A dual-cycle heat engine employing a first cycling working fluid and a second cycling working fluid whose cycles overlap when fused into a combined working stream so as to preserve compression heat generated during compression of the first working fluid thereby yielding enhanced work extraction when complying with additional thermodynamic requirements.

A flexible coal-fired power generation system includes a thermal system for coal-fired power generating unit and a high-temperature heat storage system connected in parallel, wherein: the heat storage system includes a heat storage medium pump (17), a cold heat storage medium tank (18), a hot heat storage medium tank (20), multiple valves, and a heat storage medium and feedwater heat exchanger (21). A heat storage medium heater (16) locates in the boiler (1) and is connected with both the cold heat storage medium tank (18) and the hot heat storage medium tank (20). Through the heat storage medium pump (17), the flow of heat storage medium that enters the heat storage medium heater (16) is adjusted to reduce the output of the steam turbine when the boiler (1) is stably burning.

An apparatus includes a pump and a driver mechanically coupled to the pump. The driver is configured to receive gaseous refrigerant at a first pressure, discharge gaseous refrigerant at a second pressure, and produce a mechanical force from a pressure differential between the first pressure and the second pressure. The pump is configured to receive liquid refrigerant at a third pressure, discharge liquid refrigerant at a fourth pressure, and pump liquid refrigerant from the third pressure to the fourth pressure in response to the mechanical force from the driver.

An assembly with a piston reciprocated with the aid of a floating head in fluid communication with the piston. The assembly may utilize a floating head that is shifted in position to promote reciprocation of the piston through the aid of pressure supplied to the floating head from a pressure volume regulator. Alternatively, the floating head may be in fluid communication with the piston at one side of the head and isolated at the other side. In this manner changing volume and pressure at this other side of the head during reciprocation may ultimately lead to floating head movement toward the piston, thereby promoting the continued reciprocation. Additional efficiencies may also be realized through unique hydraulic layouts for both operating and working fluid circulations.

There is disclosed a heat engine 10 comprising: a heat exchanger 12 to transfer he at from a heat source 100 to a working fluid; a positive displacement expander 16 configured to receive inlet working fluid from the heat exchanger 12 and discharge expanded working fluid as a multiphase fluid so that there is an overall volumetric expansion ratio between the expanded working fluid and the GC inlet working fluid which is a function of an inlet dryness of the inlet working fluid; a variable expansion valve 14 disposed between the heat exchanger 12 and the expander 16, the valve being configured to introduce a variable pressure drop in the working fluid to vary the inlet dryness; and a controller 30 configured to maintain the overall volumetric expansion ratio by controlling the valve 14 to compensate for variable heat transfer to or from the working fluid.

Disclosed is a process that combines interacting main processes and sub-processes to extract kinetic energy from thermal energy. These different interacting processes and sub-processes are physically separate from each other with the main processes operating as closed cycles that operate with two different process fluids parallel to each other and interact with each other, in order to consider and utilize sufficiently all three forms of energy, i.e. thermal energy, kinetic energy, and the energy of the phase changes. By interacting, these different main processes and sub-processes enable a combined-process that especially allows the highly efficient transformation of low temperature thermal energy into kinetic energy. Also disclosed is a system for carrying out the process.

A steam reciprocating piston engine that uses a pressurized working fluid to drive first and second pistons in reciprocating power strokes is disclosed. A piston is configured for reciprocating motion within the cylinder and traverses between bottom dead center and top dead center positions. An uppermost stop is reached wherein the working fluid is allowed to escape the cylinder through one or more exhaust ports whereby the fluid travels through a closed loop circuit ultimately directing pressurized fluid back into the cylinder inlet. Momentum causes a spring connected mass to continue upward maintaining the piston above the exhaust port so as to allow escape of the working fluid. Return of the piston and mass is caused by opposite movement of a second piston whereby another stroke is initiated. Power output may be transferred to any suitable system.

A steam reciprocating piston engine that uses a pressurized working fluid to drive first and second pistons in reciprocating power strokes is disclosed. A piston is configured for reciprocating motion within the cylinder and traverses between bottom dead center and top dead center positions. An uppermost stop is reached wherein the working fluid is allowed to escape the cylinder through one or more exhaust ports whereby the fluid travels through a closed loop circuit ultimately directing pressurized fluid back into the cylinder inlet. Momentum causes a spring connected mass to continue upward maintaining the piston above the exhaust port so as to allow escape of the working fluid. Return of the piston and mass is caused by opposite movement of a second piston whereby another stroke is initiated. Power output may be transferred to any suitable system.

A power system is configured to generate mechanical energy from supercritical carbon dioxide in a closed loop. The power system includes a compressor that yields a high pressure supercritical carbon dioxide. A heat exchanger is operatively connected to the compressor and yields a high enthalpy supercritical carbon dioxide. A rotary engine is operatively connected to the heat exchanger and configured to convert thermal energy from the high enthalpy supercritical carbon dioxide into mechanical energy and an output supercritical carbon dioxide. A pressure differential orifice is operatively coupled to the rotary engine and to the heat exchanger and configured to decrease the temperature and the pressure of the output supercritical carbon dioxide resulting in a low pressure low temperature supercritical carbon dioxide. The low pressure low temperature supercritical carbon dioxide is heated in the heat exchanger and the renters the compressor completing the closed loop.

A combined heat recovery device includes a high pressure cylinder of a steam turbine; a main steam pipe; a final-stage steam extraction pipe; an additional pipe additionally provided on the main steam pipe; a heat exchanger taking main steam in the main steam pipe as a heat source; a feedwater heater taking discharged steam from the heat exchanger as a heat source; and a steam side regulating valve provided on the additional pipe, configured to regulate main steam in the additional pipe, and capable of controlling a pressure of extracted steam behind the steam side regulating valve to control an outlet temperature of the feedwater heater to reach a preset feedwater temperature.