An apparatus (2) includes an internal combustion engine (4) and an inverted Brayton cycle heat engine (6). Hot exhaust gas from the internal combustion engine (4) contains water. The hot exhaust gas drives the inverted Brayton cycle heat engine. A condenser (22) in a fluid path of the exhaust gas between an inverted-Brayton-cycle turbine and an inverted-Brayton-cycle compressor condenses at least some of the water from the exhaust gas to form condensed water. This condensed water follows a recirculation path (30) so as to be re-introduced as a working fluid into one or more of the heat engines described above, or further heat engines, e.g. the condensed water is heated by the exhaust gas using a steam-generating heat exchanger (20) to generate steam which drives a steam turbine (32).

An object of the present invention is to provide a method and a system for implementing the method so as to alleviate the disadvantages of a reciprocating combustion engine and gas turbine when generating power. The invention is based on the idea of arranging a combustion chamber (10) outside a turbine (22) and providing compressed air from serially connected compressors to an air chamber in which the air is heated and then exhausted to the combustion chamber in order to carry out a combustion process supplemented with high pressure steam pulses.

A power generation system and method including a first heat exchanger, a first thermal engine, and a first power generator on a first working medium line L1 that circulates a first working medium W1, a second heat exchanger, a third working medium supply device that supplies a third working medium W3, and a mixing device for mixing a second working medium W2 and the third working medium. A second thermal engine, and a second power generator are included on a second working medium line L2 that circulates the second working medium. On both of a downstream side of the first thermal engine on the first working medium line and a downstream side of the second thermal engine on the second working medium line, a third heat exchanger is included. Also included is a third working medium discharge device for discharging the third working medium to the third heat exchanger.

A power generation system and method including a first heat exchanger, a first thermal engine, and a first power generator on a first working medium line L1 that circulates a first working medium W1, a second heat exchanger, a third working medium supply device that supplies a third working medium W3, and a mixing device for mixing a second working medium W2 and the third working medium. A second thermal engine, and a second power generator are included on a second working medium line L2 that circulates the second working medium. On both of a downstream side of the first thermal engine on the first working medium line and a downstream side of the second thermal engine on the second working medium line, a third heat exchanger is included. Also included is a third working medium discharge device for discharging the third working medium to the third heat exchanger.

The invention relates to a method for detecting an unsealed location in a heat recovery system of an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle. The heat recovery system has at least one working medium, in particular a combustible working medium, and a working medium circuit with at least one evaporator, a pump, and at least one expansion machine to allow an early and reliable detection of leakages in the evaporator.

The invention relates to a method for detecting an unsealed location in a heat recovery system of an internal combustion engine of a motor vehicle. The heat recovery system has at least one working medium, in particular a combustible working medium, and a working medium circuit with at least one evaporator, a pump, and at least one expansion machine to allow an early and reliable detection of leakages in the evaporator.

An expander of the piston (2) and cylinder (3) type is inverted from normal orientation, with the crankshaft (4) upper most and the cylinder head (5) lower most. The cylinder head has a pair of liquid injectors (6, 7) oriented for respective liquids pentane and glycerine to be injected as mists into contact with each other at the bottom of the cylinder. The pentane is vaporised by transfer of latent heat to it from the glycerine. Respective injector valves (9, 10) from high pressure rails (11, 12) fed by pumps (14, 15) are provided. An exhaust valve (16) is opened by a cam (17) driven at crankshaft speed by a chain drive.

An expander of the piston (2) and cylinder (3) type is inverted from normal orientation, with the crankshaft (4) upper most and the cylinder head (5) lower most. The cylinder head has a pair of liquid injectors (6, 7) oriented for respective liquids pentane and glycerine to be injected as mists into contact with each other at the bottom of the cylinder. The pentane is vaporised by transfer of latent heat to it from the glycerine. Respective injector valves (9, 10) from high pressure rails (11, 12) fed by pumps (14, 15) are provided. An exhaust valve (16) is opened by a cam (17) driven at crankshaft speed by a chain drive.

A method and system enabling the efficient use of thermal energy to provide kinetic energy and/or electrical energy. The method uses at least two heat exchangers for heating the working medium, a heat engine and a condenser. The working medium consists of at least two substances. The working medium is partially condensed on the primary side of the first heat exchanger, wherein heat is transferred to the working medium flowing on the secondary side and, subsequently, further condensation heat is transferred to a cooling circuit in a condensation heat exchanger on the primary side of the condensation heat exchanger. Subsequently, the working medium is redirected to the secondary side of the first heat exchanger. A separation of gaseous fractions of the working medium takes place in the condensation heat exchanger on the primary side.

A method and system enabling the efficient use of thermal energy to provide kinetic energy and/or electrical energy. The method uses at least two heat exchangers for heating the working medium, a heat engine and a condenser. The working medium consists of at least two substances. The working medium is partially condensed on the primary side of the first heat exchanger, wherein heat is transferred to the working medium flowing on the secondary side and, subsequently, further condensation heat is transferred to a cooling circuit in a condensation heat exchanger on the primary side of the condensation heat exchanger. Subsequently, the working medium is redirected to the secondary side of the first heat exchanger. A separation of gaseous fractions of the working medium takes place in the condensation heat exchanger on the primary side.