WO2010097260A2

WO2010097260A2 - Method, device and system for converting energy

Info

Publication number: WO2010097260A2
Application number: PCT/EP2010/050854
Authority: WO
Inventors: Klaus Wolter
Original assignee: Klaus Wolter
Priority date: 2009-02-27
Filing date: 2010-01-26
Publication date: 2010-09-02
Also published as: WO2010097260A3

Abstract

A non-gaseous carrier medium is converted into a gaseous carrier medium by means of introduced thermal energy, and so the gaseous carrier medium rises to a predetermined height. The gaseous carrier medium is converted back into a non-gaseous carrier medium at the predetermined height by means of a first cooling circuit that absorbs heat of the carrier medium. Furthermore, heat of the reconverted non-gaseous carrier medium is absorbed by means of a second cooling circuit. The heat absorbed by the first and second cooling circuits is then recirculated to heating the carrier medium at any suitable location desired.

Description

Method, apparatus and system for converting energy

The invention relates to a method, a device and a system for converting energy.

A non-gaseous carrier medium can be converted into a gaseous carrier medium by introducing thermal energy so that the gaseous carrier medium rises. At a predetermined level, the gaseous carrier medium can be reconverted back into a non-gaseous carrier medium. The potential energy of the recovered non-gaseous carrier medium at the predetermined level can then be used, for example, to be converted into useful energy, such as by dropping the carrier medium to drive a turbine. Alternatively or additionally, the recovered non-gaseous

Carrier medium can also be taken as the distillate of an original medium for use, such as drinking water, when the original medium was salt water.

The reconversion of the gaseous carrier medium into a non-gaseous carrier medium can be effected by cooling the gaseous carrier medium. The cooling can be carried out, for example, by passing a transport medium through cooling regions arranged at the predetermined height, where it absorbs heat from the carrier medium.

If cooling takes place by means of a transport medium, the heat absorbed by the transport medium can be above it be used to contribute to the heating of the carrier medium. As a result, only the energy losses, including the extracted useful energies, must be introduced during operation from the outside.

It is an object of the invention to further improve such methods as well as corresponding devices and systems.

A method is proposed which comprises converting a non-gaseous carrier medium into a gaseous carrier medium by introducing thermal energy so that the gaseous carrier medium rises to a predetermined height. The method further comprises reconverting the gaseous carrier medium at the predetermined height into a non-gaseous carrier medium by means of a first cooling circuit receiving heat of the carrier medium. The method further comprises receiving heat of the reconverted non-gaseous carrier medium by means of a second refrigeration cycle. The method further comprises recirculating the heat received from the first and second cooling circuits for use in heating the support medium.

Furthermore, a device is proposed. The

The device comprises a cavity and an evaporation space arranged at the lower end of the cavity. The evaporation space is formed to convert a non-gaseous carrier medium into a gaseous carrier medium by means of introduced heat energy, so that the gaseous carrier medium rises to a predetermined height. The device further comprises a first cooling circuit. The first cooling circuit is formed for the return conversion of the gaseous carrier medium at the predetermined level in a non-gaseous carrier medium by absorbing heat of the carrier medium. The first cooling circuit is further formed for returning the absorbed heat to be used for heating the support medium. The apparatus further includes a second refrigeration circuit configured to receive heat from the reconverted non-gaseous carrier medium and configured to recycle the collected heat for use in heating the carrier medium.

Finally, a system is proposed which comprises such a device, and in addition a device designed to obtain heat energy, which is provided to the first device.

It is therefore proposed that existing heat energy is used to convey a carrier medium to a greater height. This is done by a non-gaseous - so solid or liquid - carrier medium is placed in a gaseous state of matter and thereby rises. At an intended height, the carrier medium is cooled by a first cooling circuit, so that it condenses and is thus returned to a non-gaseous state of aggregation. The first cooling circuit thus substantially extracts the heat of vaporization from the carrier medium.

In addition, a second cooling circuit is provided which extracts additional base heat from the reconverted non-gaseous carrier medium. By means of this at least two-stage approach, heat can be extracted in a particularly comprehensive manner from the carrier medium so that the recovered non-gaseous carrier medium subsequently has the lowest possible temperature. Thereafter, the carrier medium is available for any use. If the carrier medium is used in a closed circuit, then the effective cooling of the carrier medium has the advantage that for the first heating of the carrier medium for the re-evaporation external heat sources with heat energy at relatively low temperatures can be used, because the provided temperature only has to be slightly higher are the temperature of the carrier medium in the cold point of the device. The heat energy absorbed by the cooling circuits is not lost, but may contribute to further heating of the support medium at a suitable location.

On the other hand, if the carrier medium is not used in a closed cycle, but at least partially removed after the reverse conversion, then new carrier medium must be added to the further evaporation process. The heat energy absorbed by the cooling circuits can then contribute to a suitable location for heating the at least partially new carrier medium. In this case, the effective removal of heat from the recovered non-gaseous carrier medium before its removal thus has the advantage that a particularly high proportion of heat energy remains in the device and less heat energy must be additionally supplied from the outside.

In one embodiment, to convert the non-gaseous carrier medium into a gaseous carrier medium, thermal energy is supplied to the carrier medium in the following order: first, thermal energy from an external carrier

Heat source, then heat energy from the second cooling circuit and finally heat energy from the first cooling circuit. In terms of the device, this can be done with an external Heat source associated heat exchanger, a heat exchanger of the second cooling circuit and a heat exchanger of the first cooling circuit may be arranged such that they are adapted to feed heat energy in this order in the non-gaseous carrier medium. With this embodiment, it is ensured that the externally supplied heat energy heats the support medium at a stage to which it has the lowest temperature. It is understood, however, that in particular when using an external heat source that provides high temperatures, other orders for the injection of heat energy can be selected in the carrier medium.

In a further embodiment, the gaseous

Carrier medium brought to a higher pressure by compression for the purpose of reducing the volume and increasing the temperature.

Due to the compression of the carrier medium, the heat from the carrier medium with a higher temperature in the

Cooling circuits are fed. This results in the advantage that the return of the heat energy in the cooling circuits can be made simpler. In particular, can be dispensed with the use of a heat pump due to the resulting heat at a higher temperature.

The compression of the gaseous carrier medium can be carried out at any point. It can thus take place immediately after the conversion of the non-gaseous carrier medium into a gaseous carrier medium. In terms of apparatus, the compression means may be arranged in the cavity immediately adjacent to the evaporation space for this purpose. Alternatively, compression may take place immediately before Reverse converting the compressed gaseous carrier medium into a non-gaseous carrier medium. In terms of apparatus, the compression means may be arranged in the cavity immediately below the predetermined height for this purpose. Alternatively, compression may take place somewhere in the way between converting the non-gaseous carrier medium into a gaseous carrier medium and converting the compressed gaseous carrier medium back into a non-gaseous carrier medium. In terms of apparatus, the compression means may for this purpose be arranged in the cavity at any height on the route between the evaporation space and the predetermined height.

The compressed, non-gaseous carrier medium can be decompressed again at any time. If the compressed, non-gaseous carrier medium is to be converted back into a gaseous carrier medium in a cycle, the decompression takes place at the latest before the renewed conversion. During the decompression of the non-gaseous carrier medium, it cools down further. The at the

Decompression released energy can be used in various ways, so that as little energy is lost.

By decompressing the compressed gaseous

Carrier medium, for example, a turbine can be driven. This can be done at the given height, but also at any other altitude, especially at a lower altitude. The device described may have a correspondingly shaped turbine.

