A heat engine system comprises a first heat exchanger, an expander, a second heat exchanger and a valve assembly. The first heat exchanger is in fluid communication with a heat source for heating a working fluid therein. The expander is downstream the first heat exchanger and is in fluid communication therewith for receiving the heat working fluid. The second heat exchanger is downstream the expander and in fluid communication therewith for cooling down the working fluid received therefrom. The valve assembly is in fluid communication with the second heat exchanger and the expander for providing for selectively injecting the expander with cooled working fluid from the second heat exchanger.

A heat engine system comprises a first heat exchanger, an expander, a second heat exchanger and a valve assembly. The first heat exchanger is in fluid communication with a heat source for heating a working fluid therein. The expander is downstream the first heat exchanger and is in fluid communication therewith for receiving the heat working fluid. The second heat exchanger is downstream the expander and in fluid communication therewith for cooling down the working fluid received therefrom. The valve assembly is in fluid communication with the second heat exchanger and the expander for providing for selectively injecting the expander with cooled working fluid from the second heat exchanger.

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.

The invention relates to a thermodynamic circuit process device comprising a working medium having a lubricant additive; an expansion machine (5) for converting enthalpy in the working medium into mechanical energy; a multi-stage pressure-increasing apparatus (1) for the step-by-step pressurization of the working medium; a means (4) for branching a part of the working medium between two stages of the multi-stage pressure-increasing apparatus (1); and a means (4) for feeding the branched off part of the working medium to one or a plurality of bearing points of the expansion machine. The invention further relates to a corresponding method for lubricating an expansion machine in a thermodynamic circuit process device.

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.

An exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure provides an intake device including: an annular flow path which is formed in a circular housing; an inlet part which is installed at one side of the housing and guides an inflow of a fluid into the flow path; a outlet part which is installed at the other side of the housing and guides a discharge of the fluid which flows into the inlet part and passes through the flow path; a piston which is disposed in the flow path, and rotates along the flow path so as to compress the fluid introduced through the inlet part; and an opening and closing unit which is installed in the flow path between the inlet part and the outlet part, includes a plurality of opening and closing members, and elastic members which are installed between the plurality of opening and closing members and the flow path so as to support the plurality of opening and closing members, respectively, and opens and closes the flow path by pressing the piston, in which when the pressing of the piston is released, the plurality of opening and closing members closes the flow path by pressing force of the fluid which presses outer circumferential surfaces of the plurality of opening and closing members in a direction in which the flow path is closed, and by elastic force of the elastic member.

The present invention relates to apparatus, systems, and methods of managing large quantities of low-grade waste heat energy by generating excess electrical power via an ORC process driven by the removal and recovery of waste heat under favorable operating conditions, and utilizing the same apparatus to provide waste heat removal via a refrigeration process that consumes electrical power when environmental conditions do not permit operation in the ORC mode. The mode of operation of the system is principally determined by the thermal energy of the waste heat stream and the availability, or lack thereof, of adequate cooling resources. Such resources are often subject to local environmental conditions, particularly ambient temperature which varies on a diurnal and annual basis.

The present invention relates to apparatus, systems, and methods of managing large quantities of low-grade waste heat energy by generating excess electrical power via an ORC process driven by the removal and recovery of waste heat under favorable operating conditions, and utilizing the same apparatus to provide waste heat removal via a refrigeration process that consumes electrical power when environmental conditions do not permit operation in the ORC mode. The mode of operation of the system is principally determined by the thermal energy of the waste heat stream and the availability, or lack thereof, of adequate cooling resources. Such resources are often subject to local environmental conditions, particularly ambient temperature which varies on a diurnal and annual basis.

Provided is a thermal energy recovery device in which a site of a circulation flow path between an evaporated portion and an expander can be avoided having too high temperature upon stoppage of power recovery by a power recovery machine. The thermal energy recovery device includes an evaporator (10), an expander (12), a power recovery machine (14), a condenser (16), a pump (18), a circulation flow path (20), a cooling flow path (30) for supplying working medium of liquid phase flowing out of the pump (18) partially to a site of the circulation flow path (20) between the evaporator (10) and the expander (12), an on-off valve (V1) provided in the cooling flow path (30), and a control unit (40), in which upon reception of a stop signal for stopping power recovery by the power recovery machine (14), the control unit (40) opens the on-off valve (V1).