An ocean powered Rankine cycle turbine includes a loop in which is circulated a working fluid. A first heat exchanger effects a phase change of the working fluid from liquid to gas. The gas expands to power a turbine. Gas exiting the turbine is condensed by a second heat exchanger to effect a phase change from gas back to liquid. A piston assembly is used to compress air. A wave energy converter uses ocean wave energy to reciprocally move the piston. As the wave goes down, the piston is extends drawing air into the piston housing. As the wave goes up, the piston compresses the air. Heat generated as the piston compresses air, is used to as a heat source for the first heat exchanger. Cold compressed air is used as a cold source for the second heat exchanger.

An ocean powered Rankine cycle turbine includes a loop in which is circulated a working fluid. A first heat exchanger effects a phase change of the working fluid from liquid to gas. The gas expands to power a turbine. Gas exiting the turbine is condensed by a second heat exchanger to effect a phase change from gas back to liquid. A piston assembly is used to compress air. A wave energy converter uses ocean wave energy to reciprocally move the piston. As the wave goes down, the piston is extends drawing air into the piston housing. As the wave goes up, the piston compresses the air. Heat generated as the piston compresses air, is used to as a heat source for the first heat exchanger. Cold compressed air is used as a cold source for the second heat exchanger.

An ocean powered Rankine cycle turbine includes a loop in which is circulated a working fluid. A first heat exchanger effects a phase change of the working fluid from liquid to gas. The gas expands to power a turbine. Gas exiting the turbine is condensed by a second heat exchanger to effect a phase change from gas back to liquid. A piston assembly is used to compress air. A wave energy converter uses ocean wave energy to reciprocally move the piston. As the wave goes down, the piston is extends drawing air into the piston housing. As the wave goes up, the piston compresses the air. Heat generated as the piston compresses air, is used to as a heat source for the first heat exchanger. Cold compressed air is used as a cold source for the second heat exchanger.

An ocean powered Rankine cycle turbine includes a loop in which is circulated a working fluid. A first heat exchanger effects a phase change of the working fluid from liquid to gas. The gas expands to power a turbine. Gas exiting the turbine is condensed by a second heat exchanger to effect a phase change from gas back to liquid. A piston assembly is used to compress air. A wave energy converter uses ocean wave energy to reciprocally move the piston. As the wave goes down, the piston is extends drawing air into the piston housing. As the wave goes up, the piston compresses the air. Heat generated as the piston compresses air, is used to as a heat source for the first heat exchanger. Cold compressed air is used as a cold source for the second heat exchanger.

An Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) device and method for transforming heat from a heat source into mechanical energy. The ORC includes a closed circuit containing a two phase working fluid. The circuit comprises a liquid pump for circulating the working fluid consecutively through an evaporator which is configured to be placed in thermal contact with the heat source; through an expander for transforming the thermal energy of the working fluid into mechanical energy; and through a condenser which is in thermal contact with a cooling element. The expander is situated above the evaporator. The fluid outlet of the evaporator is connected to the fluid inlet of the expander by a raiser column which is filled with a mixture of liquid working fluid and of gaseous bubbles of the working fluid, which mixture is supplied to the expander.

An Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) device and method for transforming heat from a heat source into mechanical energy. The ORC includes a closed circuit containing a two phase working fluid. The circuit comprises a liquid pump for circulating the working fluid consecutively through an evaporator which is configured to be placed in thermal contact with the heat source; through an expander for transforming the thermal energy of the working fluid into mechanical energy; and through a condenser which is in thermal contact with a cooling element. The expander is situated above the evaporator. The fluid outlet of the evaporator is connected to the fluid inlet of the expander by a raiser column which is filled with a mixture of liquid working fluid and of gaseous bubbles of the working fluid, which mixture is supplied to the expander.

A turbomachinery control system for controlling supercritical working fluid turbomachinery. The control system includes a light emitter to project light through working fluid of the turbomachinery toward a primary light detector provided within a line of sight to the emitter. The system further includes one or more secondary light detectors spaced from the line of sight, and a controller determining one or both of an intensity of light detected by the primary detector relative to the detected light intensity by the secondary detector, and wavelength of light detected by the primary detector relative to wavelength of light detected by the secondary detector. The controller determines the working fluid proximity of the critical point based on one or both of the determined relative intensity and determined relative wavelength, and controlling an actuator to control turbomachinery inlet or outlet conditions in accordance with the working fluid determined proximity of the critical point.

A turbomachinery control system for controlling supercritical working fluid turbomachinery. The control system includes a light emitter to project light through working fluid of the turbomachinery toward a primary light detector provided within a line of sight to the emitter. The system further includes one or more secondary light detectors spaced from the line of sight, and a controller determining one or both of an intensity of light detected by the primary detector relative to the detected light intensity by the secondary detector, and wavelength of light detected by the primary detector relative to wavelength of light detected by the secondary detector. The controller determines the working fluid proximity of the critical point based on one or both of the determined relative intensity and determined relative wavelength, and controlling an actuator to control turbomachinery inlet or outlet conditions in accordance with the working fluid determined proximity of the critical point.

A near-adiabatic engine has four stages in a cycle: a means of near adiabatically expanding the working fluid during the downstroke (expansion stroke); a means of cooling the working fluid at Bottom Dead Center (BDC); a means of near adiabatically compressing that cooled fluid from the lower pressure/temperature level at BDC to the higher level at Top Dead Center (TDC); and finally, a means of passing that working fluid back into the high pressure/temperature source in a balanced condition with minimal resistance to that flow.

A cryogenic energy storage system comprising a liquefaction apparatus for liquefying a gas to form a cryogen, wherein the liquefaction apparatus is controllable to draw power from an external power source to liquefy the gas, a cryogenic storage tank in fluid communication with the liquefaction apparatus for storing cryogen produced by the liquefaction apparatus, a power recovery apparatus in fluid communication with the cryogenic storage tank for recovering power from cryogen from the cryogenic storage tank by heating the cryogen to form a gas and expanding said gas, a hot thermal store for storing hot thermal energy, wherein the hot thermal store and the power recovery apparatus are arranged so that hot thermal energy from the hot thermal store can be transferred to the gas before and/or during expansion in the power recovery apparatus, and a charging apparatus which is controllable to draw power from the external power source when the power drawn by the liquefaction apparatus is below a threshold value, and supply the cryogenic energy storage system with thermal energy.