EP4306775B1 - Method and apparatus for converting low-temperature heat into technically usable mechanical energy - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to methods and devices for converting low-temperature heat with a temperature of less than 200°C into technically usable mechanical energy and subsequently electrical energy.

State of the art

Due to the small temperature difference between low-temperature heat sources and possible heat sinks such as water or ambient air and the resulting low theoretical efficiency, it is desirable to utilize as much of the theoretically usable thermal energy as possible. This is made possible by implementing a trilateral cycle (TLC) process according to Smith ( US$4,557,112 ), which theoretically has the highest exergetic efficiency compared to other thermal power processes such as a steam power process or ORC process.

• Isochore Druckerhöhung (Pkt. 1 - Pkt. 2)
• Isobare Wärmezufuhr ohne Verdampfung des Arbeitsmittels (Pkt. 2 - Pkt. 3)
• Isentrope Entspannungsverdampfung bei kontinuierlicher Druckverringerung mit gleichzeitiger Volumenvergrößerung und Verrichten von Volumenarbeit (Pkt. 3 - Pkt. 5)
• Isobare Wärmeabfuhr und Kondensation des verdampften Anteils des Arbeitsmittels (Pkt. 5 - Pkt. 1)

In the TLC process according to Smith (see Fig.1 ) a tool goes through the following steps:

• Isochoric pressure increase (point 1 - point 2)
• Isobaric heat supply without evaporation of the working fluid (point 2 - point 3)
• Isentropic flash evaporation with continuous pressure reduction with simultaneous volume increase and performance of volume work (point 3 - point 5)
• Isobaric heat removal and condensation of the evaporated portion of the working fluid (point 5 - point 1)

The basic structure of a device according to the state of the art is shown in Fig.2 shown. Starting at point 1, a working medium is put under working pressure by a pressure pump, external heat is added in a heat exchanger, this is converted into a rotational movement by partial evaporation of the working medium in a heat engine, which drives a generator. The resulting working medium vapor is condensed after leaving the heat engine and the cycle begins again.

The technical challenge of the TLC process lies in the implementation of the partial evaporation as forced flash evaporation with a vertically falling evaporation curve (see Fig.1 , TS diagram, progression from point 3 to point 5) through the wet vapor region of the working fluid with a high proportion of liquid.

• Reduktion des Arbeitsdruckes zur Initiierung der Entspannungsverdampfung des Arbeitsmittels
• Volumenvergrößerung durch die Entspannungsverdampfung des Arbeitsmittels
• Verrichten von Expansionsarbeit durch den entstehenden Dampf des Arbeitsmittel
• im Nassdampfgebiet des Arbeitsmittels mit einem hohen Flüssigkeitsanteil stellen hohe technische Anforderungen an die verwendete Vorrichtung.

The continuous, simultaneous and spatial coexistence of:

• Reduction of the working pressure to initiate the flash evaporation of the working fluid
• Volume increase due to flash evaporation of the working fluid
• Performing expansion work through the resulting steam of the working medium
• in the wet steam area of the working medium with a high liquid content, high technical demands are placed on the device used.

• US 3 169 375 A benennt Rotationsmaschinen
• US 4 557 112 A benennt Screw- und Vaneexpander
• US 7 093 503 B1 und DE 10 2007 041 457 A1 nennen Turbinensysteme
• WO 00 2007 115 769 A2 verweist auf Kolbenmaschinen

Various devices are known for implementing the flash evaporation of a TLC process:

• US 3 169 375 A names rotary machines
• US 4 557 112 A names screw and vane expanders
• US 7 093 503 B1 and EN 10 2007 041 457 A1 call turbine systems
• WO 00 2007 115 769 A2 refers to piston engines

The technical literature also refers to scroll expanders and other variants of rotary vane expanders as expansion machines.

• DE 34 20 293 A1 - ein Organic-Rankine-Cycle(ORC) System mit niedrigsiedenenden Arbeitsmittel bzw. -gemischen zur Gewinnung von Energie aus Niedertemperaturwärme
• US 2012 / 0 112 473 A1 - ein System zur Meerwasserentsalzung mit solarer Niedertemperaturwärme und Energiegewinnung in einem Dampfkraftprozess bzw. Wasserkraftwerk
• GB 280 926 A - ein System zur Gewinnung von Trockendampf durch eine Entspannungsverdampfung eines überhitzten Arbeitsmittels
• US 2013/341 929 A1 - ein Organic-Flash-Cycle (OFC) System zur Gewinnung von Energie aus Niedertemperaturwärme
• US 2018/306 068 A1 - ein kombiniertes Kalina-Cycle + Organic Flash Cycle (OFC) System zur Gewinnung von Energie aus Niedertemperaturwärme
• DE 10 2020 110 560 A1 - ein System zur thermischen Speicherung elektrischer Energie und Rückumwandlung in elektrische Energie

Also known are:

• DE 34 20 293 A1 - an Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) system with low-boiling working fluids or mixtures for the production of energy from low-temperature heat
• US 2012 / 0 112 473 A1 - a system for seawater desalination using solar low-temperature heat and energy generation in a steam power process or hydroelectric power plant
• GB280926A - a system for producing dry steam by flash evaporation of a superheated working medium
• US 2013/341 929 A1 - an Organic Flash Cycle (OFC) system for generating energy from low-temperature heat
• US 2018/306 068 A1 - a combined Kalina Cycle + Organic Flash Cycle (OFC) system for generating energy from low-temperature heat
• EN 10 2020 110 560 A1 - a system for thermal storage of electrical energy and conversion back into electrical energy

These devices were mostly developed as compression machines for the compression of gases or derived from machines for other thermal power processes and sometimes have unfavorable parameters for flash evaporation according to the TLC process.

• Die p-V-Kennlinie der Vorrichtung entspricht nicht oder nur ungenügend der p-V-Verdampfungs-kennlinie des Arbeitsmittels, was zu Umwandlungsverlusten führt
• Ein zu geringes Expansionsverhältnis von Volumen und Druck und dadurch kein vollständiges Durchlaufen der Verdampfungskurve, was zu ungenutzter thermischer Energie führt
• hohe Spalt-Verluste an technisch bedingten Dichtflächen bei durch höhere Temperaturen bedingten höheren Arbeitsdrücken
• Schlechte Anpassung der Vorrichtung an Veränderungen der Eingangstemperatur bzw. der Kondensationstemperatur aufgrund mechanisch vorgegebener Arbeitspunkte
• Reibungsverluste
• Z.T. hohe Drehzahlen der Vorrichtung, die zusätzliche, verlustbehaftete Getriebe erfordern
• Aufwendig und teuer zu fertigende Spezialkomponenten (wie u.a. Turbinen, Screw-Expander)
• Bauteilschädigungen durch Tröpfchenerosion, ausgelöst durch eine schnelle, schlagartige Entspannungsverdampfung

This includes:

• The pV characteristic of the device does not correspond or only insufficiently corresponds to the pV evaporation characteristic of the working medium, which leads to conversion losses
• An expansion ratio of volume and pressure that is too low and therefore the evaporation curve is not completely passed through, which leads to unused thermal energy
• high gap losses on technically conditioned sealing surfaces at higher working pressures caused by higher temperatures
• Poor adaptation of the device to changes in the inlet temperature or the condensation temperature due to mechanically predetermined operating points
• Friction losses
• ZT high speeds of the device, which require additional, lossy gears
• Special components that are complex and expensive to manufacture (such as turbines, screw expanders)
• Component damage caused by droplet erosion, triggered by rapid, sudden flash evaporation

Another point that is often emphasized in the scientific literature is the necessary pumping power to generate the required working pressure for the cold liquid working medium at the beginning of the process, which requires a significant portion of the previously generated energy.

Object of the invention

The aim of the present invention is a technical solution for converting low-temperature heat into technically usable energy by realizing a flash evaporation similar to the TLC process according to Fig.1 while at the same time eliminating the disadvantages of the previously known devices.

• die p-V-Kennlinie der Vorrichtung entspricht der p-V-Verdampfungskennlinie des Arbeitsmittels
• Ein großes volumenbezogenes Expansionsverhältnis
• Ein großes druckbezogenes Expansionsverhältnis
• geringe Spaltverluste an technisch bedingten Dichtflächen
• Vermeidung einer schlagartigen Entspannungsverdampfung und dadurch ausgelöster Tröpfchenerosion
• Minimierung der zur Erzeugung des Arbeitsdruckes erforderlichen Pumpleistung
• Leichte Anpassung an Veränderungen der thermischen Umgebungsparameter wie Temperatur der Wärmequelle bzw. der Kondensationstemperatur
• Abdeckung eines großen Temperaturbereichs der Temperatur der NiedertemperaturWärmequelle und der Kondensationstemperatur

This means that the new technical solution should have the following properties:

• the pV characteristic of the device corresponds to the pV evaporation characteristic of the working fluid
• A large volume-related expansion ratio
• A large pressure-related expansion ratio
• Low gap losses on technically conditioned sealing surfaces
• Avoidance of sudden flash evaporation and the resulting droplet erosion
• Minimizing the pumping power required to generate the working pressure
• Easy adaptation to changes in the thermal environment parameters such as temperature of the heat source or the condensation temperature
• Covering a wide temperature range of the low temperature heat source temperature and the condensation temperature

Explanation of the solution approach

• Erste Wandlung: Umwandlung der thermischen Energie von Prozessmedien in potentielle Energie der Prozessmedien durch Anheben der Prozessmedien von einem unteren Niveau auf ein oberes Niveau unter Realisierung einer Entspannungsverdampfung nach dem Extended-TLC-Prozess
• Zweite Wandlung: Umwandlung der potentiellen Energie der Prozessmedien in technisch nutzbare Energie durch Rückführung der Prozessmedien vom oberen auf das untere Niveau und Umwandlung des statischen Druckes der Prozessmedien in mechanische Energie, z.B. in einem Hydraulikmotor / -turbine

The object is achieved according to the invention as defined in the claims by a novel "Extended TLC process", an energy conversion device and a method for converting thermal energy into potential energy as well as a device and method with a two-fold energy conversion:

• First conversion: Conversion of the thermal energy of process media into potential energy of the process media by raising the process media from a lower level to an upper level while realizing flash evaporation according to the extended TLC process
• Second conversion: Conversion of the potential energy of the process media into technically usable energy by returning the process media from the upper to the lower level and converting the static pressure of the process media into mechanical energy, e.g. in a hydraulic motor / turbine

• Der "Extended-TLC" Prozess
• Die erste Energiewandlungsvorrichtung und das Verfahren zur Wandlung von thermischer Energie in potentielle Energie unter Realisierung einer Entspannungsverdampfung nach dem Extended-TLC-Prozess
• Die Vorrichtung und das Verfahren der zweimaligen Wandlung unter Verwendung der neuartigen ersten Energiewandlungsvorrichtung

New are:

• The "Extended-TLC" process
• The first energy conversion device and method for converting thermal energy into potential energy by realizing flash evaporation according to the extended TLC process
• The device and method of double conversion using the novel first energy conversion device

• Der "Extended-TLC" Prozess nachfolgend E-TLC Prozess genannt
• die erste Energiewandlungsvorrichtung zur Wandlung von thermischer Energie in potentielle Energie nachfolgend "Erster Energiewandler" genannt
• die Vorrichtung mit zweimaliger Energiewandlung nachfolgend als "Gesamtsystem" bezeichnet
• der im Gesamtsystem realisierte thermodynamische Prozess mit zweimaliger Energiewandlung wird aufgrund seiner Ähnlichkeit zum bekannten TLC-Prozess und zur besseren Unterscheidung zum neuartigen E-TLC-Prozess nachfolgend als "E-TLC2-Prozess" bezeichnet.

