Method of a means for purging non-condensable gases from condensers

Claim 2

Apparatus for purging non-condensable gases from condensers or the like containing vaporized working fluid, said apparatus comprising: a) a chamber; b) a valve having an open state for connecting the condenser to said chamber, and having a closed state for disconnecting the condenser from said chamber; c) means associated with the chamber and made effective when the valve is in its closed state to pressurize the contents of the chamber for condensing working fluid in the chamber thereby separating the working fluid from non-condensable gases in the chamber; and d) means to vent the chamber while said valve is in its closed state.

Claim 3

Apparatus for purging non-condensable gases from condensers or the like containing vaporized working fluid, said apparatus comprising: a) a chamber; b) a valve having an open state for connecting the condenser to said chamber, and having a closed state for disconnecting the condenser from said chamber; c) means associated with the chamber and made effective when the valve is in its closed state to condense working fluid in the chamber thereby separating the working fluid from non-condensable gases in the chamber; d) means to vent the chamber while said valve is in its closed state; and e) wherein said means associated with the chamber includes operating means for effecting the flow of fluid from the condenser into said chamber when the valve is in its open state, and for compressing fluid in the chamber when the valve is in its closed state.

Claim 4

Apparatus for purging non-condensable gases from condensers or the like containing vaporized working fluid, said apparatus comprising: a) a chamber; b) a valve having an open state for connecting the condenser to said chamber, and having a closed state for disconnecting the condenser from said chamber; c) means associated with the chamber and made effective when the valve is in its closed state to condense working fluid in the chamber thereby separating the working fluid from non-condensable gases in the chamber; d) means to vent the chamber while said valve is in its closed state; and e) wherein said means associated with the chamber includes operating means for effecting the flow of fluid from the condenser into said chamber when the valve is in its open state, and for compressing fluid in the chamber when the valve is in its closed state.

Claim 5

Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said means associated with the chamber includes cooling means for cooling liquid in the chamber when the fluid is compressed.

Claim 6

Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said operator means includes a piston in said chamber movable between two axial positions that define a maximum volume and a minimum volume, a piston operator for moving said piston between its two axial positions, and a control system for causing said piston operator to move the piston to an axial position defining a maximum volume when the valve is open, and to move the piston to the axial position defining a minimum valve when the valve is closed thereby effecting compression of the working fluid and non-condensable gases in the minimum volume and causing the working fluid to liquefy.

Claim 7

Apparatus according to claim 4 including means for separating working fluid that condenses to a liquid from the non-condensable gases.

Claim 8

Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said means for separating includes a cup-like member on the piston, said member having a free end an opening toward a closed end of the chamber, and forming a region within which liquefy working fluid collects when the piston moves to its axial position defining a minimum volume of the chamber.

Claim 9

Apparatus according to claim 6 wherein the closed end of the chamber includes a seal that engages and cooperates with the free end of the member when the piston moves to its axial position defining a minimum volume of the chamber thereby separating the region from the remainder of the minimum volume of the chamber.

Claim 10

Apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the operator means include a second piston rigidly connected to the first mentioned piston, said piston operator including compresses air for effecting movement of the pistons in the chamber.

Claim 11

Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said means for separating includes a tank interposed between the valve and the chamber, and a normally opened valve connecting the tank to the chamber.

Claim 12

A Rankine cycle power plant comprising: a) a vaporizer for vaporizing an organic working fluid and producing vaporized working fluid; b) a turbine responsive to vaporized working fluid produced by said vaporizer for producing work and heat depleted working fluid; c) a condenser responsive to heat depleted working fluid for condensing the same into a liquid which is returned to the vaporizer; and d) apparatus for purging non-condensable gases from said condenser, said apparatus comprising: (1) a chamber; (2) a valve for having an open state for connecting the condenser to said chamber, and a closed state for disconnecting the chamber from said condenser; (3) means associated with the chamber and made effective when the valve is in its closed state to pressurize the contents of the chamber for condensing working fluid in the chamber thereby separating the same from non-condensable gases therein; (4) means to vent the chamber when said valve is in its closed state.

Claim 13

A Rankine cycle power plant comprising: a) a vaporizer for vaporizing an organic working fluid and producing vaporized working fluid; b) a turbine responsive to vaporized working fluid produced by said vaporizer for producing work and heat depleted working fluid; c) a condenser responsive to heat depleted working fluid for condensing the same into a liquid which is returned to the vaporizer; and d) apparatus for purging non-condensable gases from said condenser, said apparatus comprising: (1) a chamber; (2) a valve for having an open state for connecting the condenser to said chamber, and a closed state for disconnecting the chamber from said condenser; (3) means associated with the chamber and made effective when the valve is in its closed state to pressurize the contents of the chamber for condensing working fluid in the chamber thereby separating the same from non-condensable gases therein; (4) means to vent the chamber when said valve is in its closed state.

