Thermodynamic energy conversion system and method, utilizing a thermodynamic working fluid of encased expandites

摘要

A thermodynamic energy conversion system includes a thermodynamic working fluid made up of thousands of expandites at a given pressure to thereby change buoyancy with respect to a thermal fluid; a mass transport conduit circuit for introducing the expandites to a thermal fluid at different combinations of temperature and pressure and transporting the thermodynamic working fluid and thermal fluid in response to pressure differentials created by concomitant buoyancy volume and density changes of the expandites as the thermodynamic working fluid is exposed to thermal fluid at different combinations of pressure and temperature; and a transducer for converting the pressure of fluid transported by the circuit to a useful form of energy. Expandites are separate objects each of which includes a mass having a flexible covering encasing the mass for enabling rapid heat transfer between the mass and the thermal fluid, for enabling the encased mass to maintain its integrity as a separate object when submerged in the thermal fluid, and for enabling the volume of the encased expandite to change in accordance with the characteristic interdependent relationship between changes in the density, temperature and pressure of the mass when the encased expandite is submerged in the thermal fluid.