Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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A CLOSED THERMODYNAMIC SYSTEM FOR PRODUCING
ELECTRIC POWER
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application claims the benefit from US provisional application 60/996,667
filed Nov 29', 2007, the disclosure of which is included herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the field of thermodynamic systems, and more
particularly, the present invention relates to a closed thermodynamic system
including a
steam turbine that operates an electric generator, which can produce
substantially more
electrical power than the electricity power that is operationally consumed by
the
system.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND PRIOR ART
A steam turbine is a mechanical device that extracts thermal energy from
pressurized steam, and converts the thermal energy into useful kinetic energy.
For
example, thermodynamic steam engines are typically operated by fuel that is
burnt to
operate engines, such as various vehicle engines, electrical generators and
the like.
Figure 1 (prior art) illustrates an aircraft steam powered engine 20 developed
Bill and
George Besler and first flown in 1933. The steam engine operated a turbine
with heated
steam of about 425 C and in turn, the turbine operated the engine.
Since a turbine generates rotary motion, the turbine is particularly suited
for
driving an electrical generator - about 86% of all the electricity generation
in the world
is produced by use of steam turbines. The steam turbine is a form of heat
engine that
derives much of the improvement in the thermodynamic efficiency from the use
of
multiple stages in the expansion of the steam.
In a closed chamber, which is totally sealed and isolated from the
surroundings
of the chamber, if the chamber contains an active heat generating device, for
example
an electric heating element, the temperature in the chamber will constantly
increase.
Furthermore, if the chamber contains gas, for example steam, the steam
molecules tend
to expand in volume and thereby the pressure in the chamber also increases
constantly.
A closed thermodynamic system is said to be in thermodynamic equilibrium
when the system is in thermal equilibrium, mechanical equilibrium, and
chemical
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equilibrium. The local state of a system at thermodynamic equilibrium is
determined by
the values of the intensive parameters, such as pressure, temperature, etc.
Specifically,
thermodynamic equilibrium is characterized by the minimum of a thermodynamic
potential, such as the Helmholtz free energy, i.e. systems at constant
temperature and
volume:
A=U-TS,
where A is the Helmholtz free energy, U is the internal energy of the system,
T is the
absolute temperature and S is the entropy;
or, as the Gibbs free energy, i.e. systems at constant pressure and
temperature:
G=H-TS,
where T is the temperature, S is the entropy and H is the enthalpy.
Thermal equilibrium is achieved when two systems, being in thermal contact
with each other, cease to exchange energy by heat. If the two systems are in
thermal
equilibrium, the temperatures of the two systems are the same. In a thermal
equilibrium
state, there are no unbalanced potentials (or driving forces) within the
system. A system
that is in thermal equilibrium, experiences no changes when the system is
isolated from
the surroundings of the system.
There is a need for and it would be advantageous to have a thermodynamic
system that is designated to produce electricity and that has the capacity to
supply
electric power which is substantially higher than the power that the system
operatively
consumes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is then the intention of the present invention to provide a closed
thermodynamic system including a steam turbine that operates an electric
generator,
which can supply electric power that is substantially higher than the power
that the
closed thermodynamic system operatively consumes.
The present invention enables production of electric energy based on
characteristics of a selected liquid, such as water, in the natural state of
the liquid in
nature.
According to the teachings of the present invention there is provided a closed
thermodynamic system for producing electricity, having an internal volume,
including:
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a) a water pump;
b) a heat exchange unit;
c) a water circulation heater;
d) a steam turbine;
e) an electric generator; and
f) a water cooling sub-system.
The internal volume is predesigned and contains a pre-measured quantity of a
selected liquid, such as water. The internal volume and the liquid type and
quantity are
selected according to the target electric power.
The water pump extracts liquid, having about ambient temperature and at a pre-
calculated flow rate, from the water cooling sub-system and transfers the
extracted
liquid to the heat exchange unit. The liquid is heated up and accrues higher
pressure
while flowing inside an elongated pipe through the heat exchange unit,
exchanging heat
with the hot steam arriving from the turbine. The higher temperature typically
converts
the liquid into steam and the higher pressure increases the liquid flow rate
as the steam
flows further into the water circulation heater.
