Heat engine using liquid vapor phase change material

Abstract

The invention provides a technical scheme of a method and a system for converting heat into work. The technical solution utilizes a nozzle in which a pressurized heat transfer liquid (HTL) and a liquid vapor phase change (LVPhC) working fluid at substantially the same pressure are mixed to form a LVPhC-HTL mixture that is sequentially subjected to evaporation and isothermal or quasi-isothermal expansion while flowing in the nozzle, resulting in acceleration of the mixture. The accelerated mixture is ejected, thereby rotating the turbine and generating work from the generated kinetic energy. The LVPhC is separated from the mixture and condenses after it is ejected from the nozzle, with its pressure rising back to the operating pressure in the nozzle. According to the technical scheme, the thermodynamic advantage of each phase of the LVPhC is utilized.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure is in the field of systems and methods for thermal power generation. Background Art

[0002] The following is a list of references that are believed to be relevant to the background of the presently disclosed subject matter:

[0003] -WO 2022 / 049573

[0004] -WO 2022 / 234554

[0005] -US 9644615

[0006] Acknowledgment herein of the above references should not be inferred as meaning that these are in any way relevant to the patentability of the presently disclosed subject matter. Summary of the invention

[0007] The present disclosure provides a technical solution for a system and method for converting heat into work. The technical solution utilizes a nozzle in which a pressurized heat transfer liquid (HTL) and a liquid vapor phase change (LVPhC) working fluid at approximately the same pressure are mixed to form an LVPhC-HTL mixture, which undergoes evaporation and isothermal or quasi-isothermal expansion in sequence as it flows in the nozzle, causing the mixture to accelerate. The accelerated mixture is ejected from the nozzle, thereby rotating the turbine and generating work from the kinetic energy generated. The LVPhC is separated from the mixture and condensed after it is ejected from the nozzle, and its pressure is raised back to the operating pressure in the nozzle. The present technical solution utilizes the thermodynamic advantages of each phase of the LVPhC.

[0008] Thus, a first method aspect of the present disclosure provides a method for converting heat into work. The method comprises: (i) evaporating or bringing a liquid vapor phase change material (LVPhC) from a liquid phase to a vapor phase or a supercritical phase at a temperature of about T1 and a pressure of about P1, and mixing it with a heat transfer liquid (HTL) at a temperature of about T1 and a pressure of about P1 in a nozzle. It should be understood that (i) includes one of the following: (1) evaporating the LVPhC at a temperature of about T1 and a pressure of about P1, or (2) bringing the LVPhC back to a supercritical phase at a temperature of about T1 and a pressure of about P1. The choice of (1) or (2) depends on the characterization of the LVPhC at the desired working values ​​T1 and P1 of the LVPhC. The LVPhC is in a liquid phase at a temperature below about T0 and a pressure of about P1, wherein T0 is lower than T1, so that mixing the HTL and LVPhC under Tl and P1 conditions results in evaporation and quasi-isothermal expansion, which results in acceleration of the HTL / LVPhC mixture when the pressure drops to P0. Steam expansion essentially reduces the temperature of the steam, but the temperature reduction is minimal due to the high heat capacity of the HTL and the high heat transfer rate in the mixture. Quasi-isothermal expansion means that the temperature of the steam along the nozzle remains at least 95%, 75% or 65% of the initial temperature when measured in Kelvin; (ii) injecting the accelerated HTL / LVPhC mixture through the nozzle, converting its kinetic energy into work, and collecting the LVPhC and HTL at a pressure of P0. This can be achieved in an impulse turbine or preferably in a reaction turbine. The method also includes, after the collection: (iii) heating at least a portion of the HTL to a temperature of about T1 and increasing its pressure to a pressure P1 to allow additional cycles of the mixing. Because the heat loss of the HTL is relatively low due to the expansion, only a portion of the HTL needs to be reheated, and most of the HTL enters another cycle. In theory, the HTL can undergo multiple cycles until it needs to be reheated. The order of heating and pressure increase can be changed, that is, heating can precede pressure increase, or pressure increase can precede heating.

[0009] A second method aspect of the present disclosure provides a method for converting heat into work. The method comprises: (i) evaporating or bringing a liquid vapor phase change material (LVPhC) from a liquid phase to a vapor phase or a supercritical phase at a temperature of about T1 and a pressure of about P1, and mixing it with a heat transfer liquid (HTL) at a temperature of about T1 and a pressure of about P1 in a nozzle. It should be understood that (i) includes one of the following two: (1) evaporating the LVPhC at a temperature of about T1 and a pressure of about P1, or (2) bringing the LVPhC back to a supercritical phase at a temperature of about T1 and a pressure of about P1. The choice of (1) or (2) depends on the characterization of the LVPhC at the desired working values ​​T1 and P1 of the LVPhC. The LVPhC is in a liquid phase at a temperature below about T0 and a pressure of about P1, wherein T0 is lower than T1, so that the mixture causes evaporation and quasi-isothermal expansion, thereby causing acceleration of the HTL / LVPhC mixture. Quasi-isothermal expansion means that the temperature of the steam along the nozzle remains at least 95%, 75% or 65% of the initial temperature when measured in Kelvin; (ii) injecting the accelerated HTL / LVPhC mixture through the nozzle, converting its kinetic energy into work, and collecting the LVPhC and HTL at a pressure of P0. This can be achieved in an impulse turbine or preferably in a reaction turbine. The method also includes, after said collection: (iii) increasing the pressure of the HTL to a pressure Pl to allow additional cycles of said mixing. The order of heating and pressure increase can be changed, i.e., heating can precede pressure increase, or pressure increase can precede heating.

[0010] In theory, the HTL can go through multiple cycles until it needs to be reheated or replaced. The second method aspect differs from the first method aspect in that the second method allows the HTL to be operated in an open loop configuration. For example, the HTL can be seawater and the HTL can be replaced after several cycles just before the HTL reaches a temperature that can no longer operate in the cycle (e.g., the freezing temperature of the HTL or the phase change temperature at P1 of the LVPhC working fluid). This configuration may be relevant to the implementation of the method when the LVPhC is liquefied natural gas - LNG, liquefied hydrogen, or an evaporation process of any liquefied LVPhC material.

[0011] It should be noted that any combination of the embodiments described for any aspect of the present disclosure is applicable. In other words, any aspect of the present disclosure can be defined by any combination of the embodiments. In particular, it should be noted that any of the following method embodiments can be applied to any of the above method aspects and any combination thereof.

[0012] In some embodiments of the method, collecting the LVPhC vapor includes separating a LVPhC / HTL mixture.

[0013] In some embodiments, the evaporator is part of a nozzle inside a reaction turbine and the LVPhC is injected as droplets into a mixing chamber.

[0014] In some embodiments, an additional pump is connected between the HTL discharge line and the turbine. Such a pump can change the total pressure without changing the frequency (RPM) of the turbine. This is important for generating electricity at a fixed frequency when the HTL temperature and evaporation pressure vary. For example, if the HTL temperature drops below the nominal value, the pump reduces the input pressure to the turbine and the pressure in the nozzle also decreases. This allows evaporation and work generation to be performed at temperatures below the nominal temperature. Optionally, the mass flow rate of the LVPhC is increased to maintain a fixed void fraction (volume ratio of HTL to steam) at an HTL temperature lower than the nominal temperature. This allows the nozzle to maintain maximum efficiency under such off-design conditions. In this case, when the temperature T of the nominal HTL is nominal , changes to another value T, from the nominal mass flow rate The changes are optionally corresponding to:

[0015] Temperature is given in Kelvin. In other words: when the temperature is reduced from the nominal value, the mass flow rate should be increased by the same proportion to maintain the nominal void fraction.

[0016] In some embodiments, the system has no pump between the HTL discharge line and the turbine. In this case, once the temperature drops below nominal, evaporation stops and the pressure in the nozzle also decreases. Evaporation reoccurs at lower pressure and the void fraction changes, reducing efficiency when operating off-design.

[0017] In some embodiments of the method, the liquefied LVPhC is liquefied natural gas (LNG). Liquefied natural gas is a mixture that may include methane, ethane, propane, and butane.

[0018] In some embodiments of the method, the mixing and the evaporation are performed simultaneously, that is, LNG is mixed with HTL in liquid phase, the HTL heats the liquefied LVPhC to vaporize it, and then quasi-isothermally expands the vaporized LVPhC.

[0019] In some embodiments of the method, the collection includes directing the ejected natural gas to a natural gas pipeline to deliver the natural gas to a natural gas consumer. That is, the pressure P0 of the natural gas after ejecting from the nozzle is equal to or higher than the pressure required to deliver the gas in the natural gas pipeline to the consumer. In some embodiments, when the pressure P0 is lower than the pressure required to deliver the gas in the natural gas pipeline to the consumer, the method further includes recompressing the natural gas to the pressure required to deliver the gas in the natural gas pipeline to the consumer.

[0020] In some embodiments of the method, the method further comprises, after said collecting: cooling and increasing the pressure of the LVPhC to obtain liquefied LVPhC at a pressure of about P1 and a temperature of about T0 to allow an additional cycle of said mixing, ie to undergo the evaporation step again.

[0021] In some embodiments of the method, after the cooling and pressure increase, the method further comprises heating the LVPhC from a temperature of about T0 to a temperature between T0 and T1, including T1, by a LVPhC heat source. That is, the LVPhC heat source can heat the LVPhC to a temperature of T1. The LVPhC heat source can be, for example, seawater or any external heat source.

[0022] In some embodiments of the method, the cooling comprises passing vaporized LVPhC through a heat exchanger at a temperature of about T1 and a pressure P0, optionally exchanging heat with liquefied LVPhC entering the heat exchanger at a temperature of about T0. This results in the temperature of the liquefied LVPhC increasing to about T1.

[0023] In some embodiments of the method, the passing comprises maintaining a majority of the liquefied LVPhC in a liquid phase due at least in part to latent heat.

[0024] In some embodiments of the method, the cooling and pressure increasing comprises condensing the vaporized LVPhC, or at least a substantial portion thereof, prior to increasing its pressure.