For better differentiation:

• The "Extended-TLC" process hereinafter referred to as E-TLC process
• the first energy conversion device for converting thermal energy into potential energy, hereinafter referred to as " First Energy Converter"
• the device with two-fold energy conversion hereinafter referred to as " overall system"
• The thermodynamic process with two-fold energy conversion realized in the overall system is referred to below as the " E-TLC2 process" due to its similarity to the well-known TLC process and to better distinguish it from the novel E-TLC process.

The Fig.1 The reference symbols used for the TLC process are used identically in representations of the E-TLC and the E-TLC2 process.

The novel E-TLC process

• die Verwendung eines Wärmeträgermediums (nachfolgend vereinfacht Wärmemedium genannt) als interner Wärmespeicher
• die vollständige Verdampfung des Arbeitsmittels (vgl. TLC-Prozess: teilweise Verdampfung)
• die Verdampfung in einer polytropen Verdampfung (vgl. TLC-Prozess: isentrope Verdampfung)

Key features of the novel E-TLC process (see Fig.3 ) compared to the known TLC process according to Fig.1 are:

• the use of a heat transfer medium (hereinafter referred to simply as heat medium ) as an internal heat storage
• the complete evaporation of the working fluid (cf. TLC process: partial evaporation)
• the evaporation in a polytropic evaporation (cf. TLC process: isentropic evaporation)

As will be shown later, the use of a completely evaporating working medium and an additional heat medium results in completely new solutions for the technical realization and control of a device for converting low-temperature heat into technically usable energy.

Complete system with two energy conversions (E-TLC2 process)

Core component of the overall system 11 according to Fig.5 is the first energy converter 25.

In Fig.4 the corresponding thermodynamic details of the two-stage E-TLC2 process for the entire system 11 as well as the corresponding TS and pV diagram are shown.

The point 2 ( Fig.5 The working medium 51 (bottom) under pressure and the heat medium 55, which is also under pressure, are heated to the same temperature in a heat exchanger 31 by externally supplied thermal energy and fed to the first energy converter 25.

In the first energy converter 25 for converting thermal energy into potential energy, the step of flash evaporation (see Fig.4 , TS diagram) from operating point 3 with the maximum temperature to operating point 5 with the minimum temperature. This achieves a maximum in exergetic efficiency.

The working medium raised by the first energy converter 25 and completely evaporated is collected after exiting the first energy converter 25, the working medium vapor 54 is condensed, collected and returned to the lower level by performing mechanical work in a second energy converter 34.

The remaining liquid heat medium is also collected and returned to the lower level by performing mechanical work in the second energy converter 34. In contrast to the E-TLC process according to Fig.3 In the two-stage E-TLC2 process, there is a further point 7 between the thermodynamic points 1 and 2, at which the cold working medium 51 and the cold heat medium 55 have a higher pressure than is required according to the E-TLC process at point 2. This pressure difference between points 7 and 2 of the E-TLC2 process is converted into technically usable energy in the second energy converter 34. At the same time, the pump required according to the state of the art to generate the necessary working pressure is no longer required.

The product of the pressure difference and the volume of the working medium and the heat medium corresponds to the thermal energy converted into potential energy in the first energy converter 25.

The first energy converter

The physical and technical basis for the first energy converter 25 (see Fig. 6a ) are working areas AB each delimited by two pistons 170 and filled with warm working fluid AM and warm heating medium WM.

A number of these working areas separated by pistons 170 are arranged one above the other in an upwardly directed tube (see Fig. 6b ).

Each working area is subject to a local working pressure pA, which is generated by the other working areas located in the pipe above the respective working area.

Depending on the number of additional work areas located above a single work area and the local working pressure pA prevailing in a single work area, the working medium AM is partially (lower and middle area) or completely (upper area) evaporated and cooled in a flash evaporation - while the volume of the work area increases at the same time. The thermal energy required for the complete evaporation of the working medium is extracted from the heat medium so that it is also cooled (see Fig.4 and Fig. 6b ).

By adding new work areas (see Fig. 6b ) at the lower level of the upward pipe, the work areas above are raised to such an extent that the uppermost work area at the upper level exits the upward pipe. This reduces the local working pressure pA for all subsequent work areas.

This reduction in pressure leads to small flash evaporations in all working areas in the pipe and thus small increases in volume of each individual working area and consequently a lifting of all working areas above.

The sum of these many small volume increases results in a large volume increase, which greatly increases the upper working area (see Fig.6b - resulting path change) and - after adding a new working area at the lower level - also exits at the upper level.

In order to ensure that this process is repeated continuously, new working areas with warm working fluid and warm heating medium are constantly supplied to the lower level under a dosing pressure pD.

The Fig.6a and 6b The strict separation of heat medium and working fluid shown serves to provide a clear representation of the processes within a working area during the movement from the lower to the upper level. In reality, within a working area AB, heat medium and working fluid mix to form a working mixture AG (see Fig.6c ).

Due to the evaporation of the working medium during the movement from the lower to the upper level, the working mixture is subject to a constant change in the mixing ratio until the working medium has completely evaporated at the upper level and the heat medium remains only as a liquid.

Optimization of the overall system

The consideration of heat medium and working fluid as a working mixture suggests the possibility of an advantageous optimization of the Fig.5 shown overall system 11.

In Fig.7 the optimized overall system 12 with a mixing chamber 33 for producing the working mixture AG is already shown outside the first energy converter.

As a result of the optimization, only a one-piece second energy converter 34 and a one-piece heat exchanger 31 are required instead of a two-piece second energy converter and heat exchanger according to Fig.5 necessary.

Further development of the first energy converter

The Fig.6 The principle of the first energy converter outlined requires a greater height of the upwardly directed pipe - to build up the maximum working pressure pA which increases with temperature - the greater the temperature difference between the low-temperature heat source and the vapor condensation temperature (given by the temperature of the heat sink).

This may require heights of several hundred meters to over 1000 meters. This can be achieved according to an advantageous further development of the first energy converter (see Fig. 10a-b ) can be avoided by inserting an additional weight area GB filled with a weight medium 60 between two working areas AB (see Fig. 10a ). The weight medium is - in contrast to the working medium and heat medium - not heated by the heat source.

The weight medium causes - with otherwise identical processes as in Fig. 6 described - due to its own weight, an increase in the working pressure pA on each working area AB in the upward pipe. This makes it possible - as will be shown - to significantly reduce the required height of the upward pipe to build up the working pressure pA.

In Fig. 11 the overall system 15 is shown with a further developed first energy converter 26, the structure of which is largely identical to the overall system 11 according to Fig.5 is.

The Fig. 12 The structure of the overall system 16 with a further developed first energy converter 26 and external production of a working mixture is largely identical to the overall system 12 according to Fig.7 What is new in both overall systems is the additional supply of weight medium 60 to the further developed first energy converter 26.

The thermodynamic processes of the E-TLC2 process according to Fig.4 also apply to the overall systems 15 and 16 with the further developed first energy converter 26.

The pressure difference between points 7 and 2, which is reduced due to the lower height of the overall systems 15 and 16, is compensated for the second energy converter 34 by a larger volume of working medium, heat medium and weight medium (see Fig.11 +12, pV diagrams). Varying the amount of the working mixture (heat medium and working fluid) or the weight medium enables easy control of the entire system.

A particular advantage is that the further developed first energy converter can also be operated in an operating mode without a weight medium, thus extending the usable temperature range to lower temperatures.

Optimization of the further developed overall systems

As in Fig.11 and 12 As shown, the use of a weight medium in the overall systems 15 and 16 requires the use of a two-part second energy converter 34.

This can be achieved by using working mixture as weight medium as in Fig.13 shown can be avoided.

Further design variants of the overall system

By taking advantage of the different densities of the working medium and the heat or weight medium, different design variants of the overall system for converting thermal energy into technically usable energy are possible. Depending on the area of application (source of low-temperature heat, heat sink, temperature difference), technical advantages can be achieved.

So, as in Fig.8 , 14 and 15 As shown, the height of the entire system between the condensation device and the heat supply can be reduced to such an extent that the resulting liquid pressure of the working medium or the working mixture corresponds to the working pressure required at point 2. The pressure difference previously used to generate energy between points 7 and 2 - which no longer exists - disappears. The loss of potential energy of the working medium or the working mixture is compensated by the larger usable volume of heat or weight medium. The total technically usable amount of energy remains the same. If the focus is on further reducing the height of the overall system, as in Fig.9 and 16 As shown, the use of an additional pressure booster pump 35 is also possible.

However, this reduces the amount of technically usable energy that can be delivered.

Increased performance through parallelization

The principle and the simple technology of the first energy converter 25 and the further developed first energy converter 26 for converting thermal energy into potential energy allows any number of upward-leading pipes for energy conversion to be built in parallel (see Fig. 17 , exemplified using the overall system 12).

This has the advantage that even with small temperature differences between the low-temperature source and the steam condensation temperature and the associated low efficiency, large amounts of heat can still be converted and technically usable energy can be obtained from it.

With parallelization, outputs well into the megawatt range can be achieved.

• Erfolgt durch das Prinzip der frei beweglichen Kolben eine selbsttätige Anpassung der p-V-Kennlinie der ersten Energiewandler an die p-V-Verdampfungskennlinie des Arbeitsmittels
• Ist eine stufenlose Volumenvergrößerung von mehr als 1:100 möglich (Ausgangsvolumen des flüssigen warmen Arbeitsmittels zu Endvolumen des verdampften gasförmigen Arbeitsmittels)
• ist eine stufenlose Druckentspannung von mehr als 1:10 möglich
  (maximaler Arbeitsdruck auf dem unteren Niveau zu minimalem Arbeitsdruck auf dem oberen Niveau)
• Wird durch einen sehr langsamen Druckabbau von mehreren Sekunden bis Minuten (Zeit zwischen Beginn und Ende der Entspannungsverdampfung des Arbeitsmittels) eine explosionsartige Verdampfung des Arbeitsmittels und nachfolgende Tröpfchenerosion, die zu Bauteilzerstörungen führen kann, vermieden
• Werden durch geringe Druckunterschiede von weit weniger als 0,001 MPa (0,01bar) zwischen der Kolbenoberseite und der Kolbenunterseite die technischen Anforderungen an die Kolbendichtungen deutlich gesenkt und Spaltverluste weitestgehend reduziert
• Sind durch mehrere parallel arbeitende erste Energiewandler Leistungen bis weit in den Megawatt-Bereich möglich
• Ist durch Änderung der zugeführten Mengen des Arbeitsmittels, des Wärmemediums, des Gewichtsmediums oder der Betriebsweise im weiterentwickelten ersten Energiewandler eine einfache Anpassung an Veränderungen der externen Temperatur der Niedertemperaturwärmequelle und/oder der Temperatur der Dampfverflüssigung möglich
• können bereits geringe Temperaturdifferenzen von 10°K zur Energiegewinnung ausgenutzt werden
• ist ein flexibler Tag/Nacht-Betrieb sowie ein flexibler Sommer/Winter-Betrieb mit Anpassung an die sich verändernden Temperaturen der Niedertemperaturwärmequelle oder der Dampfverflüssigungstemperatur möglich

