DE102013009351B3 - Plant for recovery of energy from heat of e.g. waste incinerator, has valves which connect/disconnect vaporizer units to control flow of working fluid, to take heat from working fluid and to pass heated working fluid to workspace - Google Patents

Abstract

The plant has a condenser (1) for re-cooling and liquefying a working fluid. An evaporator assembly (2) is arranged downstream to the condenser and is comprised of the vaporizer units (2A-2C). A pump (4) is arranged between the condenser and the evaporator assembly. The valves (9,10) are provided for the connection/disconnection of the vaporizer units in the cyclic process, to control the flow of working fluid into the vaporizer units in the first phase, to take the heat from the working fluid in the second phase, and to leak out the heated working fluid to the workspace (7). An independent claim is included for a method for recovery of energy from heat in thermodynamic cycle.

Description

The invention relates to a system and a method for recovering energy from heat in a thermodynamic cycle.

Thermodynamic cycle processes for the conversion of externally supplied heat energy into mechanical work are, for example, in the form of the classical steam engine cycle, the Stirling cycle, the Rankine cycle or the Rankine cycle ("Organic Rankine Cycle" or ORC process). known. In the ORC process is - in contrast to a classic steam engine cycle - instead of water, a low-boiling, organic material as a working medium between an evaporator in which the working fluid is evaporated by the externally supplied heat, a turbine in which the vaporous working medium is relaxed by decoupling mechanical work, and a condenser, in which the working fluid is cooled and liquefied, continuously circulated. The ORC process attempts to economically convert even small sources of thermal energy into mechanical work or electrical energy by selecting a suitable working medium and optimizing the process parameters of pressure and temperature. However, for the economic operation of an ORC process, a temperature level above 100 ° Celsius is required because at lower process temperatures and a low temperature spread between the heat source and heat sink, the efficiency drops significantly.

The use of heat sources with a temperature level below 100 ° Celsius is difficult, but increasingly in the ecological and, due to the increase in the price of primary energy in the form of fossil fuels, also in the economic interest. Such heat or waste heat sources represent, for example, geothermal energy, waste incineration, thermal solar systems, the cooling circuits of stationary and mobile large internal combustion engines or turbines, the waste heat of energy production in all forms (eg in combined heat and power plants or CHP plants), industrial process heat, or waste heat from biogas plants. So far, the waste heat, if it can not be used locally for space heating or domestic water heating, unused and is released into the environment, because a transport of heat over significant distances or storage or conversion and other use in Form of electrical or mechanical energy at this level has not yet been economically possible.

In the EP 2299097 A1 is described a thermodynamic cycle, which is a combination of the Stirling cycle with the Rankine cycle and is based on the use of at least three special heat exchangers, which are arranged in a star shape in the form of a rotor around a working cylinder and with this around his Turn longitudinal axis. As a result of the rotation, the heat exchangers are each guided in half through a cooling section and the other half through a heating section, so that the heat exchangers are alternately and periodically circulated around by a heating medium and a cooling medium. The periodic transfer of the working medium from the heat exchangers into the working cylinder is controlled by valves. In the working cylinder, a magnetized piston can freely reciprocate, whereby due to the movement of the piston, electrical current is induced in an electric coil placed around the working cylinder.

From the US 2009/0151356 A1 is a refrigerant cycle for waste heat recovery known, based on an "Organic Rankine cycle" or ORC process. The system includes a refrigerant circuit with a condenser, a variable speed pump that can be bypassed by a bypass valve, and an evaporator associated with a 400-500 ° C heat source. The refrigerant vapor generated in the evaporator is expanded in a generator unit and then returned to the condenser. A controller interacts with a pressure and a temperature sensor at the output of the expander, and bypasses the pump and valve to control the quality of the refrigerant vapor at the expander outlet.

The US 2008/0289354 A1 describes a refrigerated transport system having a plurality of compartments and a single refrigerant circuit and a method for controlling the temperature in the compartments of the refrigerant transport system.