Claim 14

A Rankine cycle power plant comprising: a) a vaporizer for vaporizing an organic working fluid and producing vaporized working fluid; b) a turbine responsive to vaporized working fluid produced by said vaporizer for producing work and heat depleted working fluid; c) a condenser responsive to heat depleted working fluid for condensing the same into a liquid which is returned to the vaporizer; and d) apparatus for purging non-condensable gases from said condenser, said apparatus comprising: (1) a chamber; (2) a valve for having an open state for connecting the condenser to said chamber, and a closed state for disconnecting the chamber from said condenser; (3) means associated with the chamber and made effective when the valve is in its closed state to condense working fluid in the chamber thereby separating the same from non-condensable gases therein; (4) means to vent the chamber when said valve is in its closed state; and e) wherein said means associated with the chamber includes operating means for effecting the flow of fluid from the condenser into said chamber when the valve is in its open state, and for compressing fluid in the chamber when the valve is in its closed state.

Claim 15

A Rankine cycle power plant comprising: a) a vaporizer for vaporizing an organic working fluid and producing vaporized working fluid; b) a turbine responsive to vaporized working fluid produced by said vaporizer for producing work and heat depleted working fluid; c) a condenser responsive to heat depleted working fluid for condensing the same into a liquid which is returned to the vaporizer; and d) apparatus for purging non-condensable gases from said condenser, said apparatus comprising: (1) a chamber; (2) a valve for having an open state for connecting the condenser to said chamber, and a closed state for disconnecting the chamber from said condenser; (3) means associated with the chamber and made effective when the valve is in its closed state to condense working fluid in the chamber thereby separating the same from non-condensable gases therein; (4) means to vent the chamber when said valve is in its closed state; and e) wherein said means associated with the chamber includes operating means for effecting the flow of fluid from the condenser into said chamber when the valve is in its open state, and for compressing fluid in the chamber when the valve is in its closed state.

Claim 16

A Rankine cycle power plant according to claim 11 wherein said means associated with the chamber includes cooling means for cooling fluid in the chamber thereby liquefying the working fluid which is thus separated from the non-condensable gases.

Claim 17

A Rankine cycle power plant according to claim 12 wherein said operator means includes a piston in said chamber movable between two axial positions that define a maximum volume and a minimum volume, a piston operator for moving said piston between its two axial positions, and a controlled system for causing said piston operator to move the piston to an axial position defining a maximum volume when the valve is open, and to move the piston to an axial position defining a minimum volume when the valve is closed thereby compressing the working fluid and non-condensable gases in the minimum volume and causing the working fluid to liquefy.

Claim 18

A Rankine cycle power plant according to claim 13 including means for separating working fluid that condenses to a liquid from the non-condensable gases.

Claim 19

A Rankine cycle power plant according to claim 14 wherein said means for separating includes a cup-like member on the piston, said member having a free end an opening toward a closed end of the chamber, and forming an region within which liquefy working fluid collects when the piston moves to its axial position defining a minimum volume of the chamber.

Claim 20

A Rankine cycle power plant according to claim 15 wherein the closed end of the chamber includes a seal that engages and cooperates with the free end of the member when the piston moves to its axial position defining a minimum volume of the chamber thereby separating the region from the remainder of the minimum volume of the chamber.

Claim 21

A Rankine cycle power plant according to claim 16 wherein the operator means include a second piston rigidly connected to the first mentioned piston, said piston operator including compressed air for effecting movement of the pistons in the chamber.

Claim 22

A Rankine cycle power plant according to claim 14 wherein said means for separating includes a tank interposed between the valve and the chamber, and a normally opened valve connecting the thank to the chamber.

Claim 23

A Rankine cycle power plant according to claim 18 wherein the tank and the chamber are located physically above the condenser to effect the return of liquid working fluid to the condenser when the valve is open.

Claim 26

Apparatus according to claim 5 including venting means for venting non-condensable gases, and a relief valve connected to said venting means for substantially preventing the venting of any working fluid.

Claim 27

Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the ratio of said maximum to said minimum volume is about 1 to 7.

Claim 28

Apparatus comprising: a) a housing containing a fluid that includes non-condensable and condensable gases; b) means for extracting fluid from the housing; and c) means for pressurizing said extracted fluid to liquefy the condensable gases therein thereby separating the latter from the non-condensable gases.