[0025] In some embodiments, the method further comprises, after the collecting: condensing the liquid and then passing it through a heat exchanger to exchange heat with the collected vaporized LVPhC to obtain hot liquefied LVPhC, wherein the method further comprises increasing the pressure of the heated LVPhC to about P1.

[0026] In some embodiments of the method, the evaporation includes directing a portion of the collected HTL to heat exchange with the liquefied LVPhC at a temperature below T1 but above T0. This is performed independently of the mixing. That is, although the HTL is operated in a closed loop, the portion of the HTL used to evaporate the liquefied LVPhC is different from the portion of the HTL used to expand in the nozzle.

[0027] In some embodiments of the method, the directing is performed before the heating. That is, the HTL directed to be heated is first heat exchanged with the liquefied LVPhC before receiving heat. This is performed by designing the method so that the final temperature of the HTL after heat exchange with the liquefied LVPhC is at a temperature above the boiling point of the liquefied LVPhC at P1.

[0028] In some embodiments of the method, said increasing the pressure of the HTL is performed before said directing, and said heating is performed after said directing.

[0029] In some embodiments of the method, the mixing and the evaporation are performed simultaneously, that is, the LVPhC is mixed with the HTL in liquid phase, the HTL heats the liquefied LVPhC to vaporize it, and then quasi-isothermally expands the vaporized LVPhC.

[0030] In some embodiments of the method, the HTL is selected from the list consisting of molten salt, thermal oil, water, brine, ethylene glycol, water.

[0031] In some embodiments of the methods, the HTL is ethylene glycol.

[0032] In some embodiments of the method, the LVPhC material is selected from the list consisting of water, pentane, isobutane, propane, R134a, R245fa, fluorocarbons, and toluene, or any steam used in Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) technology.

[0033] In some embodiments of the methods, the LVPhC is pentane.

[0034] In some embodiments of the method, the injecting causes rotation of the nozzle, and the rotation of the nozzle causes work to be produced from the kinetic energy.

[0035] In some embodiments of the method, the nozzle is part of, mounted on, or attached to a turbine, wherein the turbine is a reaction turbine.

[0036] In some embodiments of the method, the nozzle supports supersonic flow.

[0037] In some embodiments of the method, the jet ejected from the nozzle is directed under centrifugal force to form a thin film flow.

[0038] In some embodiments of the method, the evaporation or bringing back includes bringing the LVPhC back to a supercritical phase. That is, at P1 and T1, the LVPhC is in a supercritical phase, and after expansion in the nozzle, is in a gas phase at P0 and a temperature of about T1.

[0039] Yet another aspect of the present disclosure provides a system for converting heat into work. The system includes an evaporator for receiving a liquefied vapor phase change material (LVPhC), i.e., LVPhC in a liquid phase, and evaporating or bringing it back to a vapor phase or a supercritical phase at a pressure of about P1 and a temperature of about T1. It should be understood that the evaporator is configured to perform one of the following two: (1) evaporating the LVPhC to a temperature of about T1 and a pressure of about P1, or (2) bringing the LVPhC back to a supercritical phase at a temperature of about T1 and a pressure of about P1. The selection of (1) or (2) generally depends on the characterization of the LVPhC at the desired working values ​​T1 and P1 of the LVPhC. The system also includes a heating volume for heating a heat transfer liquid (HTL) to a temperature of about T1. The HTL pump of the system is configured to increase the pressure of the HTL to a pressure of about P1. The system also includes a nozzle in fluid communication with the HTL pump and the evaporator, and the nozzle has an inlet portion for receiving the HTL and for (i) allowing the HTL to be mixed with the LVPhC in vapor phase at about the temperature T1 and about the pressure PI, and (ii) allowing the mixture to undergo isothermal expansion to a pressure of about P0 below the pressure PI, thereby causing the mixture to accelerate at the nozzle toward the outlet of the nozzle, and the system also includes a turbine configured to rotate due to the acceleration of the mixture, thereby converting the kinetic energy of the mixture into work. The turbine can be an impulse turbine, or preferably a reaction turbine. The system also includes a separation unit for separating the injected HTL and the vaporized LVPhC. The separation unit includes a collection unit for collecting the ejected HTL and allowing it to be directed to a heating volume, an HTL pump, an evaporator or any combination thereof, i.e., directing it to two or more components. For example, a portion of the HTL can be directed to the evaporator and a portion of the HTL can be directed to the HTL pump.

[0040] In some embodiments of the system, the liquefied LVPhC is liquefied natural gas (LNG). LNG is a mixture including, for example, at least one of methane, ethane, propane, and butane. Alternatively, the LVPhC is hydrogen, water, CO2, or any LVPhC material.

[0041] In some embodiments of the system, the mixing section constitutes the evaporator. That is, LNG is mixed with HTL in liquid phase, the HTL heats the liquefied LVPhC to evaporate it, and then the vaporized LVPhC expands quasi-isothermally in the nozzle.

[0042] In some embodiments of the system, the separated vaporized natural gas is directed to a natural gas pipeline to deliver the natural gas to natural gas consumers. That is, the pressure P0 of the natural gas after being ejected from the nozzle is the pressure required to deliver the gas in the natural gas pipeline to the user or a pressure higher than the required pressure.

[0043] In some embodiments, wherein the LVPhC is LNG, the system further comprises a heat exchanger in the form of a recuperator, the heat exchanger being fluidly connected to: (1) a separation unit for receiving the injected vaporized LNG into a heat removal portion of the heat exchanger; (2) a source of LNG at a pressure of about P1 for receiving LNG at about P1 into a heat receiving portion of the heat exchanger; (3) the nozzle for delivering LNG from the heat receiving portion to the nozzle, and (4) a natural gas pipeline for delivering LNG from the heat removal portion to the natural gas pipeline.

[0044] In some embodiments, the system further comprises a condenser for receiving the separated vaporized LVPhC and condensing it into a liquid state; and a LVPhC pump, located downstream of the condenser, for increasing the pressure of the condensed LVPhC (received from the condenser).

[0045] In some embodiments, the system further comprises a heat exchanger in the form of a regenerator in fluid communication with: (1) a separation unit for receiving the ejected vaporized LVPhC at a temperature of about T1 and a pressure of about P0 to a heat removal portion of the heat exchanger, (2) a condenser for conveying thereto the vaporized LVPhC discharged or exiting from the heat removal portion, the vaporized LVPhC discharged from the heat removal portion being substantially maintained in a vapor phase, (3) an LVPhC pump for receiving the liquefied LVPhC discharged from the LVPhC pump to a heat receiving portion of the heat exchanger, the liquefied LVPhC discharged from the LVPhC pump being at a pressure of about P1 and possibly at a temperature below T0, and (4) an evaporator for conveying the liquefied LVPhC discharged from the heat receiving portion, the liquefied LVPhC discharged from the heat receiving portion being at a temperature of about T0 and a pressure of about P1. The LVPhC is in a liquid phase at a temperature below about T0 and a pressure of about P1, wherein T0 is below T1.

[0046] In some embodiments, the system further comprises a heat exchanger in fluid communication with: (1) a separation unit for receiving the ejected vaporized LVPhC into a heat removal portion of the heat exchanger, (2) a condenser for transferring the vaporized LVPhC discharged from the heat removal portion thereto and for receiving the liquefied LVPhC from the condenser into a heat receiving portion of the heat exchanger, (3) an LVPhC pump for transferring the liquefied LVPhC discharged from the heat receiving portion into the LVPhC pump; wherein the evaporator is configured to receive the liquefied LVPhC from the LVPhC pump. This defines that the condensed LVPhC can be first heated in the heat exchanger and then pressurized to about P1.

[0047] In some embodiments of the system, the liquefied LVPhC received into the heated portion is discharged from the heated portion such that it remains at least mostly in the liquid phase. This occurs at least in part due to latent heat.

[0048] In some embodiments of the system, the condenser includes the LVPhC pump or a portion thereof constitutes the LVPhC pump.

[0049] In some embodiments, the system further includes a LVPhC heat source downstream of the condenser to heat the LVPhC to a temperature less than or approximately equal to the evaporation temperature of the LVPhC at a pressure of about P1, ie, to a temperature between T0 and T1, including T1.

[0050] In some embodiments of the system, the evaporator includes a HTL pump or a portion thereof constitutes a HTL pump.

[0051] In some embodiments of the system, the evaporator is in fluid communication with the collection unit for receiving at least a portion of the collected ejected HTL to exchange heat with the liquefied LVPhC received in the evaporator, thereby evaporating the liquefied LVPhC.

[0052] In some embodiments of the system, an evaporator is in fluid communication with the heating volume for delivering the HTL after heat exchange with the liquefied LVPhC in the evaporator.

[0053] In some embodiments of the system, the HTL pump is located downstream of the nozzle and upstream of the evaporator.

[0054] In some embodiments of the system, a portion of the HTL is delivered from the HTL pump to the evaporator, and a portion of the HTL is delivered from the HTL to the nozzle.

[0055] In some embodiments of the system, at least a portion of the mixing section constitutes the evaporator.

[0056] In some embodiments of the system, the HTL is selected from the list consisting of molten salt, thermal oil, water, brine, and ethylene glycol.

[0057] In some embodiments of the system, the HTL is ethylene glycol.

[0058] In some embodiments of the system, the LVPhC material is selected from the list consisting of water, pentane, isobutane, propane, R134a, R245fa, fluorocarbons, and toluene, or any steam composition used in Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) technology.

[0059] In some embodiments of the system, the LVPhC is pentane.

[0060] In some embodiments of the system, the turbine is a reaction turbine, and the nozzle is coupled to, mounted on, or part of the reaction turbine.

[0061] In some embodiments of the system, the collection unit defines a discharge conduit for accumulating the separated HTL, and the HTL is sucked from the discharge conduit into the nozzle under the operation of the reaction turbine constituting the HTL pump. Thus, the suction causes the HTL to enter the nozzle at a pressure of about P1.

