Modulating and conditioning working fluids

Abstract

In some examples, an apparatus comprises a first working fluid circuit comprising a first working fluid, a heat exchanger fluidly coupled to and in thermal communication with the first working fluid circuit, the heat exchanger to transfer thermal energy from a heat source stream to the first working fluid within the first working fluid circuit, a recuperator fluidly coupled to and in thermal communication with the first working fluid circuit and disposed downstream of the heat exchanger, a first condenser fluidly coupled to and in thermal communication with the first working fluid circuit and disposed downstream of the recuperator, a second working fluid circuit comprising a second working fluid, the second working fluid circuit coupled to and in thermal communication with the first condenser, a second condenser fluidly coupled to and in thermal communication with the second working fluid circuit and disposed downstream of the first condenser, and a third working fluid circuit comprising a third working fluid, the third working fluid circuit coupled to and in thermal communication with the second condenser.

1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a first working fluid circuit comprising a first working fluid;   a heat exchanger fluidly coupled to and in thermal communication with the first working fluid circuit, the heat exchanger to transfer thermal energy from a heat source stream to the first working fluid within the first working fluid circuit;   a recuperator fluidly coupled to and in thermal communication with the first working fluid circuit and disposed downstream of the heat exchanger;   a first condenser fluidly coupled to and in thermal communication with the first working fluid circuit and disposed downstream of the recuperator;   a second working fluid circuit comprising a second working fluid, the second working fluid circuit coupled to and in thermal communication with the first condenser;   a second condenser fluidly coupled to and in thermal communication with the second working fluid circuit and disposed downstream of the first condenser; and   a third working fluid circuit comprising a third working fluid, the third working fluid circuit coupled to and in thermal communication with the second condenser.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an expansion device fluidly coupled to and in thermal communication with the first working fluid circuit and disposed downstream of the heat exchanger and upstream of the recuperator.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a compression device fluidly coupled to and in thermal communication with the first working fluid circuit and disposed downstream of the expansion device and upstream of the recuperator.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising: a pump fluidly coupled to the second working fluid, the pump to circulate the second working fluid within the second working fluid circuit. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising: a storage vessel fluidly coupled to the second working fluid circuit to store the second working fluid for the second working fluid circuit. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the expansion device is configured to generate mechanical energy from expansion of the first working fluid therein, the apparatus further comprising: a generator coupled to the expansion device to convert the mechanical energy to electrical energy. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the expansion device is configured to generate mechanical energy from expansion of the first working fluid therein, and wherein the compression device is coupled to the expansion device whereby to receive mechanical energy therefrom, the compression device configured to compress the first working fluid for the recuperator. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the heat exchanger, the recuperator, the first condenser, and the second condenser comprise a thermoelectric generator fluidly coupled thereto and in thermal communication therewith. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a controller to control a mode of operation of the or each thermoelectric generator in response to a condition signal generated by a sensor configured to generate a measure representing a condition of the first working fluid.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the sensor is provided at one of an inlet and outlet of at least one of the heat exchanger, the recuperator, the first condenser, and the second condenser. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the or each thermoelectric generator is configured to heat and/or cool at least one of the first working fluid, the second working fluid, and the third working fluid, and/or generate electricity therefrom. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger is a first heat exchanger, the apparatus further comprising: a second heat exchanger fluidly coupled to and in thermal communication with the first working fluid circuit, the second heat exchanger to transfer thermal energy from the heat source stream to the first working fluid within the first working fluid circuit. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the heat exchanger is a first heat exchanger, and the expansion device is a first expansion device, the apparatus further comprising:
 a second heat exchanger fluidly coupled to and in thermal communication with the first working fluid circuit, the second heat exchanger to transfer thermal energy from the heat source stream to the first working fluid within the first working fluid circuit; and   a second expansion device fluidly coupled to and in thermal communication with the first working fluid circuit and disposed downstream of the heat exchanger and upstream of the second heat exchanger.   
     
     
         14 . A method for modulating and conditioning a working fluid, the method comprising:
 heating a first mass flow of a first working fluid in a heat exchanger fluidly coupled to and in thermal communication with a first working fluid circuit and a heat source stream, wherein the heat exchanger is configured to transfer thermal energy from the heat source stream to the first mass flow of the first working fluid within the first working fluid circuit;   transferring, via a recuperator, heat from the first mass flow downstream of the heat exchanger and upstream of a first condenser to the first mass flow downstream of the first condenser and upstream of the heat exchanger;   condensing the first mass flow of the first working fluid in a first condenser fluidly coupled to the first working fluid circuit;   condensing a second mass flow of a second working fluid of a second working fluid circuit fluidly coupled to and in thermal communication with the first condenser, the second mass flow condensed using a second condenser fluidly coupled to and in thermal communication with the second working fluid circuit and disposed downstream of the first condenser; and   conditioning, using a third mass flow of a third working fluid within a third working fluid circuit coupled to and in thermal communication with the second condenser, the second mass flow of the second working fluid.   
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory machine-readable storage medium encoded with instructions for modulating and conditioning a working fluid, the instructions executable by a processor of a controller of an apparatus, the apparatus including
 a first working fluid circuit comprising a first working fluid,   a heat exchanger fluidly coupled to and in thermal communication with the first working fluid circuit, the heat exchanger to transfer thermal energy from a heat source stream to the first working fluid within the first working fluid circuit,   a recuperator fluidly coupled to and in thermal communication with the first working fluid circuit and disposed downstream of the heat exchanger,   a first condenser fluidly coupled to and in thermal communication with the first working fluid circuit and disposed downstream of the recuperator,   a second working fluid circuit comprising a second working fluid, the second working fluid circuit coupled to and in thermal communication with the first condenser,   a second condenser fluidly coupled to and in thermal communication with the second working fluid circuit and disposed downstream of the first condenser, and   a third working fluid circuit comprising a third working fluid, the third working fluid circuit coupled to and in thermal communication with the second condenser,   whereby to cause the controller to: regulate a mode of operation of at least one thermoelectric generator using a control signal received from a sensor, the control signal representing a condition of the first working fluid, the second working fluid, and/or the third working fluid.   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , further encoded with instructions to cause the controller to heat or cool respective ones of the first working fluid, the second working fluid, and/or the third working fluid. 
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , further encoded with instructions to cause the controller to generate electrical energy using the at least one thermoelectric generator. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , further encoded with instructions to cause the controller to generate the control signal on the basis of one or more condition signals received from one or more sensors provided at an inlet and/or an outlet of the heat exchanger, the recuperator, the first condenser, and/or the second condenser. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein at least one of the heat exchanger, the recuperator, the first condenser, and the second condenser comprises the at least one thermoelectric generator fluidly coupled thereto and in thermal communication therewith. 
     
     
         20 . A thermomechanical waste heat recovery system comprising the non-transitory machine-readable storage medium of  claim 15 .