The US 6047557 A also describes a refrigeration system having a refrigerant circuit with a special pulse width modulated compressor, condenser and a plurality of evaporators, each associated with a separate compartment of the refrigeration system, and relates to a method for controlling the compressor as a function of the cooling demand.

The object of the invention is to provide a plant and a method for recovering energy from heat in a thermodynamic cyclic process, with the use of heat sources of a temperature level of less than 100 ° Celsius with reasonable efficiency and under economic conditions is possible.

To solve the invention brings a plant for the recovery of energy from heat in a thermodynamic cycle with the features of claim 1 and a method for recovering energy from heat in a thermodynamic cycle with the features of claim 13 in proposal. Preferred embodiments of the plant and method are given in the dependent claims.

• i) in einer ersten Phase Arbeitsmedium in die Verdampfereinheit einströmen kann,
• ii) in einer zweiten Phase die Verdampfereinheit von dem Kreisprozess vollständig getrennt ist, um das aufgenommene Arbeitsmedium zu erhitzen und dessen Druck zu erhöhen, und
• iii) in einer dritten Phase das erhitzte Arbeitsmedium zu dem Arbeitsraum ausströmen kann. Erfindungsgemäß kann die Ventilanordnung die Verbindung/Trennung der Verdampfereinheiten mit/von dem Kreisprozess derart steuern, dass die Verdampfereinheiten die Phasen i) bis iii) jeweils nacheinander und zeitversetzt durchlaufen.

In the system according to the invention for the recovery of energy from heat in a thermodynamic cycle, the cycle comprises the following miteinender communicatively connected components: a condenser for recooling and liquefying a working medium, a downstream - with respect to the flow direction of the working medium - the condenser provided evaporator assembly for supplying the Heat energy to the working fluid to increase its temperature and pressure, wherein the evaporator assembly comprises at least two independent evaporator units, provided downstream of the evaporator assembly work space for expanding working fluid from the evaporator assembly to withdraw energy from the working fluid, and a return for the at least partially relaxed working medium to the condenser. A pump for the working fluid is disposed between the condenser and the evaporator assembly. Upstream and downstream of the evaporator units, a valve arrangement is provided which can be controlled so as to be selective for each evaporator unit

• i) in a first phase working medium can flow into the evaporator unit,
• ii) in a second phase, the evaporator unit is completely separated from the cyclic process in order to heat the recorded working medium and increase its pressure, and
• iii) in a third phase, the heated working medium can flow out to the working space. According to the invention, the valve arrangement can control the connection / disconnection of the evaporator units with / from the cyclic process such that the evaporator units pass through the phases i) to iii) one after the other and with a time delay.

The system according to the invention allows an approximately continuous supply of discontinuously heated working fluid under pressure to the working space, where it is expanded by conversion into mechanical energy. Because, according to the invention, the working medium is heated and pressurized separately in separate fractions and at different times in separate evaporator units, heat sources with a relatively low temperature level can also be used effectively. By separate in fractions and time-staggered heating of the individual fractions of the working medium each has a longer period of time available to heat the working medium. The inventive use of a pump to promote the working fluid into the respective evaporator units, it is possible to promote a sufficient amount of working fluid against a certain increase in pressure quickly into the respective evaporator unit, so that also prolongs the time available for heating time becomes.

Preferably, the pump is a metering pump, in particular a continuously operating pump which can be regulated with regard to its delivery rate.

Preferably, a bypass line branches off between the pump and the evaporator arrangement to a position upstream of the condenser and has a pressure relief valve and a pressure accumulator for working medium.

Preferably, a pressure accumulator is arranged in series between the pump and the evaporator arrangement.

Preferably, the working space is provided in an engine, in particular a reciprocating engine with at least one cylinder, in a rotary piston machine or a turbomachine, a turbine, or in a linear generator, whereby the energy extracted from the working medium is converted into mechanical drive energy.

Preferably, the condenser and evaporator assemblies are separate and independent units.