By using the novel E-TLC process, the first energy converter according to the invention, the further developed first energy converter according to the invention and the parallelization of the first and the further developed first energy converter:

• The principle of freely moving pistons results in an automatic adjustment of the pV characteristic of the first energy converter to the pV evaporation characteristic of the working medium
• Is a continuous volume increase of more than 1:100 possible (initial volume of the liquid warm working medium to final volume of the evaporated gaseous working medium)
• a continuous pressure relief of more than 1:10 is possible
  (maximum working pressure at the lower level to minimum working pressure at the upper level)
• A very slow pressure reduction of several seconds to minutes (time between the start and end of the flash evaporation of the working fluid) prevents an explosive evaporation of the working fluid and subsequent droplet erosion, which can lead to component destruction
• The technical requirements for the piston seals are significantly reduced and gap losses are reduced as a result of small pressure differences of far less than 0.001 MPa (0.01 bar) between the top and bottom of the piston
• Are outputs well into the megawatt range possible through several energy converters working in parallel?
• Is it possible to easily adapt to changes in the external temperature of the low-temperature heat source and/or the temperature of the steam liquefaction by changing the quantities of the working medium, the heat medium, the weight medium or the operating mode in the further developed first energy converter?
• Even small temperature differences of 10°K can be used to generate energy
• Flexible day/night operation as well as flexible summer/winter operation with adaptation to the changing temperatures of the low-temperature heat source or the steam condensation temperature is possible

• die thermodynamisch anspruchsvollen Vorgänge der Wandlung der thermischen Energie nach dem E-TLC-Prozess in eine andere Energieform werden von der Wandlung in technisch nutzbare mechanische Energie entkoppelt (vergleichbar der Trennung von Dampferzeugung und Turbine in klassischen Wärmekraftwerken)
• die technische Komplexität einer Vorrichtung zur Umwandlung thermischer Energie in technisch nutzbare Energie wird im Vergleich zum Stand der Technik deutlich reduziert, da jede der beiden Energiewandlungsstufen für ihre jeweilige Aufgabe optimiert werden kann
• Der zu Prozessbeginn erforderliche Arbeitsdruck für das Arbeitsmittel, das Wärmemedium und ggf. das Gewichtsmedium wird verfahrens- und vorrichtungsintern ohne die nach dem Stand der Technik erforderliche Druckpumpe erzeugt
• dies senkt die technisch bedingten Verluste, erhöht den technischen Wirkungsgrad und bringt ökonomische Vorteile
• je nach Einsatzfall kann aus verschiedenen Bauweisen des Gesamtsystems die optimale Bauform zur Realisierung eines E-TLC2-Prozesses ausgewählt werden

The advantages of the two-stage E-TLC2 process according to the invention for converting thermal energy into technically usable energy according to the E-TLC2 process are:

• the thermodynamically demanding processes of converting thermal energy into another form of energy using the E-TLC process are decoupled from the conversion into technically usable mechanical energy (comparable to the separation of steam generation and turbine in conventional thermal power plants)
• the technical complexity of a device for converting thermal energy into technically usable energy is significantly reduced compared to the state of the art, since each of the two energy conversion stages can be optimized for its respective task
• The working pressure required at the start of the process for the working medium, the heat medium and, if applicable, the weight medium is generated internally within the process and device without the pressure pump required according to the state of the art
• This reduces technical losses, increases technical efficiency and brings economic benefits
• Depending on the application, the optimal design for implementing an E-TLC2 process can be selected from various designs of the overall system

List of illustrations

Fig. 1 -

Thermodynamics of the state-of-the-art TLC process

Fig. 2 -

Principle design of a system for using the state-of-the-art TLC process

Fig. 3 -

Thermodynamics of the novel E-TLC process

Fig. 4 -

Thermodynamics of the novel E-TLC2 process

Fig. 5 -

Representation of overall system 11 according to the E-TLC2 process

Fig. 6 -

Functional principle of the first energy converter 25

Fig. 7 -

Representation of optimized overall system 12 with mixing chamber 33

Fig. 8 -

Representation of overall system 13 with first energy converter 25 at reduced height

Fig. 9 -

Representation of entire system 14 with reduced height and booster pump 35

Fig. 10 -

Functional principle of further developed first energy converter 26

Fig. 11 -

Representation of the entire system 15 with further developed first energy converter 26

Fig. 12 -

Representation of the entire system 16 with further developed first energy converter 26 and mixing chamber 33

Fig. 13 -

Representation of the entire system 17 with further developed first energy converter 26 and working mixture as weight medium

Fig. 14 -

Representation of the entire system 18 with further developed first energy converter 26 at reduced height

Fig. 15 -

Representation of the entire system 19 with further developed first energy converter 26 and mixing chamber 33 at reduced height

Fig. 16 -

Representation of the entire system 20 with further developed first energy converter 26 and pressure booster pump 35 at reduced height

Fig. 17 -

Representation of the entire system 12 with several parallel first energy converters 25

Fig. 18 -

Thermodynamics of the modified mE-TLC2 process

Fig. 19 -

Representation of the entire system 211 after the mE-TLC2 process with first energy converter 25

Fig. 20 -

Representation of the entire system 212 according to the mE-TLC2 process with first energy converter 25 and working mixture

Fig. 21 -

Representation of the entire system 216 according to the mE-TLC2 process with first energy converter 26 and working mixture

Fig. 22 -

Representation of the entire system 219 after the mE-TLC2 process with first energy converter 26 and working mixture at reduced altitude

Fig. 23 -

Representation of first energy converter 25

Fig. 24 -

Representation of first energy converter 25 with supply of working mixture

Fig. 25 -

Representation of further developed first energy converter 26

Fig. 26 -

Representation of further developed first energy converter 26 with supply of working mixture

Fig. 27 -

Representation of possible design variants of the pipe system at the lower and upper levels

List of reference symbols and numbering used Reference symbol

• AB - Work area
• AG - Working mixture of heat medium and working fluid, generally used
• AM - Work equipment, generally used
• GB - Weight range
• H - Fall height
• WM - Heat medium, generally used
• pA - Working pressure
• pD - Dosing pressure
• pK - pressure piston stack

• Ziffer ohne Zusatz kennzeichnet Zustandspunkt für das Arbeitsmittel
• Zusatz "..wm" kennzeichnet Zustandspunkt für das Wärmemedium
• Zusatz "..gm" kennzeichnet Zustandspunkt für das Gewichtsmedium
• Zusatz "..ag" kennzeichnet Zustandspunkt für das Arbeitsgemisch aus Wärmemedium und Arbeitsmittel

Numbers 1 - 7 --- Points for certain thermodynamic states in TS and pV diagrams

• Number without additional information indicates the condition point for the work equipment
• The addition "..wm" indicates the state point for the heat medium
• The addition "..gm" indicates the state point for the weight medium
• The addition "..ag" indicates the state point for the working mixture of heat medium and working fluid

• 11 - Gesamtsystem mit erstem Energiewandler 25 und interner Erzeugung eines Arbeitsgemisches
• 12 - Gesamtsystem mit erstem Energiewandler 25 und externer Erzeugung eines Arbeitsgemisches
• 13 - Gesamtsystem mit erstem Energiewandler 25, externer Erzeugung eines Arbeitsgemisches bei reduzierter Höhe
• 14 - Gesamtsystem mit erstem Energiewandler 25, externer Erzeugung eines Arbeitsgemisches bei reduzierter Höhe und zusätzlicher Druckerhöhungspumpe 35
• 15 - Gesamtsystem mit weiterentwickeltem erstem Energiewandler 26, interner Erzeugung eines Arbeitsgemisches und Wärmemedium als Gewichtsmedium
• 16 - Gesamtsystem mit weiterentwickeltem erstem Energiewandler 26, externer Erzeugung eines Arbeitsgemisches und Wärmemedium als Gewichtsmedium
• 17 - Gesamtsystem mit weiterentwickeltem erstem Energiewandler 26, externer Erzeugung eines Arbeitsgemisches und Arbeitsgemisch als Gewichtsmedium
• 18 - Gesamtsystem mit weiterentwickeltem erstem Energiewandler 26, externer Erzeugung eines Arbeitsgemisches mit Druckaufbau durch Arbeitsmittel und Wärmemedium als Gewichtsmedium bei reduzierter Höhe
• 19 - Gesamtsystem mit weiterentwickeltem erstem Energiewandler 26, externer Erzeugung eines Arbeitsgemisches mit Druckaufbau durch Arbeitsgemisch und Wärmemedium als Gewichtsmedium bei reduzierter Höhe
• 20 - Gesamtsystem mit weiterentwickeltem erstem Energiewandler 26, externer Erzeugung eines Arbeitsgemisches, Wärmemedium als Gewichtsmedium sowie zusätzlicher Druckerhöhungspumpe 35 für das Arbeitsmittel bei reduzierter Höhe
• 25 - Erster Energiewandler thermische zu potentielle Energie
• 26 - Weiterentwickelter erster Energiewandler thermische zu potentielle Energie
• 31 - Wärmetauscher zur Aufnahme von Wärmeenergie
• 32 - Dampfverflüssiger für Arbeitsmitteldampf
• 33 - Mischkammer für Arbeitsmedium und Wärmemedium
• 34 - Zweiter Energiewandler, potentielle zu technisch nutzbare Energie
• 35 - Druckerhöhungspumpe
• 40 - Zuführungen, allgemein
• 41 - Zuführung Gewichtsmedium
• 51 - Arbeitsmittel, flüssig, kalt
• 52 - Arbeitsmittel, flüssig, warm
• 53 - Arbeitsmittel, dampfförmig, warm
• 54 - Arbeitsmittel, dampfförmig, kalt
• 55 - Wärmemedium, flüssig, kalt
• 56 - Wärmemedium, flüssig, warm
• 58 - Arbeitsgemisch aus Wärmemedium und Arbeitsmedium, kalt
• 59 - Arbeitsgemisch aus Wärmemedium und Arbeitsmedium, warm
• 60 - Gewichtsmedium, flüssig

Numbers 10 - 99 --- Components of the overall system

• 11 - Complete system with first energy converter 25 and internal generation of a working mixture
• 12 - Complete system with first energy converter 25 and external generation of a working mixture
• 13 - Complete system with first energy converter 25, external generation of a working mixture at reduced altitude
• 14 - Complete system with first energy converter 25, external generation of a working mixture at reduced altitude and additional pressure booster pump 35
• 15 - Complete system with further developed first energy converter 26, internal generation of a working mixture and heat medium as weight medium
• 16 - Complete system with further developed first energy converter 26, external generation of a working mixture and heat medium as weight medium
• 17 - Overall system with further developed first energy converter 26, external generation of a working mixture and working mixture as weight medium
• 18 - Complete system with further developed first energy converter 26, external generation of a working mixture with pressure build-up by working fluid and heat medium as weight medium at reduced height
• 19 - Complete system with further developed first energy converter 26, external generation of a working mixture with pressure build-up through working mixture and heat medium as weight medium at reduced height
• 20 - Complete system with further developed first energy converter 26, external generation of a working mixture, heat medium as weight medium and additional pressure booster pump 35 for the working medium at reduced height
• 25 - First energy converter thermal to potential energy
• 26 - Advanced first energy converter thermal to potential energy
• 31 - Heat exchanger for absorbing thermal energy
• 32 - Steam condenser for working fluid steam
• 33 - Mixing chamber for working medium and heat medium
• 34 - Second energy converter, potential to technically usable energy
• 35 - Booster pump
• 40 - Feeders, general
• 41 - Weight medium feed
• 51 - Working fluid, liquid, cold
• 52 - Working fluid, liquid, warm
• 53 - Working fluid, vaporous, warm
• 54 - Working fluid, vaporous, cold
• 55 - Heat medium, liquid, cold
• 56 - Heat medium, liquid, warm
• 58 - Working mixture of heat medium and working medium, cold
• 59 - Working mixture of heat medium and working medium, warm
• 60 - Weight medium, liquid

