HEAT ENGINE

摘要

A heat engine (10) comprising: a feeder stage (20) comprising: a first compressor (24) for compressing first gas received at pressure P1 from a gas source to an elevated pressure and temperature; a reactor (28) for receiving gas compressed by the first compressor (24) and combining the compressed gas with fuel to generate an exothermic reaction; and a primary stage comprising (40); a circuit (42) for recirculating a gas flow comprising a second gas; a mixing chamber (44) in fluid communication with the circuit (42) for combining the products of the exothermic reaction from the feeder stage (20) with the gas flow in the circuit (42) at pressure P2, wherein P2 is greater than P1, an expander (48) for expanding gas received from the mixing chamber (44) to generate mechanical work; and a second compressor (58) for compressing gas expanded by the expander (48).

主权项

1. A heat engine comprising:
a feeder stage comprising: a first compressor for compressing first gas received at pressure P1 from a gas source to an elevated pressure and temperature; and a reactor for receiving gas compressed by the first compressor and combining the compressed gas with fuel to generate an exothermic reaction; and a primary stage comprising: a circuit for recirculating a gas flow comprising a second gas, wherein the heat engine is configured to circulate gas through the primary stage at a mass flow rate greater than the flow of gas through the feeder stage; a mixing chamber in fluid communication with the circuit for combining the products of the exothermic reaction from the feeder stage with the gas flow in the circuit at pressure P2, wherein P2 is greater than P1; an expander for expanding gas received from the mixing chamber to generate mechanical work, wherein the expander has an expansion ratio that is less than the reciprocal of the compression ratio of the first compressor; a second compressor for compressing gas expanded by the expander before recirculation to the mixing chamber; and a recuperator for transferring heat from gas expanded by the expander to gas compressed by the second compressor.