Patent ID: 8857186

Claim:
A system for converting thermal energy to work in high ambient temperature conditions, comprising: first and second compression stages fluidly coupled together such that the first compression stage is upstream of the second compressor stage, the first and second compression stages being configured to compress a working fluid in a working fluid circuit, the working fluid being separated into a first mass flow and a second mass flow downstream from the second compression stage; an intercooler disposed upstream from the second compression stage and downstream from the first compression stage; first and second heat exchangers coupled to a source of heat and disposed downstream from the second compression stage, the first heat exchanger being configured to transfer heat from the source of heat to the first mass flow and the second heat exchanger configured to transfer heat from the source of heat to the second mass flow; first and second turbines, the first turbine configured to receive the first mass flow from the first heat exchanger and the second turbine configured to receive the second mass flow from the second heat exchanger; a first recuperator disposed downstream from the first turbine on a high temperature side of the working fluid circuit and between the second compression stage and the second turbine on a low temperature side of the working fluid circuit, the first recuperator being configured to transfer heat from the working fluid on the high temperature side to working fluid on the low temperature side; and a second recuperator disposed downstream from the second turbine on the high temperature side and between the second compression stage and the second turbine on the low temperature side, the second recuperator being configured to transfer heat from the working fluid on the high temperature side to working fluid on the low temperature side.