The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 22, 2004
Filed:
Dec. 09, 2002
Timmons S. McClanahan, Florence, AL (US);
Michael C. Crim, Florence, AL (US);
Tennessee Valley Authority, Knoxville, TN (US);
Abstract
A simple, compact, and relatively efficient thermodynamic power cycle system and process for extracting heat from a heat source stream and converting a portion of the heat to mechanical power. The system and process are composed of the same series of four processing units or steps found in the most basic form of a Rankine power cycle: (1) heating (means) of a pressurized working fluid to produce a superheated gas, (2) expansion (means) to a lower pressure to produce power, (3) condensation (means) of the low pressure gas to a liquid, and (4) pumping (means) of the liquid to high pressure to complete the cycle. The working fluid is heated under pressures above critical. The working fluid must have a critical temperature more than 40° F. lower than the temperature of the heat source stream and a normal boiling point less than 32° F.