Preferably, the valve assembly is configured to separate the respective evaporator unit in the first phase downstream of the cyclic process, and in the third phase to separate upstream of the cyclic process.

Preferably, the valve assembly has a first group of valves upstream of the evaporator units and a second group of valves downstream of the evaporator units, which are independently operable.

Preferably, the valves associated with the respective evaporator unit can be actuated independently of one another within the respective valve group.

Preferably, the valves of the second valve group downstream of the evaporator units in dependence on the pressure of the working medium be controlled before entering the work space.

Preferably, these valves of the first valve group can be controlled synchronously and with a time delay to the valves of the second valve group.

The valves of the first valve group can preferably be actuated upstream of the evaporator units as a function of the quantity of working medium flowing into the respective evaporator unit.

• a) Rückkühlen und Verflüssigen eines Arbeitsmediums,
• b) Erhitzen, Verdampfen und Druckerhöhen des verflüssigten Arbeitsmediums unter Nutzung der Wärme in mindestens zwei getrennten Fraktionen unabhängig voneinander, und
• c) Entspannen von erhitztem Arbeitsmedium der jeweiligen Fraktion, um dem Arbeitsmedium Energie zu entziehen. Zwischen dem Schritt a) und dem Schritt b) wird das Arbeitsmedium aktiv gefördert, und in dem Schritt b) werden die mindestens zwei Fraktionen des Arbeitsmediums zeitlich versetzt erhitzt, verdampft und druckerhöht.

In the method according to the invention for recovering energy from heat in a thermodynamic cycle, the following steps are carried out sequentially and repeatedly:

• a) recooling and liquefying a working medium,
• b) heating, vaporizing and pressurizing the liquefied working medium using the heat in at least two separate fractions independently, and
• c) releasing heated working medium of the respective fraction in order to extract energy from the working medium. Between step a) and step b), the working medium is actively conveyed, and in step b), the at least two fractions of the working medium are heated, vaporized and increased in time with a time offset.

• i) in einer ersten Phase das Arbeitsmedium in die jeweilige Verdampfereinheit einströmt,
• ii) in einer zweiten Phase diese Verdampfereinheit von dem Kreisprozess vollständig getrennt wird, um das Arbeitsmedium zu erhitzen, verdampfen und druckzuerhöhen, und
• iii) in einer dritten Phase das erhitzte Arbeitsmedium aus dieser Verdampfereinheit ausströmen kann, um im Schritt c) entspannt zu werden, worauf es zu dem Schritt a) zurückgeführt wird.

Preferably, in the method, the independent and staggered heating / evaporation / pressure increase of the fractions of the working medium in step b) is effected by introducing each fraction of the working medium into one of a plurality of separate evaporator units

• i) in a first phase, the working medium flows into the respective evaporator unit,
• ii) in a second phase, this evaporator unit is completely separated from the cyclic process to heat the working medium, evaporate and pressure increase, and
• iii) in a third phase, the heated working medium can flow out of this evaporator unit to be expanded in step c), whereupon it is returned to step a).

Preferably, in the method, at least part of the working medium conveyed between steps a) and b) is temporarily stored under pressure increase.

In the method, step c) preferably takes place in a working chamber of an engine, in particular a reciprocating piston engine with at least one cylinder, or a rotary piston machine or a turbomachine, in particular a turbine, or a linear generator, whereby the energy extracted from the working medium is converted into mechanical drive energy.

Preferably, in the method, steps a) and b) are carried out in separate and independent units.

Preferably, in the method, the completion of step iii) is controlled in accordance with the pressure of the working medium after exiting the respective evaporator unit, and the completion of step i) is controlled in dependence on the amount of the working medium introduced into the respective evaporator unit.

For example, the heat from one or more of the following heat sources can be used effectively for the method according to the invention and for the installation: geothermal energy, waste incineration, thermal solar systems, cooling systems of stationary or mobile internal combustion engines or turbines, waste heat of energy production, combined heat and power plants (CHPs), industrial process heat, Waste heat from biogas plants.

