Thermal engine for converting thermal energy into mechanical energy and method for operating of such a thermal engine

摘要

The engine has a vaporizer (4) formed as a heat exchanger and fixed upstream to a tesla-turbine (6) for transferring refrigerant from a liquid phase into a gas phase. A latent heat storage (2) is supplied with heat energy to the vaporizer. A heat source is attached to the storage whose working medium is supplied to a heat energy supply of the storage. A capacitor (8) is fixed downstream to the turbine for liquefaction of the refrigerant leaving the turbine. A pump (5) is located between the capacitor and the vaporizer for promoting the liquid refrigerant leaving the capacitor to the vaporizer. The heat source is formed as a solar heat collector system (1) and a waste heat source. The latent heat storage is formed as a phase change material (PCM) latent heat storage. An independent claim is also included for a method for operating a heat engine for converting heat energy in an expansion apparatus in a form of a tesla-turbine into mechanical energy to drive a power generator.