| CPC F01K 3/188 (2013.01) [C09K 5/042 (2013.01); C09K 2205/12 (2013.01)] | 18 Claims |
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1. A method for performing a closed thermochemical and thermodynamic (chemo/thermodynamic) work-producing cycle comprising a first half-cycle and a second half-cycle,
wherein said first half-cycle comprises:
a. removing from a first storage system a non-gaseous first reactant or reactant mix;
b. increasing the pressure of said non-gaseous first reactant or reactant mix to a set pressure;
c. preheating, with exothermic heat from an earlier half-cycle, said pressurized non-gaseous first reactant or reactant mix to its point of conversion to a vapor;
d. vaporizing, with exothermic heat from said half-cycle, said preheated and pressurized non-gaseous first reactant or reactant mix to make a pressurized vaporous first reactant or reactant mix;
e. preheating, with exothermic heat from said half-cycle, said pressurized and vaporous first reactant or reactant mix to a higher temperature;
f. preheating, with a primary heat source, said pressurized and vaporous first reactant or reactant mix to the temperature of an endothermic thermochemical reaction chamber;
g. passing said preheated, pressurized, and vaporous first reactant or reactant mix into said endothermic thermochemical reaction chamber;
h. stimulating, with said primary heat source, said preheated, pressurized, and vaporized first reactant or reactant mix within said endothermic thermochemical reaction chamber to cause said preheated, pressurized, and vaporized first reactant or reactant mix to chemically absorb heat during a first constant temperature and constant pressure process, thus changing said preheated, pressurized, and vaporized first reactant or reactant mix into a gaseous first product or product mix;
i. expanding, with a first work-producing expander, said gaseous first product or product mix to lower the pressure and temperature of said gaseous first product or product mix and to produce work;
j. cooling, with a first cooler, said expanded gaseous first product or product mix to the point where said expanded gaseous first product or product mix separates into a gaseous second product or product mix and a non-gaseous product or product mix;
k. storing, in a second storage system, said non-gaseous product or product mix;
l. storing, in a third storage system, said gaseous second product or product mix, and
wherein said second half-cycle comprises:
m. removing from said second storage system a portion of said stored non-gaseous product or product mix;
n. increasing the pressure of said portion of non-gaseous product or product mix to a set pressure;
o. Preheating, with exothermic heat from an earlier cycle or half-cycle, said portion of pressurized non-gaseous product or product mix to its point of conversion to a vapor;
p. vaporizing, with exothermic heat from an earlier cycle or half-cycle, said portion of preheated and pressurized non-gaseous product or product mix to make a pressurized and vaporous product or product mix;
q. preheating, with exothermic heat from an earlier cycle or half-cycle, said pressurized and vaporous product or product mix to the temperature of an exothermic thermochemical reaction chamber;
r. removing from said third storage system a portion of said gaseous second product or product mix;
s. increasing the pressure of said portion of gaseous second product or product mix to a set pressure;
t. preheating, with exothermic heat from an earlier cycle or half-cycle, said portion of pressurized gaseous second product or product mix to the temperature of said exothermic thermochemical reaction chamber;
u. passing said pressurized, vaporous, and preheated product or product mix and said portion of pressurized and preheated gaseous second product or product mix into said exothermic thermochemical reaction chamber, thereby creating a combined pressurized and preheated third product or product mix;
v. removing heat, with a second cooler, from said combined pressurized and preheated third product or product mix within said exothermic thermochemical reaction chamber to cause said combined pressurized and preheated third product or product mix to chemically produce heat during a second constant temperature and constant pressure process, thus changing a quantity of said combined pressurized and preheated third product or product mix into a combined second reactant or reactant mix/fourth product mix;
w. cooling, with a third cooler, said second reactant or reactant mix/fourth product mix to the point where said cooled second reactant or reactant mix/fourth product mix separates into a non-gaseous second reactant or reactant mix portion and a vaporous and/or gaseous fourth product or product mix portion;
x. pumping said vaporous and/or gaseous fourth product or product mix portion back to the beginning of process(s), and injecting said vaporous and/or gaseous fourth product or product mix portion into said portion of gaseous second product or product mix; and
y. storing, in said first storage system, said non-gaseous second reactant or reactant mix portion.
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