Patent ID: 6854273

Claim:
A power supply, comprising: a steam engine for providing a first source of power, said steam engine comprising: a combustor, a first heat exchanger configured to receive a heat exhaust of said combustor, said first heat exchanger using said heat exhaust to convert a supply of water into steam, wherein the steam generated by the steam engine is used to drive a turbine of the power supply and said steam engine also producing heat waste; a thermionic device for providing a second source of power, said thermionic device providing said second source of power from said heat waste, wherein said heat waste of said steam engine is provided to a second heat exchanger of said thermionic device by an exhaust conduit, said exhaust conduit providing fluid communication between said first heat exchanger and said second heat exchanger; and a third heat exchanger, said third heat exchanger being configured to receive an exhaust of said second heat exchanger, wherein said exhaust of said second heat exchanger is used to preheat a supply of water before it reaches said first heat exchanger.