a first working fluid;   heating the first working fluid under pressure to obtain a first vapor comprised of the first working fluid;   compressing a second working fluid comprising a second vapor;   mixing said first vapor and said second vapor to form a third vapor;   transferring heat from said first vapor to said second vapor subsequent to said mixing;   expanding said third vapor to perform work;   cooling said third vapor to extract a condensate of said first vapor from said third vapor and produce a residual portion of said third vapor;   using at least a portion of one or more fluids comprising said third vapor in a low pressure expansion zone to function as a refrigerant for providing said cooling;   repeating said continuous cycle using said condensate recovered in said cooling step, and said second working fluid at least partially reconstituted from said residual portion.   
     
     
         34 . The method according to  claim 33 , wherein said refrigerant is said third vapor. 
     
     
         35 . The method according to  claim 33 , wherein said refrigerant is comprised of said residual portion. 
     
     
         36 . The method according to  claim 35 , wherein said refrigerant is exclusively comprised of said residual portion. 
     
     
         37 . A method for producing work from heat comprising:
 heating a pressurized flow of a first working fluid to form of a first vapor;   compressing a second working fluid in the form of a second vapor;   forming a mixture of said first and second working vapor to form a third working fluid;   transferring thermal energy directly from said first vapor to said second vapor in said third working fluid, exclusive of any intervening structure;   expanding said third working fluid to perform useful work after or during said transferring;   cooling said third working fluid to extract a condensate and a residual portion of said third working fluid from which said condensate has been extracted; and   using at least a portion of one or more fluids comprising said third working fluid as a refrigerant to perform said cooling.   
     
     
         38 . The method according to  claim 37 , wherein said refrigerant is said third working fluid. 
     
     
         39 . The method according to  claim 37 , wherein said refrigerant is comprised of said residual portion. 
     
     
         40 . The method according to  claim 39 , wherein said refrigerant is exclusively comprised of said residual portion. 
     
     
         41 . An apparatus for producing work from heat comprising:
 a boiler configured for heating a pressurized flow of a first working fluid to form of a first vapor;   at least one compressor configured for compressing a second working fluid in the form of a second vapor;   a mixing chamber configured for mixing said first vapor with said second vapor to form a third vapor and to transfer thermal energy directly from said first vapor to said second vapor, exclusive of any intervening structure;   an expander configured for expanding said third vapor to perform work after or during said transferring; and   a condenser configured to receive said third working fluid from said expander, said condenser including a low pressure heat exchanger configured for using one or more fluids comprising said third working fluid, as a refrigerant to cool said third working fluid.   
     
     
         42 . The apparatus according to  claim 41 , wherein said refrigerant is comprised of said third working fluid. 
     
     
         43 . The apparatus according to  claim 41 , wherein said condenser is configured to produce as a result of said cooling a condensate and a residual portion of said third working fluid, and said refrigerant is comprised of said residual portion. 
     
     
         44 . The apparatus according to  claim 43 , wherein said refrigerant is exclusively comprised of said residual portion.