Patent ID: 6735948
Filing Date: 2004-05-18
Classification: F01K

Abstract:
A method for implementing a thermodynamic cycle comprising the steps of:transforming thermal energy from a fully vaporized higher pressure stream into a usable energy form to product produce a spent higher pressure stream; transforming thermal energy from a vaporized lower pressure stream into a usable energy form to produce a spent lower pressure stream; heating a higher pressure liquid stream with a portion of a spent higher pressure stream to form a heated higher pressure stream and a first partially condensed spent higher pressure stream; heating a lower pressure stream with a remaining portion of the spent higher pressure stream to form a heated lower pressure stream and a second partially condensed spent higher pressure stream; heating the heated higher pressure liquid stream with a portion of an external heat source stream to form a hotter higher pressure stream and a first spent external heat source stream; heating the heated lower pressure stream with a remaining portion of the external hear source stream to form a vaporized lower pressure stream and a second spent external heat source stream; heating the hotter higher pressure stream with the external heat source stream to form the fully vaporized higher pressure stream; separating the partially condensed spent higher pressure streams into a spent higher pressure liquid stream and a spent higher pressure vapor stream; mixing the spent higher pressure liquid stream with the spent lower pressure stream at the pressure of the spent lower pressure stream to form a combined spent lower pressure stream; condensing the combined spent lower pressure stream with an external cooling stream to form a condensed spent lower pressure stream; mixing the condensed spent lower pressure stream with the spent higher pressure vapor stream to form a combined partially condensed spent higher pressure stream at the pressure of the spent higher pressure vapor stream; condensing the combined partially condensed spent high pressure stream to form a fully condensed liquid stream; and forming the higher pressure stream and the lower pressure stream from a fully condensed liquid stream.