Patent ID: 7062913

Claim:
A heat engine comprising: a) a boiler having an inlet and an outlet and connected to receive a working fluid in a liquid state and vaporizing said working fluid to a vapor on input of heat from a boiler, heat-source input heat exchanger; b) a positive displacement rotating expander with an inlet and outlet and adapted for receiving and expanding said vapor from said boiler outlet at high pressure to produce a work output and providing said vapor at low pressure at said outlet; c) a condenser having an inlet for receiving said vapor from said expander outlet and condensing said vapor to said working fluid liquid; d) a pump with an inlet and outlet for taking said working fluid liquid from said condenser at low pressure and providing said working fluid to said boiler inlet at high pressure; and e) at least one of the following: 1) a heat-transfer device for recovering waste heat from said heat engine and using said heat to improve said heat engine efficiency and wherein said heat-transfer device comprises one or more heat exchangers whereby at least one of the following heat transfers occurs: a) heat from said working fluid leaving said expander outlet is exchanged to said working fluid to preheat said working fluid prior to entering said boiler; and b) work heat from said pump is exchanged to said working fluid to preheat said working fluid prior to entering said boiler; 2) a compression heat-transfer device comprising the following interconnected components: a) an evaporator; b) a compression device condenser; c) a throttling valve; and d) a compressor for compressing a compression device working fluid circulating through said interconnected components of said compression heat-transfer device; and e) said compression heat-transfer device providing heat to said working fluid of said heat engine; and 3) an absorption heat transfer device comprising the following interconnected absorption, heat-transfer device components: a) a generator, b) an absorber; c) a condenser; 4) an evaporator; and e) a working solution comprising an absorbent and refrigerant; and f) said absorption heat transfer device transferring heat to or from said working fluid of said heat engine.