Abstract: A method and apparatus for implementing a thermodynamic cycle. A heated gaseous working stream including a low boiling point component and a higher boiling point component is separated, and the low boiling point component is expanded to transform the energy of the stream into useable form and to provide an expanded relatively rich stream. This expanded rich stream is then split into two streams, one of which is expanded further to obtain further energy, resulting in a spent stream, the other of which is extracted. The lean unexpanded stream and the spent rich stream are then combined in a regenerating subsystem with the extracted stream to reproduce the working stream, which is then efficiently heated in a heater to provide the heated gaseous working stream that is separated.

Abstract: A method of implementing a thermodynamic cycle by expanding a gaseous working stream to transform its energy into a useful form and produce an expanded gaseous stream, removing from the expanded gaseous stream an extracted stream, absorbing the extracted stream into a lean stream having a higher content of higher-boiling component than is contained in the extracted stream to form a combined extracted/lean stream, at least partially condensing the combined extracted/lean stream, combining at least part of the combined extracted/lean stream in condensed form with an oncoming working stream including a rich stream having a lower content of higher-boiling component than is contained in the extracted stream to provide a combined working stream, and heating the combined working stream with external heat to provide the gaseous working stream.

Abstract: Converting heat in a primary fluid (e.g., steam) to useful energy by multistage expansion of the primary fluid, heating of a multicomponent working fluid in a separate closed loop using heat of the primary fluid, and expansion of the multicomponent working fluid. The primary fluid in a vapor state is expanded in a first stage expander to obtain useful energy and to produce a partially expanded primary fluid. The partially expanded primary fluid stream is then separated into liquid and vapor components and split into a vapor stream (which is expanded in a second stage expander) and a further primary stream (which used to heat the multicomponent working fluid).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for implementing a thermodynamic cycle. A heated gaseous working stream including a low boiling point component and a higher boiling point component is expanded to transform the energy of the stream into useable form and to provide an expanded working stream. The expanded working stream is then split into two streams, one of which is expanded further to obtain further energy, resulting in a spent stream, the other of which is extracted. The spent stream is fed into a distillation/condensation subsystem, which converts the spent stream into a lean stream that is lean with respect to the low boiling point component and a rich stream that is enriched with respect to the low boiling point component. The lean stream and the rich stream are then combined in a regenerating subsystem with the portion of the expanded stream that was extracted to provide the working stream, which is then efficiently heated in a heater to provide the heated gaseous working stream that is expanded.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for supplying heat to an externally fired power system by using a multistage system having two or more combustion zones. Each combustion zone has an associated heat exchanger that conveys a respective working fluid stream from the externally fired power system. Each combustion zone receives a portion of the total amount of combustion fuel, and the amount of fuel and air supplied to each combustion zone is adjusted to control the temperature to a predetermined value.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for implementing a thermodynamic cycle in which a gaseous working fluid is expanded to transform its energy into useable form, thereby generating a spent stream which is then condensed to produce a condensed stream. From the condensed stream the following streams are generated: a first stream having a higher percentage of a low boiling component than is included in the condensed stream, a second stream having a lower percentage of a low boiling component than is included in the condensed stream, and a third stream having the same percentage of a low boiling component as is included in the condensed stream. The first, second, and third streams are subjected to multiple distillation operations to generate a liquid working fluid which is then evaporated to generate the gaseous working fluid.

Abstract: A multi-stage combustion apparatus and method for use with externally fired power plants that allows the temperature of the heat released at any stage to be matched to the thermal characteristics of the working fluid from the power plant.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for implementing a thermodynamic cycle that includes: (a) expanding a gaseous working stream, transforming its energy into usable form and producing a spent working stream; (b) heating a multicomponent oncoming liquid working stream by partially condensing the spent working stream; and (c) evaporating the heated working stream to form the gaseous working stream using heat produced by a combination of cooling geothermal liquid and condensing geothermal steam.