METHOD AND INSTALLATION FOR CONVERTING THERMAL ENERGY FROM FLUIDS INTO MECHANICAL ENERGY

摘要

The invention relates to a method and an installation for converting thermal energy, which is contained in fluids as perceptible or latent heat, into mechanical energy. According to said method, a working medium is evaporated in an evaporator by means of the thermal energy, the latter if required being converted to a higher temperature using one or more heat pumps that are connected one behind the other. The working medium is then expanded in an expansion device and the thermal energy is at least partially converted into mechanical energy. The invention is characterised in that the expansion takes place in a low-pressure expansion device (8) and the energy that is contained in the expanded vaporous working medium can be returned to the evaporation unit of the evaporator (7), which can be used to evaporate additional working medium.