Engine characteristics

The Carnot engine is classified as an external combustion engine, as all heat transfers to and from the working fluid take place through the engine wall. This engine is noted for its high efficiency compared to steam or internal combustion engines, quiet operation, and the ease with which it can use almost any heat source.
Here are some of its main characteritics and advantages:


High Efficiency
Most steel engines have a thermodynamic limit of 37% (little bit higher for diesel engines). Even when aided with turbochargers and stock efficiency aids, most engines retain an average efficiency of about 20%.
Our design allows the output to reach XX% and in theory it could reach a maximum of XX%. Practical efficiency depends of temperature level and differences but it’s still higher than actual technologies.
Waste heat is easily harvested (compared to waste heat from an internal combustion engine) making Carnot engines useful for dual-output heat and power systems

Multi-Source Engine
Carnot engines can run directly on any available heat source, not just one produced by combustion, so they can run on heat from solar, geothermal, biological, nuclear sources or waste heat from industrial processes.

Low Temperature work
Unlike other technologies, the Carnot engine is very suitable for low temperature applications such as concentrated solar power (CSP), geothermal energy and more generally any low temperature fluids or gases coming from any heat sources (exhaust gases, power station, data centers, etc.). It can use flows from 80 to 650 C. See the Technological Comparison Chart.

Better reliability and easier maintenance
The engine mechanisms are in some ways simpler than other reciprocating engine types. No valves are needed, and the burner system can be relatively simple. Because of the absence of matter exchange with its environment and the absence of inner chemical reactions, this engine suffers less deterioration than an inner combustion engine.

Reversible
Driven by another engine, it becomes a heat pump capable of cooling or heating, dependent on requirements. It is extremely flexible. It can be used as CHP (combined heat and power) in the winter and as coolers in summer.

Safe, discret and oxygen-free
A Carnot engine uses a single-phase working fluid which maintains an internal pressure close to the design pressure, and thus for a properly designed system the risk of explosion is low. In comparison, a steam engine uses a two-phase gas/liquid working fluid, so a faulty release valve can cause an explosion.
The limitation of vibrations caused by explosion’s absence makes this engine quieter than reciprocal engines.
Moreover the Carnot engine can be built to run quietly and without an air supply, for air-independent operation (ie: submarines, spatial applications).

Modularity and flexibility
Possibility to use the same engine for different applications with only minor modifications. Moreover, the Carnot architecture allows to develop a wide range of power based on the same design. It means the possiblity of scaling up or down the engine power without the need of costly and time consuming design studies.