METHOD AND DEVICE DESIGNED TO OBTAIN ELECTRIC POWER WITH USE OF LOW-POTENTIAL HEAT CARRIERS Russian patent published in 1998 - IPC

FIELD: power engineering. SUBSTANCE: method includes direct power engineering cycle in which liquid working medium is compressed, heated and evaporated. Vapors formed are expanded in turbine with production of electric power and condensed. Method also includes reverse power engineering cycle in which cooling agent is compressed in compressor, cooled with heat transfer to working medium and expanded in expander. Working medium is condensed at temperature below environmental one. Prior to compression in compressor, cooling agent temperature is reduced below environmental one. Cooling agent is cooled in expander to temperature below working medium condensation temperature and is supplied to condenser for removal of heat. Heating and evaporation of working medium upstream of turbine are performed with use of low-potential heat carrier. Device intended for realization of given method includes vapor power circuit with series-connected pump, heater, turbogenerator and condenser. It also has thermal pump with expander and compressor connected to heater. Vapor power circuit positioned downstream of heater is provided with heat exchanger for cooling the cooling agent. Heat exchanger is connected to thermal pump circuit upstream of compressor. Expander is connected to condenser, and vapor power cycle circuit positioned upstream of turbine has auxiliary heater connected to external source of thermal power. EFFECT: higher efficiency of conversion of low-potential thermal source power to electric power, reduced fuel consumption. 18 cl, 2 dwg