METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ACQUIRING HEAT FROM MULTIPLE HEAT SOURCES

摘要

The present invention relates to systems and methods for implementing a clos ed loop thermodynamic cycle utilizing a multi-component working fluid to acquir e heat from two or more external heat source stream in an efficient manner utilizing countercurrent exchange. The liquid multi-component working stream is heated by a first external heat source stream at a first heat exchanger a nd is subsequently divided into a first substream and a second substream. The first substream is heated by the first working stream at a second external heat source stream at a second heat exchanger. The second substream is heate d by the second working stream at a third heat exchanger. The first substream and the second substream are then recombined into a single working stream. T he recombined working stream is heated by the second external heat source strea m at a fourth heat exchanger.