The water circulation heater heats up the arriving liquid/steam that flows in
from the heat exchange unit, thereby converting the liquid/steamn into high
pressure
steam. The attained pressure is predesigned, to achieve a pre-designed
rotational speed
of the turbine. Hence, the high pressure steam is directed towards designated
elements
of the turbine at a pre-designed angle with respect to the designated elements
of the
turbine. Thereby, the steam turbine converts the thermal energy stored in the
high
pressure steam to kinetic energy that operationally rotates the turbine about
the
rotational axis of the turbine. The rotating turbine rotates the electric
generator, being
affixed onto the rotational axis of the turbine and thereby, the electric
generator
produces electric energy.
From the turbine, the steam flows back into the heat exchange unit, which
reduces the steam temperature, while exchanging heat with the cooler liquid
flowing
inside the pipes disposed inside the heat exchange unit. The cooler
steam/liquid then
flows into the water cooling sub-system, which reduces the temperature of the
liquid,
flowing from the heat exchange unit, to about ambient temperature.
The water cooling sub-system includes:
a) a condenser;
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b) a liquid tank; and
c) a water cooling unit.
At the condenser the steam is converted back to hot liquid. The water pump
supplies some cold liquid to the condenser to accelerate the condensing
process. The
liquid is accumulated in a water tank and from the water tank, the liquid
flows into the
water cooling unit, which reduces the temperature of the liquid, flowing from
the heat
exchange unit, to about ambient temperature.
The water pump is preferably coupled with an electric motor which operates the
water pump. In variations of the present invention, the water pump and the
motor are
combined into a single unit.
The water circulation heater includes a heating element, which is preferably
an
electric heating element. In variations of the present invention, the electric
heating
element is an electrical resistor that when electric current flows through the
resistor, the
resistor converts some of the electrical energy into heat energy. In other
variations of
the present invention the electric heating element is a stream of electrons,
being a
plasma, having high thermal kinetic energy.
An aspect of the present invention is to provide a thermodynamic system
including a computerized control sub-system. The computerized control sub-
system
operationally controls various parameters of the system selected from the
group
including the output pressure of the water pump, the pressure in various
chambers and
pipes, the temperature in various chambers and pipes, the rotational speed of
the
turbine, the output electric power produced by the electric motor and other
parameters
and units.
An aspect of the present invention is to provide a thermodynamic system the
can fulfill the electric power needed of all internal electrical components of
the system,
including but limited to: the water pump motor, the heating element and the
computerized control sub-system.
It should be noted that the length and volumes of various chambers and pipes
are designed to hold a predesigned pressure that is designed to keep the
system in a
continuous working state, while being in a state of thermodynamic equilibrium.
Further, based on to the size of the rotor of the generator, it is possible to
know
the generator's capacity and to compute the necessary size of the flywheel.
According
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to the first law of Newton, the power applied to a body is the product of the
body's
mass and the acceleration. The lasting moment in a given RPM (having a
flywheel with
known diameter and weight) less the loss of RPM due to turning off, equals the
kinetic
energy consumption of the flywheel. The thermo dynamic circuit is utilized of
as an
endless source of energy to amplify energy and to control RPM.
In variations of the present invention, the selected liquid, such as water,
contains
materials that modify the mixture parameters, such as the boiling temperature.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention will become fully understood from the detailed
description given herein below and the accompanying drawings, which are given
by
way of illustration and example only and thus not limitative of the present
invention,
and wherein:
FIG. 1 (prior art) illustrates an aircraft steam powered engine;
FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of closed thermodynamic system for
producing
electric power, according to variations of the present invention;
FIG. 3 illustrates an example closed thermodynamic the system for producing
electric
power, as shown in Figure 2; and
FIG. 4 illustrates a steam turbine the thermodynamic system, according to
variations of
the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Before explaining embodiments of the invention in detail, it is to be
understood
that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of
construction and the
arrangement of the components set forth in the host description or illustrated
in the
drawings.
Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have
the
same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art of the
invention belongs. The methods and examples provided herein are illustrative
only and
not intended to be limiting.
