Patent ID: 7299616

Claim:
An engine comprising: a heat source; a first fluid channel having a surface in thermal contact with the heat source, so that heat energy is transferred from the heat source to a first fluid flowing through the first fluid channel; a first turbine coupled to a shaft to convert at least a portion of the heat energy transferred to the first fluid into mechanical energy; a second fluid channel through which the first fluid flows after passing through the first turbine; a cooling channel in thermal contact with the second fluid channel; and a second turbine coupled to the shaft to utilize a portion of the mechanical energy to force a second fluid to flow through the cooling channel, wherein the second fluid flowing through the cooling channel extracts heat from the first fluid flowing through the second fluid channel, wherein the first fluid is condensable, and wherein the second fluid flowing through the cooling channel causes the first fluid flowing through the second fluid channel to condense, and wherein the first fluid and the second fluid do not mix one another.