Alternatively or additionally, the recovered non-gaseous carrier medium may be transferred from a higher altitude to a higher altitude lower altitude and there drive a turbine by means of its kinetic energy. In accordance with the device, for this purpose, a fall path may be provided which is shaped to allow the recovered non-gaseous carrier medium to fall from a higher altitude to a lower altitude, and a turbine located at the lower level and formed at least through the kinetic energy of falling vehicle medium to be driven.

The energy provided by such turbines can be used both inside the process and outside the process. In-house, the energy provided by a turbine can be used, for example, to assist in compressing the gaseous carrier medium by means of mechanical coupling. The coupling can be done for example between turbine and compressor. Alternatively, the energy can be used to reduce, after conversion to another form of energy by means of the resulting energy, the energy needed to compress the gaseous carrier medium. For conversion, an energy conversion arrangement may be provided which then provides the resulting energy to the compression means. Alternatively, the energy provided by the turbine may be utilized to additionally heat, after conversion to heating energy, for example by an energy conversion arrangement, the carrier medium prior to, during, or after conversion from a non-gaseous state to a gaseous state.

For example, after the carrier medium has been used to drive a turbine, the carrier medium may further be used to detect one of at least one of Cooling circulating transport medium, for example by means of a heat exchanger to cool again.

Alternatively, a transport medium encompassed by at least one of the cooling circuits can also be used against non-gaseous

Carrier medium are exchanged, for example, after this was used to drive the turbine. For this purpose, appropriately shaped exchange means can be provided.

Between compression and decompression of the support medium, the process can proceed at ambient pressure. Alternatively, during the entire process, the carrier medium may additionally be subjected to a pressure which exceeds the ambient pressure, which is further increased by the compression. The overpressure can be adjusted by means of specially provided overpressure means. As a result, the volume of the carrier medium is reduced in the gaseous phase, so that the structural dimensions of the device can be reduced at the same throughput of the carrier medium.

In addition to the carrier medium, a transport medium encompassed by at least one of the cooling circuits can also be subject to a pressure which exceeds the ambient pressure during the entire process. The overpressure means are formed accordingly for this case.

In one embodiment, the gaseous carrier medium is guided during its ascent through at least one constriction, for example by at least one nozzle or any nozzle equivalent arrangement. With a suitable choice of the introduced thermal energy, the invention can be implemented so that it is completely emission-free. In general, however, any source of energy can be used to obtain the heat energy used. Thus, the introduced heat energy from geothermal energy, water heat, air heat, a fossil energy source, a nuclear energy carrier and / or solar energy can be obtained.

The heat energy can be introduced only at the starting point of the ascending carrier medium, device thus exclusively on the Evaporungsräum. In an alternative approach, however, the heat energy can also be introduced into the carrier medium distributed over the height which the gaseous carrier medium overcomes.

The device may for this purpose have a correspondingly arranged energy input element. Such an energy input element may itself comprise an energy-generating element, or else be supplied with energy by a power-generating element.

Distributing the heat energy distributed over the height has the advantage that heat energy is required at a lower temperature level. So can on selected

Heights or continuously along the height of a cavity in each case exactly as much energy to be supplied, that the carrier medium remains until reaching the predetermined height in the gaseous state.

In addition, the invention can be implemented much more compact and cheaper, for example, when solar collectors as energy and -Inbringungselemente directly on the shell of a cavity in which the gaseous carrier medium rises, be attached or even form this shell in whole or in part.

The energy input element may completely enclose a cavity in which the carrier medium rises, or, for example, in the case of solar collectors, may be arranged only on a side facing the sun. Furthermore, the element may extend over the entire height of the cavity or be arranged only on a selected height portion or on a plurality of selected height portions.

Accordingly, the heat returned by at least one of the cooling circuits can not only contribute to the thermal energy with which the non-gaseous carrier medium is converted into a gaseous carrier medium, but alternatively or additionally also contributes to a thermal energy with which already gaseous carrier medium is further heated during the ascent.

For this purpose, in particular the first cooling circuit into consideration, since this can provide the higher heat energy.

The cooling circuits can heat the carrier medium for

Take example by the fact that a transport medium in the cooling circuit is passed through arranged in the predetermined height cooling areas such as a cooling unit. The cooling areas can be formed by hoses or other lines. The cooling areas can be designed and arranged so that they can be used simultaneously for the discharge of the recovered non-gaseous carrier medium to a designated collection point. In a supplementary embodiment, a substance could also be introduced directly into the gaseous carrier medium, for example by means of a suitably designed collector, to support the reverse transformation. The

Incorporation can be done by spraying or raining. After the substance has extracted heat from the carrier medium and thus supported the condensation, the substance and the carrier medium can be separated again for further use. This can for example be done easily if the carrier medium is water and the substance is oil. Instead, however, already recovered carrier medium can be sprayed or gelled into the ascending gaseous carrier medium. Due to the thus enlarged collision surface for the ascending, still gaseous carrier medium, the back conversion is also supported. In this case, it should only be ensured that the sprayed-in or controlled carrier medium does not fall back into the evaporation space, but is supplied to the intended use. This can be achieved, for example, by spraying or cooling the carrier medium only in an angled region of the cavity at the upper end.

A collector can have one - possibly cooled - upper

Contain boundary surface of the cavity, which is designed so that it feeds the reconverted non-gaseous carrier medium, for example via a reservoir for further use.

In an exemplary embodiment, the recovered non-gaseous carrier medium becomes before the farther Use cached, for example by means of a cache.

Caching of the recovered non-gaseous carrier medium is for example suitable for providing a reserve for times when no external heat energy is available. Furthermore, buffering can cover peak demands on the recovered non-gaseous carrier medium or buffer peaks in the supply of the recovered non-gaseous carrier medium.

The potential energy of the recovered non-gaseous carrier medium at the predetermined level can be used for conversion into an energy form desired for external use, for example by means of the already mentioned driving of a turbine.

For a conversion of the potential energy of the carrier medium in another form of energy, the potential

So energy is first converted into kinetic energy. This can be done by dropping the recovered non-gaseous carrier medium on a fall path from a higher altitude to a lower altitude, such as through a downcomer. The kinetic energy can then be converted into another form of energy. For this purpose, an energy converter, such as a turbine with a possibly downstream generator, can be provided.

In the end, the potential energy can be in any

Energy form to be converted. It is understood that converting to a desired form of energy also includes storage in a desired energy source. Come into question thus, inter alia, a conversion into mechanical energy, into electrical energy, into energy for the production of a chemical energy carrier and / or into energy for the production of a physical energy carrier.

Even after the conversion of the potential energy into another form of energy, the recovered non-gaseous carrier medium can be temporarily stored in an intermediate storage.

Instead or subsequently, the recovered non-gaseous carrier medium may be further used at least partially in a closed loop after the potential energy has been converted to another form of energy. In terms of apparatus, the carrier medium is returned to the evaporation chamber for this purpose.

Alternatively or additionally, the recovered non-gaseous carrier medium can also be removed for external use.

By converting the non-gaseous carrier medium into a gaseous carrier medium, the carrier medium can be distilled, for example, depending on the composition. The distilled recovered non-gaseous carrier medium may then be withdrawn before, after or instead of converting the potential energy to another form of energy at least partially via a withdrawal port.

