Method of operating a heat cycle system, heat cycle system and method of modifying a heat cycle system

1 . A method of operating a heat cycle system,

wherein the heat cycle system comprises a working fluid, which is cycled through a circuit comprising a compressor ( 10 ), a condenser ( 11 ), an expander unit ( 130 ), and an evaporator ( 140 ),

wherein the expander unit ( 130 ) is configured to generate a rotating mechanical motion,

wherein the method comprises:

operating the compressor ( 10 ) to receive the working fluid in a first state, with a first pressure (P 1 ), a first temperature (T 1 ) and a first enthalpy (H 1 ), and to compress the working fluid to a second state with a second pressure (P 2 ), a second temperature (T 2 ) and a second enthalpy (H 2 ),

operating the condenser ( 11 ) to receive the working fluid in the second state, and to condense the working fluid to a third state with a third pressure (P 3 ), a third temperature (T 3 ) and a third enthalpy (H 3 ),

operating the expander unit ( 130 ) to receive the working fluid in the third state, and to expand the working fluid to a modified fourth state with a modified fourth pressure (P 40 ), a modified fourth temperature (T 40 ) and a modified fourth enthalpy (H 40 ),

operating the evaporator ( 140 ) to receive the working fluid in the modified fourth state, and to evaporate the working fluid to the first state,

wherein a nominal evaporator working fluid evaporation capacity is defined as an amount of an enthalpy reduction (H 2 −H 3 ) provided by the condenser less an amount of an enthalpy increase (H 2 −H 1 ) provided by the compressor,

characterized by

operating the evaporator at an evaporator working fluid evaporation capacity that is at least 110% of the nominal evaporator working fluid evaporation capacity, and

a pressure drop of the working fluid over the evaporator is less than about 5 bar, and

wherein power provided to the working fluid by the evaporator is greater than a power required to essentially isobarically raise an entropy of the working fluid from an entropy level at an outlet of the condenser to an entropy level corresponding to saturation.

2 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein an a power of the evaporator transferred to the working fluid corresponds to a sum of a heat power removed from the working fluid by the condenser and a power generated by the working fluid at the rotatable expander less a power provided to the working fluid by the compressor.

3 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the pressure drop of the working fluid over the evaporator is 0.50-0.75 bar; 0.75-1.00 bar; 1.00-1.25 bar; 1.25-1.50 bar; 1.50-1.75 bar; 1.75-2.00 bar; 2.00-2.25 bar; 2.25-2.50 bar; 2.50-2.75 bar; 2.75-3.00 bar; 3.00-3.25 bar; 3.25-3.50 bar; 3.50-3.75 bar; 3.75-4.00 bar; 4.00-4.25 bar; 4.25-4.50 bar; 4.50-4.75 bar; or 4.75-5.00 bar.

4 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the expander unit ( 130 ) is selected from a group consisting of a rotation type expander, a swing type expander, a scroll type expander, a GE rotor type expander, a reciprocating type expander, a screw type expander and a radial turbo type expander.

5 . The method as claimed in claim 1 ,

wherein a generator ( 131 ) is mechanically connected to the expander unit ( 130 ) for generating electricity, and wherein the generator ( 131 ) is operated to generate electric power as the expander unit ( 130 ) is caused to rotate during the expansion of the working fluid.

6 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising subcooling the working fluid downstream of the condenser ( 11 ) and upstream of the expander unit ( 130 ).

7 . The method as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the working fluid downstream of the condenser ( 11 ) and upstream of the expander unit ( 130 ) is caused to exchange heat with the working fluid upstream of the compressor ( 10 ) and downstream of the evaporator ( 140 ).

8 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising causing at least some of the working fluid downstream of the expander unit ( 130 ) and upstream of the evaporator ( 140 ) to undergo further expansion in an expansion valve ( 162 ).

9 . The method as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the working fluid exiting from the expander unit ( 130 ) is selectively distributed between the expansion valve ( 162 ) and a bypass connection ( 161 ), which bypasses the expansion valve ( 162 ).

10 . The method as claimed in claim 8 , wherein the expansion valve ( 162 ) is operable based on a condition downstream of the evaporator ( 140 ).

11 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the condenser ( 11 ) is caused to exchange heat with a first external working fluid in a form of a gas.

12 . The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the evaporator ( 140 ) is caused to exchange heat with a second external working fluid in a form of a gas.

13 . A heat cycle system, comprising:

a working fluid, which is cycled through a circuit comprising a compressor ( 10 ), a condenser ( 11 ), an expander unit, and an evaporator ( 140 ),

wherein the expander unit is configured to generate a rotating mechanical motion,

wherein a nominal evaporator working fluid evaporation capacity is defined as an amount of an enthalpy reduction (H 2 -H 3 ) provided by the condenser less an amount of an enthalpy increase (H 2 -H 1 ) provided by the compressor,

characterized by

the evaporator is sized and adapted to provide an evaporator working fluid evaporation capacity that is at least 110% of the nominal evaporator working fluid evaporation capacity, and

a pressure drop of the working fluid over the evaporator is less than 5 bar, and

wherein the evaporator is configured such that power provided to the working fluid by the evaporator is greater than a power required to essentially isobarically raise an entropy of the working fluid from an entropy level at an outlet of the condenser to an entropy level corresponding to saturation.

14 . A method of modifying a heat cycle system,

wherein the heat cycle system comprises:

a working fluid, which is cycled through a circuit comprising a compressor ( 10 ), a condenser ( 11 ), an expansion valve ( 13 ), and a first evaporator ( 14 ),

wherein the method comprises:

replacing the expansion valve ( 13 ) with an expander unit that is configured to generate a rotating mechanical motion, and

replacing the first evaporator ( 14 ) with a second evaporator ( 140 ) having greater working fluid evaporation capacity than the first evaporator ( 14 ), and

wherein the second evaporator is configured such that power provided to the working fluid by the second evaporator is greater than a power required to essentially isobarically raise an entropy of the working fluid from an entropy level at an outlet of the condenser to an entropy level corresponding to saturation.