Thermal compressor

Abstract

A compressor that compresses a working fluid through the direct use of thermal energy. The thermal compressor includes at least two sealed heating containers connected to one another. Compression can take place by periodically isolating and heating the working fluid contained within each heating container to different pressures, such that upon connecting the heating containers, pressure, density, and/or altitude differences between the heating containers induces a flow of the working fluid from one heating container to the other. Thermal energy may be transferred to the working fluid through heat exchangers, electrical heaters/resistors, and/or other devices. The amount of heat provided to each container, as well as the duration of the heating process, may be controlled by a central controlling system.

1 . A thermal compressor comprising:
 a first constant volume container comprising a first heat exchanger adapted to heat a working fluid;   a second constant volume container fluidically coupled in series with the first constant volume container, the second constant volume container comprising a second heat exchanger adapted to heat the working fluid;   at least one container connection valve adapted to control flow of the working fluid between the first container and the second container; and   a controller, wherein the first container and the second container are arranged and the controller controls the valve and heating of the working fluid to induce natural circulation from the first container to the second container due to at least one of a difference in pressure, a difference in working fluid density, and a difference in fluid level.   
     
     
         2 . The thermal compressor of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger is adapted to use a thermal fluid to heat the working fluid. 
     
     
         3 . The thermal compressor of  claim 2 , wherein the thermal fluid is provided from a closed thermal circuit. 
     
     
         4 . The thermal compressor of  claim 3 , wherein the thermal circuit receives thermal energy from at least one of a thermal solar collector, a turbo machine, a geothermal installation, a steam generating apparatus, a photovoltaic energy saving installation, the ambient heat of the environment, an internal combustion engine, a nuclear reactor, a burner, electrical coils, heat concentrated by mirrors, a concentration power plant, a Stirling engine, a Fracking natural gas fire, thermoelectric materials, and heat generated from cooling machines. 
     
     
         5 . The thermal compressor of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first container and the second container comprise an electrical resistor. 
     
     
         6 . The thermal compressor of  claim 5 , wherein the electrical resistor is disposed at least one of outside the container, inside the container, and in a well of the container. 
     
     
         7 . The thermal compressor of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further adapted to isolate operation of the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger so that the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger heat the working fluid at different times. 
     
     
         8 . The thermal compressor of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further adapted to control at least one additional valve to selectively isolate the working fluid in at least one of the first container and the second container. 
     
     
         9 . The thermal compressor of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first heat exchanger and the second heat exchanger is adapted to heat the working fluid in an isochoric process to increase pressure of the working fluid contained in at least one of the first container and the second container. 
     
     
         10 . The thermal compressor of  claim 1 , wherein the working fluid is selected from the group consisting of water, atmospheric air, refrigerants, Organic Rankine cycle fluids, ammonia, propane, carbon dioxide, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The thermal compressor of  claim 10 , wherein the refrigerant is selected from the group consisting of R134a, R1234yf, R407c, R11, R12, R13, R14, R21, R22, R23, R32, R41, R113, R114, R115, R116, R123, R124, R125, R141b, R142b, R143a, R152a, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The thermal compressor of  claim 11 , wherein the Organic Rankine cycle fluid is selected from the group consisting of R245fa, R141b, R236fa, R218, R227ea, R236ea, R245ca, R365mfc, RC318, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The thermal compressor of  claim 1 , wherein the first container is disposed at a first height and the second container is disposed at a second height, and wherein the first height is greater than the second height to induce natural flow from the first heat exchanger to the second heat exchanger. 
     
     
         14 . The thermal compressor of  claim 1 , wherein the first heat exchanger is adapted to heat the working fluid until a first pressure is reached and the second heat exchanger is adapted to heat the working fluid until a second pressure is reached. 
     
     
         15 . The thermal compressor of  claim 14 , wherein the working fluid in the first container and the second container consists of gas and liquid before heating. 
     
     
         16 . The thermal compressor of  claim 14 , wherein the working fluid in the first container consists of gas and liquid and the working fluid in the second container consists of gas after heating. 
     
     
         17 . The thermal compressor of  claim 16  further comprising a second container connection valve. 
     
     
         18 . The thermal compressor of  claim 17 , wherein liquid flows from the first container to the second container and gas flows from the second container to the first container when the container connection valves are opened. 
     
     
         19 . The thermal compressor of  claim 1 , wherein the first container is adapted to hold the working fluid at a first density and the second container is adapted to hold the working fluid at a second density when the container connection valve is closed to induce natural flow between the first container and the second container when the container connection valve is opened. 
     
     
         20 .- 29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . A method of thermally compressing a working fluid, the method comprising the steps of:
 heating a working fluid in a first constant volume container with a first heat exchanger;   heating the working fluid in a second constant volume container with a second heat exchanger; and   controlling at least one container connection valve disposed between the first container and the second container to allow natural circulation of the working fluid from the first container to the second container based on at least one of a difference in pressure, a difference in working fluid density, and a difference in fluid level.   
     
     
         31 .- 40 . (canceled)