[0062] In some embodiments of the system, the separation unit includes a curved or circular frame, the mixture is sprayed onto the curved or circular frame, and the engagement of the mixture with the curved or circular frame causes a thin film flow on the surface of the curved or circular frame.

[0063] In some embodiments of the system, the evaporator is configured to receive the liquefied vapor phase change material (LVPhC) and bring it back to the supercritical phase at a pressure of about P1 and a temperature of about T1. That is, the LVPhC is a supercritical fluid at a pressure of about P1 and a temperature of about T1.

[0064] In some embodiments of the system, the condenser and the LVPhC pump are constituted by a nozzle, the nozzle comprising: a nozzle inlet for receiving a nozzle heat transfer liquid (HTL) flow into the nozzle (the nozzle HTL is different from the HTL of the system), an outlet, a suction compressible fluid inlet and an arrangement of fluid manipulation parts, the fluid manipulation parts are arranged in a series manner to be fluidically connected and define a flow path of the fluid. The arrangement comprises: a second fluid manipulation part, which has an expansion structure in the direction of the flow path, for receiving the nozzle HTL at a pressure lower than the pressure of the suction fluid, wherein the suction fluid is the LVPhC at a pressure of about P0, wherein the suction fluid inlet is configured to allow the suction fluid to communicate between the environment or the suction fluid source and the second fluid manipulation part to allow the suction fluid to be introduced therein to mix with the nozzle HTL to obtain a fluid mixture, the expansion structure of the second fluid manipulation part being designed to bring the two-phase mixture back to supersonic speed at least at its distal end; a third fluid manipulation part, which has a variable structure in the direction of the flow path. a narrow structure for decelerating the flow of the fluid mixture received from the second fluid manipulation portion to sonic or subsonic speeds and for increasing the pressure of the two-phase mixture flowing along the third fluid manipulation portion; a fourth fluid manipulation portion, which has an expansion structure in the direction of the flow path and is configured to increase the pressure of the subsonic flow of the fluid mixture received from the third fluid manipulation portion to a pressure higher than the ambient pressure; wherein the outlet is downstream of the fourth fluid manipulation portion or is constituted by its distal end and is used to discharge the fluid mixture received from the fourth fluid manipulation portion, wherein the fluid mixture discharged from the outlet includes pressurized suction fluid.

[0065] In some embodiments of the system, the nozzle also includes a first fluid manipulation portion, which is downstream of the nozzle inlet and upstream of the second fluid manipulation portion, or the proximal end of the first fluid manipulation portion constitutes the nozzle inlet and has a narrowing structure in the direction of the flow path, for reducing the pressure of the nozzle HTL flowing therein to below the ambient pressure, or below the pressure of the suction fluid in the suction fluid source, and for accelerating the flow of the nozzle HTL flow.

[0066] In some embodiments of the system, the nozzle HTL includes at least one of water, molten salt, thermal oil, ethylene glycol, molten metal, bicarbonate liquid, antifreeze liquid, liquefied gas, or any combination thereof.

[0067] In some embodiments of the system, the inhaled fluid is a gas or a vapor.

[0068] In some embodiments of the system, the fluid mixture is a two-phase mixture, and wherein the pressurized intake fluid discharged from the outlet of the nozzle comprises a compressed gas.

[0069] In some embodiments of the system, the fluid mixture discharged from the outlet is a liquid mixture, and wherein the pressurized intake fluid discharged from the outlet of the nozzle includes a pressurized liquid.

[0070] In some embodiments of the system, the at least one fluid manipulation portion has a frustoconical longitudinal cross-sectional geometry.

[0071] In some embodiments of the system, the nozzle further comprises at least one conduit extending from an exterior of the nozzle into the second fluid manipulation portion and configured to direct the intake fluid into the mixing unit to allow the intake fluid to mix with the nozzle HTL flowing along it and to reduce the speed of sound in the mixture to below the speed of the mixture, having a supersonic flow.

[0072] In some embodiments of the system, the at least one conduit is connectable to an external source of suction fluid.

[0073] In some embodiments of the system, the third fluid manipulation portion is configured to decelerate the fluid mixture flowing therealong such that it reaches a sonic or subsonic velocity at a distal end of the third portion.

[0074] In some embodiments of the system, the discharged fluid mixture includes a fluid having a discharge pressure value that is at most 1 bar lower than an initial pressure value of the nozzle HTL flowing into the first fluid manipulation portion.

[0075] In some embodiments of the system, the initial pressure value is up to 30% greater than the discharge pressure value.

[0076] In some embodiments of the system, the intake fluid flowing into the first fluid manipulation portion has a subsonic velocity.

[0077] In some embodiments of the system, the nozzle inlet is configured to be in fluid communication with a nozzle HTL source for receiving the nozzle HTL at a pressure greater than ambient pressure.

[0078] In some embodiments of the system, the nozzle HTL and the LVPhC are the same liquid or the same material.

[0079] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0080] In order to better understand the subject matter disclosed herein and to illustrate how it may be implemented in practice, embodiments will now be described, by way of non-limiting examples only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0081] Figure 1 is an example of a TS diagram for a quasi-isothermal two-phase cycle.

[0082] Figure 2A-2B are block diagrams of various non-limiting examples of implementations of a system according to one aspect of the present disclosure.

[0083] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of an example LVPhC injection nozzle.

[0084] Figure 4 is an example of a PV diagram for a thermodynamic cycle.

[0085] Figure 5 is an example of a controlled volume calculation for a thermodynamic cycle when two phases of pentane and ethylene glycol are used as HTL.

[0086] Figure 6 An example of a thermodynamic cycle employing supercritical conditions is shown.

[0087] Figure 7 An example of the thermodynamic cycle of the present disclosure when waste heat recovery from steam is employed is shown.

[0088] Figure 8 is a schematic diagram of a condenser and compressor used in the system of the present disclosure.

[0089] Fig. 9 is a schematic diagram of a cross-section of a nozzle for condensing and compressing a fluid that may optionally be used in the systems or methods of the present disclosure.

[0090] Fig.10 is a schematic diagram of an evaporator that may optionally be used in the system of the present disclosure.

[0091] Fig.11 is a block diagram of a non-limiting example of an embodiment of a system for converting vaporization energy of LNG into work.

[0092] Fig.12 is a schematic diagram of a non-limiting example of an embodiment of a system according to one aspect of the present disclosure.

[0093] Fig.13 is a schematic diagram of a non-limiting example of an embodiment of a system according to one aspect of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0094] The following figures are provided to illustrate embodiments and implementations of the disclosed invention.

[0095] The purpose of the present disclosure is to increase the energy density per unit volume by three orders of magnitude compared to any other waste heat recovery (WHR) phase change cycle, thereby reducing the size of the heat engine and causing isothermal expansion of the working fluid, thereby improving efficiency. An optional additional advantage is to replace expensive large condensers with innovative small compressors / condensers. Optionally, the innovative compressor / condenser can also compress the liquefied vapor.

[0096] The core component of the method and system is a nozzle that mixes compressed gas or steam with a heat transfer liquid (HTL). The HTL holds the liquid in the nozzle. Optionally, the phase change material evaporates from the liquid phase by mixing with the HTL in the nozzle. Optionally, the evaporation occurs before reaching the nozzle. The steam mixed with the HTL forms bubbles that expand in the nozzle while maintaining almost the same temperature as the HTL, due to the large heat capacity of the HTL and the excellent heat transfer rate between the steam bubbles and the HTL. The thermal energy density is defined by the HTL and is several orders of magnitude higher than the heat capacity of the unit volume of steam. The bubble expansion accelerates the mixture in the nozzle, generating thrust at the nozzle exit. Both the HTL and the steam are cooled as they expand. This temperature reduction is less than a few degrees and supports the quasi-isothermal expansion of the mixture. Optionally, the velocity of the mixture in the nozzle becomes supersonic. In the nozzle, the initial pressure and part of the thermal energy of the HTL are converted into kinetic energy under quasi-isothermal conditions. The kinetic energy generates thrust that rotates the turbine, producing electricity, mechanical work, or another form of work. In some embodiments, the turbine is a reaction turbine and the accelerated mixture of HTL and phase change material is ejected from a nozzle, causing the nozzle to rotate to allow the kinetic energy to be converted into work. A reaction turbine has an advantage over an impulse turbine because the velocity of the jet in the inertial frame is not zero. This non-zero velocity is used to separate the gas / vapor phase from the liquid phase by causing the mixture to flow over the walls of the turbine to create a thin film flow. Optionally, the wall has a rounded shape that creates centrifugal forces on the film for separating the gas from the liquid. The reaction turbine acts as an additional device to increase the static pressure to a level close to the stagnation pressure in the nozzle, thereby achieving maximum work extraction and maximum efficiency. Figure 1 A TS (temperature versus entropy) diagram of a quasi-isothermal two-phase process is shown. Optionally, the LVPhC is superheated.

[0097] Figure 2A-2B is a schematic block diagram illustrating a non-limiting example of a system according to one aspect of the present disclosure, the system providing Figure 1 An optional implementation of a thermodynamic cycle.

[0098] First reference Figure 2A, which shows a system 200 for converting heat into work. The system 200 includes a heat source 202 or heating volume configured to heat HTL to a temperature T1. In this non-limiting example, the HTL is heated to a temperature T1 while it is at a low pressure P0. The hot low-pressure HTL is introduced into a turbine 204 by centrifugal force or by a dedicated pump that may be external to the turbine to raise the pressure to P1. In the turbine 204, the HTL enters the nozzle ( Figure 2A-2B , but it is part of the turbine). At the outlet of the nozzle, the temperature and pressure are P0 and T0, where P0 is lower than P1 and T0 is lower than T1. We note that for quasi-isothermal expansion, T0 is optionally close to T1 after one cycle, but after many cycles, the HTL temperature can be 5%, 10%, 20% or any other value lower than T1 when measured in Kelvin. In addition, it should be noted that P0 can be ambient pressure or any other selected working low pressure. For example, in the case where the system is integrated with a liquefied natural gas (LNG) transmission pipeline, the low pressure P0 is the pressure of the natural gas in the vapor phase transported in the pump, so P0 is higher than the ambient pressure. In some other embodiments, P0 can also be lower than ambient pressure, for example 0.7 bar.

