Method and apparatus for generating electricity using a thermal power plant

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016333744-A1
Application number	US-201415106589-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 17, 2014
Priority date	Dec 20, 2013
Publication date	Nov 17, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for generating electricity by means of a thermal power plant and a liquid vaporization apparatus involves producing heat energy by means of the power plant and using the heat energy to vaporize water or to heat water vapor, expanding the water vapor formed in a first turbine and using the first turbine to drive an electricity generator in order to produce electricity, vaporizing liquefied gas coming from a cryogenic storage in order to produce pressurized gas, reheating the pressurized gas with a part of the water vapor intended for the first turbine of the power plant and expanding the pressurized fluid in a second turbine to produce electricity.

First claim

1 - 14 . (canceled)

15 . A method for the generation of electricity by means of a thermal power plant ( 3 ), and a liquid vaporization apparatus, wherein:
a) producing thermal energy thereby creating hot gases, using at least a first portion of the hot gases to vaporize water or to heat water vapor, and then expanding the resulting water vapor stream in a first turbine, which thereby produces electricity via an electricity generator driven by the first turbine, wherein the thermal energy is produced by combustion of a fuel; b) vaporizing a liquefied gas sourced from a cryogenic storage facility to produce a pressurized gas; c) heating the pressurized gas using heat from a source selected from the group consisting of the hot gases, a second portion of the hot gases, a proportion of the water vapor to be delivered to the first turbine of the thermal power plant, and a proportion of the heat of the water vapor to be delivered to the first turbine of the thermal power plant; and d) expanding the pressurized fluid in a second turbine for the production of electricity.

16 . The method as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the source used to heat the pressurized gas is the second portion of the hot gases, wherein the flow rate of the second portion of the hot gases is no more than 30% of the sum of the first portion and the second portion of the hot gases.

17 . The method as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the hot gases heat the pressurized gas prior to heating the water or water vapor in step a).

18 . The method as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the first and second turbines in combination produce more electricity than would have been produced by the first turbine alone, using all the heat energy of the hot gases to heat the water or water vapor to be delivered to the first turbine.

19 . The method as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the only gas which expands in the second turbine is the pressurized fluid.

20 . A method for the generation of electricity and the storage of energy, wherein:
i) during a first period operation, the method is as claimed in claim 15 ; and ii) during a second period, the method comprises
a) producing thermal energy by means of the power plant and the thermal energy is used to generate electricity,
b) using electrical and/or mechanical energy generated by the power plant to produce the liquefied gas, and
c) storing the liquefied gas in a storage facility.

21 . The method as claimed in claim 20 , wherein the second period corresponds to a period of lower electricity demand and/or a period in which the electricity prices are lower than in the first period.

22 . The method as claimed in claim 20 , wherein, during the second period, the first turbine generates electricity, which is used to produce the liquefied gas.

23 . The method as claimed in claim 20 , wherein, during the first period, no liquefied gas is produced or added to the storage facility.

24 . The method as claimed in claim 20 , wherein, during the second period, the liquefied gas sourced from the cryogenic storage facility is not vaporized.

25 . The method as claimed in claim 20 , wherein, during the second period, the pressurized fluid is not expanded in the second turbine.

26 . An integrated electricity generating apparatus, comprising a thermal power plant with a first turbine, which is a steam turbine, connected to means for the generation of electricity, an apparatus for the liquefaction of a gas and the vaporization of the liquefied gas with a second turbine, which is a turbine for the expansion of vaporized liquefied gas, connected to means for the generation of electricity, means for the transference of electrical or mechanical energy from the power plant to the liquefaction apparatus, means for the preheating of the vaporized liquefied gas up-circuit of the expansion turbine, and means for the transmission of the gases or water vapor originating from the thermal power plant.

27 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 26 , further comprising means for the transmission of the gases, originating from the thermal power plant, to the preheating means.

28 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 26 , further comprising means for the transmission of the water vapor, originating from the thermal power plant, to the preheating means.

Assignees

• Air Liquide

Inventors

• Davidian Benoit
• Paufique Cyrille

Classifications

• F01K7/38

  the engines being of turbine type · CPC title

• F01K3/18 Primary

  having heaters (having both steam accumulator and heater F01K3/14; steam heaters per se F22) · CPC title

• H02K7/1823

  structurally associated with turbines or similar engines · CPC title

• F01K23/08

  with working fluid of one cycle heating the fluid in another cycle · CPC title

• Y02E30/00

  Energy generation of nuclear origin · CPC title