If, for example, seawater is used as a carrier medium, water is simply evaporated, dissolved gases are released and salts precipitate out. In the condensation zone at the given height is then primarily pure water to disposal. This again results in a variety of application and execution options, such as drinking water and irrigation. If service water or waste water from industry or households is used as the carrier medium, then by means of distillation

Industrial water or wastewater treatment done, as well as a recovery of the residues.

The gaseous carrier medium can ascend in a cavity which contains no further substances except for possible impurities. Alternatively, however, the cavity may also comprise a filling medium, which is carried along by the ascending gaseous carrier medium. For the filling medium is air or any other gas or gas mixture in question.

The use of a filling medium makes it possible to compensate for undesirable pressure differences between the cavity and the external environment. Such differences in pressure may be due to different operating temperatures caused by the

Changes in the states of aggregation of the support medium are caused arise. Since the filling medium is entrained by the carrier medium, a closed circuit for the filling medium can be provided, in which the filling medium is made available in the evaporator again after removal of the carrier medium at the predetermined height. Alternatively, however, an open system can be provided in which the filling medium is sucked from the outside by the entrainment within the cavity and discharged after use again to the outside.

In general, all materials used and not taken for external use, such as carrier medium, can be used. Transport medium and filling medium, as well as for all not for external use extracted energy embodiments with closed circuits and open runs on.

In other words, various aspects of the invention may also be described as follows:

The description of the simplified method presented here and / or the device for obtaining energy, in particular the definition of the terms and descriptions are identical to those in the application PCT / EP2007 / 051940 "Method, apparatus and system for the conversion of energy" of the applicant Klaus All definitions, descriptions, justifications and drawings are hereby incorporated in. In particular, any aspect of the application cited may be used in the present application of the simplified method, the apparatus and the system for obtaining energy. the aspects of the heat input into the carrier medium (any heat source, so in particular solar energy), the aspect of energy by transferring (= lift) an inert mass to a greater height in the gravitational field by exploiting the chimney effect (ie converting the chaotic motion of Mo lekel (= heat) of the carrier medium into a directed joint movement (= colder wind) through geometric conditions of the vessel (= building of height h) in which the "warm" molecules are located), which represents the gain of potential energy, the aspect of Water production (utility, service and drinking water), the aspect of heat recovery, heat recovery in the process and / or the device for obtaining energy and the aspects of energy conversion (turbine, generator), such as the Storage and intermediate storage of the obtained energy in physical as well as chemical storage media.

(It should be noted that the preceding list only enumerates the core aspects, which does not mean that the remaining aspects are meaningless.) Rather, this enumeration is only to be taken as a reminder of core aspects.)

The further development and simplification is that hitherto separate parts of the method and / or the device for obtaining energy by an extension and other process management are completely superfluous. This leads, even if the underlying idea is identical, to another previously unknown solution.

The simplification now is that the gaseous carrier medium is compressed in front of the condenser but after it has reached the greater altitude for impressing potential energy. The compression (the

Compression can be effected by means of all known methods and / or devices with which gas can be compressed; such as. Piston pumps, diaphragm pumps, rotary compressors), which is an increase in pressure, energy becomes necessary, since now in the simplified method, apparatus and system for

Gaining energy the entire branch up to the turbine sees this pressure increase, in this recovered. The energy thus recovered can be fed back to the compressor in one embodiment by a direct mechanical coupling by means of axle and optional gear. However, the detour via the conversion of the kinetic energy of the turbine into other energy sources can also be selected, which are then fed to the compressor after appropriate conversion can be (eg: generator - electrical energy - engine). This corresponds to an indirect provision or supply of energy for compression.

In a further embodiment, the compression of the vaporous carrier medium is not carried out after, but before or during the height transport of the carrier medium. So at the earliest directly after evaporation in the evaporator. This is possible because the chimney effect is not affected by the compression process. Structurally, this means a sustainable simplification, as it means that virtually all parts in motion are located at the foot of the simplified method, apparatus and system for obtaining energy.

The advantage, and thus the simplification, consists in the fact that, due to the pressure increase in the gaseous state of matter, there is an increase in the boiling / condensation point. This results in that the heat of vaporization in the condenser is fed into the transport medium at a higher temperature. It is thus directly and optimally prepared for the evaporation process in the evaporator via the transport medium and does not first have to be brought to a higher temperature level via a heat pump.

In a further embodiment of the same effect of raising the temperature is achieved in that, other than by direct transfer of the obtained mechanical energy from the liquid turbine to the gas compressor first

Conversion takes place via the liquid turbine and the downstream generator into electrical energy and then this via an electric heater in the Carrier medium is fed in or after the evaporator. Also, the mechanical energy can be converted directly into heat by friction and also coupled into the carrier medium at the designated points. Also, combinations of all these methods are possible. In a further embodiment, the coupling of this heat is carried out in the transport medium before or in the evaporator, which has the same result.

Furthermore, in the case of the pressure reduction in the turbine, a further cooling of the carrier medium, which is already liquid there, results. This also by the thereby taking place boiling point depression. This aspect provides the provision of the cold pole throughout the simplified process, apparatus and system for recovering energy by bringing the transport medium to its supply temperature. This has been shown and achieved in the cited method and / or apparatus for obtaining energy by a separate heat pump, which can now be eliminated. Only in a further embodiment, a heat pump or a controllable cooling device for adjusting the temperature of the cold pole is used. In this setting process then transported the heat pump heat energy from the transport medium primarily in the cold pole.

In a further embodiment, the entire simplified method, apparatus and system for recovering energy is raised to a higher pressure level to reduce the volume of the gaseous phase of the carrier medium; So everything that includes carrier and transport medium. The simplifications already described remain untouched but now on the other Set basic pressure level. However, in another embodiment, only the carrier medium may be raised in pressure. (For example, in the case of water as the carrier medium, 1 liter of fluid will produce about 1800 liters of steam at 100 psi, 18 liters at 100 bars, but the change in the temperature level at which the evaporation takes place will apply.) it is easy to see that sustainable, more constructive solutions result, as the system becomes more compact.

In the case of the water extraction design, there are now two sub-embodiments. However, both sub-embodiments have in common that the carrier medium is subject to an open run. Also, the recycling of the heat of vaporization described above is part. The only difference is that no value is placed on the gain of the pumping power (see cited method and / or apparatus for obtaining energy) in the one sub-implementation, but the gain of the energy in another form (eg: electrical energy) is preferred and the pumping power is partly or fully utilized in the other sub-implementation, which is achieved in part or entirely by the implementation of the potential energy obtained in the ways already described (see the cited method and / or device for obtaining energy). is waived. By way of example, this is carried out so that the turbine is so arranged at the height h (= pump height) - that after gaining the potential energy that represents the height at which the state of aggregation of the carrier medium takes place, that the energy required for compression, the the pressure increase is recovered, without necessarily relying on the potential energy. In other words, and somewhat simplistically summarized, the simplified method, apparatus and system for gaining energy in comparison to its predecessor is characterized by the introduction of a branch of increased pressure.

As a result, the heat pump is completely eliminated and the return of the heat of vaporization is also significantly simplified.

