System and process for transforming thermal energy into kinetic energy

Abstract

Disclosed is a process that combines interacting main processes and sub-processes to extract kinetic energy from thermal energy. These different interacting processes and sub-processes are physically separate from each other with the main processes operating as closed cycles that operate with two different process fluids parallel to each other and interact with each other, in order to consider and utilize sufficiently all three forms of energy, i.e. thermal energy, kinetic energy, and the energy of the phase changes. By interacting, these different main processes and sub-processes enable a ‘combined-process’ that especially allows the highly efficient transformation of low temperature thermal energy into kinetic energy. Also disclosed is a system for carrying out the process.

1 . A complete process to transfer thermal energy into kinetic energy, the complete process comprising:
 A) a work process in which a work process fluid circulates in a closed cycle through components of an energy transformation system, wherein in part of the closed cycle the work process fluid is divided such that it flows in two parallel work process streams and in part of the closed cycle the two parallel work process streams are joined and the work process fluid flows in a single combined work process stream; and   B) an energy transfer process in which an energy transfer process fluid circulates in a single energy transfer stream in a closed cycle through components of the energy transformation system;   wherein, the following four processes are carried out simultaneously for each of the streams:   i) for a first work process stream:
 a) sucking a first specific part of the work process fluid in its liquid state below its boiling temperature out from a reservoir; 
 b) pressurising the first specific part of the work process fluid to a specific pressure which is at least as high as the highest pressure in the following steps of the work process; 
 c) causing the pressurised first specific part of the work process fluid to pass through a first heat exchanger and to receive thermal energy from the energy transfer process fluid of the energy transfer process, wherein the received thermal energy originates from within the energy transfer process; 
 d) causing the pressurised first specific part of the work process fluid to exit the first heat exchanger still in its liquid state but with increased temperature; 
 e) causing the pressurised first specific part of the work process fluid to pass through at least one valve mechanism configured to prevent premature evaporation of the heated work process fluid; 
 f) causing the pressurised first specific part of the work process fluid still in liquid state to enter an expansion chamber of an expander; 
 g) causing the pressurised first specific part of the work process fluid to flash evaporate, thus changing into a gaseous state with a specific pressure inside the expansion chamber, thereby converting at least a part of the thermal energy received in the first heat exchanger into kinetic energy; 
   ii) for a second work process stream:
 a) sucking a second specific part of the work process fluid in its liquid state below its boiling temperature out from the reservoir; 
 b) pressurising the second specific part of the work process fluid to a specific pressure which is at least as high as the highest pressure in the following steps of the work process; 
 c) causing the pressurised second specific part of the work process fluid to pass through a second heat exchanger and to receive thermal energy from an external energy source; 
 d) causing the pressurised second specific part of the work process fluid to exit the second heat exchanger still in its liquid state but with increased temperature; 
 e) causing the pressurised second specific part of the work process fluid to pass through at least one valve mechanism configured to prevent premature evaporation of the heated work process fluid; 
 f) causing the pressurised second specific part of the work process fluid still in liquid state to enter the expansion chamber of the expander; 
 g) causing the pressurised second specific part of the work process fluid to flash evaporate, thus changing into a gaseous state with a specific pressure inside the expansion chamber, thereby converting at least a part of the thermal energy received in the second heat exchanger from the external energy source into kinetic energy; 
   iii) for the combined work process stream
 a) causing the evaporated and expanded gas phase of the first and second specific parts of the work process fluid to exit the expander via an outlet mechanism; 
 b) causing the evaporated and expanded gas phase of the first and second specific parts of the work process fluid to flow from the outlet mechanism into a third heat exchanger and to exchange thermal energy with colder energy transfer process fluid in the energy transfer process; 
 c) causing the first and second specific parts of the work process fluid to exit the third heat exchanger in the liquid state at their lowest temperature and pressure in the work process; 
 d) causing the first and second specific parts of the work process fluid to enter the reservoir; 
   iv) for the energy transfer stream;
 a) causing energy transfer process fluid in the gaseous state at its lowest temperature to enter the third heat exchanger in the energy transfer stream and to exchange thermal energy with work process fluid at a higher temperature in the combined work process stream; 
 b) causing the energy transfer process fluid in the gaseous state to be sucked out of the third heat exchanger with its temperature elevated by absorption of the condensation energy of the work process fluid; 
 c) causing the energy transfer process fluid to be pressurized, thereby further increasing its temperature; 
 d) causing the energy transfer process fluid to enter the first heat exchanger at its highest temperature in the energy transfer stream and to exchange thermal energy with colder liquid phase work process fluid of the first work process stream; 
 e) causing the cooled energy transfer process fluid still in the gaseous state to exit the third heat exchanger; 
 f) causing the cooled energy transfer process fluid still in the gaseous state to go through a decompression step, thereby further decreasing the temperature of the energy transfer process fluid, by passing through a section of a conduit wherein the cross section of the conduit is increasing; 
   v) cyclically repeating the steps of paths i) to iv).   
     
     
         2 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the energy transfer process receives all of the freed energy of the condensation of the process fluid of the work process. 
     