• 110 - Rohrbogen, unteres Niveau
• 120 - Einbringvorrichtung, allgemein
• 121 - Einbringvorrichtung für Arbeitsmittel und Wärmemedium bzw. Arbeitsgemisch
• 122 - Einbringvorrichtung für Arbeitsmittel und Wärmemedium bzw. Arbeitsgemisch sowie Gewichtsmedium
• 125 - Kolben-Stopvorrichtung
• 126 - Dosiervorrichtung
• 130 - Aufstiegsrohr
• 140 - Rohrbogen, oberes Niveau
• 150 - Separierungsvorrichtung zur Trennung von Flüssigkeiten und Arbeitsmitteldampf
• 160 - Abstiegsrohr
• 170 - Einzelkolben
• 171 - Kolbenstapel

Numbers 100 - 199 --- First and further developed first energy converter

• 110 - Pipe bend, lower level
• 120 - Insertion device, general
• 121 - Feeding device for working fluid and heat medium or working mixture
• 122 - Feeding device for working fluid and heat medium or working mixture and weight medium
• 125 - Piston stop device
• 126 - Dosing device
• 130 - Riser tube
• 140 - Pipe bend, upper level
• 150 - Separation device for separating liquids and working fluid vapour
• 160 - Descent pipe
• 170 - Single piston
• 171 - Piston stack

Detailed description of the E-TLC process

A key feature of the novel E-TLC process according to Fig.3 compared to the known TLC process according to Fig.1 is the use of a heat medium and the complete evaporation of the working fluid in a polytropic evaporation curve.

The TLC process according to Smith ( Fig.1 ) uses the thermal energy absorbed by the working medium for evaporation. Since the amount of energy required for evaporation is greater than the amount of energy absorbed, this always leads to only partial evaporation of the working medium.

In the E-TLC process, a significant part of the thermal energy required for complete evaporation is supplied to the working fluid by the heated heat medium during the flash evaporation phase (see Fig.3 , TS diagram). The heat medium never turns into steam and always remains in its liquid state.

The working fluid thus undergoes a polytropic flash evaporation (cf. Fig.1 , TLC process: isentropic flash evaporation). If one considers the sum of the amount of heat contained in the heated working fluid and the heated heat medium - without taking into account the different heat capacities - this corresponds to the amount of energy converted into evaporation of the working fluid.

This means that in a direct comparison of TLC and E-TLC processes, the same amount of thermal energy is converted by evaporation of the working fluid for the same amount of heat energy absorbed.

However, by using a separate heat medium with other, advantageous physical and chemical properties (e.g. density, heat capacity) as well as the targeted mixing of working medium and heat medium to form a working mixture AM , completely new approaches arise for the technical realization of a device for converting low-temperature heat into a technically usable form of energy, which would not be possible with the use of a pure working medium according to the TLC process.

Detailed description of the E-TLC2 process and the overall systems for converting thermal energy into technically usable energy

The following description shows the operation of the entire system 11 ( Fig.5 ) and the further developed overall system 15 ( Fig.11 ) together.

Differences are discussed in the text. The description of the thermodynamic steps follows the course of the E-TLC2 process according to Fig.4 .

The overall systems 12 ( Fig.7 ) and 16 ( Fig.12 ) are variations of the overall systems 11 and 15 respectively, using a working mixture AG consisting of working medium AM and heat medium WM. Their mode of operation corresponds to the overall systems 11 and 15 respectively.

For better understanding, Figures 5, 7, 11 and 12 show the TS diagrams and the pV diagrams of the respective overall process, separated by working medium (without index), heat medium (index "wm"), weight medium (index "gm") and working mixture (index "ag").

The hatched area in the p-V diagrams corresponds to the thermal energy of the respective medium that is converted into technically usable work. The sum of the converted thermal energy is the same for all overall systems with the same input parameters (amount of thermal energy absorbed).

The overall systems 13,14 ( Fig.8,9 ) and 17-20 ( Fig.13-16 ) represent further advantageous variations of the overall systems 11 and 15. Their basic mode of operation corresponds to the overall systems 11 and 15. Differences are discussed in the text.

• Einem Wärmetauscher 31 zur Erwärmung des unter Druck stehenden Arbeitsmittels 52, des Wärmemediums 55 bzw. des Arbeitsgemisches 58 durch eine Niedertemperaturwärmequelle ohne Verdampfung des Arbeitsmittels
• Einem ersten Energiewandler 25 zur Wandlung der aufgenommenen thermischen Energie in potentielle Energie
• Einer Dampfverflüssigungsvorrichtung 32
• Einem zweiten Energiewandler 34 zur Wandlung der potentiellen Energie des Arbeitsmittels 51, des Wärmemediums 55 bzw. des Arbeitsgemisches 58 in eine technisch nutzbare Energieform
• Zuführungen 40 zur Verbindung der einzelnen Bestandteile
• Zusätzlich weisen die Gesamtsysteme 12-14 eine Mischkammer 33 zur Herstellung eines Arbeitsgemisches 58 auf

The inventive overall systems 11-14 ( Fig.5 , 7-9 ) for the conversion of thermal energy into technically usable energy consist of at least the following components:

• A heat exchanger 31 for heating the pressurized working medium 52, the heat medium 55 or the working mixture 58 by a low-temperature heat source without evaporation of the working medium
• A first energy converter 25 for converting the absorbed thermal energy into potential energy
• A steam condensing device 32
• A second energy converter 34 for converting the potential energy of the working medium 51, the heat medium 55 or the working mixture 58 into a technically usable form of energy
• Feeders 40 for connecting the individual components
• In addition, the overall systems 12-14 have a mixing chamber 33 for producing a working mixture 58

• Einem Wärmetauscher 31 zur Erwärmung des unter Druck stehenden Arbeitsmittels 51, des Wärmemediums 55 bzw. des Arbeitsgemisches 58 durch eine Niedertemperaturwärmequelle ohne Verdampfung
• Einem weiterentwickelten ersten Energiewandler 26 zur Wandlung der aufgenommenen thermischen Energie in potentielle Energie
• Einer Dampfverflüssigungsvorrichtung 32
• Einem zweiten Energiewandler 34 zur Wandlung der potentiellen Energie des Wärmemediums, des Arbeitsmittels, des Gewichtsmediums bzw. des Arbeitsgemisches in eine technisch nutzbare Energieform
• Zuführungen 40 zur Verbindung der einzelnen Bestandteile
• Einer Zuführung 41 zur Zuführung von Gewichtsmedium 60 zum weiterentwickelten ersten Energiewandler 26
• Zusätzlich weisen die Gesamtsysteme 16-20 eine Mischkammer 33 zur Herstellung eines Arbeitsgemisches 58 auf

The inventive further developed overall systems 15-20 ( Fig.10-16 ) consist of at least the following components:

• A heat exchanger 31 for heating the pressurized working medium 51, the heat medium 55 or the working mixture 58 by a low-temperature heat source without evaporation
• A further developed first energy converter 26 for converting the absorbed thermal energy into potential energy
• A steam condensing device 32
• A second energy converter 34 for converting the potential energy of the heat medium, the working medium, the weight medium or the working mixture into a technically usable form of energy
• Feeders 40 for connecting the individual components
• A feed line 41 for supplying weight medium 60 to the further developed first energy converter 26
• In addition, the overall systems 16-20 have a mixing chamber 33 for producing a working mixture 58

Various auxiliary systems are not shown in the illustrations, as their position and function can be solved in many different ways.

• Absaugung von nicht kondensierbaren Gasen
• Filtersysteme zur Reinigung des Arbeitsmittels und des Wärmemediums von Fremdstoffen
• Austreiber zur vollständigen Trennung von Arbeitsmittel und Wärmemedium
• Meßsensoren sowie Prozess-Steuerungs- und Regeltechnik
• Vorratsbehälter
• Wärmespeicher

Auxiliary systems can be, for example:

• Extraction of non-condensable gases
• Filter systems for cleaning the working fluid and the heat medium from foreign substances
• Extractor for complete separation of working fluid and heat medium
• Measuring sensors and process control and regulation technology
• Storage container
• Heat storage

• Schritt a: Isobares Erwärmen (Fig.4: Pkt.2 - Pkt.3) des unter Dosierdruck (pD) stehenden flüssigen Arbeitsmittels und des unter Dosierdruck (pD) stehenden flüssigen Wärmemedium (55) - die auch als Arbeitsgemisch (58) vorliegen können - aus einer Niedertemperaturwärmequelle ohne Verdampfung des Arbeitsmittels
• Schritt b: Polytrope Umwandlung (Fig.4: Pkt.3 - Pkt.5) der aufgenommenen thermischen Energie in mindestens einem ersten Energiewandler 25 oder 26 in potentielle Energie
• Schritt c: Isobares Kondensieren (Fig.4: Pkt.5 - Pkt.1) des vollständig verdampften Arbeitsmittels
• Schritt d: Isochore Umwandlung (Fig.4: Pkt.1 - Pkt.7) der gewonnenen potentiellen Energie über die Fallhöhe H in statischen Druck
• Schritt e: Isochore Umwandlung (Fig.4: Pkt.7 - Pkt.2) eines Teils des statischen Druckes im zweiten Energiewandler 34 in technisch nutzbare mechanische Energie

In all systems 11-20, the thermal energy is converted into technically usable energy according to the E-TLC2 process (see Fig.4 ) in the process steps:

• Step a: Isobaric heating ( Fig.4 : Point 2 - Point 3) of the liquid working medium under dosing pressure (pD) and the liquid heat medium (55) under dosing pressure (pD) - which can also be present as a working mixture (58) - from a low-temperature heat source without evaporation of the working medium
• Step b: Polytropic conversion ( Fig.4 : Point 3 - Point 5) of the absorbed thermal energy in at least one first energy converter 25 or 26 into potential energy
• Step c: Isobaric condensation ( Fig.4 : Point 5 - Point 1) of the completely evaporated working fluid
• Step d: Isochoric conversion ( Fig.4 : Point 1 - Point 7) of the gained potential energy over the drop height H in static pressure
• Step e: Isochoric conversion ( Fig.4 : Point 7 - Point 2) of a part of the static pressure in the second energy converter 34 into technically usable mechanical energy

Thermodynamic point 2

The starting point of the energy conversion process is point 2 of the E-TLC2 process (see Fig.4 , TS and pV diagram) in the lower part of the overall systems 11-20 ( Fig.5 , 7-9 , 11-16 ).

The cold liquid working medium 51 and the cold heat medium 55 (overall system 11,15) or the cold working mixture (overall system 12-14,16-20) are under pressure and are fed through feed lines 40 to the heat exchanger 31 for absorbing thermal energy from the low-temperature heat source and are heated therein without evaporation of the working medium.

