High efficient heat engine process using either water or liquefied gases for its working fluid at lower temperatures

Abstract

The high efficient heat engine process can use either water or liquefied gases for its working fluid to extract thermal energy from the ambient or non-ambient heat sources to increase its heat transfer rate and its power generation efficiency. The slower-speed two-phase turbine has a high ratio gear reducer to increase a generator's speed and produce power at about 50% efficiency. A high ratio gear reducer is used to increase its generator's speed and meet its power generation requirements (3,600 RPM). The two-phase separator and compressor/pump substitute the cooling condenser's position and compress the waste streams directly back to the boiler and allow the process to run at temperatures lower than room temperature, with no need for a conventional cooling condenser. Owing to these two-phase separator/compressor/pump processes, this new heat engine process will not discharge thermal pollution and/or radioactive/hazardous wastes into the heat sink and global environment.

1 . A method for heat transfer, wherein the method utilizes a boiler, a two-phase turbine, two-phase separator, and compressor/pump, wherein the method has a vapor phase and a liquid phase, the method comprising the steps of:
 absorbing ambient/non-ambient thermal energy;   generating a high pressure saturated vapor stream from the boiler;   extracting practical work from the high pressure saturated vapor stream via the associated two-phase turbine;   separating a condensed phase by spraying oil or liquefied methane and scraping liquid droplets from a condensed stream;   covering and preventing the liquid phase from re-evaporating; and,   compressing/pumping waste gas/liquid phases back into the boiler through at least one compressor/pump without loss of heat into a heat sink, wherein the method does not use a cooling condenser.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a working fluid of the boiler is chosen from the group comprising water, liquefied oxygen, or nitrogen, wherein the working fluid is not a hazardous chemical. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the two-phase turbine comprises a slower-speed turbine of blades with a large surface area. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the slower-speed turbine comprises a high ratio gear reducer to increase speed to a generator and meet the generator's power generation requirements. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of separating a condensed phase by spraying oil or liquefied methane and scraping liquid droplets from a condensed stream comprises:
 separating a condensed phase by spraying oil/or liquefied methane, scraping liquid droplets from the condensed phase, and centrifuging.   
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of compressing/pumping waste gas/liquid phases back into the boiler through at least one compressor/pump without loss of heat into a heat sink comprises:
 compressing/pumping the gas/liquid streams directly back into the boiler separately without discarding heat into the heat sink.   
   
   
       7 . A low-temperature heat engine device comprising:
 at least one low-temperature liquefied gas boiler;   at least one two-phase turbine;   at least one high ratio gear reducer;   at least one two-phase separator;   at least one gas compressor; and,   at least one liquid pump, wherein the device does not have a cooling condenser.   
   
   
       8 . The device of  claim 7 , wherein the two-phase turbine has a rotation speed of between approximately 120 rpm to approximately 360 rpm. 
   
   
       9 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein the turbine has a large surface area. 
   
   
       10 . The device of  claim 7 , wherein the high ratio gear reducer is connected to the two-phase turbine. 
   
   
       11 . The device of  claim 7 , wherein the high ratio gear reducer is operatively connected between the turbine and a generator to increase speed to the generator. 
   
   
       12 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the gear reducer and generator rotate at a rate higher than those of the turbine. 
   
   
       13 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein the gear reducer has a ratio of between approximately 1:10 to approximately 1:30. 
   
   
       14 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein the generator has a rotation speed of approximately 3600 rpm.