Method and apparatus for generating power from a vapor

Claim 2

A power generating device comprising: a high pressure vessel having means therein for generating a heated working fluid; a high pressure piston and cylinder assembly located at least in part in the high pressure vessel, said high pressure piston being operatively linked to a working shaft, said high pressure piston and cylinder assembly being in selective fluid communication with the heated working fluid; and a final stage expansion piston and cylinder assembly located within the confines of a condenser for condensing the working fluid, said final stage expansion piston being mechanically linked to the high pressure piston and in selective and separate fluid communication with both the condenser and the high pressure piston and cylinder assembly.

Claim 3

A power generating device as defined in claim 1 wherein the means for generating the heated working fluid comprises a heating coil.

Claim 4

A power generating device as defined in claim 1 wherein the high pressure piston and cylinder assembly is formed of a material with a high thermal conductivity.

Claim 5

A power generating device as defined in claim 3 wherein the high pressure cylinder assembly is made of copper.

Claim 10

A process according to claim 6 wherein high pressure vapor in the first variable volume undergoes a nonadiabatic expansion as the vapor is intermittently discharged from the first variable volume to the second variable volume.

Claim 11

A process for generating power comprising the steps of: heating a working fluid within a high pressure zone to maintain the high pressure zone at a substantially constant high pressure and temperature, said high pressure zone having an enclosed high pressure piston and cylinder assembly located therein; imparting work to a working shaft coupled to the enclosed high pressure piston by placing a first variable volume comprising the lower face of the high pressure piston and the high pressure cylinder walls in fluid communication with the high pressure zone while allowing discharge of working fluid from a second variable volume formed from the upper face of the high pressure piston and the high pressure cylinder walls to a third variable volume formed by the lower face of an enclosed low pressure piston linked to the high pressure piston and low pressure cylinder walls while concurrently therewith placing a fourth variable volume comprising the upper face of the low pressure piston and the low pressure cylinder walls to a low pressure zone, the low pressure zone being maintained at a substantially constant low pressure; and thereafter imparting further work to the working shaft by placing the second variable volume in fluid communication with the high pressure zone while allowing discharge of working fluid from the first variable volume to the fourth variable volume while concurrently placing the third variable volume in fluid communication with the low pressure zone.

Claim 12

A process for generating power comprising the steps of: heating a working fluid within a high pressure zone to maintain the high pressure zone at a substantially constant high pressure and temperature, said high pressure zone having an enclosed high pressure piston and cylinder assembly located therein; imparting work to a working shaft coupled to the enclosed high pressure piston by placing a first variable volume comprising the lower face of the high pressure piston and the high pressure cylinder walls in fluid communication with the high pressure zone while allowing discharge of working fluid from a second variable volume formed from the upper face of the high pressure piston and the high pressure cylinder walls to a third variable volume formed by the lower face of an enclosed low pressure piston linked to the high pressure piston and low pressure cylinder walls while concurrently therewith placing a fourth variable volume comprising the upper face of the low pressure piston and the low pressure cylinder walls to a low pressure zone, the low pressure zone being maintained at a substantially constant low pressure; and thereafter imparting further work to the working shaft by placing the second variable volume in fluid communication with the high pressure zone while allowing discharge of working fluid from the first variable volume to the fourth variable volume while concurrently placing the third variable volume in fluid communication with the low pressure zone.

Claim 13

A process according to claim 8 wherein high pressure in the first and second variable volumes generally undergoes a nonadiabatic expansion as the vapor is intermittently discharged to the fourth and third variable volumes respectively.