Abstract:
Method for production of mixed vapors at low temperatures. The thermal energy stored in the mixed vapors is intended to be converted to mechanical energy in a thermal power machine, in order to operate an electrical generator.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates to a method for production of mixed vapor. 
     The physical processes described in the following relate to heat engines that are operated with mixed vapor in a cyclical process. Applicable physical phenomena and laws are sufficiently known from thermodynamics. Their fundamentals shall not be explained in greater detail here. 
     Heat engines are normally operated with vapor. To produce vapor, liquids are subjected to high pressure in a vapor generator and evaporated by adding energy. This vapor can then be converted to mechanical energy. 
     It has been demonstrated that the efficiency of heat engines can be improved provided they are operated with mixed vapors. AT 155744 describes the production of mixed vapor from two or more polar and non-polar liquids that re-separate in the liquid phase. 
     The mixed vapor is brought to a complete or partial liquid state using one or more successive expansions and compressions during work output. Then the mixed vapor is re-evaporated when heat is added and returned to the work process. The work that is released during this can be used for producing electrical energy. 
     Also known are methods for producing mixed vapors and heat engines with which mixed vapors can be converted to mechanical energy. Publication DE 103 56 738 A1 describes one such method for producing mixed vapors. 
     Publication U.S. Pat. No. 4,729,226 discloses a method for producing mechanical energy using mixed vapors. 
     Publication U.S. Pat. No. 4,448,025 describes a method in which the exhaust heat is used for heating the working medium. 
     Moreover, publication WO 2005/054635 A2 discloses a method for producing mechanical energy in a cyclical process with a working medium that comprises two components that have very different boiling points. 
     With these, the high mixed vapor temperatures and working pressures in the vapor generators and lines are disadvantageous. This results in particularly high demands on the materials used. Such systems are made of high-qualify special steels in order to ensure their operating safety. They also need to be thoroughly and regularly checked by trained personnel. All of this is time-consuming and associated with high costs. 
     Furthermore, producing a mixed vapor with which it is possible to operate a heat engine with adequate output requires a significant amount of energy. The evaporation energy required comes almost exclusively from fossil fuels. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The object of the present invention is to create a method for producing mixed vapor, with which method it is possible to improve efficiency and to reduce the amount of energy used, the operating temperature, and the operating pressure. 
     This object is attained using a method in accordance with claim  1 , in particular using the following method steps:
         Producing a mixed vapor in a first pressure chamber from a non-polar fluid and a polar fluid at a low temperature;   Adding the mixed vapor to a downstream enriching vessel including a second pressure chamber and enriching it with polar fluid at slightly higher temperatures;   Compressing the enriched mixed vapor by means of a heat engine;   Adiabatically expanding the mixed vapor to create wet vapor, the polar fluid condensing and the heat released thereby being output to the non-polar fluid;   Transferring the work released during the adiabatic expansion of the mixed vapor to the heat engine for producing electrical energy;   Returning the expanded wet vapor to the first pressure chamber.       

     Using these measures provides a method with which it is possible to employ renewable energies for operating heat engines economically and cost-effectively while simultaneously increasing efficiency. Thus for instance current can be produced that can be profitably supplied to a public electric power system. With it a heat engine can be operated in a cost-effective, energy-efficient, profitable, and resource-saving manner. Work released by a beat engine operated in accordance with the invention can be transmitted to a crank mechanism that produces a rotational movement. The rotational movement can be transmitted to an alternator for producing electrical energy. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The drawing is a schematic representation of an apparatus suitable for performing the method of the invention. The exemplary apparatus shall be described in greater detail in the following. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The apparatus  10  depicted in the sole FIGURE essentially comprises at least one mixed vapor generator  11  that is provided with a low pressure vessel  12 . The low pressure vessel  12  has a first pressure chamber  13  in which a first polar fluid  14 , for instance water, and at least one non-polar fluid  15 , for instance benzene, are present in liquid form. There is preferably a greater quantity of the polar fluid  14  than the non-polar fluid  15 . 
     A heat exchanger  16 , for instance any desired boiler system (schematically depicted), is associated with the mixed vapor generator  11 . This heat exchanger  16  can act on and evaporate the fluids  14  and  15 . 
     The heat exchanger  16  is operated with solar energy or geothermal energy. It is also possible to use renewable energy sources such as wood, for instance in the form of wood chips from first product leftovers. Any other type of biomass is also conceivable, provided it is present in an appropriate quality and quantity for being converted to heat energy. 
     The mixed vapor generator  11  is operated at a temperature in the range of 50° C. to 75° C. and at a pressure in the range of 0.5 to 1.5 bar. A mixed vapor  17  is produced from the polar fluid  14  and the non-polar fluid  15 . The mixed vapor  17  produced in this manner is collected in a vapor pressure chamber  18  of the mixed vapor generator  11 . 
     The collected mixed vapor  17  is then conducted through a mixed vapor outlet  19  via a line  20  into a downstream enriching vessel  21 . The enriching vessel  21  has a second pressure chamber  22  that is partly filled with a second polar fluid  23 . The second polar fluid  23  is chemically identical to the first polar fluid  14 ; its temperature is merely higher compared to the mixed vapor  17  being introduced. 
     The second polar fluid  23  preferably has a temperature in the range of 70° C. to 95° C., the pressure in the enriching vessel  21  being in the range of 0.5 to 1.5 bar. The pressures in the pressure chambers  13  and  22  are preferably the same. The mixed vapor  17  in the second pressure chamber  22  is conducted through the second polar fluid  23  that is present as a liquid. 
     When it passes through the second polar fluid  23  that is at a higher temperature, the mixed vapor  17  is enriched with polar fluid and is collected in a second vapor pressure chamber  25  as an enriched, dry mixed vapor  24  preferably at a temperature in the range of 70° C. to 95° C. 
     The dry mixed vapor  24  enriched in this manner is conducted via a mixed vapor outlet  26  and a line  27  to a heat engine  28 . The enriched, dry mixed vapor  24  in the line  27  is now conducted to the working chamber  30  of a heat engine  28  via an inlet  29  for condensation. 
     Condensation brings the dry mixed vapor  24  to a substantially higher temperature, preferably approx. 180° C. Once it has reached this temperature, the enriched, dry mixed vapor  24  is adiabatically expanded, creating wet vapor. The expanded wet vapor travels through an outlet  31  into a return line  32  and is conducted back to the first pressure chamber  13  via a non-return valve  33  and a return inlet  34 . Now the vapor cycle can begin all over again.