[0099] Liquid-Vapor-Phase-Changing (LVPhC) material is the working fluid in the system. HTL_ cold in the vapor phase, temperature T HTL_ cold is optionally close to the operating temperature T1 and pressure P1, and at T cold and P1 is liquid, where T HTL_cold is the temperature of the HTL after exchanging heat with the LVPhC in the evaporator to evaporate the LVPhC, and T cold is the temperature of the LVPhC after it is ejected from the nozzle and after it has transferred its heat in the countercurrent heat exchanger, both of which are further described below. In some embodiments, T cold is ambient temperature or close to ambient temperature. It should be noted that the LVPhC can enter the nozzle as a vapor at pressure P1, or enter the nozzle as a liquid and evaporate in the nozzle, wherein in the latter embodiment the evaporator is constituted by a part of the nozzle. It should be noted that the term LVPhC is interchangeable with the term LGPhC presented in the figures.

[0100] The HTL and LVPhC are mixed in a mixing chamber or mixing volume in the nozzle to form a two-phase mixture in the nozzle. When the LVPhC is injected into the HTL as a liquid, the LVPhC evaporates and forms a two-phase mixture. This two-phase mixture is at temperature Tl and pressure Pl when mixing. The nozzle is then designed to reduce the static pressure flowing therein, causing the LVPhC vapor in the nozzle to expand, which in turn causes the LVPhC / HTL mixture to accelerate, generating thrust at the outlet of the nozzle. This thrust rotates the nozzle as part of a reaction turbine, thereby generating work. Due to the supply of heat to the LVPhC accompanied by expansion, and optionally accompanied by evaporation, the LVPhC / HTL mixture cools along the flow in the nozzle to a temperature T0. In fact, this expansion is quasi-isothermal, which means that the temperature of the steam is the same as the flow rate in the nozzle within 95%, 75% or at least 65% when measured in Kelvin, since the heat capacity per unit volume of HTL is about 1000 times higher than that of the unit volume in gas or steam. In some embodiments, the fluid in the nozzle is supersonic, allowing a higher mass ratio LVPhC / HTL than subsonic flow. The LVPhC is separated from the HTL by gravity after being ejected from the nozzle, and the HTL is collected in the turbine. It should be noted that the HTL collected in the turbine 204 can participate in several cycles of the HTL flowing in the nozzle before the temperature of the HTL drops to T_HTL-cold, which requires the heat source 202 to reheat it. Therefore, a large portion of the HTL collected in the exhaust pipe of the turbine is pumped back to the nozzle at a pressure P1. In some embodiments, in which the LVPhC is evaporated before entering the nozzle, a portion or all of the HTL in the turbine flows from the turbine housing into the evaporator 206 to transfer heat to the LVPhC and evaporate it.

[0101] The LVPhC steam after the turbine flows into a countercurrent heat exchanger (recuperator) 208 and is cooled to T _cold . The LVPhC then flows into the condenser 210 and the boosting unit 212 to condense and increase its pressure to P1. The condenser 210 and the boosting unit 212 may be two separate units, or may be a single unit that performs condensation and pressure increase. It should be noted that the condenser 210 and the boosting unit 212 may be arranged along the flow path in any desired order, i.e., the condenser 210 may be upstream of the boosting unit 212, or the boosting unit 212 may be upstream of the condenser 210. The boosting unit 212 may be a compressor that compresses the LVPhC in the vapor phase, or may be a pump that increases the pressure of the LVPhC in the liquid phase.

[0102] The pressurized LVPhC-liquid at pressure P1 is returned to the countercurrent heat exchanger (recuperator) 208 for reheating. Optionally, due to the high latent heat, the LVPhC-liquid is partially evaporated in the heat exchanger. Next, the pressurized LVPhC-liquid reaches the evaporator 206 for evaporation of the LVPhC pressurized at high pressure P1. Due to the latent heat required for evaporation, the temperature in the evaporator 206 drops to T HTL_cold Next, the pressurized LVPhC-steam flows back into the nozzle of the turbine to produce work, while the HTL flows from the evaporator 206 to the heat source 202 to raise its temperature to T1.

[0103] Alternatively, the evaporator can be in the form of a rotating drum, in which the pressure is increased by centrifugal force as the HTL flows away from the axis of the rotating drum (as described below). At high pressure, the LVPhC-liquid is injected, mixed with the HTL, and evaporated. Subsequently, the HTL pressure is reduced by flowing near the axis of rotation.

[0104] Alternatively, the evaporator is a mixing section as part of the nozzle. In this case, the LVPhC liquid from the recuperator is directly injected into the nozzle. In order to maintain the HTL at Tl, a portion of the HTL flows from the turbine 204 into the heat source heat exchanger 202 and back to the turbine 204.

[0105] Optionally, a HTL pump (not shown) is connected between the discharge conduit of the HTL and the turbine for increasing the input pressure of the turbine and for decoupling the nozzle pressure from the turbine rotation frequency (revolutions per minute - RPM). In this case, when the HTL temperature drops below nominal, the pump reduces the input pressure while the turbine maintains a constant RPM. This reduces the nozzle pressure, allowing the LVPhC to evaporate at a lower temperature while generating electricity at a constant frequency. In addition, the mass flow rate of the LVPhC can be varied to compensate for temperature variations. When the nominal HTL temperature T nominal Changing to another value, T, when the temperature is in Kelvin, the LVPhC nominal mass flow rate The changes optionally correspond to:

[0106] In other words: when the temperature is reduced from the nominal value, the LVPhC mass flow rate should be increased in the same section to maintain the nominal void fraction.

[0107] Reference now Figure 2B , and Figure 2AThe difference is that it includes an HTL pump 214, which is configured to increase the pressure of the HTL from P0 to P1. The HTL pump 214 can be arranged at any position in the flow path between the collection discharge pipe of the turbine (in which the HTL is collected after being ejected from the nozzle) and the inlet of the nozzle. For example, Figure 2B As shown, the HTL pump 214 is arranged downstream of the turbine, i.e. immediately after the collecting discharge pipe, and the pressurized HTL leaving the HTL pump 214 is either directed to the evaporator 206, or directed back to the turbine 204, i.e. a portion is directed to undergo another cycle in the turbine, which is therefore designed for a small pressure buildup, and a portion is directed to transfer heat to the LVPhC in the evaporator 206, thereby evaporating it, and then directed to the heat source 202 to be reheated to T1. In this case, the evaporator 206 is simply a mixing tank, in which the HTL and LVPhC-liquid are mixed, both at P1 pressure. Alternatively, the HTL and LVPhC-liquid flow in the mixing tank as the mixture evaporates, while cooling the HTL. At the outlet of the mixing tank, the HTL temperature is reduced to T1. HTL_cold , which is higher than the evaporation temperature of the LVPhC at pressure P1. Optionally, an additional pump (not shown) is added after the heat source to compensate for the head losses of the evaporator and heat exchanger. This ensures that the two HTL streams meet at approximately the same pressure.

[0108] The term "about" should be interpreted as a deviation of ±20% of the nominal value. For example, if the value is about 10, it should be understood to be within the range of 8-12.

[0109] Optionally, at each pass in the nozzle, the HTL temperature changes very little, less than 1 degree, or less than a few degrees. In this case, most of the HTL returns to the nozzle through the bypass without passing through the evaporator and reheating. In this way, the HTL temperature decreases with each iteration. This defines the ratio between the flow rates of the bypass and the evaporator. The advantage is that the number of iterations N allows to maintain the LVPhC-vapor expansion at high temperature, resulting in high efficiency, while the HTL reaches the heat source at a minimum temperature, which is the liquid-vapor phase change temperature at P1, extracting maximum heat from the heat source, thereby improving efficiency.

[0110] Assume that for a single pass in the nozzle ΔT expansion , at a specific mass ratio. And assuming ΔT latent With the same mass ratio. Then after N cycles of the turbine, the outlet temperature is T0 = T1-N*ΔT expansion At the evaporator, the temperature change is T HTL_cold =T0-N*ΔT latent.This defines N, which results in the required minimum HTL temperature, and defines the average operating temperature in the nozzle, and thus the efficiency.

[0111] For example, ethylene glycol is the HTL and pentane is the LVPhC material. For a mass ratio of 0.01 and an operating pressure of 14.5 bar, the temperature change due to expansion is about 0.3 degrees Celsius, and the temperature change due to latent heat and mass ratio is about 1.4 degrees Celsius. It is also assumed that a high temperature T1 of 155C and T HTL_cold =100C low temperature. Then, The value of defines the number of cycles that the HTL goes through in the nozzle before flowing to the evaporator. This is also the ratio between the amount of HTL entering the evaporator and the amount of HTL recirculated in the turbine. The average expansion temperature is 155-N / 2*0.3=150C, which is almost the maximum temperature, and the discharge temperature of the evaporator is This is the minimum temperature required to evaporate pentane at P1.

[0112] Optionally, the LVPhC / HTL mass ratio is between 10% and 0.1% (a small fraction of LVPhC in HTL).

[0113] Alternatively, the LVPhC enters the nozzle as a liquid and evaporation occurs in the nozzle. This requires an insulated liquid-LVPhC pipeline to the mixing chamber, which is possible in the case of using natural gas as the LVPhC. Figure 3 An alternative nozzle is shown where the liquid-LVPhC flows in an insulating pipe and is injected into the mixing chamber as a liquid. It should be noted that although Figure 3 Injection of LNG is illustrated, but this may be accomplished by any suitable LVPhC.

[0114] Alternatively, the speed of sound in the mixture is reduced due to the bubbling medium and the velocity of the LVPhC / HTL mixture becomes supersonic. In such an option, a Delaval two-phase nozzle design is employed (see references on supersonic two-phase flow, see "Thrust Enhancement Through Bubble Injection into an Expanding-Contracting Nozzle With a Throat Sowmitra Singh", Tiffany Fourmeau, Jin-Keun Choi, Georges and L. Chahine, DOI: 10.1115 / 1.4026855).