In addition to geothermal energy, ocean heat, solar heat, waste heat from technical processes (e.g. steel and plastics industry), heat from cooling processes (e.g. cold storage, data centers), heat from combustion processes (e.g. waste incineration, biogas) or residual heat from other processes (e.g. chemical industry) can be used as low-temperature heat sources.

Depending on the temperature level and temperature difference between the low-temperature heat source used and the available condensation temperature, all organic and inorganic substances and mixtures of substances can be used as working media that Cover the temperature range from the maximum temperature of the low temperature heat source to the minimum temperature of vapor liquefaction as a liquid without thermal decomposition and without freezing.

When selecting the working fluid, care must be taken to avoid chemical reactions between the working fluid and individual components of the overall system.

The preferred heat medium is water due to its heat capacity. However, other temperature-stable substances that remain liquid in the intended temperature range, do not decompose or freeze and do not undergo any chemical reaction or other interaction with the working medium can also be used. In addition, there should be no chemical reactions between the heat medium and individual components of the overall system.

Thermodynamic point 3

The working medium 52 and heat medium 56 (overall system 11,15) emerging from the heat exchanger 31 and heated to the same temperature or the heated working mixture (overall system 12-14,16-20) then flow through thermally insulated feeds 40 to the first energy converter 25 (overall system 11-14) or the further developed first energy converter 26 (overall system 15-20).

In the further developed overall systems 15-20 ( Fig.11-16 ), additional cold weight medium 60 flows through inlets 41 to the first energy converter 26.

The preferred weight medium is the heat medium, preferably water, due to its high density. However, cold working mixtures (see overall system 17), pure working fluid or an additional liquid can also be used as weight medium.

The latter variants are mentioned here as technically possible solutions, but are not further elaborated upon.

Thermodynamic points 4' and 4"

In the first energy converter 25 (overall system 11-14) or the further developed first energy converter 26 (overall system 15-20), the absorbed thermal energy of the warm working medium 52 and the warm heat medium 56 or the resulting warm working mixture 59 is converted according to the E-TLC or E-TLC2 process ( Fig.3 , 4 Points 4' and 4") are converted into potential energy by expansion evaporation of the working medium while performing volume change work in the form of lifting work. The heat medium cools down by releasing heat to the working medium.

The working medium and the heat medium or the weight medium (the latter only for complete systems 15-20) are raised from the lower to the upper area.

Thermodynamic point 5

In the upper area of the first energy converters 25,26, the working fluid is in accordance with the E-TLC or E-TLC2 process ( Fig.3 , 4 Point 5) completely evaporated and cooled.

The remaining liquid heat medium 55 has also cooled down.

The evaporated and cooled working medium 54 and the remaining liquid, cold heat medium 55 leave the first energy converter 25 (overall system 11-14) or the further developed first energy converter 26 (overall system 15-20) at the upper level.

In the further developed overall systems 15-20, the cold weight medium 60 mixes with the cold heat medium 55 and increases the volume of the heat medium 55.

Thermodynamic point 6

After leaving the first energy converters 25 and 26, the evaporated working medium 54 flows to the steam liquefaction device 32 and is condensed there with reduction of the entropy ( Fig.3 , 4 TS diagram point 6) is liquefied again.

Any non-condensable gases that may be produced are extracted here.

Thermodynamic point 1

With the exit of the heat medium or the weight medium from the first energy converters 25 or 26 and the exit of the liquefied working medium from the steam liquefaction device 32 at the upper level of the overall system, point 1 of the E-TLC or E-TLC2 process ( Fig.3 , 4 Point 1) is achieved.

The cold working medium 51 and the cold heat medium 55 (including weight medium 60) are now cooled and under low pressure, the previously absorbed thermal energy is converted into potential energy.

Depending on the design of the overall system 11-20, the working medium 51 and the heat medium 55 (including weight medium 60) flow back to the lower level of the overall system in different ways, building up static pressure.

In the overall systems 12 and 17, a complete mixing of the working medium and the heat medium to form a working mixture takes place in a mixing chamber 33, and in the overall systems 16 and 19, a partial mixing takes place.

Thermodynamic point 7

To convert the potential energy - present in the form of hydrostatic pressure - into technically usable energy, the heat medium 55, the working medium 51 or the working mixture 58 flow to a second energy converter 34. Here, the liquid columns generate a high pressure (pV diagram points 7, 7 _wm , 7 _gm , 7 _ag ). This pressure is partially converted into mechanical movement in the second energy converter 34, which can then be converted into electrical energy in a generator, for example, but can also be used as mechanical energy to drive machines.

In the overall systems 11, 15 and 16 ( Fig.5 , 11 , 12 ) the pressure generated varies due to the different densities of the two liquids. This requires a two-part second energy converter 34.

In the overall systems 12-14 ( Fig.7-9 ) and 17-20 ( Fig.13-16 ) only a one-piece second energy converter 34 is required.

The complete systems 13, 18 and 19 represent a special feature.

These systems are characterized by a reduced height between the steam liquefaction device 32 and the heat exchanger 31, which means that the resulting liquid pressure of the working medium 51 or the working mixture 58 at the lower level of the overall system corresponds to the working pressure required at point 2. This design reduces the technical effort and costs. The pressure difference previously used to generate energy between the - no longer existing - point 7 and 2 thus disappears. The - apparent - loss of potential energy is compensated by the required larger volume of the weight medium to build up the working pressure pA in the first energy converter 25 or 26. This means that the total of the technically usable energy quantity remains the same - under the same input conditions.

Thermodynamic point 2

After leaving the second energy converter 34, the cold working medium 51, the cold heat medium 55 (including cold weight medium 60) or the cold working mixture 58 is under an equally high residual pressure (point 2 of the E-TLC2 process).

This residual pressure is so high that the working fluid 51 does not begin to evaporate during the subsequent absorption of thermal energy in the heat exchanger 31.

The overall systems 14 and 20 are an exception. Here, the height of the overall system was reduced to such an extent that the necessary working pressure is not reached at point 2. An additional pressure booster pump 35 is therefore required to achieve the required working pressure. This solution can be useful for various reasons, but it reduces the overall technical efficiency.

This means that the starting point of the E-TLC2 process is reached for all systems 11-20 and the cycle is closed.

Comparison of the overall systems 11 and 15

When comparing the pV diagrams of the entire system 11 ( Fig.5 ) with the first energy converter 25 and the overall system 15 ( Fig. 11 ) with the further developed first energy converter 26, it can be seen that in the overall system 15, the greater part of the technically usable energy is obtained from the larger volume of the heat medium 55 or weight medium 60 with a significantly reduced pressure difference between points 7 and 2. This arises from the volume of the weight medium 60 used and the resulting reduced height of the first energy converter 26, which is represented as the pressure difference between points 2 and 7 of the pV diagram.

However, with the same amount of thermal energy supplied, the overall systems 11 and 15 always generate the same amount of technically usable energy.

Performance improvement

To increase the performance of the overall systems 11 to 20, several first energy converters 25 (see example Fig. 17 ) or further developed first energy converters 26 can be used in parallel. The number of energy converters 25,26 can be increased as desired.

A corresponding adjustment of the performance of the jointly used components heat exchanger 31, steam condenser 32, mixing chamber 33 and second energy converter 34 is assumed.

By switching off individual first energy converters 25 or 26 by stopping the supply of working medium, heat medium or working mixture, it is possible to easily adapt the output of the first energy converters 25 or 26 to the amount of available thermal energy. An additional use of several energy converters 34 that can be switched off individually is advantageous.

Usable temperature range

The operation of the entire systems 11 to 20 is based only on the pressure difference between the vapor pressure at maximum operating temperature and the vapor pressure at vapor condensation temperature.

The overall systems 11-14 are particularly advantageous for small temperature differences, the overall systems 15-20 for higher temperature differences.

In particular, the fact that the further developed overall system 15 can be operated like an overall system 11 by appropriate control of the further developed first energy converter 26 significantly expands the area of application of the overall system 15.

Further use of condensation heat

Due to the wide usable and variable temperature range, further use of the condensation heat is also possible if the low-temperature heat source has the appropriate temperature.

For example, at a maximum operating temperature of 150°C and a condensation temperature of 70°C, the condensation heat can heat heating water.

The amount of energy generated by the overall system decreases accordingly. The exergetic efficiency of the overall system changes according to the degree of use of the condensation heat.

Description of the mE-TLC2 method and the overall systems 211, 212, 216 and 219 for the use of the mE-TLC2 method as special versions of the overall systems 11, 12, 16 and 19

Depending on the type of low-temperature heat source and the location of the low-temperature heat supply, further special designs of the overall systems 11 to 20 are possible. Fig. 19 to 22 Preferred arrangements for the use of low-temperature heat from solar thermal heating, but also from flue gases or coolant vapors are shown.

The overall systems are modified developments of the previously explained overall systems 11, 12, 16 and 19.

A common feature of the modified overall systems 211, 212, 216 and 219 is that the heat exchanger 31 for introducing the low-temperature heat is arranged between the lower and the upper level of the overall system and extends partially or completely over the head H.

In the overall system 211 and 212, the working medium 51 to be heated, the heat medium 55 or the working mixture 58 pass through the vertically arranged heat exchanger 31 while simultaneously building up pressure and are fed to the second energy converter 34 as already heated liquids.

After the warm working medium or working mixture emerges from the second energy converter 34, no evaporation occurs due to the remaining high dosing pressure pD. The heated working medium, heat medium or working mixture is then fed directly to the first energy converter 25.

In the overall system 216 and 219, only the working mixture 58 passes through the heat exchanger 31. The weight medium 60 flows directly to the second energy converter 34 without heating.

In the overall system 216, the working mixture flows on to the second energy converter 34 for the conversion of potential energy into technically usable energy. After the working mixture leaves the second energy converter 34, no evaporation of the working medium occurs due to the remaining high dosing pressure pD.

In the overall system 219 with reduced height, the heated working mixture is fed directly to the first energy converter 26 while building up the dosing pressure pD.

In Fig.18 is the one on the Fig.3 The modified two-stage extended tri-lateral cycle process (hereinafter referred to as mE-TLC2 ) based on the E-TLC process shown and used in the overall systems 211, 212, 216 and 219 is shown.

• Schritt a: Polytrope Umwandlung (Fig.3: Pkt. 4' und 4") der thermischen Energie des erwärmten Arbeitsmittels und des erwärmten Wärmemediums in einem ersten Energiewandler 25 oder 26 in potentielle Energie
• Schritt b: Isobares Kondensieren (Fig.3: Pkt.5 - Pkt.1) des vollständig verdampften Arbeitsmittels
• Schritt c: Isochores Erwärmen (Fig.3: Pkt.1 - Pkt.7) des flüssigen Arbeitsmittels und des flüssigen Wärmemediums bzw. des Arbeitsgemisches aus einer Niedertemperaturwärmequelle bei gleichzeitigem Aufbau von statischem Druck über die Fallhöhe H ohne Verdampfung des Arbeitsmittels
• Schritt d: Isotherme Umwandlung (Fig.3: Pkt.7 - Pkt.3) eines Teils des statischen Druckes im zweiten Energiewandler 34 in technisch nutzbare mechanische Energie

The conversion of thermal energy into technically usable energy takes place in the mE-TLC2 process in the following process steps:

• Step a: Polytropic conversion ( Fig.3 : Points 4' and 4") of the thermal energy of the heated working medium and the heated heat medium in a first energy converter 25 or 26 into potential energy
• Step b: Isobaric condensation ( Fig.3 : Point 5 - Point 1) of the completely evaporated working fluid
• Step c: Isochoric heating ( Fig.3 : Point 1 - Point 7) of the liquid working fluid and the liquid heat medium or the working mixture from a low-temperature heat source with simultaneous build-up of static pressure over the drop height H without evaporation of the working fluid
• Step d: Isothermal conversion ( Fig.3 : Point 7 - Point 3) of a part of the static pressure in the second energy converter 34 into technically usable mechanical energy

Point 2 of the original E-TLC2 process according to Fig.4 is deleted and point 7 receives a changed position in the new mE-TLC2 process (see Fig.18 ).