Reference is made to Figure 2, which illustrates a closed thermodynamic system
100 for producing electricity, according to variations of the present
invention.
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Thermodynamic system 100 includes water pump 180, heat exchange unit 165,
water
circulation heater 110, steam turbine 120, electric generator 130, and
steam/water
cooling sub-system 190.
When system 100 reaches the working state equilibrium, system 100 produces
electricity, whereas a small portion of the produced electric power is used to
operate
electrical components of system 100 and the majority of the electricity
produced is
made available to operate external devices 10. When in the working state,
system 100
can operate non-stop, being self sustaining with respect to the electrical
power needed
for operating.
To reach the working state of system 100, external power is used to bring
system 100 to the working state equilibrium. The starting process which
requires
external power is referred to as the "starting process".
The following describes the operational process of system 100, both in the
working state of system 100 and while at the starting process.
Water pump 180 extracts liquid, having about ambient temperature and at a
pre-calculated flow rate, from water cooling sub-system 190 and transfers the
extracted
liquid to heat exchange unit 165. The liquid is heated up and accrues higher
pressure
while flowing inside an elongated pipe through heat exchange unit 165,
exchanging
heat with the hot steam arriving from turbine 120. The higher temperature
typically
converts the liquid into steam (when reaching the boiling temperature of the
liquid))
and the higher pressure increases the liquid flow rate as the steam flows
further into
water circulation heater 110. Water circulation heater 110 heats up the
arriving
liquid/steam that flows in from heat exchange unit 165 and thereby, converts
the
liquid/steam into high pressure steam. The attained pressure is predesigned,
to achieve
a pre-designed rotational speed of turbine 120. Hence, the high pressure steam
is
directed towards designated elements of turbine 120 at a pre-designed angle
with
respect to the designated elements of turbine 120. Thereby, steam turbine 120
converts
the thermal energy stored in the high pressure steam to kinetic energy that
operationally
rotates turbine 120 about the rotational axis of turbine 120. Steam turbine
120 is
preferably a gas turbine capable of amplifying the rotational moment created
by the
flow of the pressurized steam and thereby obtaining or rotational speed of
turbine 120
that is higher than the rotational speed that can be operatively attained by
the nominal
force of the flow of the pressurized steam, applied to a conventional turbine.
Rotating
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turbine 120 rotates electric generator 130, being affixed onto the rotational
axis of
turbine 120 and thereby, electric generator 130 produces electric energy.
From turbine 120, the steam flows back into heat exchange unit 165, which
reduces the steam temperature, while exchanging heat with the cooler liquid
flowing
inside the pipes disposed inside heat exchange unit 165. The cooler
steam/liquid then
flows into water cooling sub-system 190, which reduces the temperature of the
liquid,
flowing from heat exchange unit 165, to about ambient temperature. Water
cooling
sub-system 190 includes:
a) condenser 150;
b) liquid tank 195; and
c) water cooling unit 170.
At condenser 150 the steam is converted back to hot liquid. Water pump 180
supplies
some cold liquid to condenser 150 to accelerate the condensing process. The
liquid is
accumulated in water tank 195 and then flows into water cooling unit 170,
which
reduces the temperature of the liquid to about ambient temperature. In
variations of the
present invention, the cold liquid flown into condenser 150 is supplied by a
separate
water pump.
Water pump 180 is preferably coupled with electric motor 182 which operates
water pump 180. In variations of the present invention, water pump 180 and the
motor
182 are combined into a single unit.
Water circulation heater 110 includes a heating element, which is preferably
an
electric heating element. In variations of the present invention, the electric
heating
element is an electrical resistor that when electric current is flown through
the resistor,
the resistor converts some of the electrical energy into heat energy. In other
variations
of the present invention the electric heating element is a stream of
electrons, being a
plasma, having high thermal kinetic energy.
An aspect of the present invention is to provide a thermodynamic system
including computerized control sub-system 105. computerized control sub-system
105
operationally controls various parameters of system 100, selected from the
group
including the output pressure of water pump 180, the pressure in various
chambers and
pipes, the temperature in various chambers and pipes, the rotational speed of
turbine
120, the output electric power produced by electric motor 130 and other
parameters and
units.
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It should be noted that when turbine 120 reaches the working rotational speed
the heating power is reduced, as the power needed to accelerate turbine 120 is
greater
than the heating power needed to maintain the rotational speed of turbine 120.
The
heating power needed to maintain the rotational speed of turbine 120 can be
reduced to
even 0-10% of the power needed to start system 100 up.
An aspect of the present invention is to provide a thermodynamic system the
can fulfill the electric power needed of all internal electrical components of
the system,
including but limited to: water pump motor 182, the heating element and
computerized
control sub-system 105.
It should be noted that the length and volumes of various chambers and pipes
are designed to hold a predesigned pressure that is designed to keep the
system in a
continuous working state, while being in a thermodynamic equilibrium state.
Reference is also made to Figure 3, which illustrates an example closed
thermodynamic system 200 for producing electricity. Thermodynamic system 200
includes heating chamber unit 210, steam turbine 220, electric generator 230,
steam
heat exchange chamber 240, condenser 250, water heat exchange chamber 260,
water
cooler 270 and water pump 280.
Thermodynamic system 100 will now be described through example system
200 with no limitations on other variations of system 100. In system 200,
steam heat
exchange chamber 240 and water heat exchange chamber 260 represent a variation
of
heat exchange unit 265; and condenser 250 and water cooler 270 represent a
variation
of steam/water cooling unit 275.
Heating chamber unit 210 is thermally insulated by insulation 205 and includes
electric heating element 212. To improve the insulation and thereby the heat
exchange
process, heating chamber unit 210 may be built in a multiple chamber
structure,
enclosed within each other. Good insulation is needed to reduce the power
needed to
keep system 200 in thermal equilibrium. In Figure 2, two chambers are shown
whereas
internal chamber 211 contains heating element 212 and external chamber 213
includes
an outlet 216 which releases the pressurized steam towards turbine 220.
In the starting process, electric power is supplied to operate heating element
212, motor 282 and any other electric part of system 200, such as the
computerized
control sub-system. Motor 282 operates water pump 280 to extract water from
water
cooler 270. The water is moved forward by water pump 280 at increased pressure
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through pipe 262 and into heat exchange chamber 260. The hot water contained
inside
exchange chamber 260 exchanges heat with pipe 262, and thereby heating the
water
inside pipe 262. The heated water inside pipe 262 are further moved forward by
the
increased pressure through pipe 242 inside heat exchange chamber 240, which
contains
hot steam arriving from turbine 220. The hot steam exchanges heat with pipe
242,
thereby heating the pressurized water inside pipe 242. The pressurized hot
water inside
pipe 242 is then directed into heating chamber 211.
Hot water (>100 C) in high pressure are entered into heating chamber 211 via
inlet 214. Heating element 212 further heats the water in chamber 211, thereby
increasing the pressure inside chamber 211, as the water molecules strive to
expand.
The pressurized water flows into chamber 213 via one or more openings and
escapes
chamber 213 via outlet 216 where the hot water are transformed into
pressurized steam,
which is directed towards turbine 220. The pressurized steam flows towards one
or
more elements 222 of turbine 220 that resist the steam pressure and thereby
causing
turbine 220 to rotate about axis 225, to which turbine 220 is affixed.
The rotation of turbine 220 operatively rotates generator 230, being affixed
to
axis 225, and thereby producing electrical power. The number of elements 222
towards
which the pressurized steam is directed can vary as needed. For example, in
the starting
process more elements 222 are used to shorten the starting process, and when
working
state is reached, less elements 222 are used. Reference is also made to Figure
4, which
illustrates turbine 220. In this example, the pressurized steam is directed
towards
designated elements of turbine 220, and thereby rotating turbine 220, through
nozzles
228, which enable the pressurized steam to enter the sealed turbine housing
226 and
onto turbine 220. In the starting process, the pressurized steam preferably
flows
through all nozzles 228. When turbine 220, including a flywheel, reaches the
predesigned, working rotational speed one or more nozzles are shut down, as
less
power is needed to keep turbine 120 rotating at a substantially constant
working
rotational speed. It should be noted that the system has to be brought into a
state of
Thermal entropy before the shutting down any of the nozzles.
