Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim
161 words
A thermal energy transfer system comprising: first means for supplying a first thermal working fluid at a first pressure and a first temperature; second means for supplying a second thermal working fluid at a second pressure lower than said first pressure and a second temperature lower than said first temperature; third means coupled to receive the working fluids supplied by said first and second means and delivering therefrom a third working fluid at a third pressure intermediate said first and second pressures and at a third temperature intermediate said first and second temperatures, said third means comprising a supersonic nozzle having an inlet section to which said first working fluid is coupled, a control portion to which said second working fluid is coupled and an outlet section from which said third working fluid is delivered; and fourth means coupled to receive the working fluid delivered by said third means and to feed back portions thereof to said first and second means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
161 words
A thermal energy transfer system comprising: first means for supplying a first thermal working fluid at a first pressure and a first temperature; second means for supplying a second thermal working fluid at a second pressure lower than said first pressure and a second temperature lower than said first temperature; third means coupled to receive the working fluids supplied by said first and second means and delivering therefrom a third working fluid at a third pressure intermediate said first and second pressures and at a third temperature intermediate said first and second temperatures, said third means comprising a supersonic nozzle having an inlet section to which said first working fluid is coupled, a control portion to which said second working fluid is coupled and an outlet section from which said third working fluid is delivered; and fourth means coupled to receive the working fluid delivered by said third means and to feed back portions thereof to said first and second means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
149 words
A system according to claim 1, wherein said supersonic nozzle comprises a converging-diverging supersonic nozzle having an inlet section to which said first working fluid is coupled, said inlet section converging to a reduced cross-section throat region from which a diverging outlet section extends for delivering said third working fluid, with said control portion being coupled to said diverging outlet section of said nozzle at a location, downstream of said throat region, whereat the flow through said nozzle is supersonic, so that said first working fluid effectively elevates said second working fluid causing a mixing of said first and second thermal working fluids to produce said third thermal working fluid, said third thermal working fluid being decelerated by the diverging outlet section of said nozzle, thereby compressing the resultant working fluid delivered by said outlet section of said nozzle to said third pressure intermediate said first and second pressures.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
A system according to claim 2, wherein said fourth means comprises a condenser having in input coupled to receive said third thermal working fluid and first and second outputs coupled to said first means and said second means, respectively.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
24 words
A system according to claim 1, wherein each of said first, second and third thermal working fluids is comprised of the same fluid material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
82 words
A system according to claim 4, wherein said same fluid material is a thermal working fluid which comprised of at least one fluid compound selected from the group consisting of a carbon disulfide and a bromine fluid compound and a phosphorus, phosphoryl or thiophosphoryl fluid compound having the formula PXXX or PZXXX, wherein P corresponds to phosphorus, Z corresponds to one of oxygen (O) and sulfur (S), and X corresponds to one of fluorine (F), chlorine (Cl), bromine (Br) and iodine (I).
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
A system according to claim 5, wherein the temperature range over which said energy conversion system operates extends from less than room temperature to 1500 degrees K.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
83 words
A system according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said first and second working fluids is comprised of at least one fluid compound selected from the group consisting of a carbon disulfide and a bromine fluid compound and a phosphorus, phosphoryl or thiophosphoryl fluid compound having the formula PXXX or PZXXX, wherein P corresponds to phosphorus, Z corresponds to one of oxygen (O) and sulfur (S), and X corresponds to one of fluorine (F), chlorine (Cl), bromine (Br) and iodine (I).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
A system according to claim 3, further including a heat exchanger, coupled between the output of said condenser and the output of said second means.