In the following, the inventive method is based on a in the 1 shown system diagrams of the system according to the invention exemplified.

The parameters for pressures and temperatures at various positions of the cycle, given in connection with the description of the system shown in the diagram, relate to a specific design of the system and are to be adapted accordingly for another system with modified components, which nevertheless makes use of the inventive principles , The same applies to the routes of the connecting lines between the individual components and the arrangement of valves. Particularly noteworthy is further that the system shown in the scheme has an evaporator arrangement with three evaporator units, wherein according to the invention an evaporator arrangement with at least two independent evaporator units may be sufficient and more than the three evaporator units can be used. In addition, the usable evaporator units are not limited to the illustrated triangular design.

The closed thermodynamic cycle realized in the plant scheme is counterclockwise from the condenser 1 described in the upper left corner area. This direction corresponds, based on the cycle in total, about the flow direction of the working medium.

The capacitor 1 serves to recool and liquefy one at the time of initiation in this at least partially gaseous working medium, which may be for example a suitable organic working medium, which is also used in ORC processes. The condenser is functionally a heat exchanger to which a heat sink, for example in the form of relatively cool river water KW at a temperature of 5-30 ° Celsius, is supplied from the outside.

Downstream of the capacitor 1 is an evaporator arrangement 2 intended. The evaporator arrangement 2 is functionally also a heat exchanger, with the working medium in the cycle from outside heat energy from a heat source HW is supplied. As heat source, any heat in the form of useful or waste heat from the sources described in the introduction can serve, which has a sufficiently high temperature level of preferably 60-100 ° Celsius and a sufficiently large volume flow.

The evaporator arrangement comprises at least two, here three, independent from each other and later to be described valves from the cycle completely separable evaporator units 2A . 2 B and 2C Thus, each of which can be operated independently of the other evaporator units to first receive a certain amount (fraction) of the working fluid contained in the cycle and at the inlet into the evaporator units liquid medium and then in heat exchange with the external heat source, the temperature and the pressure of this fraction increase, and finally eject the heated working medium. The evaporator assembly is of the condenser 1 separated and preferably isolated so as not to affect the respective Temperaturniveu the heat sink and the heat source.

Since the evaporator units in the external circuit have the temperature of the heat source and preferably a high heat transfer capacity, at least a portion of the liquid working medium is heated and evaporated relatively quickly immediately after entering the respective evaporator unit. A check valve disposed upstream of each evaporator unit 3A . 3B . 3C therefore prevents backflow of the working fluid through the inlet. After filling has been completed (phase I) (which is followed by a later-described phase of emptying), the respective evaporator unit is moved upstream and downstream by means of a valve arrangement 9 . 10 separated from the cycle. In this second phase (Phase II), in which the respective evaporator unit is completely separated from the cyclic process, the absorbed working medium in the evaporator unit is further heated and its pressure is increased until the temperature has approximately reached the temperature of the heat source. The achievable pressure level depends on the temperature of the heat source and the working medium used. At a temperature level of 60-95 ° C and a use of R134a as a working medium, for example, a pressure range of 15-36 bar can be achieved.

Between the capacitor 1 and the evaporator assembly 2 is a pump 4 arranged, with the liquid working medium in phase 1 in the evaporator units 2A . 2 B and 2C is encouraged. The pump 4 is a metering pump, in particular a continuously operating and controllable with respect to their capacity pump, so that the predetermined amount of liquid working fluid against an initial increase in pressure upon entry of the working medium in the heated evaporator units 2A . 2 B . 2C can be promoted quickly in this.

Between the pump 4 and the evaporator assembly 2 For example, a pressure accumulator (not shown) may be serially disposed through the pump 4 can be filled with a certain amount of working fluid when the pump does not promote the working fluid directly into one of the evaporator units. This embodiment has the advantage that for the promotion of the specific amount (fraction) of the working medium in the respective evaporator unit time required shortened and the flow rate of the pump can be reduced, because these longer filling times otherwise against a due to the heating and pressure increase of the working medium in the evaporator unit would have to promote increasing pressure.

