Heat Carrier Management in Thermal Cycle Power Conversion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Closed-loop thermal cycle devices face inefficiencies in generating electrical power due to inconsistent heat sources and issues with heat carriers like metal nanoparticles, which can cause cavitation, binding, and clogging, reducing overall performance.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating heat carriers such as metal organic frameworks (MOFs) into the thermal cycle device, with design modifications to mitigate issues like cavitation in pumps and erosion in expanders, and using sensors and separators to manage heat carrier flow and separation, optimizing their injection and re-introduction based on temperature and flow conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If heat carriers such as metal nanoparticles are introduced into the closed-loop thermal cycle device, then heat and work output are increased, but cavitation in pumps, binding, pitting, and erosion in expanders occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a separator as an intermediary device that mediates between the heat carriers and the pump/expander components. The separator removes heat carriers from the working fluid before it enters the pump and expander, preventing cavitation, binding, pitting, and erosion while allowing the heat carriers to remain in the system to provide their beneficial thermal effects in the evaporator and condenser.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the closed-loop thermal cycle system into distinct zones: a first closed-loop path containing the heat carriers for thermal energy conversion, and a second closed-loop path without heat carriers for the pump and expander components. This segmentation allows the heat carriers to benefit the thermal cycle while protecting sensitive mechanical components from their harmful effects.
2Power
If heat carriers are injected into the loop to generate additional heat, then electrical power generation is enhanced, but settling of flow streams in heat exchanger and clogging of filters occur
Solution Approach 1:
The separator acts as an intermediary that removes heat carriers from the working fluid stream before it enters the heat exchanger and filter systems. This prevents settling and clogging while maintaining the thermal benefits of heat carriers in the evaporator and condenser sections of the system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by having heat carriers present only in specific sections of the system (evaporator and condenser) where they provide thermal benefits, while excluding them from sections (heat exchanger, filters, pump, expander) where they cause harmful effects. The separator enables this spatial differentiation of heat carrier presence.
3Use of energy by moving object
If heat carriers are used to increase heat output, then pump efficiency is improved through heat generation, but cavitation sensitivity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The separator serves as a mediator that allows the working fluid to be free of heat carriers when entering the pump, preventing cavitation and protecting pump reliability. Meanwhile, the heat carriers remain in the system to provide thermal energy conversion benefits in other sections, creating a balanced solution that addresses both efficiency and reliability concerns.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances electrical power generation by increasing heat and work output while minimizing the risks associated with heat carriers, such as cavitation and erosion, through strategic design and control of heat carrier distribution within the system.
Implementation Method 1
The heat carriers may adsorb and/or desorb the working fluid. As the heat carrier desorbs and/or adsorbs working fluid, additional heat may be generated.
Implementation Method 2
heat generated by adsorption in a pump of the closed-loop thermal cycle device may generate heat
Implementation Method 3
desorption of the working fluid by the heat carrier in an evaporator may generate additional heat
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of systems and methods for converting thermal energy to electrical power are disclosed. In embodiments, a system for converting thermal energy to electrical power may include a thermal cycle device. The thermal cycle device may include an evaporator including a first fluid path for a flow of heated fluid and a second fluid path for a flow of a working fluid and configured to indirectly transfer heat from the flow of heated fluid to the flow of working fluid, a condenser to cool the working fluid, a pump to transport working fluid from the condenser, an expander to generate electrical power via the working fluid, and a loop for the flow of the working fluid. The system may include an amount of heat carrier injected into the loop and configured to adsorb and desorb the working fluid and generate additional heat to increase output of electrical power.