     
         3 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the energy transfer process transfers all of the freed energy of the condensation of the process fluid of the work process back into the work process. 
     
     
         4 . The process according to  claim 1  wherein the first work process stream and the second work process stream share the same valve mechanism and pass through the valve mechanism to the expansion chamber of the expander together. 
     
     
         5 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one additional heat exchanger further cools the energy transfer process fluid after the energy transfer fluid passes through the first heat exchanger by transferring thermal energy from the energy transfer process fluid to at least one process fluid flowing in at least one process external to the work process and energy transfer process of the complete process. 
     
     
         6 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one additional expander decreases further the remaining pressure of the energy transfer process fluid after the energy transfer fluid passes through the first heat exchanger thus transforming at least a part of the pressure into available kinetic energy at the mechanical outlet of the additional expander. 
     
     
         7 . The system for carrying out the complete process of  claim 1  for transferring thermal energy into kinetic energy, the system comprising the following components:
 a) reservoir comprising liquid work process fluid; 
 b) a first pump; 
 c) a first heat exchanger; 
 d) at least one valve mechanism; 
 e) an expansion chamber of an expander 
 f) conduits connecting components a) to e) to comprise a path for work process fluid of a first work process stream from the reservoir to the expander; 
 g) a second pump 
 h) a second heat exchanger 
 i) conduits connecting components a), g), h), d), and e) to comprise a path for work process fluid of a second work process stream from the reservoir to the expander; 
 j) an outlet mechanism; 
 k) a third heat exchanger; 
 l) conduits connecting components e), j), k), and a) to comprise a path for work process fluid of a combined work process stream from the expander to the reservoir; 
 m) a compressor; and 
 n) conduits connecting the third heat exchanger to the compressor, the compressor to the first heat exchanger, and the first heat exchanger to the third heat exchanger to comprise a closed path for energy transfer process fluid of an energy transfer stream. 
 
     
     
         8 . The system according to  claim 7 , wherein at least one additional heat exchanger further cools the energy transfer process fluid after the energy transfer fluid passes through the first heat exchanger by transferring thermal energy from the energy transfer process fluid to at least one process fluid that flows in at least one process external to the work process and energy transfer process of the complete process. 
     
     
         9 . The system according to  claim 7 , comprising at least one additional heat exchanger in the energy transfer stream, that is configured to further cool the energy transfer process fluid after the energy transfer fluid passes through the first heat exchanger by transferring thermal energy from the energy transfer process fluid to at least one process fluid carrying thermal energy from an external energy source that flows into a heat exchanger situated before the second heat exchanger thus increasing the temperature of the at least one process fluid carrying thermal energy from the external energy source before it reaches the second heat exchanger. 
     
     
         10 . The system according to  claim 7 , comprising at least one additional expander in the energy transfer stream, that is configured to decrease the pressure of the energy transfer process fluid after the energy transfer fluid passes through the first heat exchanger thus transforming at least a part of the pressure into available kinetic energy at the drive shaft of the expander. 
     
     
         11 . The system according to  claim 7 , wherein the first work process stream and the second work process stream share the same valve mechanism and pass through the valve mechanism to the expansion chamber of the expander together. 
     
     
         12 . The system according to  claim 7 , wherein the valve mechanism before the expander is configured to operate in a clocked fashion to prevent premature evaporation of the work process fluid before it enters the expander. 
     
     
         13 . The system according to  claim 7 , wherein the valve mechanism before the expander is configured as a lock mechanism to prevent premature evaporation of the work process fluid before it enters the expander. 
     
     
         14 . The system according to  claim 7 , wherein the valve mechanism before the expander is configured as a metering mechanism to prevent premature evaporation of the work process fluid before it enters the expander and to allow exactly metered amounts of the work process fluid to be released into the expansion chamber. 
     
     
         15 . The system according to  claim 14 , wherein the metering mechanism is a metering rotating valve mechanism. 
     
     
         16 . The system according to  claim 7 , wherein at least one of the pumps or the compressor are connected to the expander either by a direct or indirect mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, or electrical connection in a way that at least a part of the kinetic energy provided by a mechanical outlet of the expander at least partly provides the necessary kinetic energy for operation of the at least one of the pumps or compressors. 
     
     
         17 . The system according to  claim 10 , wherein at least one of the pumps or the compressor of the system is connected to the additional expander in the energy transfer stream either by a direct or indirect mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, or electrical connection in a way that at least a part of the kinetic energy provided by a mechanical outlet of the additional expander of the energy transfer stream process at least partly provides the necessary kinetic energy for operation of the at least one of the pumps or compressors. 
     
     
         18 . The system according to  claim 7 , wherein the speed of the work process and the energy transfer process can be adjusted relative to each other, with a different relative speed of the pumps of the work process compared to the compressor of the energy transfer process. 
     
     
         19 . The system according to  claim 7 , wherein the cross section of the components through which the process fluids are moving are configured in such a way that the flow speeds and flow pattern of the process fluids at specific locations at which thermal energy in the process fluids is either increased or decreased, thereby changing the temperature of the process fluids, are optimised and thus energy losses reduced.