Importance

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Abstract

A closed cycle thermodynamic apparatus (10) is provided for powering a combustion machine. The apparatus (10) has a compressor (12) for compressing a working medium from a reservoir (14) at temperature T1. The temperature of the working medium increases during compression and reaches temperature T2 when leaving the compressor (12). It is then expanded in an expander (16) for turning the machine. In this manner mechanical work is extracted from the working medium. The apparatus (10) has a first heat exchanger (18) and a second heat exchanger (20) connected to the compressor (12) and the expander (16) in a closed cycle. It also has a burner (22) and a third heat exchanger (24). Air, as a Heat transfer medium, at ambient temperature T5 is induced into the second exchanger (20) to cool the working medium by receiving heat therefrom. The temperature of the working medium decreases from T4 to T1 before entering the compressor (12) for repeating the cycle. The air which is now at a higher temperature T6 is conveyed to the burner (22) where it is mixed with fuel to form a combustion gas reaching an even higher temperature at T7 and passed into the first exchanger (18) for heating the working medium at constant pressure. In this manner the temperature of working medium increases to T3 when entering the expander (16) and following expansion for conversion to mechanical power its temperature reduces to T4. The apparatus (10) thereby recovers heat at all the heat exchangers (18),(20) and (24). This reduces the amount of fuel required to heat the air for combustion.

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First Claim