The cycle of the simplified method, apparatus and system for obtaining energy can be exemplified by means of a carrier and transport medium, we take e.g. We take water and a source of energy, e.g. describe the solar energy as follows simplified:

Water is vaporized by the supply of solar energy, is raised by the heat impressed in a suitable building on the chimney effect as steam to a level (thus potential energy is gained), where the steam is brought to a higher pressure with a compressor (which falls Heat of vaporization at a higher boiling temperature again), with the help of a cooling circuit that transports the heat of vaporization back into the evaporator condenses, which is under this higher pressure cooled condensate is fed to a turbine, in which at least the necessary energy for compression by compression itself Increasing pressure is regained, while at the same time achieved by the pressure reduction in the condensate in the flow through the turbine, a further cooling and the thus obtained cold condensate fed back to the evaporator. In addition, this cold condensate is also the cold pole for the cooling circuit by the water of the cooling circuit is taken from this or cooled by this before it is fed back to the condenser. This short description, with all its interpretations, fits into embodiments for tasks with pure gain of energy over mixed forms up to pure recovery of useful water.

In another embodiment, the conversion of the thermal energy of the carrier medium via adiabatic expansion into kinetic energy takes place by means of flow of the carrier medium through one or more nozzles or nozzle-equivalent devices. For example, the chimney located downstream of the evaporator can also be considered as such a nozzle if its flow cross section is smaller than the flow cross section of the volume in the evaporator. Any other nozzle design such as constructive arrangements of the same in the process,

Apparatus and / or system for obtaining energy, which causes the function of converting the heat energy into kinetic energy for height transport, is also usable.

The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to an exemplary embodiment. Showing:

1 shows schematically the structure of an exemplary, inventive device, Fig. 2 shows schematically the structure of an exemplary device according to the invention with

Variations, supplements and possible details of the device of Figure 1, Figure 3 is a schematic flow diagram that illustrates the operation of the device of Figure 2;

Fig. 4 is a schematic block diagram of an exemplary apparatus according to the invention; and FIG. 5 schematically shows the structure of an exemplary device according to the invention, with possible variations, options for addition and possible details of the device from FIG. 1; FIG. 6 shows a schematic block diagram of a further exemplary device according to the invention;

7 shows schematically the construction of a further exemplary device according to the invention;

Fig. 8 schematically shows an exemplary evaporation heat recovery in a device according to the invention; and

9 is a quadrant diagram of an exemplary heat and gravitational field power plant according to the invention.

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a device according to the invention for injecting energy into a medium which can be used for the efficient conversion of energy.

The device has a main circuit for a carrier medium. The main circuit is shown dotted. It comprises at the bottom of an evaporation chamber 100, then a riser 101, then again an upper portion 102 at a height h and finally a drop tube 103, which connects the upper portion 102 again with the evaporation chamber 100. The carrier medium circulates in the main circuit while changing its state of aggregation. Liquid carrier medium is heated in the evaporation chamber 100 so that it evaporates and rises in the riser 101. Then the gaseous carrier medium in the upper region 102 is again converted into a liquid carrier medium. The liquid carrier medium falls through the downpipe 103 back into the evaporation chamber 100, where it is recycled to the circulation. The areas of the Main circuit in which the carrier medium in the gaseous state occurs are shown with a lower density point than the areas of the main circuit in which the carrier medium occurs in the liquid state.

In the lower region of the riser 101, a compressor 110 is arranged, which is connected to the upper region of the riser 101 via a valve 111. The compressor 110 compresses the ascending gaseous carrier medium. During a starting phase, the valve 111 is closed, and the compressor 110 is idling until it reaches its rated speed. Thereafter, the valve 111 is opened so that the compressed, gaseous carrier medium can circulate in the main circuit.

The downpipe 103 is connected to the Verdampfungsräum 100 via a valve 121. In the lower region of the downpipe 103, a turbine 120 is arranged. The turbine 120 is driven by the kinetic energy of the falling, liquid carrier medium. In addition, the

Turbine 120 are driven by a decompression of the previously under increased pressure carrier medium. The decompression reduces the temperature of the carrier medium, which after driving the turbine 120 has its lowest temperature. During a starting phase, the valve 121 is closed and the turbine 120 is short-circuited until it reaches its rated speed. Thereafter, the valve 121 is opened for the operation of the device. The turbine 120 is connected to a generator 122, via which electrical energy can be taken from the device. Turbine 120 and compressor 110 are coupled together via an axle 130 so that a portion of the mechanical energy provided by turbine 120 may also be used to operate compressor 110. Depending on the type of turbine, the axle can have a slide 131 which can be moved to the right and left, which can provide pressure equalization.

In addition to the main circuit, the device has two cooling circuits.

A first cooling circuit comprises a heat exchanger 200 used as a condenser, which is arranged immediately after the riser 101 in the upper region 102 of the main circuit. The first cooling circuit further comprises a heat exchanger 201 used as an evaporator, which is arranged in the evaporation chamber 100 of the main circuit immediately before the transition to the riser 101. A circulating in the first cooling circuit transport medium is circulated by the condenser 200 via a first line 202 to the evaporator 201 and further via a second line 203 back to the condenser 200. The drive is effected via a circulation pump 204 arranged in the second line 203. The condenser 200 extracts the heat of vaporization from the gaseous carrier medium in the upper region 102 and thereby converts it back into a liquid carrier medium. The heat is supplied to the evaporator 201 via the first cooling circuit, where it supplies the still required heat for evaporation to the already heated but still liquid carrier medium. The transition from liquid to gaseous in the area of the evaporator 201 and from gaseous to liquid in the area of the Capacitor 200 is illustrated by an oblique, dashed line.

In addition, a second cooling circuit comprises a heat exchanger 300 used as a liquid cooler, which is likewise arranged in the upper region 102 of the main circuit. The liquid cooler 300 is arranged downstream of the condenser 200, as seen in the flow direction of the carrier medium. The second cooling circuit further comprises a liquid-liquid heat exchanger 301, which is arranged in the evaporation chamber 100 of the main circuit. The heat exchanger 301 is, seen in the flow direction of the carrier medium, arranged before the evaporator 201. A circulating in the second cooling circuit transport medium is recirculated from the liquid cooler 300 via a first line 302 to the heat exchanger 301 and further via a second line 303 back to the liquid cooler 300. The drive takes place via a circulating pump 304 arranged in the second line 303. The liquid cooler 300 withdraws the already liquid

Carrier medium at the height h further heat and thereby further reduces the lowest, occurring at the cold pole of the main circuit temperature of the carrier medium from. The heat absorbed by the transport medium is supplied via the line 302 to the heat exchanger 301, which absorbs the heat in

Evaporating chamber 100 transfers back to the liquid carrier medium.

Since the carrier medium striking the turbine 120 has already cooled down far, a possible derivation of

Minimizes heat energy across the turbine 120 out of the device. In addition to the heat input into the carrier medium via the two cooling circuits, heat is supplied via a heat exchanger 400 to which heat energy is supplied from an external heat source. The heat input of external heat energy into the carrier medium via the heat exchanger 400 takes place in the evaporation chamber 100 close to the turbine 120 and thus close to the cold pole of the device. In this way, an external heat source, which provides a comparatively low temperature available to be used for the heating of the support medium. For example, the heat exchanger 400 may directly heat the carrier medium. Alternatively, the heat exchanger 400 may be integrated, for example, in the heat exchanger 301, so that the coupling of the heat first takes place in the transport medium of the second cooling circuit, and only from the transport medium into the carrier medium. In this case, the heat input into the transport medium advantageously takes place closer to the line 303 than to the line 302, and thus after the transport medium has substantially returned the heat absorbed in the liquid cooler 300 to the carrier medium.

Finally, an active heat exchanger 401 may be provided as an auxiliary unit, which, if necessary, the Kältepol immediately after the turbine 120 to a desired

Temperature set or the heating of the support medium additionally supported.

