A heat engine including a compressor, an expander, a reactor in which first and second reactants in a working fluid can react with each other, the reactor arranged between the compressor and the expander, and a condenser for condensing a gas in the working fluid, the condenser arranged between the expander and the compressor. There is also provided a method of operating a heat engine.

A heat engine including a compressor, an expander, a reactor in which first and second reactants in a working fluid can react with each other, the reactor arranged between the compressor and the expander, and a condenser for condensing a gas in the working fluid, the condenser arranged between the expander and the compressor. There is also provided a method of operating a heat engine.

A system for recovery of energy in residue gases, comprising at least two energy conversion units (1), including a combustion chamber (2) having a fuel inlet (9), and a Sterling engine (4) having a heat exchanger (3) with a set of tubes containing working fluid, a portion of the heat exchanger extending into the combustion chamber (2). The system further comprises a pressure control system including a high-pressure reservoir (21) of working fluid, a low-pressure reservoir (22) of working fluid, a pressure pump (23) configured to maintain a pressure difference between the reservoirs, and a control arrangement (31, 32, 33) to regulate a pressure in the fluid circuit.

A thermal energy recovery device includes: a circulation line having an evaporator, an expander, a condenser, and a pump; a power recovery machine; a first on-off valve; a thermal energy introduction line configured to introduce a gas phase working medium into a post-expansion space; a second on-off valve; and a control unit. Until an evaporation condition that a liquid phase working medium accumulated in the post-expansion space has reached an amount equal to or smaller than a reference amount is met, the control unit closes the first on-off valve and opens the second on-off valve, and drives the pump in a state where the expander is stopped, and when the evaporation condition is met, the control unit opens the first on-off valve and closes the second on-off valve, and drives the expander.

A method which develops a supercritical combustion chamber environment and combines fumigation and water conversion to superheated steam to effect greater fuel efficiency and reduce exhaust gas pollutants from a compression ignition engine. The invention utilizes the fumigant method by combining two gases (DME and heptane) which autoignite prior to the injection of the liquid water. This pre-combustion of the fumigant gases combined with the engine's compression of the combustion chamber gases is managed to attain a supercritical combustion chamber environment into which the liquid water is injected. This targeted supercritical combustion chamber environment causes the water to become a superheated steam, resulting in significantly greater efficiency and negligible exhaust gas pollutants resulting from the steam engine.

A method which develops a supercritical combustion chamber environment and combines fumigation and water conversion to superheated steam to effect greater fuel efficiency and reduce exhaust gas pollutants from a compression ignition engine. The invention utilizes the fumigant method by combining two gases (DME and heptane) which autoignite prior to the injection of the liquid water. This pre-combustion of the fumigant gases combined with the engine's compression of the combustion chamber gases is managed to attain a supercritical combustion chamber environment into which the liquid water is injected. This targeted supercritical combustion chamber environment causes the water to become a superheated steam, resulting in significantly greater efficiency and negligible exhaust gas pollutants resulting from the steam engine.

An improved heat engine that includes an organic refrigerant exhibiting a boiling point below −35° C.; a heat source having a temperature of less than 82° C.; a heat sink; a sealed, closed-loop path for the organic refrigerant, the sealed, closed-loop path having both a high-pressure zone that absorbs heat from the heat source, and a low-pressure zone that transfers heat to the heat sink; a positive-displacement decompressor providing a pressure gradient through which the organic refrigerant in the gaseous phase flows continuously from the high-pressure zone to the low-pressure zone, the positive-displacement decompressor extracting mechanical energy due to the pressure gradient; and a positive-displacement hydraulic pump, which provides continuous flow of the organic refrigerant in the liquid phase from the low-pressure zone to the high-pressure zone, the hydraulic pump and the positive-displacement decompressor maintaining a pressure differential between the two zones of between about 20 to 42 bar.

An improved heat engine that includes an organic refrigerant exhibiting a boiling point below −35° C.; a heat source having a temperature of less than 82° C.; a heat sink; a sealed, closed-loop path for the organic refrigerant, the sealed, closed-loop path having both a high-pressure zone that absorbs heat from the heat source, and a low-pressure zone that transfers heat to the heat sink; a positive-displacement decompressor providing a pressure gradient through which the organic refrigerant in the gaseous phase flows continuously from the high-pressure zone to the low-pressure zone, the positive-displacement decompressor extracting mechanical energy due to the pressure gradient; and a positive-displacement hydraulic pump, which provides continuous flow of the organic refrigerant in the liquid phase from the low-pressure zone to the high-pressure zone, the hydraulic pump and the positive-displacement decompressor maintaining a pressure differential between the two zones of between about 20 to 42 bar.

A compound energy co-generation system converts forestry, agricultural, and similar biomass to energy at the source farm. A working fluid reserve at the base is coupled with a boiler inlet. The boiler has a combustion chamber, a vertically rising exhaust stack, and a liquid jacket around the combustion chamber and rising from the working fluid reserve. The liquid jacket receives thermal energy from the combustion chamber and converts a portion of the liquid working fluid into a gas to create a dual-phase working fluid. A reciprocal fluid container, which in one embodiment is a piston and in another is a sealed and insulated container, receives the elevated liquid working fluid. The change in weight drives a power conversion system to convert lowering of the fluid container into electrical energy. Additional ordinarily wasted energy components are employed to perform useful work to improve overall efficiency.

A compound energy co-generation system converts forestry, agricultural, and similar biomass to energy at the source farm. A working fluid reserve at the base is coupled with a boiler inlet. The boiler has a combustion chamber, a vertically rising exhaust stack, and a liquid jacket around the combustion chamber and rising from the working fluid reserve. The liquid jacket receives thermal energy from the combustion chamber and converts a portion of the liquid working fluid into a gas to create a dual-phase working fluid. A reciprocal fluid container, which in one embodiment is a piston and in another is a sealed and insulated container, receives the elevated liquid working fluid. The change in weight drives a power conversion system to convert lowering of the fluid container into electrical energy. Additional ordinarily wasted energy components are employed to perform useful work to improve overall efficiency.