The thermodynamic course of the mE-TLC2 process is compared to the E-TLC2 process according to Fig.4 in the pV diagram it looks similar, there are few changes in the curve. It is different in the TS diagram, where the missing point 2 and the changed position of point 7 represent the new arrangement of the heat exchanger and the resulting change in the thermodynamic curve.

Compared to the E-TLC2 process, the thermal energy converted into technically usable work in the mE-TLC2 process is the same with the same input parameters (amount of thermal energy absorbed).

The main distinguishing feature of the mE-TLC2 process is the changed position of the heat exchanger in the overall system and thus the changed application requirements for the heat exchanger 31 and the second energy converter 34.

Detailed description of the function of the first energy converter 25 or the further developed first energy converter 26 for converting thermal energy into potential energy

The following description shows the operation of the first energy converter 25 ( Fig.23 and 24 ) and the further developed first energy converter 26 ( Fig.25 and 26 ) together. Differences are discussed in the text. The description follows the course of the E-TLC or E-TLC2 process according to Fig.3 and 4 between points 3 and 5.

• Einem geschlossenen, aufwärts gerichteten Rohrsystem mit einem Aufstiegsrohr 130 und einem Abstiegsrohr 160 verbunden durch einen unteren Rohrbogen 110 und einen oberen Rohrbogen 140
• Einer großen Anzahl von, in dem Rohrsystem frei umlaufenden, nicht kippenden Kolben 170
• Einbringöffnungen und einer Einbringvorrichtung 121 im unteren Bereich des Rohrsystems zum Einbringen von Wärmemedium 56 und Arbeitsmittel 52 (Fig. 23) bzw. Arbeitsgemisch 59 (Fig.24)
• Auslassöffnungen und einer Separierungsvorrichtung 150 auf dem oberen Niveau des Rohrsystems zum Auslassen des abgekühlten, flüssigen Wärmemediums 55 und des verdampften Arbeitsmittels 54

The first energy converter 25 according to the invention ( Fig.23 , 24 ) for the conversion of thermal energy into potential energy consists of at least the following components:

• A closed, upwardly directed pipe system with an ascent pipe 130 and a descent pipe 160 connected by a lower pipe bend 110 and an upper pipe bend 140
• A large number of non-tilting pistons 170 freely rotating in the pipe system
• Introductory openings and an introduction device 121 in the lower part of the pipe system for introducing heat medium 56 and working medium 52 ( Fig. 23 ) or working mixture 59 ( Fig.24 )
• Outlet openings and a separating device 150 at the upper level of the pipe system for discharging the cooled, liquid heat medium 55 and the evaporated working medium 54

• einer erweiterten Einbringvorrichtung 122 auf dem unteren Niveau des Rohrsystems zum zusätzlichen Einbringen eines Gewichtsmedium 60

The further developed first energy converter 26 ( Fig.25 and 26 ) consists of at least the same components as the energy converter 25 and differing:

• an extended introduction device 122 at the lower level of the pipe system for additional introduction of a weight medium 60

Various auxiliary and additional systems are not shown in the illustrations, as their position and function can be solved in many different ways.

• Startvorrichtung zur initialen Inbetriebsetzung des Prozesses
• Serviceeinrichtungen zum Befüllen der Energiewandler mit Kolben und Arbeitsmittel, Austausch defekter Kolben oder Reinigung des Arbeitsmittels (z.B. von Abrieb)
• Austreiber zur vollständigen Trennung von Arbeitsmittel und Wärmemedium
• Meßsensoren sowie Prozess-Steuerungs- und Regeltechnik
• Wärmespeicher

Auxiliary and additional systems can be, for example:

• Starting device for initial commissioning of the process
• Service facilities for filling the energy converters with pistons and working fluids, replacing defective pistons or cleaning the working fluid (e.g. from abrasion)
• Extractor for complete separation of working fluid and heat medium
• Measuring sensors and process control and regulation technology
• Heat storage

Step 1 - Inserting the media

The starting point for the conversion of thermal energy into potential energy is in the lower part of the pipe system - exemplified in the lower pipe bend 110.

From the descent pipe 160, pistons 170, which are under the pressure pK (generated by the weight of the following piston stack 171), are introduced into the introduction devices 121 ( Fig.23 , 24 ) or 122 ( Fig.25 , 26 ). The pressure pK is greater than the maximum working pressure pA generated by the areas in the riser tube 130.

The heated working medium 52, the heated heat medium 56 or the heated working mixture 59, which is under a metering pressure pD - which is also greater than the maximum working pressure pA - is fed from the outside to the introduction device 121 or 122.

In the introduction device 121 or 122, the heated working medium 52 and the heated heat medium 56 ( Fig.23 , 25 ) or the heated working mixture 59 ( Fig.24 , 26 ) between two pistons 170. This area thus becomes a working area.

For the complete systems according to Fig.23 and 25 With separate introduction of the heated working medium 52 and the heated heat medium 56, after introduction the two media are mixed with internal formation of a working mixture 59.

In addition, in the introduction device 122 ( Fig.25 , 26 ) of the further developed first energy converter 26, unheated weight medium can be introduced between two working areas. An area filled with weight medium 60 thus becomes a weight area GB.

The amount of media supplied and the time of introduction are controlled by dosing devices 126. To safely introduce the working medium or the weight medium, individual pistons 170 in the introduction devices 121 and 122 can be briefly stopped by a piston stop device 125. After the stopped pistons 170 are released, the introduced areas are pushed into the riser pipe 130 by the piston pressure pK of the following pistons or the next introduced areas.

The pistons 170 create a spatial and thermally insulated separation for the heated working medium or the weight medium from the preceding or following areas.

The targeted control of the introduction allows the further developed first energy converter 26 to also be operated in an operating mode without a weight medium and thus the usable temperature range is extended towards lower temperature differences.

In principle, it is not necessary for the further developed first energy converter 26 ( Fig. 24 , 25 ) to give the areas between two pistons a specific assignment to a working range or weight range. Every area between two pistons can be a working range or a weight range. From a technical point of view, however, it can make sense to design the pistons differently and thus explicitly assign the pistons to a working or weight range.

• Leichteres und sichereres Einbringen der Medien
• Bessere Steuerungsmöglichkeiten des Energiewandlers
• Messtechnische Aufgaben

Possible reasons include:

• Easier and safer insertion of media
• Better control options for the energy converter
• Metrological tasks

Step 2 - Conversion of thermal energy into potential energy

After the working areas AB or weight areas GB (the latter only in the further developed first energy converter 26) enter the ascent tube 130, as described in connection with Fig.6 and 10 explained, a slow reduction of the working pressure pA acting on the upper piston. The preferred embodiment of the riser tube 130 according to the invention is vertical without any change in direction. However, the general basic principle of pressure build-up also allows an oblique, screw-shaped or other upwardly directed design of the riser tube 130.

After falling below a working pressure pA, which depends on the temperature and the vapor pressure curve of the working fluid used, the warm working fluid 52 contained in the working mixture 59 begins to evaporate in a flash evaporation, so that warm working fluid vapor 53 is created. This leads to an increase in volume of the working area while the remaining working mixture cools down at the same time. This increase in volume raises all the working or weight areas (the latter only in the advanced energy converter 26) in the riser pipe above this working area. If the increase in volume is sufficiently large, this leads to the escape of cold working fluid vapor 54, cold heat medium 55 and, in the advanced energy converter 26, also weight medium 60 in the upper area of the pipe system - shown as an example in the upper pipe bend 140 - into the separation device 150.

As the media exits into the separation device 150, the remaining working pressure pA, which is applied to the working and weight areas remaining in the riser tube 130 (the latter only in the further developed first energy converter 26), is reduced. This leads to further expansion evaporation of the working mixture 59 in the working areas AB still in the riser tube 130, an expansion of the already existing, still warm, pressurized working medium vapor 53, an associated increase in the volume of the working areas and the raising of all areas located above an individual working area.

• Austritt von Medien im oberen Bereich des Rohrsystems
• eine dadurch initiierten Druckverringerung im Aufstiegsrohr 130
• einer nachfolgenden Entspannungsverdampfung von Arbeitsmittel aus dem Arbeitsgemisch
• Anheben der Bereiche im Aufstiegsrohr 130

wiederholt sich stetig durch Zuführung neuer Bereiche in den Einbringvorrichtungen 121 bzw. 122. Dadurch unterliegt das warme Arbeitsgemisch 59 während des Aufstiegs im Aufstiegsrohr 130 einer kontinuierlichen Entspannungsverdampfung des Arbeitsmittels bei gleichzeitiger Abkühlung des Arbeitsgemisches 59 und des bereits entstandenen Arbeitsmitteldampf 53.The described process of

• Leakage of media in the upper part of the pipe system
• a resulting pressure reduction in the riser tube 130
• a subsequent flash evaporation of working fluid from the working mixture
• Raising the areas in the riser tube 130

is repeated continuously by supplying new areas in the introduction devices 121 and 122. As a result, the warm working mixture 59 is subjected to a continuous flash evaporation of the working medium during the rise in the riser tube 130 with simultaneous cooling of the working mixture 59 and the already formed working medium vapor 53.

At the end of the rise, the working medium 52 has completely evaporated from the working mixture 59 and only the heat medium 55 remains liquid. The heat medium has cooled down to condensation temperature, the resulting working medium vapor 54 has expanded while increasing in volume and cooling down to condensation pressure.

Due to the principle of the freely movable pistons 170, there is no mechanically predetermined p-V characteristic curve of the first (25) and the further developed first energy converter (26). This means that the p-V characteristic curve of the first energy converter is variable and automatically adapts to the p-V evaporation characteristic curve of the working medium used in the temperature range used due to the self-regulating working pressure pA of each individual working area and the resulting forced expansion evaporation of the working medium.

Something comparable is not possible with state-of-the-art devices.

• eine stufenlose Volumenvergrößerung von mehr als 1:100 - bezogen auf das Ausgangsvolumen des flüssigen warmen Arbeitsmittels 52 zum Endvolumen des vollständig verdampften kalten Arbeitsmittels 54 - sowie
• eine stufenlose Druckentspannung von weit mehr als 1:10 - bezogen auf den maximalen Arbeitsdruck pA auf dem unteren Niveau des ersten Energiewandlers zum minimalem Arbeitsdruck (Kondensationsdruck) auf dem oberen Niveau des ersten Energiewandlers - möglich

Likewise,

• a continuous volume increase of more than 1:100 - based on the initial volume of the liquid warm working medium 52 to the final volume of the completely evaporated cold working medium 54 - and
• a continuous pressure relief of far more than 1:10 - based on the maximum working pressure pA at the lower level of the first energy converter to the minimum working pressure (condensation pressure) at the upper level of the first energy converter - is possible

Step 3 - Separation and application of media

After the working medium vapor 54, the cooled, liquid remaining heat medium 55 or weight medium 60 (the latter only in the further developed first energy converter 26) have exited the pipe system at the upper level - exemplified by the upper pipe bend 140 - the media are separated in the separation device 150.