Possible details, supplements and alternatives to the device of Figure 1 will now be with reference to the figures

2 to 9 described. In FIG. 2, an exemplary apparatus includes a building 10 having a cavity 11. The cavity 11 corresponds to the riser 101 of Figure 1. It is understood that the cavity could also be arranged obliquely in an alternative embodiment, for example, adjacent to the edge of a hill. At the lower end of the cavity 11 at the height h = h ₀ , an evaporation chamber 12 is arranged.

At the upper end of the cavity 11 is first a compressor 101 and subsequently are at the height h = h _x

Refrigeration units 13 arranged. The compressor 101 can be configured as desired, for example as a piston pump, diaphragm pump, rotary compressor, etc. Of the cooling units 13, a downpipe 14 leads to a turbine 15 with a generator connected thereto. The turbine 15 in turn is in communication with the evaporation chamber 12. The cooling units 13 are also beyond

Heat return lines 16 with the evaporation chamber 12 in conjunction. Cooling units 13 and heat returns 16 form elements of two separate cooling circuits, which may be formed, for example, as in the apparatus in Figure 1.

Furthermore, the turbine of a conventional updraft power plant 17 is optionally arranged in the cavity.

A heat energy recovery element 18 is arranged so that it can supply thermal energy to the evaporation space 11. An example of such an element is a solar collector. But any other one can be used instead of the sun

Energy source can be used by the element 18. It is further understood that a plurality of such elements can be provided. Furthermore, incident solar energy can be used directly for heating.

Finally, a heat energy recovery and supply element 19 is disposed along the shell of the cavity. The element 19 may comprise, for example, a solar collector.

FIG. 3 shows a flow diagram which illustrates the basic mode of operation of the device from FIG.

In the evaporation chamber 12 is a carrier medium in a non-gaseous state, such as water as a liquid carrier medium.

The evaporation chamber 12 is from the element 18 to

Energy recovery external heat energy supplied (step 20).

Due to the heat energy supplied, the carrier medium is converted into a gaseous state of aggregation, that is, it evaporates and rises in the cavity 11.

The element 19 brings about the height of the cavity distributed to support the rise additional heat energy in the ascending, gaseous carrier medium, so that an auto-condensation is prevented from reaching the cooling units 13. The evaporation chamber 12 then only has to be supplied with energy as required for the conversion of the non-gaseous carrier medium into a gaseous carrier medium.

Shortly before the height h = hi the carrier medium is compressed by the compressor, so that the further rising gaseous carrier medium reaches the cooling units 13 with increased pressure (step 21).

At the height h = h _x , the carrier medium is returned to the previous state of aggregation (step 22). That is, the vapor from the carrier medium is condensed again. In the illustrated example, the back conversion is caused by a first of the cooling units 13. Such a cooling unit may for example consist of a network of hoses. The network offers a great on the one hand

Collision surface to create or compact a condensation mist. On the other hand can flow through the hoses a transport medium as a coolant, which supports the condensation on the network. The network dissipates the condensate obtained in the direction of the downpipe 14 from. The second of the cooling units 13 extracts the condensate on the way to the downpipe 14 more heat and also feeds them into a transport medium.

The respective heated transport medium can over the

Heat return lines 16 are supplied to the evaporation chamber 12 to assist there the effect of the heat energy supplied and then returned to the cooling units 13 in the cooled state (step 23). Due to the additionally provided

Energy input element 19, the recirculated via the heat recirculation 16 of the cooling units 13 heat to the evaporation chamber 12 during operation may even be sufficient as the only power supply at this point. Only for commissioning the evaporation chamber then external heat must be supplied; or in the cavity 11 is initially sprayed at start-up non-gaseous carrier medium, so that it is only in the beginning Cavity 11 itself is converted into steam. The heated transport medium may additionally or alternatively, however, also heat the carrier medium elsewhere, for example via the element 19.

The carrier medium now has because of the subdued level hχ ~ h ₀ an impressed potential energy. It is dropped down through the downcomer 14 so that kinetic energy is gained from the potential energy (step 24).

This kinetic energy can now be converted into another, desired form of energy (step 25). For example, the falling carrier medium may drive the turbine 15, and the resulting rotational energy may then be utilized to operate the connected generator and generate electrical energy.

In the area from the compressor 101 to the turbine 15, the carrier medium is subjected to an increased pressure, resulting in

Figure 2 is illustrated by dotted areas. In the carrier medium thus additional energy is stored due to this pressure. The turbine 15 can therefore be designed so that it is additionally driven by the decompression of the carrier medium reaching it.

After the carrier medium has driven the turbine 15, it can then be cooled and returned to the evaporation space 12 at the original pressure level (step 26). The original pressure level may correspond to the ambient pressure, or an increased pressure level, which makes it possible to make the device more compact due to the thus reduced volume of the gaseous medium. The optional updraft power plant 17 may additionally utilize the ascending vapor from the carrier medium between step 20 and step 21 in a conventional manner for energy production.

Some selected details and variations of the

Apparatus of Figure 2 are shown in the one shown in FIG

Block diagram shown.

An evaporator 32, or more generally one

Aggregate state changer, a carrier medium is supplied.

The carrier medium may be, for example, seawater. Of the

Evaporator 32 corresponds to the evaporation chamber 12 in Figure 2. In the evaporator 32, the carrier medium is evaporated by means of supplied heat energy.

The steam rises in the cavity of a building 30 until it reaches a compressor 301. The cavity may additionally contain a filling medium, which is taken in an open or a closed circuit of the carrier medium. The compressor 301 compresses the carrier medium.

The gaseous carrier medium continues to increase and reaches two successively arranged cooling units 33. The cooling units 33 comprise a second aggregate state changer and a further cooling device. The second aggregate state changer can, for example, correspond to the first one of the cooling units 13 from FIG. 2, and, as an active condensate collector to promote condensation, bring about cooling of the steam by means of a cooling circuit. The others Cooling device may correspond to the second of the cooling units 13 of Figure 2 and withdraw the condensate base heat. The heat absorbed by both cooling units 13 is supplied to the evaporator 32 via heat recirculation.

If evaporation and condensation are to be used for the distillation of the carrier material, at least part of the condensed and further cooled carrier medium can be fed directly to a consumer via a removal connection 40. For example, if the carrier medium is seawater, the salts contained precipitate out during evaporation, and part of the condensed carrier medium can be used as drinking water or for irrigation.

The non-removed part of the condensed and further cooled carrier medium is fed to a buffer 41, for example a water tank, which is also arranged substantially at the level of the second aggregate state changer 33. The caching allows a recovery of the desired

Energy form at a desired time. This also includes an increased extraction of the desired form of energy at peak load times, and / or a temporally uniform distribution of recovery of the desired form of energy, if the supplied heat energy is available only at certain times and therefore condensate can be obtained only at certain times.

The condensed and further cooled carrier medium is then dropped as needed through a downcomer so that it occurs on and drives a turbine 35. In addition, a decompression of the carrier medium can be used to drive the turbine 35. It is understood that the turbine 35 or another turbine only to use the

Decompression energy could also be arranged at the height of the cooling units 33. The turbine 35 may be mechanically coupled by means of axle and gear to the compressor 301 and thus drive it to compress the carrier medium.

