Thermodynamic closed cycle power and cryogenic refrigeration apparatus

Abstract

A thermodynamic closed cycle power and cryogenic refrigeration apparatus which simultaneously produces power and refrigeration. A mixture of a non-condensable first gas such as helium or hydrogen that is in state far from its saturation point and a condensable second gas such as nitrogen or ammonia that is capable of condensing during a working process but non-freezable is isothermally compressed in a sliding-blade gas/liquid compressor then the liquid content that absorbed adiabatic heat during compression of the gas/liquid mixture is separated from the mixture in a vortex separator. The cool non-condensable first gas is supplied to a heat exchanger and isobarically heated using heat of the ambient air or other low-temperature heat source to produce cool refrigerated air. The heated and compressed first gas enters a sliding-blade gas expander and adiabatic expanded and cooled while performing useful work by causing simultaneous rotation of the gas/liquid compressor rotor and gas expander rotor. The adiabatically expanded cool first gas enters a vortex ejector/mixer and is mixed with the separated liquified second gas to serve as a coolant and facilitate rejection of adiabatic heat and supplement the cool gas/liquid mixture which is being fed to the gas/liquid compressor and isothermally compressed to complete the cycle.