After causing turbine 220 to rotated, the steam is directed to heat exchange
chamber 240 via inlet 224. In heat exchange chamber 240 the steam arriving
from
turbine 220 exchanges heat with pipe 242, which transports cooler water
towards
heating chamber unit 210. The steam arriving from turbine 220 flows via outlet
241 and
inlet 252 into condenser 250, which transforms the steam into hot water. Cold
(near
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ambient temperature) water also flows through inlet 254 into condenser 250
from water
pump 280 to accelerate the heat exchange process. The hot water inside
condenser 250
accumulates at the bottom of condenser 250 and flows into exchange chamber
260, via
inlet 244. The steam in heat exchange chamber 240 that converts into water and
flows
into exchange chamber 260, via outlet 246.
In heat exchange chamber 260 the hot water arriving from condenser 250 (and
some from exchange chamber 240) exchanges heat with pipe 262, which transports
cold water towards heat exchange chamber 240. The water arrived from condenser
250
flows via inlet 272 into water cooler 270, where the water temperature is
reduced to
about ambient temperature. From water cooler 270 the cold water flows into
water
pump 280 which is operatively coupled to a motor 282. Water pump 280 directs
some
of the cold water towards condenser 250 to accelerate the condensation
process. The
rest of the water flows in a pipe towards heat exchange chamber 260, inside
pipe 262.
This cycle continues as the working state of closed thermodynamic system 200
persists.
When the electric power produced by generator 230 surpasses the electric power
used
by system 200, the external electric power source is disconnected, and thereby
system
200 becomes self sustaining.
It should be noted that the inner space containing the water/steam is a sealed
space.
It should be further noted that the electric power needed to operate heating
element 212, motor 282 and any other electric part of system 200 (and system
100) is
preferably supplied by generator 230. It should be further noted that various
dimensions
of elements of system 200 (and system 100), such as the length and volume of
pipes
242, 262, heat exchange chamber 260, heat exchange chamber 240 and heating
chamber unit 210 are designed to hold a predesigned pressure in the system
that is
designed to keep system 200 (and system 100) in a continuous working state
being in a
thermodynamic equilibrium state.
It should be further noted that heat exchange chamber 260 and heat exchange
unit 165 may be subdivided into a multiple number of heat exchange chambers,
and
that heat exchange chamber 240 may be subdivided into a multiple number of
heat
exchange chambers.
The following is an example thermodynamic system, according to variations of
the present invention:
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= The volume of heat exchange heat exchange unit 265 is 5 liters.
= The length of the pipes in heat exchange unit 265 is 400 meters.
= The pressure inside the pipes in heat exchange unit 265 can reach 110 Bar.
= Heating element 212 requires electric power of 8500 Watt.
= The temperature of the steam arriving at turbine 220 is - 250 C and the
pressure
is 30 Bar.
= The temperature of the water arriving at water pump 280 is 20 C-50 C.
= The temperature of the water exiting pipe 262 is -70 C.
= The temperature of the water exiting pipe 242 is -I 50'C.
= Generator 230 produces electric power of 40-120KVA/400Hz.
Even if we take the electric power consumption of system 200 to be 15KW,
generator 230 produces a residual electric power of 25-105KW.
(end of example)
In variations of the present invention, other materials are added to the water
to
modify the mixture parameters. For example: alcohol can be added to the water
to
lower the boiling temperature.
System 100 can be used as a power source for electric engines and electric
apparatuses for any motorized vehicles such as automobiles, aircrafts and
vessels.
System 100 can be used as a power source for electric engines and electric
apparatuses
for vehicles to be used in outer space. System 100 can be used as an
electrical power
plant for home use, factory use and any other local use. System 100 can be
used as an
electrical power plant that can supply electricity to a network of users.
System 100 can
be used as a power source for any electric client.
It should be noted that the energy accumulated in the closed system enables
the
system to proceed working and produce electricity after a malfunction has been
identified, until a secondary backup system replaces the malfunctioned system.
The invention being thus described in terms of embodiments and examples, it
will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are
not to
be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all
such
modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be
included
within the scope of the claims.
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