Control systems and methods suitable for use with power production systems and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10103737-B2
Application number	US-201514938309-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 11, 2015
Priority date	Nov 12, 2014
Publication date	Oct 16, 2018
Grant date	Oct 16, 2018

Abstract

Control systems and methods suitable for combination with power production systems and methods are provided herein. The control systems and methods may be used with, for example, closed power cycles as well as semi-closed power cycles. The combined control systems and methods and power production systems and methods can provide dynamic control of the power production systems and methods that can be carried out automatically based upon inputs received by controllers and outputs from the controllers to one or more components of the power production systems.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A power production system comprising:
an integrated control system configured for automated control of at least one component of the power production system, the control system including at least one controller unit configured to receive an input related to a measured parameter of the power production system and configured to provide an output to the at least one component of the power production system subject to the automated control;
a turbine;
a power producing generator;
a compressor downstream from the turbine and in fluid connection with the turbine;
a pump downstream from the compressor and in fluid connection with the compressor; and
a heater positioned downstream from the pump and in fluid connection with the pump and positioned upstream from the turbine and in fluid connection with the turbine;
wherein the integrated control system includes a power controller configured to receive an input related to power produced by the power producing generator and provide an output that is configured to control a heat output by the heater;
wherein the integrated control system includes a pump controller configured to receive an input related to a temperature of an exhaust stream exiting the turbine and provide an output to the pump to control a flow rate of a stream passing from the pump to the heater and thereby control the heat output by the heater; and
wherein the integrated control system includes a fuel/oxidant ratio controller configured to receive one or both of an input related to fuel flow rate into the heater and an input related to oxidant flow rate into the heater and provide an output that is configured to control the heat output by the heater.

2. The power production system of claim 1 , wherein the power controller is configured to meet one or both of the following requirements:
provide an output to the heater to increase or decrease heat production by the heater;
provide an output to a fuel valve to allow more fuel or less fuel to be passed to the heater.

3. The power production system of claim 1 , wherein the fuel/oxidant ratio controller is configured to meet one or both of the following requirements:
provide an output to a fuel valve to allow more fuel or less fuel to be passed to the heater;
provide an output to an oxidant valve to allow more oxidant or less oxidant to be passed to the heater.

4. The power production system of claim 1 , wherein the integrated control system includes a pump suction pressure controller configured to receive an input related to suction pressure on a fluid upstream from the pump and to provide an output to a spillback valve that is positioned upstream from the pump.

5. The power production system of claim 4 , wherein the pump suction pressure controller is configured to meet one or both of the following requirements:
cause more of the fluid or less of the fluid to spill back to a point that is further upstream from the spillback valve;
cause more of the fluid or less of the fluid to be removed from the power production system upstream from the pump.

6. The power production system of claim 1 , wherein the integrated control system includes a pressure regulation controller configured to receive an input related to pressure of the exhaust stream of the turbine and to provide an output to a fluid outlet valve and allow fluid out of the exhaust stream and optionally to provide an output to a fluid inlet valve and allow fluid into the exhaust stream.

7. The power production system of claim 1 , wherein the integrated control system includes a water separator controller configured to receive an input related to the amount of water in a separator of the power production system and to provide and output to a water removal valve to allow or disallow removal of water from the separator and maintain the amount of the water in the separator within a defined value.

8. The power production system of claim 1 , wherein the integrated control system includes an oxidant pump controller configured to receive an input related to one or both of a mass flow of the fuel and a mass flow of the oxidant in the power production system and calculate a mass flow ratio of the fuel and the oxidant.

9. The power production system of claim 8 , wherein the oxidant pump controller is configured to provide an output to the oxidant pump to change the power of the pump so as to affect the mass flow ratio of the fuel and the oxidant in the power production system.

10. The power production system of claim 1 , wherein the integrated control system includes an oxidant pressure controller configured to receive an input related to the pressure of an oxidant stream downstream from an oxidant compressor and to provide an output to an oxidant bypass valve to cause more oxidant or less oxidant to bypass the oxidant compressor.

11. The power production system of claim 1 , wherein the integrated control system includes an oxidant pressure controller configured to receive an input related to the pressure of an oxidant stream upstream from an oxidant compressor and to provide an output to a recycle fluid valve to cause more recycle fluid or less recycle fluid from the power production system to be added to the oxidant stream upstream from the oxidant compressor.

12. The power production system of claim 11 , wherein the recycle fluid is a substantially pure CO 2 stream.

13. The power production system of claim 1 , wherein the integrated control system includes a dilution controller configured to receive an input related to one or both of the mass flow of the oxidant and the mass flow of an oxidant diluent stream and to calculate a mass flow ratio of the oxidant and the oxidant diluent.

14. The power production system of claim 13 , wherein the dilution controller is configured to provide an output to an oxidant entry valve to allow more oxidant or less oxidant to enter the power production system so that the mass flow ratio of the oxidant to the oxidant diluent is within a defined range.

15. The power production system of claim 1 , wherein the integrated control system includes a compressor suction pressure controller configured to receive an input related to suction pressure of a fluid upstream from the compressor and to provide an output to a spillback valve that is positioned downstream from the compressor and that causes more of the fluid or less fluid to spill back to a point that is upstream from the compressor.

16. The power production system of claim 1 , wherein the integrated control system includes a pump speed controller configured to receive an input related to suction pressure upstream from the pump and to provide an output to the pump to increase or decrease pump speed.

17. The power production system of claim 1 , wherein the integrated control system includes a side flow heat controller configured to receive an input related to a calculated mass flow requirement for a side flow of a high pressure recycle stream in the power production system and to provide an output to a side flow valve to increase or decrease the amount of the high pressure recycle stream in the side flow.

18. A method for automated control of a power production system, the method comprising operating a power production system comprising a plurality of components that include:
a turbine;
a power producing generator;
a compressor downstream from the turbine and in fluid connection with the turbine;
a pump downstream from the compressor and in fluid connection with the compressor; and
a heater positioned downstream from the pump and in fluid

Assignees

• 8 Rivers Capital Llc

Inventors

• Fetvedt Jeremy Eron
• Allam Rodney John

Classifications

• F02C3/34 Primary

  with recycling of part of the working fluid, i.e. semi-closed cycles with combustion products in the closed part of the cycle · CPC title

• F02C9/00 Primary

  Controlling gas-turbine plants; Controlling fuel supply in air- breathing jet-propulsion plants (controlling air intakes F02C7/057; controlling turbines F01D; controlling compressors F04D27/00; controlling in general G05) · CPC title

• F02C9/28

  Regulating systems responsive to plant or ambient parameters, e.g. temperature, pressure, rotor speed (F02C9/30 - F02C9/38, F02C9/44 take precedence) · CPC title

• F02C9/26

  Control of fuel supply (F02C9/48 takes precedence; fuel valves F02C7/232) · CPC title

• F02C9/24

  Control of the pressure level in closed cycles · CPC title