Abstract: A method for using a two-phase fluid includes separating the fluid into its two phases, oen of which is a hot gas containing energy in the form of latent heat, and one of which is a hot liquid containing energy in the form of sensible heat; converting sensible heat in the liquid to sensible heat in a working fluid for producing preheated working fluid; and transferring latent heat in the gas to the preheated working fluid for vaporizing the same at substantially constant temperature and pressure.

Abstract: The air in a greenhouse is dehumidified using a direct-contact heat exchanger utilizing concentrated brine. The diluted brine produced when water vapor in the greenhouse condenses on the concentrated brine is regenerated in a fuel-fired boiler whose products of combustion, carbon dioxide and water vapor, are passed into the greenhouse. The products of combustion provide the desired level of carbon dioxide in the greenhouse; and the excess water vapor in the products of combustion as well as a significant portion of the water vapor produced by plants, growing in the greenhouse are removed by the hygroscopic concentrated brine.

Abstract: An intermitently operable non-fuel-consuming power generator, such as a photovoltaic array or a wind generator, is connected through a control circuit to a battery for charging the same and supplying current to a time-wise substantially constant electrical load. An electrical generator, connected to an intermitently operable prime mover, charges the battery and supplies current to the electrical load when the prime mover is operated. A sensor circuit senses at least one electrical parameter, such as a failure of the power generator to produce current, for controlling the operation of the primer mover (i.e., starting of the prime mover). The sensor circuit also senses a second electrical parameter, such as the charge level of the battery. The prime mover is made operational only if the battery capacity is less than a predetermined threshold level when the power generator fails to produce current.

Abstract: A motor driven pump for pumping a viscous solution of a solute in a solvent comprises an impeller for pumping the solution into an outlet chamber. A shaft is rigidly connected to the impeller and is rotatably mounted in hydrodynamic slide bearings for driving the impeller. A rotor is rigidly mounted on the shaft for rotation therewith in response to actuation of a stator that is operatively associated with the rotor for causing rotation of the shaft. A lubrication system is provided for delivering pressurized solvent to the bearings such that solvent leaking from the bearings flows into the outlet chamber.

Abstract: A Rankine cycle power plant utilizes as a working fluid and compounds selected from the group consisting of bicyclic hydrocarbons, substituted bicyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, heterocyclic bicyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, substituted heterocyclic bicyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, bicyclic compounds where one ring is aromatic and the other condensed ring is non-aromatic, and their mixtures.

Abstract: A hybrid power system comprises a first energy converter operating on a closed Rankine cycle and including a vapor generator for vaporizing an organic working fluid in response to heat furnished from a heat source associated with a vapor generator, a turbo-generator responsive to vaporized working fluid for generating electrical power, and a condenser responsive to vapor exhausted from the turbo-generator for converting said vapor to a condensed liquid which is returned to the vapor generator. The system also includes a second energy converter including a thermo-electric generator having a junction, a heat source for heating said junction whereby said thermo-electric generator generates electrical power, and a heat pipe for conveying heat from said last mentioned heat source to the vapor generator of the first energy converter and to the junction.

Abstract: In a power plant which furnishes low-grade heat to a Rankin cycle turbo generator operating with an organic fluid, a fast-starting prime mover is selectively coupled to the generator, the generator capacity of the generator is oversized relative to the individual capacities of the turbine in the prime mover.

Abstract: An intermittently operable non-fuel-consuming power generator, such as a photovoltaic array or a wind generator, is connected through a control circuit to a battery for for charging the same and supplying current to a time-wise substantially constant electrical load. An electrical generator, connected to an intermittently operable prime mover, charges the battery and supplies current to the electrical load when the prime mover is operated. A sensor circuit senses at least one electrical parameter, such as a failure of the power generator to produce current, for controlling the operation of the prime mover (i.e., starting of the prime mover). The sensor circuit also senses a second electrical parameter, such as the charge level of the battery. The prime mover is made operational only if the battery capacity is less than a predetermined threshold level when the power generator fails to produce current.

Abstract: Liquid working fluid is drained from the sump of the cannister of a power plant of the type described by transferring the working fluid to the condenser rather than to the boiler. In one embodiment of the invention, liquid in the sump is drained by gravity into an auxiliary boiler which heats the drained liquid producing vapor at substantially the pressure of the condenser; and the resultant vapor is piped directly into the condenser where it condenses and joins the main condensate produced from vapor that has been exhausted from the turbine. In a second embodiment of the invention, the exhaust conduit carrying exhaust vapor from the cannister to the condenser is provided with a loop or elbow that extends below the level of the cannister, and a conduit connects the sump in the cannister to the loop.

Abstract: A gel is formed by copolymerizing an acrylic monofunctional monomer and an acrylic bifunctional monomer in an aqueous solution exposed to an oxygen containing atmosphere. Spontaneous polymerization takes place in an atmosphere containing oxygen after the solution is placed in sunlight, or in the dark if the solution also contains a dissolved inorganic salt. The gel so formed is transparent to solar radiation, and is stable in the presence of such radiation and of temperatures in the vicinity of the boiling point of water. As a consequence, the gel is suitable for covering a heat storage liquid and thermally insulates the liquid against significant conductive heat loss to an ambient medium above the gel. By providing a myriad of small bubbles trapped in the gel, the insulating efficiency of the gel is increased without significantly interferring with the transmission of solar radiation to the heat storage layer below the gel.

Abstract: A closed Rankine-cycle power plant (10) has a boiler (24) for vaporizing an organic working fluid and a first nozzle box (58) for receiving vaporized working fluid from the boiler (24) and for furnishing the fluid to a set of axial flow turbine blades (30) located on the periphery of a turbine rotor (50). The vaporized working fluid from the nozzle box (58) expands on passing through the blades (30) producing work that drives a generator (34) coupled to the turbine (28). A second nozzle box (62) receives vaporized working fluid that exits from the axial flow blades (30) on the rotor (50) and applies the working fluid to a second set of radial flow blades (66) on the rotor (50) adjacent the second nozzle box (62).

Abstract: A power plant includes a steam boiler that delivers a rated amount of high-pressure steam at rated temperature and pressure to a steam turbine having a high-pressure stage and at least one low-pressure stage driven by low-grade steam exhausted from the high-pressure stage. A main generator, driven by the steam turbine, furnishes electricity to a variable load. When the load decreases below rated value, the boiler operation is maintained, but low-grade steam exhausted from the high-pressure stage of the turbine is diverted from the low-pressure stage to a heat store large enough to accumulate heat during the time that the power plant operates at less than rated load. A waste heat converter, having its own generator, is responsive to the low-grade heat stored in the heat store, and can be operated selectively to furnish electricity to the load to supplement the output of the power plant.

Abstract: Vaporized working fluid is supplied only to the condenser of a power plant of the type described when the power plant is cold started allowing condensate to lubricate the bearings of the prime mover before the latter begins to move. When the power plant is in steady-state operation, vaporized working fluid is supplied only to the prime mover.

Abstract: The passive cooling of a shelter containing a heat source is achieved by utilizing a thermal liquid in an accumulator, a first heat transfer loop for thermosiphonically transferring heat from the interior of the shelter to the liquid in the accumulator when the liquid is cooler than the interior of the shelter, and a second heat transfer loop for thermosiphonically transferring heat from the liquid in the accumulator to the environment when the latter is cooler than the liquid in the accumulator.