Claim 29

Apparatus comprising: a) a housing containing a fluid that includes non-condensable and condensable gases; b) means for extracting fluid from the housing; and c) means for pressurizing said extracted fluid to liquefy the condensable gases therein thereby separating the latter from the non-condensable gases.

Claim 30

Apparatus according to claim 23 including a chamber for receiving the fluid extracted from said housing, and means for removing said non-condensable gases from the chamber.

Claim 31

Apparatus according to claim 24 including means for returning the condensable gases in said chamber to said housing.

Claim 32

Apparatus according to claim 25 wherein said housing is a condenser, and said condensable gases include a vaporized working fluid.

Claim 33

Apparatus for purging non-condensable gases from a vaporized fluid, said apparatus comprising: a) a chamber; b) a controllable valve having an open state for effecting admission of said vaporized fluid and non-condensable gases into said chamber, and having a closed state for trapping vaporized fluid and non-condensable gases in said chamber; c) means associated with the chamber and made effective only when the valve is in its closed state for pressurizing the contents of the chamber and condensing vaporized fluid trapped in the chamber thereby separating the fluid from non-condensable gases in the chamber; and d) means to vent the chamber while said valve is in its closed state.

Claim 34

Apparatus for purging non-condensable gases from a vaporized fluid, said apparatus comprising: a) a chamber; b) a controllable valve having an open state for effecting admission of said vaporized fluid and non-condensable gases into said chamber, and having a closed state for trapping vaporized fluid and non-condensable gases in said chamber; c) means associated with the chamber and made effective only when the valve is in its closed state for pressurizing the contents of the chamber and condensing vaporized fluid trapped in the chamber thereby separating the fluid from non-condensable gases in the chamber; and d) means to vent the chamber while said valve is in its closed state.

Claim 35

Apparatus for purging non-condensable gas from a vaporized fluid, said apparatus comprising: a) a chamber; b) a controllable valve having an open state for effecting admission of said vaporized fluid and non-condensable gases into said chamber, and having a closed state for trapping vaporized fluid and non-condensable gases in said chamber; c) means associated with the chamber and made effective only when the valve is in its closed state for condensing vaporized fluid trapped in the chamber thereby separating the fluid from non-condensable gases in the chamber; and d) means to vent the chamber while said valve is in its closed state; and e) including means for compressing fluid in the chamber when the valve is in its closed state.

Claim 36

Apparatus for purging non-condensable gas from a vaporized fluid, said apparatus comprising: a) a chamber; b) a controllable valve having an open state for effecting admission of said vaporized fluid and non-condensable gases into said chamber, and having a closed state for trapping vaporized fluid and non-condensable gases in said chamber; c) means associated with the chamber and made effective only when the valve is in its closed state for condensing vaporized fluid trapped in the chamber thereby separating the fluid from non-condensable gases in the chamber; and d) means to vent the chamber while said valve is in its closed state; and e) including means for compressing fluid in the chamber when the valve is in its closed state.

Claim 37

Apparatus according to claim 28 wherein said means for compressing includes a piston in said chamber movable between two axial positions that define a maximum volume and a minimum volume, a piston operator for moving said piston between its two axial positions, and a control system for causing said piston operator to move the piston to an axial position defining a maximum volume when the valve is open, and to move the piston to the axial position defining a minimum valve when the valve is closed thereby effecting compression of the vaporized fluid and non-condensable gases in the minimum volume and causing the vaporized fluid to liquefy.

Claim 38

Apparatus for purging non-condensable gases from condensers or the like containing vaporized working fluid, said apparatus comprising: a) a chamber; b) operable valve means for selectively connecting and disconnecting the chamber to the condenser; c) means associated with the chamber and made effective when the valve means disconnects the chamber from the condenser for compressing the contents of the chamber to condense working fluid in the chamber to a liquid; and d) means to vent the chamber when said valve means disconnects the chamber from the condenser.

Claim 39

Apparatus for purging non-condensable gases from condensers or the like containing vaporized working fluid, said apparatus comprising: a) a chamber; b) operable valve means for selectively connecting and disconnecting the chamber to the condenser; c) means associated with the chamber and made effective when the valve means disconnects the chamber from the condenser for compressing the contents of the chamber to condense working fluid in the chamber to a liquid; and d) means to vent the chamber when said valve means disconnects the chamber from the condenser.

Claim 40

Apparatus according to claim 30 for cooling the chamber as its contents are compressed.

Claim 43

A method according to claim 32 including venting the chamber after the fluid therein is compressed and while the chamber is disconnected from the condenser.

Claim 44

A method according to claim 33 including returning liquid in the chamber to the condenser after the chamber is vented.

Claim 45

A method according to claim 32 including the step of cooling the fluid in the chamber as the fluid is being compressed.