Patent US3603087A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3603087A
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Dual fluid rankine cycle powerplant
Assignee: CCI Aerospace Corp
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Filing: 1969-06-27
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Granted: 1971-09-07
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Expires: 1989-06-27
Abstract
Abstract A dual fluid Rankine cycle powerplant utilizes one fluid, such as water, as the working medium and another fluid, such as a glycol, ether, polyglycol ether (both alkyl and aryl) or polyphenyl as the lubricant. The lubricant is fully soluble in the working medium and has a substantially higher boiling point than the working medium. The two fluids are separated from one another prior to entering the engine by heating the mixture of the two liquids to the evaporation temperature of the working medium and then separating the vapor from the liquid lubricant. Thereafter, the vapor can be superheated to increase the thermal efficiency.
Inventors
- 👤 Curtis V Burkland
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 17:45
CPC Classifications
F; F01; F01D; F01D25/00; F01D25/18; F01D25/22; F01K; F01K25/00; F01K25/06; F01K25/065
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
180 words
A dual fluid Rankine cycle powerplant comprising: an expansion engine; a first liquid providing a working medium for the engine; a second liquid utilized as the lubricant for the engine, said second liquid being soluble in all proportions in said first liquid and having a higher boiling point than said first liquid; means for storing said liquids as a mixture at the lowest temperature and pressure in said powerplant; pump means connected With said storage means for increasing the pressure of said mixture of liquids; heat exchanger means connected with said pump means for raising the temperature of said mixture of liquids to vaporize said first liquid only; separator means connected with said heat exchanger means for separating the vapor from said second liquid; means for superheating said vapor prior to introduction of said vapor into said engine for expansion therein; means for introducing said second liquid to said engine as a lubricant; and means for exhausting said second liquid and said vapor from said engine through cooling means to said storage means and recombining said liquids into a mixture.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
180 words
A dual fluid Rankine cycle powerplant comprising: an expansion engine; a first liquid providing a working medium for the engine; a second liquid utilized as the lubricant for the engine, said second liquid being soluble in all proportions in said first liquid and having a higher boiling point than said first liquid; means for storing said liquids as a mixture at the lowest temperature and pressure in said powerplant; pump means connected With said storage means for increasing the pressure of said mixture of liquids; heat exchanger means connected with said pump means for raising the temperature of said mixture of liquids to vaporize said first liquid only; separator means connected with said heat exchanger means for separating the vapor from said second liquid; means for superheating said vapor prior to introduction of said vapor into said engine for expansion therein; means for introducing said second liquid to said engine as a lubricant; and means for exhausting said second liquid and said vapor from said engine through cooling means to said storage means and recombining said liquids into a mixture.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
A powerplant as defined in claim 1 wherein said first liquid is water and said second liquid is an organic lubricant.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
A powerplant as defined in claim 2 wherein said organic lubricant is selected from the group consisting of glycols, ethers, polyglycol ethers (akyl and aryl), and polyphenyls.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
A powerplant as defined in claim 2 wherein said organic lubricant is selected from the group consisting of polyglycol ether and polypropylene glycol.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
A powerplant as defined in claim 2 wherein said organic lubricant is thermally stable at the vaporization temperature of said first liquid and will not hydrolyze.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
39 words
A powerplant as defined in claim 1 wherein said heat exchanger means comprises a preheater for raising the temperature of said liquid mixture to the vaporization temperature of said first liquid and an evaporator for vaporizing said first liquid.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
37 words
A powerplant as defined in claim 1 having a counterflow heat exchanger connected with output of said pump upstream of said heat exchanger means and with the liquid output of said separator means upstream of said engine.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
117 words
A dual fluid Rankine cycle powerplant comprising: an engine; a first substance providing a working medium for the engine; a second substance providing a lubricant for the engine having a higher boiling point than said first substance, said first and second substances when in liquid form being completely miscible in one another to provide a liquid mixture; heat exchanger means for raising the temperature of said mixture to vaporize said first substance only; separator means for separating the vapor of said first substance from said second substance; means for superheating said vapor prior to introduction of said vapor into said engine for expansion therein; and means for introducing said second liquid to said engine as a lubricant.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
117 words
A dual fluid Rankine cycle powerplant comprising: an engine; a first substance providing a working medium for the engine; a second substance providing a lubricant for the engine having a higher boiling point than said first substance, said first and second substances when in liquid form being completely miscible in one another to provide a liquid mixture; heat exchanger means for raising the temperature of said mixture to vaporize said first substance only; separator means for separating the vapor of said first substance from said second substance; means for superheating said vapor prior to introduction of said vapor into said engine for expansion therein; and means for introducing said second liquid to said engine as a lubricant.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
A powerplant as defined in claim 8 wherein said first substance is water and said second substance is an organic lubricant.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
27 words
A powerplant as defined in claim 9 wherein said organic lubricant is selected from the group consisting of glycols, ethers, polyglycol ethers (akyl and aryl), and polyphenyls.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
A power plant as defined in claim 9 wherein said organic lubricant is selected from the group consisting of polyglycol ether and polypropylene glycol.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2684579A
Cited
US3462951A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-09-06 | 1975-03-08 | 1975-09-07 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-09-06 | 1979-03-08 | 1979-09-07 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-09-06 | 1983-03-08 | 1983-09-07 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |