A thermodynamic system and method for performing work includes a working fluid and a fluid pump for pumping the working fluid through a cycle. A thermal input supplies heat to the working fluid. An expansion device downstream of the thermal input converts at least the heat of the working fluid to useful work. A heat exchanger downstream of the expansion device has a first portion to transfer heat from downstream said expansion device to a second portion at or upstream of said thermal input. A conversion device expands the working fluid with constant enthalpy from a higher to a lower pressure.

Systems and methods for improving the efficiency of a power plant exploit the temperature differential of the cooling water that may exist seasonally in some geographic locations. Specifically, new systems and ways of retrofitting existing systems to utilize the additional temperature differential of a power plant's coolant during colder months are provided in order to increase the efficiency of the plant. A second working fluid loop converts a portion of the condenser of the first working fluid loop into the boiler for the second working fluid loop in which the first and second working fluids in these respective loops are different. Thus, the energy output of the plant may be increased by the addition of a selectively operated secondary loop without an increase in fuel consumption.

An offshore power generation structure comprising a submerged portion having a first deck portion comprising an integral multi-stage evaporator system, a second deck portion comprising an integral multi-stage condensing system, a third deck portion housing power generation equipment, cold water pipe; and a cold water pipe connection.

An electric power generation apparatus (system) and method for high efficiency energy conversion cycle by recycling latent heat of vaporization is disclosed. In one implementation, the present invention enables to achieve an improved efficiency by reducing the amount of waste heat that is rejected into the atmosphere in existing plant cycle designs by creating multiple turbine cycles where the latent heat of vaporization of the first cycle is injected into the input stage of the second cycle and the waste heat (latent heat of vaporization) of the second cycle into the input stage of the third cycle and so on. Only the waste heat of the final cycle is rejected into the atmosphere.

A method for recovering waste heat in a process for the synthesis of a chemical product, particularly ammonia, where the product is used as the working fluid of a thermodynamic cycle; the waste heat is used to increase the enthalpy content of a high-pressure liquid stream of said product (11), delivered by a synthesis section (10), thus obtaining a vapor or supercritical product stream (20), and energy is recovered by expanding said vapor or supercritical stream across at least one suitable ex-pander (13); the method is particularly suited to recover the heat content of the syngas effluent after low-temperature shift.

This invention refers to an installation for the generation of mechanical energy using a Combined Power Cycle which comprises, at least; means to implement a closed or semi-closed regenerative constituent Brayton cycle which uses water as thermal fluid, means to implement at least one Rankine cycle, the constituent basic Rankine cycle, interconnected with the regenerative constituent Brayton cycle, and a heat pump (UAX) which makes up a closed circuit that regenerates the regenerative constituent Brayton cycle;
as well as the procedure for generating energy through the use of the cited installation.

An offshore power generation structure comprising a submerged portion having a first deck portion comprising an integral multi-stage evaporator system, a second deck portion comprising an integral multi-stage condensing system, a third deck portion housing power generation equipment, cold water pipe; and a cold water pipe connection.

The present invention relates to a system for eliminating the presence of droplets in a first medium of a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger has an inlet port and an outlet port for the first medium as well as an inlet port and an outlet port for a second medium. The system comprises (a) a device for regulating the flow of the first medium into the heat exchanger, (b) a first temperature sensor array for measuring the temperature of the first medium exiting the heat exchanger, and (c) a controller for regulating flow of the first medium into the heat exchanger. The system further comprises a second temperature sensor array for measuring the temperature of the second medium entering the heat exchanger. The controller regulates the flow of the first medium into the heat exchanger based on data received from the first temperature sensor array and second temperature sensor array.

A facility for generating mechanical energy by means of a combined power cycle is disclosed herein, which includes at least means for carrying out a closed or semi-closed, constituent regenerative Brayton cycle, which uses water as a heat-transfer fluid, means for carrying out at least one Rankine cycle, a constituent fundamental Rankine cycle, interconnected with the regenerative Brayton cycle, and a heat pump (UAX) including a closed circuit that regenerates the constituent regenerative Brayton cycle, as well as to the method for generating energy using the facility.

The heat cycle facility includes: a first vaporizer that vaporizes a first liquid heating medium by combusting fuel; a first motive power generator that generates motive power by using as a drive fluid a first gas heating medium obtained at the first vaporizer; a condenser that condenses the first gas heating medium discharged from the first motive power generator by heat-exchanging the first gas heating medium for a second liquid heating medium; a circulator that pressurizes the first liquid heating medium obtained at the condenser and supplies the pressurized first liquid heating medium to the first vaporizer; a second vaporizer that produces gaseous ammonia by heat-exchanging the second liquid heating medium for liquid ammonia; and a supplier that supplies the liquid ammonia to the second vaporizer.