Patent attributes
When a flow of a working medium stagnates in an expander or evaporator of a Rankine cycle apparatus including a closed working medium circulation circuit, a high pressure exceeding an allowable maximum pressure level of the expander or evaporator is produced within the closed working medium circulation circuit. In such a case, the water-phase working medium is first discharged via relief valves out of the circulation circuit, so that the pressure within the circulation circuit can be lowered. Then, once vapor within the evaporator, having been lowered in temperature and pressure, flows backward within the closed working medium circulation circuit, the vapor is also discharged via the relief valves out of the circulation circuit. In this way, the pressure within the expander or evaporator can be reliably prevented from exceeding the allowable maximum pressure level.
