Importance

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Abstract

A method of operating a power generation system is provided. The system includes) a turbine, a regenerative heat exchanger, a vapor generator and a distiller/condenser having multiple condensing elements. The turbine expands a vaporized multicomponent working fluid to produce power. The regenerative heat exchanger transfers heat from a lean hot multicomponent working fluid having a relatively low concentration of a component of the multicomponent working fluid to a rich cool multicomponent working fluid having a relatively high concentration of the component to thereby cool the lean hot multicomponent working fluid. The vapor generator vaporizes the cooled multicomponent working fluid to form the vaporized multicomponent working fluid. The multiple condensing elements of the distiller/condenser condense the expanded multicomponent working fluid to form the lean hot multicomponent working fluid. To operate the system, a first portion of the expanded multicomponent working fluid is condensed in a first of the multiple condensing elements. A second portion of the expanded multicomponent working fluid is condensed in a second of the multiple condensing elements to form the lean hot multicomponent working fluid. The flow of the condensed first portion of expanded multicomponent working fluid from the first condensing element is regulated to regulate the amount of the condensed second portion of expanded multicomponent working fluid in the second condensing element.

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First Claim