Moreover, the rotational energy generated by the turbine 35 may either be used directly by a consumer, and / or supplied to a generator 42 for generating electrical energy. The electrical energy can in turn either be supplied directly to a consumer, or be used for a further energy conversion 43, such as for the production of hydrogen or oxygen.

After the condensed carrier medium has driven the turbine 35, it can be temporarily stored in a further intermediate store 44, in order then to be fed again to the evaporator in a closed circuit.

It is understood that a removal of distilled carrier medium via a removal connection can also take place before or after the second temporary storage 44, so that a larger amount of carrier medium is available for driving the turbine.

The carrier medium leaving the turbine 35 and stored in the intermediate memory 44 has the lowest temperature of carrier medium in the system, and thus represents a cold pole. The transport medium of at least one of

Cooling circuits with cooling units 33 and heat recirculation can be brought to its flow temperature, for example, at this point by means of the carrier medium. The transport medium can be cooled there, for example by means of a heat exchanger, or replaced by the carrier medium.

Due to the increased heat energy coming from the

Cooling circuits can be included in the cooling units 33, a heat pump is generally no longer required. However, the use of a heat pump is still possible in some embodiments, for example, for exchanging heat between the transport medium and the cold pole, or for adjusting the temperature of the cold pole.

As far as the circulation condensed carrier medium was removed, it is additionally supplied to the evaporator 32 from external again, for example in the form of further seawater.

FIG. 5 shows further possible modifications of the device of FIG. 2. The same components have been given the same reference numerals as in FIG.

In this embodiment, an evaporation chamber 12, a building 10 with a cavity 11, cooling units 13, a downpipe 14, a turbine 15 and heat recirculation 16 are again arranged as in the example of Figure 2.

In the embodiment according to Figure 5, however, no element 19 for heat energy recovery and feed along the sheath of the cavity is arranged, although this could also be provided here.

The essential difference from the exemplary embodiment from FIG. 2 is that, although likewise a compressor 102 is provided that this is now arranged between Verdatnpfungsraum 12 and 10 buildings.

The apparatus of Figure 5 operates much like the apparatus of Figure 2. In this case, only the carrier medium is already compressed immediately after the conversion into a gaseous carrier medium. The already compressed gaseous carrier medium rises in the cavity 11 in the building until it reaches the first of the cooling units 13. This allows the building to have a smaller diameter for the same flow of carrier medium as in FIG.

It is understood that any other arrangement of the compressor between the two positions shown in Figures 2 and 4 is also possible.

Some selected details and possible variations of the device of Figure 5 are shown in the block diagram shown in Figure 6.

The representation in FIG. 6 largely corresponds to the representation in FIG. 4, to the description of which reference is made.

In FIG. 6, however, the compressor 302 is disposed between the evaporator 32 and the building 30 as in FIG.

In addition to the optional mechanical feedback between the turbine 35 and the compressor 302, further possible intra-system feedbacks are also indicated by dashed lines. Thus, for example, a generation of heating heat can be provided by means of mechanical energy supplied by the turbine 35 or by means of electrical energy supplied by the generator 42. The mechanical generation of heat can be done by means of friction. This heat can then be fed into the carrier medium at one or more points of the system. One example is a feed of heat energy into the evaporator 32. Alternatively or additionally, electrical energy supplied by the generator 42, for example, may be utilized to operate the compressor 302 or other powered components of the apparatus.

In other words, some possible details of the invention can be described as follows, although in these embodiments compression means are not mentioned, but each similar to the compressor in Figures 1, 3, 4 or 5 are provided:

The method and / or the device for obtaining energy is based on the collection and conversion of

Heat energy through the detour of gaining potential energy in the gravitational field of a mass (E _pot - m # g * h; rd the mass raised in kilograms, cf the

Gravitational constant and, h 'the height) in energy and / or energy sources that we humans need or need to use to shape our environment.

The physics, which is exploited here to gain energy, is given by the introduction of energy into a change in the state of matter solid and / or liquid in the

Physical state of gaseous and back, as well as by the gas dynamics in the form of adiabatic expansion, which takes place after changing the state of aggregation into the gaseous form. The adiabatic expansion results in a chimney effect, which plays a role in this method and / or device. Ultimately, this results in a transformation of energy in the form of heat into stored energy in the gravitational field, which can then be converted into other forms of energy and / or will.

The method and / or the device for gaining energy is basically a "heat pipe", however, with decisive changes and extensions. This is arranged in the gravitational field of the mass such that energy for overcoming a difference in the potential of the gravitational field has to be expended for a movement from its one end to its other end (= height Ii). By way of example, referring to the case of 'earth', this means: one end is located eg on the ground (height h ₀ = 0) and the other end is located at a height h _± > 0 above the ground.

The functional basic principle according to which the process and / or the device for obtaining energy can be described as follows (Figure 4): A substance (= carrier medium) is converted by externally imprinted energy in the gaseous state of matter, then by the supporting role playing physical effect of adiabatic expansion promoted to the height h and there returned to the previous state of matter (= condensed). Then the substance with impressed potential energy is available for energy production. Optionally, it can be cached at this altitude for later use. The potential energy may then be converted to other ones by means of appropriate devices and / or methods be transformed physical and chemical forms of energy, ie the carrier medium are removed. Once the potential energy has been removed, the substance can optionally be buffered again. Thereafter, optionally, when scheduled in the corresponding embodiment, the

Carrier medium can be fed back into the circulation.

To implement the method and / or the device for obtaining energy, in one embodiment a circuit with the following elements is shown (see also FIG. 2): an evaporation space for evaporating a carrier medium by means of the impressed external heat, connected thereto a building of a height h in which the steam can rise and in which a Aufwindkraftwerk can be inserted, connected in one embodiment, a cooling unit (= a cooling device) for recovering condensate from the vapor of the support medium, in another embodiment, the height h in proportion to the heat impressed into the carrier medium, that the cooling by the upward movement (that is the physical process of the

Turning the heat (= microscopic motion) into macroscopic motion, that is the rectified motion of the molecules / atoms - the chimney effect) generates a supercooled vapor, then in one embodiment closes / closes condensate collector / condensers e.g. in the form of networks that are considered large

Collision surface are used to produce a condensation mist / condensate, not necessarily connected to a buffer storage device for the condensate (necessary, for example, in the event of lack of external heat, or to cover Spitzenabforderungen or peaks around the condensate delivery buffer), connected to it Downpipe for the condensate, connected to it a turbine with a connected generator, in which the kinetic energy gained from the potential energy of the condensate of the carrier medium via the downpipe can be converted into eg electrical energy (which in turn can be directly converted into heat), not necessarily connected thereto another intermediate storage device for the condensate, and connected back to the evaporation chamber. In this case, the heat accumulating in the cooling unit can turn over a

Transport medium are introduced into the heating in the evaporation chamber.

Various embodiments are possible for implementing the method and / or the device for obtaining energy. In the method and / or apparatus described so far, the carrier medium is not necessarily the only gas within the building of height h except for impurities. In another embodiment, the building of height h is additionally filled with a filling medium (primarily air, but also any other gas / Gas mixture is usable) flooded. The option of a filling medium results from differences in pressure between the interiors of the process and / or the device and the external environment at different operating temperatures, which are caused by changes in states of aggregation. These can optionally be compensated by filling media, resulting in constructive measures for the design of the structural objects. This results in now, since the filling medium is taken through the carrier medium, at least two

Versions. On the one hand, a closed circuit for the filling medium, which by a return device after removal of the carrier medium in the height h back in On the other hand, an evaporator is provided and on the other hand an open system, where the filling medium is sucked from the outside by the entrainment within the building and discharged after use again to the outside.