In the system scheme shown is an alternative arrangement of a pressure accumulator 5 shown, in which this in a bypass line 6 is provided by a position between the pump 4 or the optional accumulator and evaporator assembly 2 to a position upstream of the condenser 1 branches off and in which an overflow valve (not shown) is arranged. About this bypass line 6 can be working fluid, which is the volume of the accumulator 5 or exceeds the respective evaporator unit to be filled, are returned to the condenser. This allows the pump 4 working across phases substantially continuously and fill the pressure accumulator, from which then one of the evaporator units in phase I can be filled with priority.

If the working fluid in the respective evaporator unit 2A . 2 B . 2C has reached the desired pressure level in phase II, the heated working fluid in a third phase (phase III) by appropriate switching of valves 10 , whereby the respective evaporator unit upstream of the cyclic process remains disconnected and downstream connected to the cycle, becomes a working space 7 flow out, left, downstream of the evaporator assembly 2 is provided and in which the working fluid is released from the respective evaporator unit, whereby the working medium withdrawn energy and converted into mechanical drive energy.

When switching from phase II to phase III, a brief interruption of the pressurization of the working space can occur. To avoid this effect, for example, a. Pressure accumulator upstream of the working space, preferably immediately at the inlet to the working space, and are provided downstream of the valves to temporarily store the gaseous working fluid for the continuous supply of the working space during the switching operation.

The workroom 7 is preferably in an here only schematically indicated engine 7A , in particular a reciprocating piston engine with at least one cylinder, or provided in a rotary piston machine or in a linear generator. The working space may also be the flow channel of a turbomachine, in particular a turbine, wherein the achievable maximum pressure level of the working medium in the cyclic process is more likely to speak for the first-mentioned engine. Particularly suitable is a 2-, 3- or 4-cylinder diesel engine whose cylinder head, valve timing and camshaft for the external supply of the working fluid are modified under pressure accordingly. The mechanical movement provided by the engine is converted in a manner known per se by means of a generator into electrical energy and discharged as useful work NA from the plant.

The phase III can be maintained until the pressure level of the working medium present in the respective evaporator unit before entering the working space 7 has fallen below a limit, in which no energy can be meaningfully withdrawn from the working medium with the machine used in each case. Phase III is terminated by passing the respective evaporator unit through the valve unit 10 upstream of the cyclic process and for phase I with the pump 4 or the accumulator 5 is connected. After the working medium in the workroom 7 At least partially relaxed, it is about a repatriation 8th to the capacitor 1 recycled, where it is cooled and liquefied again.

The flow control and distribution of the working fluid between the individual cylinders and power strokes of a reciprocating engine with multiple cylinders, for example via the integrated valve control of the reciprocating engine. In this case, the working fluid is supplied in phase III from the respective evaporator unit to an intake manifold of the reciprocating engine.

The cyclic process has a valve arrangement with which the connection / disconnection of the individual evaporator units with / from the cyclic process can be controlled such that the evaporator units pass through the phases I to III in succession and with a time delay. Thus, during a phase III evaporator unit, the heated working fluid under pressure into the working space 7 If it discharges, where it is relaxed, there is another evaporator unit in the phases 1 or 2, if only two evaporator units are provided in the evaporator assembly. If three evaporator units as in the plant scheme of 1 are provided, at any one time, each of the evaporator units may be in another of the 3 phases. The capacities of the evaporator units are to be such that in particular the time periods available for phases I and II are sufficient to take up the specific amount (fraction) of working medium in the evaporator unit and to heat it until the phase III and III This evacuated evaporator unit must be switched upon reaching the minimum pressure levels in order to ensure continuous operation of the engine.

