Patent ID: 8272217

Claim:
A method for performing a thermodynamic cycle process, the method comprising: pumping a flow of liquid working medium at an increased pressure and forming a pressurized, liquid working medium flow; heating up and partly vaporizing the pressurized, liquid working medium flow by partly condensing an expanded working medium flow; creating a first partly vaporized working medium flow and a partly condensed, expanded working medium flow; directly transferring an entirety of the first partly vaporized working medium flow to a heat exchanger for further vaporizing the first partly vaporized working medium flow with heat which is transferred from an external heat source; creating a second at least partly vaporized working medium flow; separating a liquid phase from a vapor phase of the second at least partly vaporized working medium flow; expanding the vapor phase; converting an energy of the vapor phase into a usable form; creating an expanded vapor phase; mixing the liquid phase with the expanded vapor phase; creating the expanded working medium flow; completely condensing the partly condensed, expanded working medium flow; and creating the liquid working medium flow.