Patent ID: 7028481

Claim:
A closed-loop Brayton power conversion system, comprising: A. a heat source; B. a power turbine; C. a recuperator; D. a suction cooler; E. a compressor; F. a superheater; G. an insulated storage tank for storing cold, liquefied heat sink media; H. a pump for pumping the liquefied heat sink media from the storage tank (G) to the suction cooler (D); I. primary coolant loop piping means for conveying a primary stream of a heat transfer gas in the following closed-loop flow sequence: from component A to B to C to D to E, back to C, and then back to A; wherein the entire sequence is cyclically repeated; J. side-stream piping means for conveying a fraction of the heat transfer gas in a side-stream that splits-off from the primary coolant loop piping means at a first T-junction located in-between power turbine (B) and recuperator (C); and then flows through superheater (F); and finally to a second T-junction located in-between recuperator (C) and suction cooler (D); at which point the side-stream is recombined with the primary stream of heat transfer gas before entering suction cooler (D); and K. heat sink piping means for conveying the cold, liquefied heat sink media from storage tank (G) to pump (H); then to suction cooler (D) where the liquefied heat sink media is substantially vaporized; then to superheater (F); and finally to exit piping means for delivering the vaporized heat sink media to market.