Enthalpy restoration in geothermal energy processing system

Claim 2

An improved Rankine cycle machine of the type having a turbine-motor means driven by a working fluid and having a condenser for sub-cooling the working fluid, wherein the improvement comprises means for restoring enthalpy derived from superheated exhaust vapor from said turbine-motor to said sub-cooled working fluid, further comprising: (a) coupling means for supplying said working fluid in said superheated expanded exhaust form from said turbine-motor means to working fluid transfer means, (b) said transfer means further providing direct-contact nonturbulent flow means for passively transferring superheat and latent heat from said expanded exhaust to said sub-cooled working fluid, (c) means for condensing said working fluid from desuperheated vapor form in a pressurized environment to create said sub-cooled working fluid in liquid form, said condensing means having a coolant supply operating in an ambient pressure environment independent of and isolated from said working fluid, and (d) coupling means for receiving said sub-cooled working fluid from said condensing means and for supplying said sub-cooled working fluid to said transfer means, while restoring a pressure head to said sub-cooled working fluid.

Claim 3

Geothermal deep well energy extraction apparatus of the kind in which solute-bearing water is pumped to a first station at the earth's surface from a subterranean second station by transferring thermal energy from said solute-bearing water to a working fluid for driving primary turbine-motor means and primary electrical generator means at said first station, said solute-bearing water being returned from said first station into reinjection well means, said extraction means additionally including means for restoring enthalpy derived from superheated exhaust vapor from said turbine-motor to said working fluid in sub-cooled form, comprising: (a) coupling means for supplying said working fluid in said superheated expanded exhaust form from said turbine-motor means to working fluid transfer means, (b) said transfer means further providing direct contact non-turbulent flow means for passively transferring superheat and latent heat from said expanded exhaust to said sub-cooled working fluid, (c) means for condensing said working fluid from desuperheated vapor form in a pressurized environment to create said sub-cooled working fluid in liquid form, said condensing means having a coolant supply operating in an ambient pressure environment independent of and isolated from said working fluid, and (d) coupling means for receiving said sub-cooled working fluid from said condensing means and for supplying said sub-cooled working fluid to said transfer means, while restoring a pressure head to said sub-cooled working fluid.

Claim 4

Geothermal deep well energy extraction apparatus of the kind in which solute-bearing water is pumped to a first station at the earth's surface from a subterranean second station by transferring thermal energy from said solute-bearing water to a working fluid for driving primary turbine-motor means and primary electrical generator means at said first station, said solute-bearing water being returned from said first station into reinjection well means, said extraction means additionally including means for restoring enthalpy derived from superheated exhaust vapor from said turbine-motor to said working fluid in sub-cooled form, comprising: (a) coupling means for supplying said working fluid in said superheated expanded exhaust form from said turbine-motor means to working fluid transfer means, (b) said transfer means further providing direct contact non-turbulent flow means for passively transferring superheat and latent heat from said expanded exhaust to said sub-cooled working fluid, (c) means for condensing said working fluid from desuperheated vapor form in a pressurized environment to create said sub-cooled working fluid in liquid form, said condensing means having a coolant supply operating in an ambient pressure environment independent of and isolated from said working fluid, and (d) coupling means for receiving said sub-cooled working fluid from said condensing means and for supplying said sub-cooled working fluid to said transfer means, while restoring a pressure head to said sub-cooled working fluid.

Claim 6

An apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said coupling means for receiving sub-cooled working fluid includes a barometric seal tank, for storing the sub-cooled working fluid and for restoring pressure thereto, and outlet means coupled to said second conduit means of said transfer means.

Claim 7

An apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said coupling means for supplying superheated expanded working fluid includes inlet means to a portion of said tank of said transfer means.

Claim 8

An apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said second outlet means of said transfer means includes a pump and conduit means coupled thereto.

Claim 9

An apparatus according to claim 6 wherein said first outlet means of said transfer means further includes conduit means for coupling a portion of said tank to said condensing means.

Claim 10

An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said condensing means includes fan means for moving air and droplets of cooling fluid over cooling coils.

Claim 11

An apparatus according to claim 2 further including a boiler having: (a) a first heat exchanger element having hot solute-bearing water pass therethrough for reinjections into the well, (b) a second heat exchanger element disposed in heat transfer relationship to said first heat exchanger for extracting thermal energy from a first working fluid which energizes a pump for pumping the solute bearing water, and (c) a third heat exchanger element disposed in heat transfer relationship with said first and second heat exchange elements for providing thermal energy to a second working fluid which energizes said primary turbine-motor means and said primary electrical generator means.