The remaining liquid heat medium 55 is caught and collected. In the advanced energy converter 26, the remaining liquid heat medium 55 is caught together with the weight medium 60. The collected cold heat medium 55 - in the advanced first energy converter 26 also the weight medium - leaves the first energy converter 25 or 26 via feed lines 40 and flows, depending on the design of the overall system, to the mixing chamber 33, the second energy converter 34 or - in the case of overall systems using the mE-TLC process - to the heat exchanger 31.

The working medium vapor 54 is fed through feeds 40 to the vapor liquefaction device 32. Any droplets of the heat medium entrained by the working medium vapor 54 are separated in the separation device 150 and fed to the collected heat medium.

Step 4 - Returning the pistons

The pistons 170, which are no longer functional after the media have exited the upper pipe bend 140, are guided further to the downpipe 160. There, the weight of the pistons forces the remaining working medium vapor 54 out of the pipe system into the separation device 150 through the outlet openings provided for this purpose.

The pistons 170 are brought together as a piston stack 171 and, due to their own weight, generate the piston pressure pK required in the introduction devices 121 and 122.

Further considerations

The inventive design of the first energy converters 25 and 26 as a closed pipe system with free-running pistons opens up the possibility of energy conversion from thermal into potential energy with a very large and variable working range with regard to the possible volume increase and the working pressure to be reduced.

The stepless and variable flash evaporation of a working medium, which can be achieved through the principle of individual small working areas, can only be compared with a very finely stepped turbine.

The particular advantage of the large number of individual working areas is the associated long time (compared to the state of the art) from the start of the flash evaporation of the working medium to the exit at the upper level (see Fig.4 ff., point 3-5 of the TS diagram).

With a maximum number of 5 newly added working areas per second (ideally less than one working area per second) and a minimum number of 10 working areas required to build up pressure in the pipe, the flash evaporation time is relatively long, ranging from 2 to 10 seconds (up to several minutes at higher temperatures of the warm working fluid and the heat medium due to the larger number of working areas), which cannot be achieved with state-of-the-art devices.

This long flash evaporation time prevents explosive vapor bubble formation, which poses a great danger in state-of-the-art devices due to droplet erosion.

As a further advantage, the flash evaporation curve of the E-TLC or E-TLC2 process can be shown in the TS diagram according to Fig.34 and Fig.4 from point 3 to point 5 must be completed safely and completely and the previously absorbed thermal energy must be fully converted.

Another important point is the design of the surrounding pipe system and the pistons. The pipes that guide the pistons are provided with a thermal inner insulation that allows good sliding, such as PTFE or polyamide (PA).

The pistons themselves are provided with a sealing and sliding material on the sealing surfaces that matches the material of the inner insulation of the tube, which ensures both sealing of the areas and thermal insulation.

Within a working area, the contact of the media with the pipe wall and the piston scraping the media off the pipe wall result in turbulence and intensive mixing of the media. This promotes heat distribution and thus the evaporation of the working medium. This turbulence can be promoted by a suitable design of the piston and the piston seal.

The pistons also preferably have a roughened, porous surface, which promotes the formation of bubbles when the working medium evaporates (comparable to the effect of boiling stones).

Since the inventive design of the first energy converter means that only very small pressure differences of less than 0.001 MPa (0.01 bar) occur on the pistons (pressure difference = piston weight/area), the main task of the piston seal is to provide a support function to prevent the pistons from tipping over in the pipe system. This is possible with a suitable piston design. Corresponding piston designs are known in the specialist world.

The tube cross-section is a supportive factor in the piston design. In addition to a circular cross-section, non-circular tube cross-sections (e.g. ellipse or oval) have advantages, for example, in the design of the insertion device or the outlet openings and other tasks.

A design of the lower and upper sections of the circulating pipe system as a horizontal zone with constant pressure (examples see Fig. 27 ) in combination with a non-circular pipe cross-section also facilitates the technical design of the introduction devices 120 and 121 or the separation device 150.

Process examples

As shown in Table 1, the overall system can accommodate 11 or 15 ( Fig.5 , 11 ) even small temperature differences of 10°K can be used.

The small pressure difference of only 0.033 MPa (0.33 bar) between the maximum working pressure and the vapor condensation pressure in the first energy converter 25 or 26 according to the invention, which is thermodynamically given due to the temperature difference, is converted into a pressure difference of at least 0.25 MPa (2.5 bar) for the working medium or at least 0.4 MPa (4.0 bar) for the heat medium, which can be used technically by the second energy converter 34. Something comparable cannot be achieved with devices according to the state of the art.

With such small temperature differences, the entire system 17 should preferably be Fig. 13 with a cold working mixture 58 as the weight medium 60. This has an even reduced height compared to the entire system 15 and only requires a one-piece second energy converter 34 or one-piece heat exchanger 31.

The inventive use of the further developed energy converter 26 according to Fig.25 or 26 with additional weight ranges significantly reduces the technically necessary height for building up the maximum working pressure pA between the lower and upper levels at higher inlet temperatures, as already explained in the explanation of Fig. 10 to 12 set out.

Table 2 shows an example of a comparison of the overall systems 11 (without weight medium) and 15 (with weight medium) with otherwise identical input parameters. The use of the further developed first energy converter 26 with weight medium results in a reduction in the overall height of the system by approximately 85%.

As can be seen from the values for the entire system 15, when using a weight medium, the minimum required differential pressure (see Fig.11 pV diagram: Difference between point 7 and 2) of the working fluid for the second energy converter 34 to the limiting factor for the height of the first energy converter (in the example 0.25MPa).

The use of a complete system 17 ( Fig.13 ) with working mixture significantly reduces the height of the overall system by approx. 20%.

Table 3 shows examples of the operating parameters of an overall system 18 with a further developed first energy converter 26 at different operating temperatures. The temperature scenario shown (increase in the maximum operating temperature from 40 to 100 °C) corresponds to the daily course of an energy converter with solar thermal heat supply and liquefaction of the working medium vapor by ambient air with increasing ambient temperature (increase in the condensation temperature from 20 to 40 °C).

The changing operating parameters depending on the change in the maximum operating temperature and the condensation temperature are clearly visible.

The last column shows an example of the influence of the condensation temperature on the achievable performance. The lower the condensation temperature, the higher the theoretical efficiency and thus the achievable performance.

Assuming a new working area is added per second, the total number of working areas in the riser tube corresponds to the number of seconds it takes for a working area to pass from the lower to the upper level of the entire system. Also listed is the number of working areas in which the working fluid passes through the flash evaporation curve from thermodynamic point 3 to point 5 of the E-TLC2 process. The influence of the condensation temperature is clearly visible here too. Table 1: Example values for the implementation of the E-TLC process with devices 11, 12 and 17 at a temperature difference of 10° between the input and condensation temperatures Input parameters Unit Device 11 Device 15 Device 17 Max. working temperature °C 40 Condensation temperature °C 30 Average efficiency according to Carnot % 1.62 Pipe diameter m 0.1 Working fluid / density - / kg/m ² N - Pentane / 605.76 Max. working pressure MPa 0.115 Condensation pressure MPa 0.082 Quantity of work equipment kg 0.10 Starting height of work equipment m 0.021 Heat medium / density - / kg/m ² Water / 998 Amount of heat medium kg 0.82 Quantity weight medium kg 0 0.6 1.6 Result parameters Height of working fluid vapor m 5.23 Relaxation ratio AM 1:249 Required pipe height m 74 48 32 Number of work areas - 30 19 13 Usable differential pressure between point 7 and 2 of the pV diagram Work equipment MPa 0.41 0.253 --- Heat / weight medium MPa 0.687 0.433 --- Working mixture MPa --- --- 0.26 Work performed per work area kW ~0.6 Area performance kW/ ^m2 ~75 Example values for reducing the overall system height by using weight medium at an inlet temperature of 100°C and a condensation temperature of 40°C Input parameters Unit Overall system 11 Total system 15 Overall system 17 Design of the first energy converter - 25 26 Max. working temperature °C 100 Condensation temperature °C 40 Average efficiency according to Carnot % 8.74 Pipe diameter m 0.1 Working fluid / density - / kg/m2 n - Pentane / 605.76 Max. working pressure MPa 0.59 Condensation pressure MPa 0.115 Quantity of work equipment kg 0.1 Starting height of work equipment m 0.024 Heat medium / density - / kg/m2 Water / 998 Amount of heat medium kg 0.081 Weight medium / density - / kg/m2 Water / 998 Quantity weight medium kg 0 4.5 9 Result parameters Height of working fluid vapor m 3.8 Relaxation ratio - 1:158 Required pipe height m 880 124 100 Number of work areas - 915 79 40 Differential pressure working fluid between point 7 and 2 MPa 4.7 0.25 --- Differential pressure heat / weight medium between point 7 and 2 MPa 8.1 0.72 --- Differential pressure working mixture between point 7 and 2 --- --- 0.26 Work performed per work area kW ~3.1 Area performance at a working area / sec kW/ ^m2 395 Example of spread of working parameters for solar thermal heating and cooling by ambient air Input parameters Unit Total system 18 Operating mode of first energy converter - Energy converter 26 Max. working temperature °C 40 60 80 100 100 Condensation temperature °C 20 30 40 20 Average efficiency according to Carnot % 3.3 4.7 6 8.74 12.0 Pipe height m 90 Pipe diameter m 0.1 Working fluid / Density @20°C - / kg/m ² N - Pentane / 625.76 Max. working pressure MPa 0.115 0.214 0.368 0.59 Condensation pressure MPa 0.056 0.082 0.115 0.056 Amount of warm working fluid kg 0.1 Starting height of work equipment m 0.0210 0.0215 0.227 0.24 0.24 Heat medium / density @20°C - / kg/m ² Water / 998 Amount of heat medium kg 0.39 0.155 0.081 0.052 Height of heat medium m 0.05 0.02 0.0106 0.0067 Weight medium / density @20°C - / kg/m ² Water / 998 Amount of cold weight medium kg 1.4 2.2 3.5 8.7 15.8 Height Weight Medium m 0.18 0.28 0.45 1.12 2.0 Result parameters Height of working fluid vapor m 7.37 5.23 3.78 3.78 7.37 Relaxation ratio - 1:350 1:243 1:166 1:157 1:307 Total number of work areas / work areas with evaporation - 180/20 126 / 36 93 / 49 43/41 28/27 Work performed per work area kW 1.2 1.71 2.13 3.1 4.4 Area performance at a working area / sec kW/ ^m2 155 218 270 395 566

Claims (20)

1. Method for the conversion of thermal energy of a low-temperature heat source with temperatures of maximum 200°C in a triangular process, hereinafter referred to as "Extended Trilateral Cycle" (E-TLC), into volume change work and subsequently technically utilisable energy, which passes through the following states or steps:

   • a first process state (1) with a liquid working mixture (58) under a first pressure at a first temperature

   • an increase in the pressure and an increase in the temperature of the working mixture to a second pressure and a second temperature without vaporisation of the working mixture, the second pressure and the second temperature being higher than the first pressure and the first temperature

   • a second process state (3) with the liquid working mixture (59) at the second pressure and heated to the second temperature

   • a flash evaporation of the working mixture initiated by external pressure reduction with partial evaporation of the working mixture with simultaneous performance of volume change work by the volume of the newly generated or volume increase of the already existing vapour

   • a third process state (5) with the working mixture (58) again under the first pressure, partially vaporised and cooled to the first temperature

   • condensation of the vaporised portion of the working mixture at the first temperature with removal of entropy to form a liquid, thereby restoring the first process state characterised in that

   • the working mixture consists of a working medium and a heat medium which is not chemically identical to the working medium, the heat medium having a higher vaporisation temperature than the working medium at the same pressure

   • during flash evaporation, only the working fluid evaporates and the heat medium remains in a liquid state at all times

   • the working fluid vaporises completely from the working mixture and only the heat medium remains liquid

   • the flash evaporation of the working fluid is polytropic

   • the additional thermal energy required for the polytropic flash evaporation of the working fluid is transferred from the heat medium (56) to the evaporating working fluid (52) and the heat medium cools as a result.
2. Energy converter (25) for converting thermal energy into potential energy by realising the polytropic flash evaporation of a working fluid according to claim 1, process state 2 to process state 3, characterised by at least the components:

   • a closed, thermally insulated, upwardly orientated pipe system with an ascending pipe (130) and a descending pipe (160), connected by pipe bends (110, 140) at a lower and an upper level

   • a number of at least 10 pistons (170) rotating freely in the closed pipe system, which have a roughened, porous surface on the end face, which promotes bubble formation of the working fluid

   • introduction openings and an introduction device (121) at the lower level of the pipe system for introducing a working medium (52) heated by contact with a heat source and under a metering pressure (pD) and a heated heat medium (56) under a metering pressure (pD), which can also be present as a working mixture (59), into a working area (AB) between two pistons (170)

   • outlet openings at the upper level of the pipe system for discharging the completely vaporised working medium (54) under condensation pressure and the cooled heat medium (55) which has remained liquid under condensation pressure from the pipe system

   • a separation device (150) at the upper level of the pipe system for separating the vaporised working medium (54) and the cold heat medium (55) which has remained liquid.
3. Energy converter (26) according to claim 2 characterised by at least the components:

   • additional introduction openings and an introduction device (122) at the lower level of the pipe system for introducing a weight medium (60) into a weight region (GB) between two working regions (AB), wherein the weight medium (60) has not been heated by the heat source

   • outlet openings at the upper level of the pipe system for the joint discharge of the completely vaporised working medium (54), the heat medium (55) remaining in liquid form and the weight medium (60) from the pipe system

   • a separation device (150) at the upper level of the pipe system for separating the vaporised working medium (54) from the cold heat medium (55) remaining in liquid form and the liquid weight medium (60).
4. Energy converter (26) according to claim 3, characterised in that the energy converter (26) can be operated like an energy converter (25) according to claim 2 without a weight medium.
5. Energy converter according to one of the preceding claims 2-4, characterised by

   • at least 10, preferably more than 20, independent individual working regions (AB) for converting the thermal energy of the heated working medium (52) and the heated heat medium (56) into potential energy in the ascent tube (130) of the energy converter

   • a stepless movement of the working areas from the lower to the upper level in the ascending tube (130)

   • a height difference between the lower and the upper level of the ascent tube (130) which requires a duration of movement of an individual working area (AB) from insertion at the lower level to reaching the upper level of at least 2 seconds, preferably more than 10 seconds

   • a low weight of the pistons (170) which generates only small pressure differences at the seal of the pistons (170) between the individual working areas (AB) or working areas (AB) and weight areas (GB).
6. Device for converting the thermal energy of a low-temperature heat source with temperatures of maximum 200°C in two steps into technically usable mechanical energy, characterised by

   • at least one first energy converter according to one of the preceding claims 2-5, which raises a working medium (AM) and a heat medium (WM) from a lower level to an upper level using thermal energy of a low-temperature heat source with a temperature of at most 200°C and converts the thermal energy absorbed by the working medium (AM) and the heat medium (WM) into potential energy of the working medium (AM) and the heat medium (WM)

   • a second energy converter (34) which, in a hydrostatic process according to the state of the art, releases the potential energy obtained as technically usable mechanical energy by returning the working medium (AM) and the heat medium (WM) from the upper to the lower level.
7. Device (11) according to claim 6, characterised in that it comprises at least the following further components:

   • a heat exchanger (31) for transferring the thermal energy of a low-temperature heat source with temperatures of at most 200°C to a liquid working medium (51) under metering pressure (pD) and to a liquid heat medium under metering pressure (pD), the level of the metering pressure preventing vaporisation of the working medium or the heat medium during heating

   • thermally insulated tubes (40) for supplying the working fluid (52) heated in the heat exchanger (31) and the heated heat medium (56) to the first energy converter (25)

   • tubes (40) for feeding the working fluid (54) completely vaporised in the first energy converter (25) to a vapour liquefaction device (32)

   • a vapour liquefaction device (32) for liquefying the vaporised working fluid (54)

   • tubes to supply the liquid, cold heat medium (55) and the condensed liquid working medium (51) to the second energy converter (34)

   • tubes to feed the working fluid (51) still under dosing pressure (pD) and the heat medium (55) under dosing pressure (pD) from the second energy converter back to the heat exchanger (31).
8. Device (2xx) according to claims 6-7, characterised by an elongated, vertically arranged heat exchanger (31) upstream of the second energy converter (34), the liquid column produced in the heat exchanger by the vertical arrangement of the heat exchanger (31) generating a pressure of the working medium or of the heat medium which increases with the height of the liquid column and prevents evaporation of the working medium or of the heat medium during heating.
9. Device (12-14, 16-20, 212, 216, 219) according to claim 7 or 8 characterised by a mixing chamber (33) in which the working medium (AM) and the heat medium (WM) are combined in a process-specific ratio to form a working mixture (AG) before being fed to the first energy converter (25, 26).
10. Device (15-20, 216, 219) according to one of claims 6 to 9, characterised in that, in addition to the working medium (52) and the heat medium (56), a weight medium (60) can be introduced into the first energy converter (26), which is lifted from the lower to the upper level in the first energy converter (26).
11. Device according to claim 10, characterised in that the weight medium (60) is

    • unheated heat medium or

    • unheated working medium or

    • a mixture of unheated working medium and unheated heat medium.
12. Device (11-20, 211, 212, 216, 219) according to one of claims 6-11, characterised in that:

    • a plurality of the first energy converters (25, 26) according to any one of claims 2 to 5 are arranged in parallel, which share the other listed components

    • the plurality of first energy converters (25, 26) can be switched on or off individually.
13. Device (11-20, 211, 212, 216, 219) according to claim 6-12, characterised in that it has a control and regulation system which:

    • controls the number of first energy converters (25, 26) switched on or off and adapts to changes in the temperature of the low-temperature heat source, the condensation temperature or the amount of energy available from the low-temperature heat source

    • regulates the quantity of the heated working medium (52), the heated heat medium (56) and the weight medium (60) fed in and adapts it to changes in the temperature of the low-temperature heat source, the condensation temperature or the amount of energy available from the low-temperature heat source.
14. Process according to claim 1 for converting the thermal energy of a working medium (52) heated by the thermal energy of a low-temperature heat source having a temperature of at most 200°C and of a heat medium (56) heated to the same temperature by the thermal energy of the low-temperature heat source into potential energy of the working medium and of the heat medium, comprising the steps of

    • the heated liquid working fluid (52) and the heated liquid heat medium (56) are introduced into an energy converter (25, 26) according to any one of claims 2-5

    • the heated, liquid working medium and the heated, liquid heat medium are guided as a working mixture (AG) in the energy converter (25, 26) in a working region (AB) spatially delimited by pistons (170)

    • the working areas (AB) with the warm working mixture (59) are raised in the energy converter (25, 26) from a lower level to an upper level, whereby the working mixture is raised to the upper level by polytropic conversion of the thermal energy of the working medium (52) and the heat medium (56) into lifting work by complete flash evaporation of the working medium (52) after the E-TLC process.
15. Method according to claim 14, characterised in that

    • in addition to the heated working medium (52) and heating medium (56), a non-heated weight medium (60) is lifted from the lower to the upper level

    • the weight medium (60) is thermally isolated from the heated working medium (52) and the heated heat medium (56) and is transported to the upper level in weight regions (GB) spatially delimited by pistons (170).
16. Method according to one of the aforementioned claims 14-15, characterised in that the conversion of the thermal energy of the working medium (52) and the heat medium (56) into potential energy in the energy converter (25, 26)

    • takes place in at least 10, preferably more than 20 independent individual working areas (AB)

    • takes place in a continuous and stepless ascent of the working areas (AB) from the lower to the upper level

    • a continuous and stepless reduction of the dosing pressure (pD) to a condensation pressure takes place during the ascent of the working areas

    • a continuous and stepless increase in the volume of the working areas takes place during the ascent of the working areas.
17. Process for converting the thermal energy of a low-temperature heat source with a maximum temperature of 200°C in a closed circuit into technically usable mechanical energy, characterised in that the conversion takes place in at least the following steps

    • the thermal energy of the low-temperature heat source is converted into potential energy in a first step in a process according to claims 14-16

    • In a second step, the potential energy is converted into technically utilisable mechanical energy in a hydrostatic process according to the state of the art.
18. Process (E-TLC2 process) according to claim 17 with at least the following process steps:

    • Step a: Isobaric heating of a liquid working medium (51) under metering pressure (pD) and a liquid heat medium (55) under metering pressure (pD) - which may also be present as a working mixture (58) - from a low-temperature heat source without vaporisation of the working medium

    • Step b: Polytropic conversion of the absorbed thermal energy according to claim 1 in at least one, preferably several first energy converters (25, 26) according to claims 2-5 into potential energy of the working fluid and the heat medium

    • Step c: Isobaric condensation of the vaporised working fluid (54)

    • Step d: Isothermal conversion of a portion of the potential energy obtained from the working fluid and the heat medium - which may also be present as a working mixture (58) - into technically usable mechanical energy in at least one second energy conversion device (34).
19. Process (mE-TLC2 process) according to claim 17 with at least the following process steps:

    • Step a: Polytropic conversion of the thermal energy of a heated working medium (52) under dosing pressure and a heated heat medium (56) under dosing pressure - which can also be present as a working mixture (58) - according to claim 1 in at least one, preferably several first energy converters (25, 26) according to claims 2-5 into potential energy of the working medium and the heat medium

    • Step b: Isobaric condensation of the vaporised working fluid (54)

    • Step c: Isochoric heating of the liquid working fluid (51) and the liquid heat medium (55) - which may also be present as a working mixture (58) - with simultaneous pressure increase from a low-temperature heat source (31) without vaporisation of the working fluid

    • Step d: Isothermal conversion of part of the potential energy obtained from the working fluid (52) and the heat medium (56) in at least one second energy converter (34) into technically usable mechanical energy without vaporisation of the working fluid.
20. Method according to one of the aforementioned claims 17-19, characterised in that, by varying the quantity of the heated working medium (52), the heated heat medium (56) and possibly the weight medium (60), a continuous adaptation to changes in the temperature of the low-temperature heat source is effected

    • to changes in the temperature of the low-temperature heat source

    • to changes in the condensation temperature

    • to changes in the amount of energy available from the low-temperature heat source.

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