[0115] Optionally, the steam-LVPhC is heated to Tl when it reaches the nozzle. Optionally, the heating is isochoric (constant volume). This is achieved when the HTL velocity is high enough to transport the LVPhC to a cross-sectional area where the pressure increases while the LVPhC is heated. Optionally, for subsonic flow, this occurs in a widened cross section. Optionally, the heating is performed at constant pressure (isobaric) or any combination between isochoric and isobaric. For isobaric heating, the mixing chamber optionally has a widened cross section to compensate for the additional volume. Optionally, the widened cross section of the mixing chamber is sized to accommodate the additional volume change of the additional volume of the LVPhC steam. After heating, the LVPhC steam expands isothermally or quasi-isothermally, accompanied by heat transfer from the HTL to the LVPhC steam. Optionally, the steam temperature when leaving the nozzle is similar to the HTL temperature. Optionally, the LVPhC temperature is 1%, 10% or 20% lower than the HTL temperature when measured in Kelvin.

[0116] The method is optionally described by engine cycle phases:

[0117] l->2: Liquefied LVPhC is pumped from the condenser and pressurized to a pressure P1 similar or close to the pressure in the mixing chamber in the nozzle.

[0118] 2->3 The liquefied LVPhC exchanges heat with the steam leaving the turbine, increasing its temperature without phase change (due to the high latent heat, the liquefied LVPhC remains liquid). Optionally, a portion of the LVPhC evaporates.

[0119] Optionally, the stages 1->2 and 2->3 are exchanged and the LVPhC liquid is first heated in the regenerator and its pressure is then increased to P1.

[0120] 3->4: The compressed liquid (optionally partly steam) LVPhC is injected into the evaporator where it is evaporated. Optionally, this stage is carried out in a nozzle.

[0121] 4->5: Compressed steam - LVPhC is mixed with HTL in a mixing chamber in the nozzle, where the HTL flows. The static pressure and temperature reduction along the flow in the nozzle causes a quasi-isothermal expansion, accelerating the LVPhC / HTL mixture and generating thrust at the outlet of the nozzle, rotating the turbine, generating electricity, mechanical work or another form of work. Optionally, in a portion of the nozzle, the velocity of the mixture is supersonic.

[0122] 5->6: High temperature steam - LVPhC The steam leaves the nozzle, is separated from the HTL and flows to the heat exchanger (regenerator), where it exchanges heat with the liquid - LVPhC coming out of the condenser without phase change (the steam remains steam). Optionally, part of the steam is condensed.

[0123] 6->l: The steam is cooled in the condenser until it condenses and is compressed into liquid.

[0124] Figure 4 A PV diagram of the thermodynamic cycle is shown.

[0125] The method is optionally implemented as using an organic LVPhC to convert low temperature into work, as in an organic Rankine cycle (ORC), but with isothermal expansion, which is more efficient than adiabatic expansion. Examples of LVPhC materials are antifreeze materials, such as the ORC conventional materials: pentane, isobutane, propane, R134a, R245fa, fluorocarbons and toluene.

[0126] Figure 5 The following listing describes an example of a controlled volume calculation for a thermodynamic cycle when using two phases of pentane and ethylene glycol as the HTL.

[0127] Consider 1 kg of pentane, where the numbers in the TS diagram are P0 = 1 bar, P1 = 14.5 bar, T1 = 155°C, T HTL_cold = Different thermodynamic states at 35C:

[0128] 6->l: Condensation: 342KJ / Kg.

[0129] l->2: LVPhC-liquid pumping isentropic compression to P1: 4KJ / Kg.

[0130] 2->3a: LVPhC-liquid and LVPhC-steam exchange heat, assuming 30 degree gap: 146KJ / Kg.

[0131] 3a->3: Additional heat from HTL to reach liquid-vapor equilibrium point at P1: 144KJ / Kg.

[0132] 3->4: LVPhC - liquid vaporizes and heats steam to 155C: 246KJ / Kg.

[0133] 4->5: LVPhC - steam expansion in nozzle - isothermal work: 133KJ / Kg.

[0134] 5->6: Cooling of steam in heat exchange: 146KJ / Kg.

[0135] This calculation shows that the cycle efficiency is

[0136] When assuming an ideal heat exchanger (0C temperature difference), the efficiency reaches Carnot efficiency, which is twice the efficiency of a conventional ORC under similar conditions.

[0137] Optionally, the condenser operates above the expansion final pressure P0. This requires the condenser to compress the steam before or with condensation. This allows a higher condensation temperature to be maintained, reducing the cooling (5-6 in the figure) and heating (3-4 in the figure) stages, which optionally eliminates the need for heat exchangers before and after the condenser. Therefore, the temperature of stages 6 and 1 is optional, rising (dotted lines and points lb and 6b in the figure) to above the ambient temperature. Optionally, the condensation is carried out at a temperature above 50°C, 75°C or 100°C. For example, pentane has a vapor pressure of 9 bar at 120°C. Optionally, the turbine is operated at 120°C and 9 bar, by injecting pentane at 9 bar into the nozzle, where the pressure drops to 1 bar. Next, the steam is cooled to 100°C, compressed and condensed at 100°C and 9 bar, where liquid pentane is re-injected into the nozzle. High temperature condensation reduces the size and cost of the condenser. High condensation pressure also allows operation when the ambient temperature rises. Optionally, the condensing pressure is increased as the ambient temperature rises, allowing for continuous operation under all ambient conditions. High temperature condensation eliminates the need for a heat exchanger between the turbine and the condenser, saving cost. However, the cycle efficiency is determined by the high temperature T1 and the low temperature T _cold Definition, which requires T _cold As low as possible.

[0138] Another option is to remove the heat exchanger regenerator between turbine and condenser. In this case, the hot steam is cooled when mixing with the HTL in the condenser (see below for details) and this heat is removed by a blower or other means, keeping the condenser temperature T_cold as low as possible. Heating the pressurized liquid-LVPhC after the condenser, optionally by a heat source, reduces its temperature to T_low. Eliminating the (gas / liquid) heat exchanger regenerator and replacing it with a liquid / liquid heat exchanger between the heat source and the liquid-LVPhC significantly reduces costs.

[0139] In another example, supercritical conditions are used for energy conversion. Figure 6 Such a thermodynamic cycle using pentane is shown. The black closed solid line cycle is the supercritical cycle. Pentane, a non-limiting example of LVPhC, is heated above the phase transition curve, for example to 280C at 50 bar pressure. At this supercritical temperature and pressure, pentane is in a mixed liquid-gas state. As it expands, the pressure decreases and the gas phase dominates ( Figure 6 The black upper horizontal solid line at 280C in the figure). Since the nozzle includes a bubbling medium, the mixing state does not affect the operation and does not cause damage that may occur in the gas turbine. The advantage is the amount of work extracted. As in the conventional cycle ( Figure 6 As can be seen from the horizontal dashed line at 140°C in the figure, most of the enthalpy is invested in the phase change without generating work with heating. The total work that can be extracted ( Figure 6H5-H4 in the figure is about 43 kJ / kg. On the other hand, in supercritical isothermal expansion, the available work ( Figure 6 The H5***-H3*** in the 2000 cycle is about 84 kJ / Kg, almost twice that of the conventional cycle. Working under supercritical conditions is limited by material durability or engineering limitations on operating pressure and temperature.

[0140] Another example is to recover waste heat from steam. Assume that the steam is at 135°C and 2.4 bar. The following cycle or a similar cycle can be considered. Steam is injected into a water reservoir at a pressure of 2.3 bar. The water is heated to slightly below the evaporation temperature (~130°C). A heat exchanger between the water and the ethylene glycol raises the temperature of the ethylene glycol to 120°C, where the ethylene glycol flows into the nozzle of the turbine cooperating at 9 bar. Pentane liquid at 9 bar is injected into the nozzle, evaporates, accelerates the HTL / pentane mixture, and generates thrust and electricity. In some embodiments, the nozzle is part of the reaction turbine and rotates due to the HTL / pentane mixture ejected from it. In some embodiments, the non-zero velocity jet emerging from the nozzle produces a film flow on the wall of the reaction turbine. This film flow optionally has a centrifugal force that separates the vapor phase from the liquid phase. The pentane vapor is cooled in the heat exchanger, condensed and pressurized as a liquid, returned to the heat exchanger, heated, and returned to the nozzle. Optionally, the condensation is performed at a higher temperature than the environment. Optionally, the heat exchanger is removed and the condenser is cooled to 50° C. Optionally, heating the liquid pressurized pentane from 50° C. to 135° C. is accomplished by reducing its temperature from 120° C. to 50° C. by waste heat at the heat source.

[0141] As in the Ranking cycle, the same proposed thermodynamic cycle can be implemented at higher temperatures, but the quasi-isothermal expansion in the nozzle supports double efficiency. For example, water is used as LVPhC and heat transfer oil or molten salt as HTL. In this case, the water evaporates when mixed with the molten salt. For this purpose, the molten salt needs to be selected so that it does not react chemically with the water vapor in a way that is detrimental to operation (producing toxicity, corrosion, erosion, etc.). Here are some examples with typical parameters T1=530C, P1=50 bar, P0=0.06 bar, T0=40C (see Figure 7 ).

[0142] The advantages of this method are at least as follows: (1) HTL has a heat density three orders of magnitude higher than any gas or vapor, so it allows for a reduction in device size; (2) It induces a quasi-isothermal expansion that is almost as efficient as the Carno-Ericsson cycle and the Stirling cycle, and much more efficient than conventional adiabatic expansion (such as ORC). This is achieved by mixing steam bubbles in the HTL.

[0143] Typically, in ORC, huge and expensive condensers are used and then pumps are used to increase the pressure of the organic liquid. To achieve this in a smaller and cheaper way, we describe the following condenser / compressor. Optionally, the organic vapor in the condenser / compressor and the HTL are at almost the same pressure. In this case, the vapor is bubbled into a heat transfer liquid (HTL) in a chamber at a temperature below the phase change, where the vapor is liquefied due to the large surface area of ​​the vapor bubbles and the high heat capacity of the HTL. Optionally, the HTL is heavier than the liquid-LVPhC and a counterflow is designed by injecting the vapor from the bottom and collecting the liquid-LVPhC at the top. The HTL inlet is at the top and the outlet is at the bottom.