The term "valve arrangement" as used herein includes the valves used for switching in their entirety, regardless of whether they are designed as individual valves or multiple valves. The individual valves of the valve arrangement for the sequential switching of the evaporator units between the individual phases are in the system diagram shown in a first valve group 9 upstream of the evaporator units 2A . 2 B . 2C and into a second valve group 10 downstream of the evaporator units 2A . 2 B . 2C summarized, wherein the groups (and thus the combined in the group valves in each case in common) are independently but synchronously and time-shifted actuated. This arrangement is preferred if a rigid switching cycle or a synchronous and time-shifted switching of the phases for all evaporator units to be achieved. Nevertheless, for example, the valves of the second valve group can be controlled downstream of the evaporator units depending on the pressure of the working medium before entering the working space, and / or the valves of the first valve group upstream of the evaporator units depending on the amount of in the respective evaporator unit be driven flowing working medium.

Alternatively, the valves assigned to the respective evaporator units can be designed to be actuatable independently of one another within the respective valve group. In this embodiment, a flexible control and switching of the phases for the individual evaporator units in a variable cycle, for example by means of a program control or regulation, possible.

The valves may be, for example, electrically or pneumatically or hydraulically actuated valves.

In the scheme of the 1 Further optional components are shown as an oil separator 12 and a refrigerant filter 13 , Which are arranged in branch lines and can be selectively connected via shut-off valves with the cyclic process in order to clean the refrigerant if necessary. The shut-off valves are marked in the system diagram as manually operable valves. Furthermore, a remote-controlled actuation of the valves in conjunction with a control program that evaluates measured data from the system and automatically activates the respective shut-off valves according to a predefined program sequence, realized.

Claims (20)

