摘要 |
A system and method for inducing flow of a dense gas through a fluid circuit without the use of a compressor or other pumping means. A heat absorption chamber has an outlet in fluid communication with the inlet of a heat rejection chamber and has an inlet in fluid communication with an outlet from the heat rejection chamber. Thermal energy absorbed by the dense gas in the heat absorption chamber causes the density of the dense gas to decrease sufficiently to cause the dense gas to flow to the heat rejection chamber. After heat energy is subsequently rejected from the heated dense gas, its density increases, and gravitational or radial acceleration forces acting thereupon induce the cooled, dense gas to flow to the heat absorption chamber displacing the dense gas therewithin. The fluid flow system of the present invention may be used for heat transfer or may be applied to processes such as solvent extraction, reduction of particle size, and oxidation of organic materials employing supercritical water.
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