Further consideration of the method and / or the device for obtaining energy yields another benefit. As a side effect of changing the state of aggregation of a used substance results depending on the composition of a fractional distillation. If e.g.

Sea water is used as a carrier medium in an open pass in the method and / or the device for recovering energy, so simplified evaporates water, dissolved gases are released and salts precipitate. In the condensation zone at the height h, primarily pure water is available, which has already been pumped to the height h by means of the energy obtained without further intermediate steps. This results in again diverse applications and designs (keywords: (drinking) water, irrigation). If e.g. Industrial water or wastewater taken from industry or households, the process results in a process water or wastewater treatment, and a recovery of the residues.

In further embodiments, the heat of vaporization or enthalpy of vaporization of the particular carrier medium is optionally discussed, which must be applied as latent heat in the state of aggregate change from liquid / solid to gaseous, but is then released again at the reverse transition with sublimation or condensation heat. The same is optionally returned by the above-described return transport by means of cooling unit in the range of the state of liquid state of liquid / solid introduced in gaseous form (see Fig.4). As a result, only the energy losses must be additionally introduced during operation from the outside into the evaporator. This also includes the useful energy taken. Overall, these embodiments have the advantage of a significantly smaller structural complexity for the gain of energy. In a further embodiment, the above-mentioned networks are represented by structural design and arrangement of the cooling areas of the cooling unit, such as networks of hoses through which a coolant (= transport medium) flows.

In a further embodiment, the recovery of the heat of vaporization and thus the condensation by spraying / raining / introducing the condensate, which was previously cooled by the cooling unit in a further embodiment, is improved. In other embodiments, the condensate can also be replaced by substances that cause the same physical effect. (Example: In the case of a carrier medium water, the introduced substance could also be an oil to improve the condensation, which would have the advantage of a simple separation of both substances.).

For all substances (carrier medium (s), transport medium (s)), filling medium (s), energies (heat (s), electrical energy (s), mechanical energy (s), wind (s), kinetic energy (s)) and Physical states in the process and / or the device for obtaining energy are constructive solutions with closed circuits, such as open passages.

The transport media that are used in this method and / or device meet, such as catalysts in chemical reactions, only auxiliary functional tasks, the but again are functionally necessary for the representation of the respective embodiment. For example, the return of the recoverable heat in cooling units via optionally closed circuits of a transport medium is organized back into the evaporator. Also, the transport medium in this process may be subject to a change of state of aggregation, but this need not. This would be the case if this part of an embodiment is also implemented as a "heat pipe". In another embodiment, a gas is used as the heat transport medium, for example a higher-boiling liquid (eg vegetable or mineral oil, a molten salt or the like), which does not change its state of aggregation while introducing the heat obtained in the respective cooling aggregate.

The heat energy that drives this method and / or device can be taken from any source. For example, Earth (geothermal), water (heat of water), air (heat of air), fossil fuels (gas, oil, coal, methane ice etc.), nuclear energy (fusion or fission) or sun (solar energy).

In further embodiments, the building of the height h (= the chimney) coincides with the device for energy / heat production, which drastically reduces the effort and thus the construction and development costs. Physical / technical background to this is the consideration that the energy required for the height transport by means of chimney effect for the carrier medium not necessarily already in the evaporation space (Fig. 2) so concentrated (consequence: high temperatures necessary) must be introduced, but also distributed over the height profile of the building of the height h can be introduced (consequence: only low temperatures necessary, ie only so much pro Altitude meters heat as absolutely necessary). Thus, if the device for energy / heat recovery, for example, in the case of a solar collector designed in this way, fall collector and buildings of height h together. In any other case, in which also only low starting temperatures for the

Evaporation or transport energies are analogous. Thus, also for these embodiments, the basic procedure with the following stations: The evaporation - with not necessarily sufficient transport energy to bridge the height h, that of the

Obtaining and introducing energy (heat) for the purpose of transporting the carrier medium for obtaining the potential energy and compensating for the losses (the carrier medium simultaneously fulfills the function of a transport medium for a possibly temporarily excess energy gain), the condensing and recovering latent energies (selbige latent energies are the heat of vaporization, as well as the heat of the carrier medium) after reaching the height h, the same are then fed back into the evaporation, as well as the gain of useful energy and the return of the carrier medium in the evaporator. Again, all of the above-mentioned embodiments for the purpose of gaining drinking water or wastewater treatment, etc., as well as open and / or closed circuits are possible (see also Fig. 4).

The energy and / or energy sources that we humans need or want to use to shape our environment may be e.g. electrical energy or chemical energy sources or physical energy sources such as e.g.

Hydrogen and oxygen from an electrolysis, or pump energy, such as energy for distillation. Advantage of this method and / or the device for obtaining energy in the case of the benefit of the input energy sources such as geothermal, heat of the air or water and solar energy, the absolute freedom from emissions to the polluting substances.

For delimitation:

• The method presented here and / or the device for obtaining energy is not an updraft power station (upwind power stations belong to the group of

Thermal power plants, such as this method presented here and / or the device for obtaining energy). A Aufwindkraftwerk is not an essential part of this power plant presented here. "The method and / or device for generating energy presented here is not a marine thermal power plant. The heat of seawater is just a solution to the design of the energy source.

• The method and / or apparatus for gaining energy presented here is not a geothermal power plant. The

Heat of the earth is just another solution for designing the energy source.

In the case of using geothermal energy as source energy, it may be considered to include existing wells - e.g. in the

Ruhrgebiet - to use. This minimizes the initial development costs and at the same time shortens the construction time to the first commissioning. Here, the heat would be done eg in the tunnels and the shafts would be the buildings of height h, and then there is also the possibility of a reservoir for the condensate, which can serve as a function "storage power plant" to control and operate the peak load distribution. FIG. 7 schematically illustrates the structure of another device. The device corresponds to the device described with reference to FIG. However, it became an element of energy conversion, heat generation and

Heat storage 45 - arranged between turbine 35 and / or generator 42 on the one hand and evaporator 32 on the other - added. Such a device is exemplary for the following designs:

In a further embodiment of the method and / or the device of energy, the energy obtained by the method and / or device is introduced into a store in the form of heat (FIG. 7) (45). From this, the heat can be brought back into the energy recovery cycle when needed. This heat accumulator can be used as a storage medium in various embodiments, e.g. Iron or other metal, or simply of stone (e.g., basalt, granite, marble, fireclay, etc.), or of a liquid such as e.g. a brine, a molten salt or a

Consist of molten metal.

Advantage of this type of caching is the achievable much higher energy density compared to the storage of carrier medium and thus weight on large

Height and this results in a significantly lower cost. At the same time, this results in the possibility of permanent supply of heat in the evaporation process, which in some embodiments leads to no negative pressure in the building; This also results in a number of structural advantages.

Using the example of 365 basalt heat storage tanks (0.84 kJ / kg * K, 3000 kg / m ³ ) heated to 600 ⁰ C and a volume of each 300x300x300 m ³ shows the capacity of this process. The amount of heat stored here is 15,000 peta joules, rounded up to the annual demand of the Federal Republic of Germany for primary energy in 2005. This amount of heat can be generated and retrieved again by means of the method and / or the apparatus for obtaining energy shown here for use in other energy sources.

