Patent ID: 8783034

Claim:
A working fluid circuit for converting thermal energy into mechanical energy, comprising: a pump configured to circulate a working fluid through the working fluid circuit having a low pressure side and a high pressure side; a heat exchanger in fluid communication with the pump and in thermal communication with a heat source, the heat exchanger being configured to transfer thermal energy from the heat source to the working fluid; a power turbine fluidly coupled to the heat exchanger and configured to expand the working fluid discharged from the heat exchanger to generate the mechanical energy; two or more intercooling components disposed downstream of the power turbine and upstream of the pump on the low pressure side of the working fluid circuit, in fluid communication with the power turbine, and configured to cool and condense the working fluid using a cooling medium derived at or near ambient temperature; and one or more compressors disposed downstream of the power turbine and upstream of the pump on the low pressure side of the working fluid circuit and fluidly coupled to the two or more intercooling components such that at least one of the one or more compressors is interposed between adjacent intercooling components.