Claims
- 1. In a system for conversion of thermal energy into another type of energy, a reservoir for a first, relatively high-boiling-point, low velocity, fluid, a downcomer defining a vertical flow path communicating at its upper end with said reservoir, an upcomer defining a vertical fluid flow path, communicating at its upper end with said reservoir, a variable area nozzle through which fluid from the upcomer enters the reservoir, a plate separator mounted in the reservoir on which fluid discharged from the nozzle impinges, a diffuser mounted to receive fluid from the plate separator, a vortex separator communicating with the outlet of the diffuser and with the upper end of the downcomer, said upcomer communicating at its lower end with the downcomer, a mixing chamber located at the lower end of said upcomer, through which mixing chamber a second, relatively low-boiling-point fluid is introduced into the upcomer for producing, upon contact with said first fluid, bubbles forming together with said first fluid a two-phase fluid having a lower density than said first fluid, heater means for introducing heat to the fluids of the system and power-generating means operated by fluid moving in one of said vertical fluid flow paths by which means power is generated by said first fluid moving down said downcomer.
- 2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said power-generating means is an MHD electrical power generator.
- 3. A system as claimed in claim 2 wherein said heater means serve to heat said first fluid to a temperature higher than the boiling point of said second fluid.
- 4. In a system for converting thermal energy into another type of energy, a reservoir, a first, relatively high-boiling-point, low volatility, fluid within the reservoir; a downcomer defining a substantially vertical flow path, communicating at its upper end with said reservoir; an upcomer defining a substantially vertical flow communicating at its upper end with said reservoir, said upcomer communicating at its lower end with the downcomer; a mixing chamber located at the lower end portion of the upcomer; means for introducing through said mixing chamber a second, relatively low-boiling-point fluid into the upcomer for producing, upon contact with said first fluid, bubbles forming together with said first fluid a two-phase fluid having a lower density than said first fluid; a variable area nozzle at the upper end of the upcomer through which fluid passes into the reservoir; means within the reservoir above the liquid level at the upper end of the upcomer for substantially separating liquid and gas within the fluid flow received from said nozzle; the separator means comprising a plate separator disposed immediately downstream of the nozzle and also a vortex separator disposed within the reservoir; and power-generating means operatively coupled with one of the vertical flow paths, by which means power is generated by said first fluid moving down said downcomer.
- 5. A system as claimed in claim 4 comprising ducting for passing liquid from the reservoir to the power generating means in parallel with the downcomer.
- 6. A system as claimed in claim 4 comprising means for supplying heat to the circulating system upstream of the upcomer, wherein the heat supplying means is a heat-exchanger disposed in the circuit between the lower end of the downcomer and the lower end of the upcomer.
- 7. A system as claimed in claim 4 comprising means for supplying heat to the circulatory system upstream of the upcomer, wherein the heat supplying means is combined with the low-density fluid inlet to the mixer by supplying the low density fluid at an elevated temperature.
Parent Case Info
This application is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 06/915,222, filed Oct. 2, 1986, now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (5)
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
915222 |
Oct 1986 |
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