In a further embodiment of the method and / or the device for obtaining energy, the heat recovery, such as the reintroduction of the heat of vaporization and optionally also the reintroduction of the base heat of the carrier medium, is realized by a respective heat exchanger. These are each meaningfully interconnected via lines (FIG. 8). So: The one heat exchanger of a respective cooling circuit collects the energy from the vapor or the condensate of the carrier medium - this is the cooling unit - and transmits them into the transport medium. The Other gives these collected

Energy in the evaporator back to the carrier medium in order to evaporate - this is then the evaporator. In various embodiments, these heat exchangers can be passive (= countercurrent, co-current, crossflow heat exchanger) and / or active (= heat pump).

If, in one embodiment, passive heat exchangers are preferably used for the heat transport, then, since passive heat exchangers are not ideal, in one embodiment at least one further active heat exchanger for the transfer of the residual heat not transferred by the passive heat exchangers has to be integrated into the evaporation process in order to transfer it , or else it will be in According to a further embodiment, this residual heat is released by a heat exchanger to the environment of the method and / or the device for obtaining energy and then has to be compensated for again by an enlarged by this amount external energy input into the evaporation process. The integration of this active heat exchanger is more meaningful but not necessarily at the evaporator location, where the transmission paths of this residual heat into the evaporation process are short.

An example (Figure 8) illustrates the heat flow for a first cooling circuit: Suppose the heat exchangers are counterflow heat exchanger and carrier and transport medium is water and the flow temperature of the transport medium in the cooler (60) is 7O ⁰ C and the outflow temperature 100 ⁰ C, the Temperature of the vapor of the carrier medium at the flow of the countercurrent 102 ⁰ C and at the outflow 72 ⁰ C, then the flow temperature of the transport medium in the evaporator 100 ⁰ C and in turn meets a carrier medium of 72 ° C. Now be this passive counter flow heat exchanger of

Evaporator (62) designed similar to that of the radiator. Then there is a carrier medium of 98 ⁰ C before the discharge and a transport medium of 74 ⁰ C. At the same time, however, this passive heat exchanger can dissipate only a fraction of the cached energy in the transport medium and so must for the cooler again necessary for the operation flow temperature of 70 ⁰ C to reach the remaining heat actively dissipated and thus the temperature of the transport medium still by 4 ⁰ C are lowered. This is then done by means of a heat pump (61) (= principle of the refrigerator) where the heat is usefully pumped so that it can be inserted again for the purpose of evaporation in the evaporation process. FIG. 9 shows the technical-physical principle of the simplified system, method and / or device for obtaining energy in the form of a quadrant diagram, in which the functional groups are shown essentially as transitions between the quadrants. Exceptions are the external energy supply in the form of heat (FIG. 9 (I)) and the consumer (FIG. 9 (2)), which are outside the actual core area of the system and / or device. Furthermore, the generator (Figure 9 (7)), the memory (Figure 9 (8)) and the circulation pump for the transport medium

(Figure 9 (H)), the heat recovery, such as the system's core pump, process and / or apparatus, the actual drive pump, the heat (Figure 9 (12)), which circulates the support medium in the energy recovery circuit (Fig.9 (9)) in functional quadrants I and II.

The first functional group to be described is the heat exchanger (FIG. 9 (3)), which brings about the phase transition of the carrier medium from liquid to gaseous and represents by its arrangement and function the state gaseous at low pressure at low altitude (quadrant I). The compressor (Fig.9 (4)) now serves to increase the pressure and thus the volume, as the temperature of the gaseous carrier medium. It thus forms the transition from quadrant I to II, in which then the carrier medium continues to be gaseous at a higher temperature and in which it reaches a greater height through the drive pump. Then the heat is removed from the gaseous carrier medium in heat exchangers (FIG. 9 (5)) and the liquid state of matter is thus restored. This heat, yes, the heat of vaporization on higher

Temperature level, as the base heat of the carrier medium is, via a respective circulation circuit of the heat (Fig.9 (10)) by means of the transport medium the Evaporation process in heat exchangers (Figure 9 (3)) again provided. The cooled down liquid thus obtained is supplied in the functional quadrant III from the larger height of the turbine (FIG. 9 (6)), which is indeed mounted at a lower level and in which the energy present in the pressure is converted into mechanical energy. The pressure at the turbine is composed of the pressure increase, which is given by the compressor and the pressure given by the height difference. The mechanical energy thus obtained is now used in Funktionsquadrant IV as required in part again for the pressure increase in the compressor, such as to gain electrical energy in the generator. The energy obtained in the generator can now be supplied to the consumer either this or the memory depending on the consumer's need, in which it can be stored as heat again by conversion, for example, or in other form as already cited. The present after the turbine at a lower pressure cooled carrier medium is now fed back to the evaporating heat exchanger, which also this cycle is closed.

Since the amount of heat of the gaseous carrier medium has decreased by the conversion of heat into kinetic and then into potential energy, the amount of heat transported back through the recirculation circuit is insufficient to vaporize the same amount of carrier medium that had risen. This is then compensated by increasing the base temperature of the carrier medium at the coolest point of the system, process, and / or apparatus present at the turbine exit by supplying heat. Likewise, all

Heat loss of the real components used to increase the base temperature. It is understood that the embodiments described are merely examples that can be modified and / or supplemented in the context of the claims in many ways.

Claims

claims

A method comprising:

Converting a non-gaseous carrier medium into a gaseous carrier medium by means of introduced thermal energy, so that the gaseous carrier medium rises to a predetermined height;

Reconverting the gaseous carrier medium at the predetermined height into a non-gaseous carrier medium by means of a first cooling circuit receiving heat of the carrier medium;

Receiving heat of the reconverted non-gaseous carrier medium by means of a second refrigeration cycle; and returning the heat received by the first and second cooling circuits for use in heating the support medium.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

Compress the gaseous carrier medium.

3. The method of claim 1 or 2, comprising:

Dropping the recovered non-gaseous carrier medium from a higher altitude to a lower altitude such that the non-gaseous carrier medium at the lower altitude drives a turbine.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein for converting the non-gaseous carrier medium in a gaseous carrier medium is supplied to the carrier medium thermal energy in the following order: from an external heat source; from the second cooling circuit; and - from the first cooling circuit.

A device comprising: a cavity; an evaporation space disposed at a lower end of the cavity, adapted to convert a non-gaseous carrier medium into a gaseous carrier medium by means of applied thermal energy so that the gaseous carrier medium rises to a predetermined height; a first cooling circuit formed to reconvert the gaseous carrier medium at the predetermined height into a non-gaseous carrier medium by absorbing heat of the carrier medium and shaped to return the absorbed heat to use for heating the carrier medium; and a second cooling circuit formed to receive heat from the reconverted non-gaseous support medium and formed to recycle the received heat for use in heating the support medium.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising:

Compression means shaped to compress the gaseous carrier medium.

An apparatus according to claim 5 or 6, comprising: a fall path formed to allow dropping of the recovered non-gaseous Carrier medium from a higher altitude to a lower altitude; and a turbine disposed at the lower level and shaped to be driven by at least the kinetic energy of falling carrier medium.

8. Device according to one of claims 5 to 7 wherein a heat exchanger associated with an external heat source, a heat exchanger of the second cooling circuit and a heat exchanger of the first cooling circuit are arranged such that they are suitable, heat energy in this order in the non-gaseous Feed carrier medium.

9. A system comprising a device according to any one of claims 5 to 8 and at least one device formed for recovering heat energy, the device according to one of claims 4 to 6 is provided.