A plant for recovering energy from heat in a thermodynamic cycle, the cycle comprising: a capacitor ( 1 ) for recooling and liquefying a working medium, a downstream - with respect to the flow direction of the working medium - the capacitor ( 1 ) provided evaporator arrangement ( 2 ) for supplying the heat energy to the working medium to increase its temperature and pressure, wherein the evaporator arrangement ( 2 ) at least two independent evaporator units ( 2A . 2 B . 2C ), one downstream of the evaporator assembly ( 2 ) working space ( 7 ) for relaxing working medium from the evaporator arrangement ( 2 ) to extract energy from the working medium, and a return ( 8th ) for the at least partially relaxed working medium to the condenser ( 1 ), whereby a pump ( 4 ) for the working medium between the condenser ( 1 ) and the evaporator arrangement ( 2 ), upstream and downstream of the evaporator units ( 2A . 2 B . 2C ) a valve arrangement ( 9 . 10 ), which can be controlled so that selectively for each evaporator unit ( 2A . 2 B . 2C ): i) in a first phase, working medium into the evaporator unit ( 2A . 2 B . 2C ), ii) in a second phase, the evaporator unit ( 2A . 2 B . 2C ) is completely separated from the cyclic process in order to heat the recorded working medium and increase its pressure, and iii) in a third phase, the heated working medium from the evaporator unit ( 2A . 2 B . 2C ) to the workspace ( 7 ), and wherein the valve arrangement ( 9 . 10 ) the connection / separation of the evaporator units ( 2A . 2 B . 2C ) with / from the cycle so that the evaporator units ( 2A . 2 B . 2C ) pass through the phases i) to iii) successively and with a time delay. A plant for recovering energy from heat according to claim 1, wherein the pump ( 4 ) is a metering pump, in particular a continuously operating and controllable with respect to their capacity pump. Energy recovery plant according to claim 1 or 2, wherein between the pump ( 4 ) and the evaporator arrangement ( 2 ) a bypass line ( 6 ) to a position upstream of the condenser ( 1 ) branches off and an overflow valve and a pressure accumulator ( 5 ) for working medium. Energy recovery plant according to claim 1 or 2, wherein between the pump ( 4 ) and the evaporator arrangement ( 2 ) An accumulator is arranged serially. Energy recovery plant according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the working space ( 7 ) in an engine ( 7A ), in particular a reciprocating piston engine with at least one cylinder, is provided in a rotary piston machine or a turbomachine, in particular a turbine, or in a linear generator, whereby the energy extracted from the working medium is converted into mechanical drive energy. Waste heat recovery system according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the condenser ( 1 ) and the evaporator arrangement ( 2 ) are separate and independent units. The waste heat recovery system according to any of claims 1 to 6, wherein the valve assembly ( 9 . 10 ) is designed so that they the respective evaporator unit ( 2A . 2 B . 2C ) separates in the first phase downstream of the cyclic process, and in the third phase separates upstream from the cyclic process. Waste heat recovery system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the valve arrangement ( 9 . 10 ) a first valve group ( 9 ) upstream of Evaporator units ( 2A . 2 B . 2C ) and a second valve group ( 10 ) downstream of the evaporator units ( 2A . 2 B . 2C ) which are independently operable. The waste heat recovery system according to claim 8, wherein the units ( 2A . 2 B . 2C ) associated valves within the respective valve group ( 9 . 10 ) are independently operable. Waste heat recovery system according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the valves of the second valve group ( 10 ) downstream of the evaporator units ( 2A . 2 B . 2C ) depending on the pressure of the working medium before entering the working space ( 7 ) can be controlled. Waste heat recovery system according to one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the valves of the first valve group ( 9 ) synchronously and with a time delay to the valves of the second valve group ( 10 ) can be controlled. Waste heat recovery system according to one of claims 8 to 11, wherein the valves of the first valve group ( 9 ) upstream of the evaporator units ( 2A . 2 B . 2C ) depending on the amount of in the respective evaporator unit ( 2A . 2 B . 2C ) flowing working medium can be controlled. Process for the recovery of energy from heat in a thermodynamic cycle, with the sequential and repeated steps to be carried out: a) recooling and liquefying a working medium, b) heating, vaporizing and pressurizing the liquefied working medium using the heat in at least two separate fractions independently, and c) releasing heated working medium of the respective fraction in order to extract energy from the working medium, wherein the working medium is actively conveyed between step a) and step b), wherein in the step b) the at least two fractions of the working medium are heated in time offset, vaporized and pressure increased. A process for recovering energy from heat according to claim 13, wherein the independent and staggered heating / evaporation / pressure increase of the fractions of the working medium in step b) is effected in that each fraction of the working medium in one of a plurality of separate evaporator units ( 2A . 2 B . 2C ), wherein i) in a first phase, the working medium in the respective evaporator unit ( 2A . 2 B . 2C ii) in a second phase this evaporator unit ( 2A . 2 B . 2C ) is completely separated from the cyclic process in order to heat, evaporate and pressurize the working medium, and iii) in a third phase, the heated working medium from this evaporator unit ( 2A . 2 B . 2C ) can be discharged to be relaxed in step c), whereupon it is returned to step a). A method for recovering energy from heat according to claim 13 or 14, wherein at least a part of the between a) and b) funded working medium is cached under pressure increase. A method for recovering energy from heat according to any one of claims 13 to 15, wherein step c) in a working space ( 7 ) an engine ( 7A ), in particular a reciprocating piston engine having at least one cylinder, or a rotary piston machine or a turbomachine, in particular a turbine, or a linear generator, whereby the energy extracted from the working medium is converted into mechanical drive energy. A method of recovering energy from heat according to any one of claims 13 to 16, wherein steps a) and b) are carried out in separate and independent units. A process for the recovery of energy from heat according to claim 14, wherein the completion of step iii) in dependence on the pressure of the working medium after exiting the respective evaporator unit ( 2A . 2 B . 2C ) is controlled. A method of recovering energy from heat according to claim 14, wherein the completion of step i) is dependent on the amount of heat in the respective evaporator unit ( 2A . 2 B . 2C ) is introduced working medium. A method for recovering energy from heat according to any one of claims 14 to 19, wherein the heat from one or more of the following heat sources is used: geothermal, waste incineration, thermal solar systems, cooling systems of stationary or mobile combustion engines or turbines, waste heat of energy production, cogeneration units (CHPs ), industrial process heat, waste heat from biogas reactors.

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