[0144] Optionally, the HTL is water, other organic liquids such as ethylene glycol, organic materials that are the same as organic vapors in the liquid phase, or any other liquid that has a liquid phase at the operating temperature. Optionally, the HTL inlet temperature is between -200° C. and 140° C. The cryogenic HTL is optionally used to liquefy air, nitrogen, hydrogen, CO2 or any other gas.

[0145] Figure 8An optional method and system for condensing and compressing gas or vapor is described. The system is designed to increase the surface area between the condensing liquid and the condensing vapor, thereby reducing the size and cost of the compressor. The closed-loop flow of the HTL is driven by a pump at a pressure above the environment. The nozzle is designed to reduce the pressure below the incoming vapor pressure. This allows steam or other gases to be sucked into the HTL flow. The gas can enter from the peripheral envelope or through a designated pipeline. The steam and HTL are mixed, and the steam liquefies due to the temperature of the HTL and its high heat capacity compared to the unit volume of steam. The shape of the nozzle is designed to increase the pressure at the nozzle outlet to above the ambient pressure. Optionally, all steam is liquefied in the mixing section where it is mixed with the liquid, and the nozzle expands to restore the high pressure. In this case, the nozzle is a diffuser (pressure is reduced to below ambient pressure), followed by a mixing chamber, which optionally is a diffuser and allows steam to flow into the liquid, followed by a diffuser outlet to increase the pressure of the liquid. Optionally, the mixing section length is long enough to allow>10%,>30% or>90% of the steam to be liquefied. Optionally, a portion of the organic material is left in the vapor phase and compressed as a gas. Optionally, the steam / HTL mixture reduces the speed of sound below the flow rate of the mixture, resulting in a supersonic flow in the nozzle. In this case, a reverse De-Laval nozzle is designed. Optionally, the compression is isothermal or quasi-isothermal. Optionally, in the case where the HTL is a different liquid from the organic material, after the nozzle, the mixture is separated by gravity or by centrifugation or any other separation method. Collect the organic liquid (in the upper part when its density is lower than the HTL density), while the HTL reaches the pump and continues to circulate. The HTL is heated while condensing and compressing. The hot HTL is replaced by a cooled HTL for continuous operation of the compressor (not shown in the figure). Optionally, cooling the HTL without replacing the HTL is accomplished by transferring heat to the surrounding environment by means of the surface of the flow. Optionally, the pressure of the compressor at the suction is lower than the ambient pressure. For example, 0.7 bar. This allows the turbine to operate between the maximum compression pressure and the minimum inlet pressure, which is 0.7 bar in this example. Because of the large surface area that results in rapid condensation, additional pressure differentials are achieved by compressing the fluid, which is energy efficient. Figure 5In the figure, point 5C describes the additional power produced by the turbine due to the reduced end pressure, and the dashed line describes the condensation and compression to point 6. Under steady-state conditions, the HTL can evaporate at a pressure below the ambient pressure in the low-pressure region. In this case, the flow duration in the low-pressure region is much shorter than the heat exchange rate. Therefore, the HTL does not have enough time to absorb the heat of evaporation from the environment and remains as a liquid, which makes the HTL and LVPhC the same material. For example, liquid pentane is used as the HTL working fluid flowing in the condenser / compressor to condense pentane vapor. In the low-pressure region, conditions can support a vapor phase, but there is no phase change as long as the flow in the low-pressure region is faster than the speed of sound. And if the HTL temperature is below the evaporation point, there is no phase change as long as the flow in the low-pressure zone is faster than the heat transfer rate. Instead, the liquid inhales the pentane vapor arriving from the turbine, condenses and compresses the pentane vapor. The advantage is that the separation between the two liquids after condensation is eliminated.

[0146] The ability to operate at pressures below ambient pressure allows conversions to be performed at low temperatures. For example, at 100C, the phase change of pentane is about 7 bar, which produces a small amount of work at the turbine when expansion reduces the pressure to 1 bar ambient pressure. The ability to operate the turbine at pressures from 7 bar to 0.46 bar can produce work as efficiently as operating pressures between 15 bar and 1 bar, typically 155C. Optionally, the condenser / compressor inlet pressure for the steam is designed to be less than 1 bar, less than 0.5 bar, or even less than 0.1 bar. The ability to condense and compress steam at a rate faster than the heat transfer rate allows the process to be completed at higher temperatures. For example, rapid compression to 10 bar also allows condensation at temperatures of 90°C or higher. That is, at Figure 5 , condensation optionally ends at point 3 or between points 2 and 3. The increase in the temperature difference between the compressor and the environment increases the cooling rate and correspondingly reduces the size of the compressor. Optionally, the HTL in the compressor is maintained at a temperature of 30C, 50C, 70C or 90C above the ambient temperature. Optionally, the high-pressure condenser operates at the turbine outlet temperature T0, thereby eliminating the need for a (expensive) heat exchanger between the turbine and the condenser. Although the cycle efficiency is reduced by increasing T_cold, the cost per kilowatt $ / kW of the engine may be reduced. In order to improve efficiency, it is preferred to reduce the HTL temperature and cool the steam in the mixing chamber before increasing the pressure. Optionally, before increasing the pressure, the steam temperature reaches within 5%, 10% or 20% of the HTL temperature when measured in Kelvin.

[0147] Fig. 9 An example (not to scale) of a reverse De-Laval nozzle for supersonic continuous isothermal compression of gas or steam is shown. The nozzle may include the following parts in order:

[0148] 1. The converging inlet section used to reduce the pressure above ambient pressure consists only of HTL.

[0149] 2. A diffuse two-phase flow section in which the pressure is kept constant while steam is sucked from the surroundings into the HTL through holes or gaps in the nozzle envelope. The section marked "-" is where the suction begins and the section marked "+" is where the suction ends. Optionally, this section is long enough to allow the temperature of the steam to reach the HTL temperature as far as possible. The mixture reduces the speed of sound to below that of the mixture. At the end of the "diffusive two-phase flow section" (marked with "+"), the flow is supersonic.

[0150] 3. The converging two-phase section, where the pressure increases and the Mach number (ratio between flow velocity and speed of sound) decreases. At the end of this section, marked with a "*", Mach = 1. Optionally, Mach -1 is reached earlier in the converging two-phase section.

[0151] 4. Diffusion type two-phase outlet, where the pressure increases and the Mach number decreases.

[0152] An efficient method for evaporating LVPhC is to use HTL after leaving the turbine at a lower temperature T0, optionally after flowing in the nozzle for several cycles. In this way, the expansion is carried out at the high temperature HTL to obtain maximum efficiency. The remaining lower temperature thermal energy of the HTL is used to evaporate the liquid LVPhC at high pressure.

[0153] Alternatively, if the HTL and liquid LVPhC are at similar pressures, a chamber is used to mix the HTL and liquid LVPhC, vaporization occurs, and the vapor is collected at the top of the chamber. Alternatively, a direct contact countercurrent heat exchanger configuration is accomplished by injecting the HTL at outlets at the top and bottom of the chamber, while injecting liquid LVPhC at the bottom of the chamber.

[0154] In order to mix the low-pressure HTL (leaving the turbine) with the high-temperature liquid LVPhC, the following direct contact evaporator is optionally used, as described above. It consists of a rotating drum with a high-temperature HTL inlet channel and a low-temperature HTL outlet channel, both of which are close to the rotating axis to reduce the centrifugal pressure. The HTL flows at the boundaries of the drum, where the centrifugal pressure is close to the pressure of the liquid LVPhC. The liquid LVPhC is injected into the HTL in the high-pressure area and evaporated by cooling the HTL. The vapor reaches the center of the drum by centrifugal force and is discharged through the vapor-LVPhC outlet channel at high pressure. The cold HTL leaves the drum near the axis. This device operates continuously with very low mechanical work input. This is because the HTL enters and leaves at close to ambient pressure, as would occur close to the axis. Fig.10An example of such an evaporator is shown with a rotating drum, an inlet and outlet of the HTL close to the shaft at low pressure, and injection of liquid LVPhC into the HTL in a high centrifugal pressure area where it mixes with the HTL and evaporates while cooling the HTL. The vapor flows to the center of the drum and leaves at high pressure.

[0155] As also mentioned above, the solutions provided in the present disclosure may utilize the regasification process of LNG.

[0156] Existing technologies for collecting the energy extracted during the regasification process include direct expansion technologies, such as the open organic Rankine cycle (ORC), in which natural gas is used as the organic working fluid. In this concept, LNG is compressed (as a liquid) to the required supply pipeline pressure. After heating with seawater, the gasification increases the pressure, which is converted into work using an organic turbine. The gas expands adiabatically and the temperature drops as it expands, which requires a second heat exchanger (also using seawater) to achieve room temperature. Conventional pipeline pressures are in the range of 70 bar-150 bar. Conventional expansion isentropic (adiabatic) efficiency is 80%, and the two heat exchangers are the main loss of energy. Another approach is to use LNG as a cold source in an ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) ranking cycle. Due to the temperature difference between seawater and LNG, this ranking cycle can extract energy before gasification and can therefore be added to the direct expansion technology. The total overall efficiency is about 8%

[0157] The present disclosure provides a solution to accelerate HTL and generate electricity by utilizing the expansion and gasification of LNG. In this case, LNG, liquefied hydrogen, ammonia or other liquefied gas is mixed with HTL such as water in a mixing chamber at room temperature. LNG is heated at an isotropic rate, evaporates in the form of bubbles, and the pressure increases to the vapor pressure or close to the vapor pressure at the HTL temperature. Optionally, the LNG pressure before evaporation is increased to 300 bar, 140 bar, 70 bar or any other value, which increases power extraction and efficiency. Optionally, the liquefied gas is heated isobarically or between isochoric heating and isobaric heating. When the gas is isothermally expanded due to its thermal contact with the HTL, the pressure is converted into kinetic energy at the outlet of the nozzle. Natural gas or hydrogen, ammonia or any other regasified gas is separated from the HTL by gravity, collected and transferred to a gas pipeline for delivery to consumers. Optionally, the gas pipeline is at 140 bar, 70 bar or other values. In this case, the output pressure at the nozzle is optionally at this pressure.

