A transient liquid pressure power generation system and associated devices and methods is disclosed. The system can include a liquid source and a transient pressure drive device fluidly coupled to the liquid source to receive liquid from the liquid source. The transient pressure drive device can include a drive component, and a transient wave or pressure producing element to cause a high pressure transient wave in the liquid traveling toward the liquid source to operate the drive component. Additionally, the system can include a heat source fluidly coupled to the transient pressure drive device and the liquid source to receive liquid from the transient pressure drive device and heat liquid returning to the liquid source.

This invention presents methods and system for conversion of heat to electrical power through absorption of heat from any types of fluids with temperatures both higher and lower than 0 C. Heat can be absorbed from fossil or renewable energy resources. The mechanism in this invention uses a fluid or fluids' enthalpy and internal energy difference to generate power, where a reciprocating piston-cylinder system provides the required force to rotate a turbine for power generation.

A system for exchanging heat from a working fluid to a receiving fluid, which includes: a device for transmitting kinetic energy from a working fluid to a receiving fluid, the device including: a circulator suitable for circulating the receiving fluid; a turbine suitable for being driven by the circulation of the working fluid; and a shaft coupling the turbine to the circulator; a heat transfer system for transferring heat from the working fluid by heat transfer from the receiving fluid; and a mixing system for mixing the receiving fluid and the heated working fluid.

A two-stage thermal hydraulic engine utilizes the expansion and contraction of a working fluid to convert heat energy to mechanical or electrical energy. The transfer of heat to and from the working fluid occurs in at least two process heat exchangers and may be aided by thin twisted strips of a thermally conductive material that are in contact with the working fluid. The engine does not require the working fluid to undergo a phase change to operate. The subsequent expansion of the working fluid is used to drive pistons contained within at least two triplex hydraulic cylinders. The pistons may be alternately and sequentially driven to pump a fluid with a laminar flow and at a constant pressure. The cylinders may include a self-lubrication system.

A system and method are provided for generating electrical power or rotational power where the system includes heating thermo-dynamic fluid passing through a heat exchanger causing the fluid to expand and then pass through a turbine to rotate a turbine shaft coupled to an electrical generator to generate electrical power, or to transfer rotational power to rotating machinery. Fluid exiting the turbine can then be cooled before cycling through to the heat exchanger.

A thermal utilization system is capable of producing power, storing energy via a chemical or and a hydropower-elevation means. It also capable of transport fluid as vapor over obstacles and terrains, as well as desalinate water. It may in some embodiments do all or some of these tasks simultaneously and with the same amount of energy. It may run with any source of energy including renewable energy sources such as solar energy, and wind. The system may use that energy to run a heat engine and, at the same time, stores that energy via chemical separation. When energy is needed, the system may withdraw the chemical substances and lets them interact to claim the energy back, and then use it to run a heat engine and desalinate water. Some parts of the system can be used for cooling and heating. The system may be configured to be an air conditioner unit or a refrigerator that has an internal back up energy storage.

Implementations described and claimed herein provide systems and methods for generating continuous power. In one implementation, a system includes a heat source and a plurality of liquid piston tanks. The heat source is configured to convert heat input into a pressure. An inlet valve is provided for each of the plurality of liquid piston tanks. The inlet valve is configured to direct the pressure into a corresponding liquid piston tank displacing liquid in the corresponding liquid piston tank. A hydraulic device is configured to rotate upon application of a flow created by the displaced liquid. A generator is connected to the hydraulic device and configured to output energy created using the rotation of the hydraulic device. A condenser is configured to receive existing pressure from at least one of the plurality of liquid piston tanks via a release valve. The condenser condenses the existing pressure into a re-cycled liquid.

A thermal energy method for converting thermal to mechanical energy is disclosed. The method comprises circulating liquid and vapor phases of a working fluid in a closed loop comprising a recipient arranged at a lower part and a tube system comprising a rising part, a condenser section of a descending part and a hydrostatic pressure section of a descending part. A corresponding system is also disclosed.

A method for converting heat to mechanical work includes providing incoming heat transfer liquid (HTL) at a first temperature to a plurality of mixing chambers, providing incoming compressed gas at a second temperature to the plurality of mixing chamber, enabling the gas and the HTL to mix, producing a gas-and-HTL mix, enabling the HTL in the gas-and-HTL mix to heat the gas and isothermal expansion of the gas in the gas-and-HTL mix, limiting volume of the gas-and-HTL mix, thereby increasing pressure of the gas and causing acceleration of a flow of the gas-and-HTL mix, causing the gas-and-HTL mix to eject through a plurality of nozzles, thereby converting the heat of the HTL to kinetic energy to cause movement of the plurality of nozzles; and using the kinetic energy to produce mechanical work.

A power plant comprises: (a) a liquid pressurizing unit, (b) a Pelton turbine having a rotating shaft, (c) a duct connecting the pressurizing unit to the Pelton turbine for supplying pressurized liquid to the Pelton turbine, the duct being provided with at least one injector, and (d) a generator, advantageously an alternator, capable of being driven directly by the rotating shaft of the turbine, advantageously with the interposition of a gear system.