[0158] The HTL is cooled as the gas evaporates and expands isothermally. For example, the latent heat of natural gas (methane) is ~510 Kj / Kg, and the phase diagram of water and methane shows >30 MPa (300 bar) pressure at 300 K and has a 22.5 cm 3 / mol molar volume. Similarly, the latent heat of hydrogen is ~450Kj / Kg, and its phase diagram shows a pressure of >250MPa (250 bar) at 300K. The heat extracted from the HTL is the enthalpy energy (1.45MJ / Kg), which includes the latent heat plus the heat capacity multiplied by the temperature difference. When the terminal pressure is 70 bar, the amount of work that can be generated is calculated

[0159] Take the density of methane at 1 bar as ρ = 0.657 kg / m 3 .

[0160] For isothermal expansion from 300 bar;

[0161]

[0162] The HTL is optionally seawater, which is constantly replaced before freezing. Optionally, the HTL is tap water or other liquid, which flows in a closed loop and passes through a heat exchanger for reheating. Optionally, the closed-loop HTL is a liquid with a low freezing point, such as alcohol, methanol, or other organic materials with a liquid phase under the LNG temperature and pressure operating range. Optionally, after cooling at the nozzle, the HTL is used to operate a heat engine (on the cold side). For example, the cooled alcohol leaving the nozzle is optionally used for isothermal compression of air for a heat engine. The cold HTL is optionally used for refrigeration or air conditioning. Optionally, seawater is used to heat the HTL through a heat exchanger. Optionally, the HTL is heated by burning a small portion of the gas.

[0163] Fig.11 A method for operating a HTL / LNG hybrid turbine is described. LNG or other liquefied gas enters an LNG heat exchanger to be vaporized and isobarically expanded. As a gas, it enters the turbine, mixes with the HTL in the nozzle, and isothermally expands at the approximate temperature of the HTL. The expansion of the mixed HTL and gas accelerates the HTL, generates thrust, rotates the turbine, and generates work. The exhaust gas is approximately at the HTL temperature and ambient pressure. Optionally, the terminal pressure is not ambient pressure, but the desired pressure in the pipeline that transports the gas, which can be 6 bar, 40 bar, 70 bar, 140 bar or any other value. The vaporized natural gas ejected from the turbine is returned through the heat exchanger to vaporize the LNG isobarically. Optionally, the gas is not returned to the LNG heat exchanger, and the LNG heat exchanger uses an external heat source such as seawater to vaporize the LNG. In this option, the LNG heat exchanger is a pipeline immersed in seawater. Optionally, other heat sources can vaporize the LNG, such as burning a small portion of the gas.

[0164] Optionally, there is no LNG heat exchanger and the LNG flows directly (as a liquid) into the turbine and mixes with the HTL in the nozzle where it evaporates and expands isothermally. The evaporated gas is optionally heated isotropically by injecting the LNG into a narrow portion of the nozzle where the HTL velocity is high and the static pressure is low. This causes the LNG to flow out of the mixing chamber as a liquid before heating, which occurs at the wider portion where the pressure is higher. The rate of widening of the cross section and the rate of pressure increase in the nozzle are matched to the heating rate, resulting in isochoric heating of the LNG. Optionally, the heating is quasi-isochorically and the accumulated pressure in the nozzle is below the liquid-vapor phase transition pressure at the HTL temperature. Optionally, the accumulated pressure is 10%, 20% or 50% higher than the liquid-vapor phase transition pressure at the HTL temperature.

[0165] The HTL is cooled by latent heat and isothermal expansion. After one or several cycles in the turbine, the HTL temperature drops and the HTL needs to be reheated. Optionally, the HTL is reheated by seawater in a heat exchanger (HTL heat exchanger in the figure). Tap water or other liquids are optionally used to heat the HTL. Optionally, the cold HTL leaves the HTL heat exchanger at a cooler temperature, which is used for refrigeration or air conditioning.

[0166] In the nozzle, LNG, liquefied hydrogen, ammonia or other gases can be optionally injected as liquid into the nozzle. This requires an insulated LNG pipeline to reach the mixing chamber in liquid form. Figure 3 , and also explained above. Liquefied gas flows in an insulated pipe and is injected into a narrow mixing chamber. The HTL velocity is optionally high enough to carry the LNG to the widened cross-sectional area, where the pressure increases before the LNG evaporates. In this section, the HTL pressure increases due to the widening of the cross-sectional area. The LNG mixed with the HTL evaporates and expands isothermally or quasi-isothermally. Optionally, the gas temperature when leaving the nozzle is similar to the HTL temperature. Optionally, the LNG temperature is 1%, 10% or 20% lower than the HTL temperature when measured in Kelvin.

[0167] Optionally, the LNG is vaporized before mixing with the HTL. Optionally, the LNG (in liquid phase) is pre-compressed to the LNG vapor pressure level at the HTL temperature. Optionally, the pre-compression of the LNG reaches the pressure level of the gas in the existing pipeline from the turbine. Optionally, the pressure is the desired gas pressure in the pipeline, which can be 140 bar, 70 bar, 6 bar or any other value. Optionally, the gas is expanded isochorically or semi-isochorically in the nozzle. Optionally, the pressure in the nozzle exceeds 10% of the liquefied gas evaporation pressure at the HTL temperature. Optionally, this value exceeds 20%, 50% or 90%. Optionally, the nozzle does not have a widened cross section after the mixing chamber.

[0168] Optionally, the desired gas pressure in the pipeline is 140 bar, 70 bar, 40 bar, 6 bar or any other value. Optionally, the difference between the vapor pressure of the LNG and the pipeline pressure is converted into work by isothermal expansion of the vaporized LNG in the nozzle. To this end, the HTL turbine is optionally maintained at a pressure equal to or higher than the pipeline operating pressure.

[0169] Fig.12 A pulsed HTL gas turbine is described which includes an HTL reservoir and an HTL pump for pumping the HTL into a nozzle. Liquefied gas, such as hydrogen, flows into the nozzle as a liquid where it mixes with the HTL, evaporates and expands isothermally. This in turn accelerates the HTL, causing the turbine to rotate and generate electricity.

[0170] Fig.13 A reaction turbine configuration is shown, where LNG is fed into a rotating nozzle. The thrust generated by the nozzle drives a motor, generating electricity. The HTL returns to the discharge pipe, where it is sucked back to the turbine by centrifugal force. The level of the HTL in the discharge pipe is lower than the nozzle to avoid shock between the HTL and the turbine, but high enough to avoid discontinuity in the HTL flow entering the turbine.

[0171] It is worth noting that due to small insulation issues, part of the LNG is boiled off as part of transportation and storage. This boiled off gas (BOG) can be several percent of the total LNG volume. This BOG optionally enters the nozzle to mix with the HTL and isothermally expanded in the nozzle.

Claims

1. A method for converting heat into work, comprising: Evaporating or bringing a liquid vapor phase change material (LVPhC) from a liquid phase to a vapor phase or a supercritical phase at a temperature of about T1 and a pressure of about P1, and mixing it with a heat transfer liquid (HTL) at a temperature of about T1 and a pressure of about P1 in a nozzle, wherein the LVPhC is in a liquid phase at a temperature below about T0 and a pressure of about P1, wherein T0 is lower than T1, thereby causing a quasi-isothermal expansion, while reducing the pressure to P0, resulting in an acceleration of the HTL / LVPhC mixture; The accelerated HTL / LVPhC mixture is ejected through a nozzle to convert its kinetic energy into work, and the LVPhC and HTL are collected at a pressure of P0; The method further comprises, after the collecting: At least a portion of the HTL is heated to a temperature of about T1 and its pressure is increased to pressure P1 to allow for additional cycles of the mixing.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The collecting of LVPhC vapor includes separating the LVPhC / HTL mixture.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The liquefied LVPhC is liquefied natural gas (LNG).

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein: The mixing and the evaporating are performed simultaneously.

5. The method according to claim 3 or 4, wherein: The gathering includes directing the injected natural gas to a natural gas pipeline for delivering the natural gas to natural gas consumers.

6. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The method further comprises, after said collecting: cooling and increasing the pressure of the LVPhC to obtain liquefied LVPhC at a pressure of about P1 and a temperature of about T0 to allow additional cycles of said mixing.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein: The cooling includes passing the vaporized LVPhC through a heat exchanger to exchange heat with the liquefied LVPhC, wherein the liquefied LVPhC enters the heat exchanger at an inlet temperature of about T0.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein: The passing includes maintaining a majority of the liquefied LVPhC in a liquid phase.

9. The method according to any one of the preceding claims 6 to 8, wherein: The cooling and pressure increasing includes condensing the vaporized LVPhC prior to increasing its pressure.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The method further comprises, after the collecting, condensing the liquid and then passing it through a heat exchanger to exchange heat with the collected vaporized LVPhC to obtain hot liquefied LVPhC, wherein the method further comprises increasing the pressure of the heated LVPhC to about P1.

11. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein: The evaporating includes directing a portion of the collected HTL into heat exchange with liquefied LVPhC.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein: The directing is performed before the heating.

13. The method according to claim 11 or 12, wherein: The increasing the pressure of the HTL is performed before the directing, and the heating is performed after the directing.

14. The method according to any one of claims 6 to 9, wherein: After said cooling and said increasing, the method further comprises heating said LVPhC from a temperature of about T0 to a temperature between T0 and T1 by a LVPhC heat source.

15. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein: The mixing and the evaporating are performed simultaneously.

16. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein: The HTL is selected from the list consisting of molten salt, thermal oil, water, brine and ethylene glycol.

17. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein: The HTL is ethylene glycol.

18. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein: The LVPhc material is selected from the list consisting of water, pentane, isobutane, propane, R134a, R245fa, fluorocarbons and toluene.

19. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein: The LVPhc is pentane.

20. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 19, wherein: The jetting causes a rotation of the nozzle, which causes work to be produced from the kinetic energy.

21. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 20, wherein: The nozzle supports supersonic flow.

22. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 21, wherein: The turbine is a reaction turbine, and the nozzle is connected to the reaction turbine or a part of the reaction turbine.

23. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 22, wherein: The jet jetted from the nozzle is guided under the action of centrifugal force to form a thin film flow.

24. The method according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 23, wherein: The evaporation or bringing back includes bringing the LVPhc back to a supercritical phase.

25. A system for converting heat into work, comprising: an evaporator for receiving the liquefied vapor phase change material (LVPhC) and evaporating or bringing it back to a vapor phase or a supercritical phase at a pressure of about P1 and a temperature of about T1; A heating volume for heating a heat transfer liquid (HTL) to a temperature of about T1; A HTL pump for increasing the pressure of the HTL to about the pressure of P1; a nozzle in fluid communication with the HTL pump and the evaporator and having an inlet portion for receiving the HTL and a mixing portion for (i) allowing mixing of the HTL with the LVPhC in a vapor phase at about the temperature T1 and about the pressure P1; and (ii) allowing the mixture to undergo isothermal expansion to a pressure of about P0 less than the pressure P1, thereby causing the mixture to accelerate at the nozzle toward the nozzle outlet; a turbine configured to rotate as a result of the acceleration of the mixture, thereby converting kinetic energy of the mixture into work; A separation unit for separating the ejected HTL and the vaporized LVPhC, the separation unit comprising a collection unit to collect the ejected HTL and allow it to be directed to the heating volume, the HTL pump, the nozzle, the evaporator or any combination thereof.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein: The liquefied LVPhC is liquefied natural gas (LNG).

27. The system of claim 26, wherein: The mixing section constitutes the evaporator.

28. The system of claim 26 or 27, wherein: The separated vaporized natural gas is directed to a natural gas pipeline for transporting the natural gas to natural gas consumers.

29. The system according to any one of claims 25 to 28 comprises a heat exchanger, which is fluidly connected to (1) the separation unit for receiving the ejected vaporized LNG to the heat removal section of the heat exchanger, (2) an LNG source at a pressure of about P1 for receiving LNG at a pressure greater than P1 to the heat receiving section of the heat exchanger, (3) the nozzle for transporting the LNG from the heat receiving section to the nozzle, and (4) a natural gas pipeline for transporting the LNG from the heat removal section to the natural gas pipeline.

30. The system of claim 25, further comprising: a condenser for receiving the separated vaporized LVPhC and condensing it into a liquid state; The LVPhC pump, located downstream of the condenser, is used to increase the pressure of the condensed LVPhC.

31. The system of claim 30, comprising a heat exchanger in fluid communication with (1) the separation unit for receiving the ejected vaporized LVPhC into a heat removal portion of the heat exchanger, (2) a condenser for delivering the vaporized LVPhC exhausted from the heat removal portion thereto, (3) an LVPhC pump for receiving the liquefied LVPhC discharged from the LVPhC pump to a heat receiving portion of the heat exchanger, and (4) an evaporator for conveying the liquefied LVPhC discharged from the heat receiving portion.

32. The system of claim 30, comprising a heat exchanger in fluid communication with (1) the separation unit for receiving the ejected vaporized LVPhC into a heat removal portion of the heat exchanger, (2) a condenser for delivering vaporized LVPhC exhausted from the heat removal portion thereto, and for receiving the liquefied LVPhC from the condenser into the heated portion of the heat exchanger, (3) an LVPhC pump for conveying the liquefied LVPhC discharged from the heated portion into the LVPhC pump; Wherein the evaporator is configured to receive liquefied LVPhC from the LVPhC pump.

33. A system according to any one of claims 30 to 32, wherein: The liquefied LVPhC received into the heated portion is discharged from the heated portion such that at least a majority of the liquefied LVPhC remains in a liquid phase.

34. A system according to any one of claims 30 to 33, wherein: The condenser includes the LVPhC pump or a part of the condenser constitutes the LVPhC pump.

35. The system of any one of claims 30 to 34, comprising a LVPhC heat source downstream of the condenser to heat the LVPhC to a temperature less than or about equal to an evaporation temperature at a pressure of about P1.

36. A system according to any one of claims 30 to 35, wherein: The evaporator is in fluid communication with the collecting unit, and the collecting unit is configured to receive at least a portion of the collected ejected HTL to exchange heat with the liquefied LVPhC received in the evaporator, thereby evaporating the liquefied LVPhC.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein: The evaporator is in fluid communication with the heating volume for delivering the HTL after heat exchange with the liquefied LVPhC in the evaporator.

38. The system according to claim 36 or 37, wherein: The HTL pump is downstream of the nozzle and upstream of the evaporator.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein: A portion of the HTL is delivered from the HTL pump to the evaporator, and a portion of the HTL is delivered from the HTL to the nozzle.

40. The system of any one of claims 30 to 39, wherein: At least a portion of the mixing section constitutes the evaporator.

41. A system according to any one of claims 30 to 40, wherein: The HTL is selected from the list consisting of molten salt, thermal oil, water, brine, and ethylene glycol.

42. A system according to any one of claims 30 to 41, wherein: The HTL is ethylene glycol.

43. A system according to any one of claims 30 to 42, wherein: The LVPhC material is selected from the list consisting of water, pentane, isobutane, propane, R134a, R245fa, fluorocarbons and toluene.

44. A system according to any one of claims 30 to 43, wherein: The LVPhC is pentane.

45. A system according to any one of claims 30 to 44, wherein: The condenser and the LVPhC pump are formed by a nozzle, and the nozzle comprises: an arrangement of a nozzle inlet, an outlet, a suction compressible fluid inlet and a fluid manipulation portion for receiving a nozzle heat transfer liquid (HTL) flow into the nozzle, the fluid manipulation portion being arranged in series in fluid communication and defining a flow path for the fluid; Wherein, the arrangement includes: a first fluid manipulation portion, downstream of the nozzle inlet and upstream of the second fluid manipulation portion, or a proximal end of the first fluid manipulation portion constituting the nozzle inlet and having a narrowing configuration in the direction of the flow path, for reducing the pressure of the nozzle HTL flowing thereinto below the pressure of the suction fluid in the suction fluid source, and for accelerating the flow of the nozzle HTL stream, wherein the suction fluid is the LVPhC in a gas phase or a vapor phase and at a pressure of about P0; a second fluid manipulation portion having an expanded configuration in the direction of the flow path for receiving the nozzle HTL at a pressure lower than the pressure of the suction fluid, wherein the suction fluid inlet is configured to allow suction fluid to communicate between the environment or the suction fluid source and the second fluid manipulation portion to allow suction fluid to be introduced therein to mix with the nozzle HTL to obtain a fluid mixture, the expanded configuration of the second fluid manipulation portion being designed for causing the two-phase mixture to reach a supersonic velocity at least at its distal end; a third fluid manipulation portion having a narrowing configuration in the direction of the flow path for decelerating the flow of the fluid mixture received from the second fluid manipulation portion to a sonic or subsonic speed and for increasing the pressure of the two-phase mixture flowing along the third fluid manipulation portion; a fourth fluid manipulation portion having an expanded configuration in the direction of the flow path and configured to increase the pressure of the subsonic flow of the fluid mixture received from the third fluid manipulation portion to a pressure above ambient pressure; The outlet is formed downstream of the fourth fluid manipulation portion or at a distal end thereof and is used to discharge the fluid mixture received from the fourth fluid manipulation portion, wherein the fluid mixture discharged from the outlet includes pressurized suction fluid.

46. ​​The system of claim 45, wherein: The nozzle HTL includes at least one of water, molten salt, heat transfer oil, ethylene glycol, molten metal, bicarbonate liquid, antifreeze liquid, liquefied gas or any combination thereof.

47. A system according to claim 45 or 46, wherein: The fluid mixture is a two-phase mixture, and wherein the pressurized intake fluid discharged from the outlet of the nozzle comprises a compressed gas.

48. A system according to any one of claims 45 to 47, wherein: The nozzle also includes at least one conduit extending from an exterior of the nozzle into the second fluid manipulation portion and configured to direct the intake fluid into the mixing unit to allow the intake fluid to mix with the HTL flowing therealong and to reduce the speed of sound in the mixture to below the speed of the mixture, having a supersonic flow.

49. A system according to any one of claims 45 to 48, wherein: The third fluid manipulation portion is configured to decelerate the fluid mixture flowing therealong so that it reaches a sonic or subsonic velocity at a distal end of the third portion.

50. A system according to any one of claims 45 to 49, wherein: The HTL and the intake fluid are the same material.

51. The system of any one of claims 25 to 50, wherein the turbine is a reaction turbine.

52. The system of claim 51, wherein: The nozzle is coupled to the reaction turbine or a portion of the reaction turbine.

53. A system according to claim 51 or 52, wherein: The collecting unit defines a discharge conduit for accumulating separated HTL, and HTL is sucked from the discharge conduit into the nozzle due to operation of the reaction turbine, thereby constituting the HTL pump, wherein the suction causes the HTL to enter the nozzle at a pressure of about P1.

54. The system of claim 53, wherein: A second HTL pump is included, disposed between the exhaust conduit and the turbine, to allow the HTL to be pressurized independently of the HTL pump formed by the reaction turbine.

55. A system according to any one of claims 25 to 54, wherein: The separation unit comprises a curved or circular frame onto which the mixture is sprayed, engagement of the mixture with the curved or circular frame resulting in a thin film flow on the surface of the curved or circular frame.

56. A system according to any one of claims 25 to 55, wherein: The evaporator is configured to receive a liquefied vapor phase change material (LVPhC) and bring it to a supercritical phase at a pressure of about P1 and a temperature of about T1.

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