System and method for compressor intercooler

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017191750-A1
Application number	US-201615392914-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 28, 2016
Priority date	Dec 31, 2015
Publication date	Jul 6, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method includes compressing an air flow to a first pressure, transferring heat from the air flow to a liquefaction fluid via an intercooler heat exchanger, compressing the air flow to a second pressure greater than the first pressure, combusting the air flow and a fuel to generate a combustion product flow, and driving a turbine with the combustion product flow. The turbine is configured to drive machinery of a liquefaction system. The liquefaction fluid includes at least one of a pre-cooling fluid, a refrigerant, and a liquefied product of the liquefaction system.

First claim

1 . A system comprising:
a gas turbine system comprising:
a first compressor stage configured to compress an air flow to a first pressure;
a second compressor stage configured to compress the air flow to a second pressure greater than the first pressure; and
a turbine disposed along an axis of the gas turbine system;
an intercooler heat exchanger disposed between the first compressor stage and the second compressor stage, wherein the intercooler comprises:
a body comprising a plurality of channels configured to receive a cooling fluid; and
a plurality of fins extending from the body, wherein the air flow is configured to flow over the plurality of fins, and the intercooler heat exchanger is configured to transfer heat from the air flow to the cooling fluid; and
a liquefaction system indirectly coupled to the intercooler heat exchanger, wherein the liquefaction system comprises a liquefaction fluid, and the liquefaction fluid is configured to receive heat from the cooling fluid.

2 . The system of claim 1 , comprising a working fluid system coupled to the intercooler heat exchanger and to the liquefaction system, wherein the working fluid system comprises a working fluid heat exchanger and a pumping system, the pumping system is configured to circulate the cooling fluid from the intercooler heat exchanger to the working fluid heat exchanger, and the working fluid heat exchanger receives the liquefaction fluid from the liquefaction system.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the liquefaction fluid received by the working fluid heat exchanger is less than 0° C.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the cooling fluid comprises oil, water, an ethylene glycol solution, or some combination thereof.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the liquefaction system comprises an air separation system.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the liquefaction system comprises a liquefied natural gas system configured to receive a gaseous material and to produce a liquefied natural gas product from the gaseous material.

7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the liquefaction fluid comprises the liquefied natural gas product.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the liquefied natural gas system is configured to process the gaseous material to produce the liquefied natural gas product via an AP-C3MR™ process, a cascade process, an AP-X® process, a DMR process, an SMR process, an MFC® process, a PRICO® process, or an AP-N™ process, or any combination thereof.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the liquefaction fluid comprises a pre-cooling fluid of the liquefaction system, a refrigerant of the liquefaction system, or any combination thereof.

10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the intercooler heat exchanger is disposed along the axis of the gas turbine system.

11 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of fins of the intercooler heat exchanger comprises skived fins.

12 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the liquefaction fluid directed to the heat exchanger

13 . A system comprising:
a gas turbine system comprising:
a first compressor stage configured to compress an air flow to a first pressure;
a second compressor stage configured to compress the air flow to a second pressure greater than the first pressure; and
a turbine disposed along an axis of the gas turbine system;
an intercooler heat exchanger disposed between the first compressor stage and the second compressor stage, wherein the intercooler comprises:
a body comprising a plurality of channels configured to receive a liquefaction fluid; and
a plurality of fins extending from the body, wherein the air flow is configured to flow over the plurality of fins, and the intercooler heat exchanger is configured to transfer heat from the air flow to the liquefaction fluid; and
a liquefaction system directly coupled to the intercooler heat exchanger, wherein the liquefaction system comprises the liquefaction fluid, and the liquefaction fluid comprises a pre-cooling fluid, a refrigerant, or a liquefied product of the liquefaction system, or any combination thereof.

14 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the liquefaction system comprises an air separation system.

15 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the liquefaction system comprises a liquefied natural gas system configured to receive a gaseous material and to produce a liquefied natural gas product from the gaseous material.

16 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the intercooler heat exchanger is disposed along the axis of the gas turbine system.

17 . The system of claim 13 , wherein the plurality of fins of the intercooler heat exchanger comprises skived fins.

18 . A method comprising:
compressing an air flow to a first pressure; transferring heat from the air flow to a liquefaction fluid via an intercooler heat exchanger; compressing the air flow to a second pressure greater than the first pressure; combusting the air flow and a fuel to generate a combustion product flow; and driving a turbine with the combustion product flow, wherein the turbine is configured to drive machinery of a liquefaction system, and the liquefaction fluid comprises at least one of a pre-cooling fluid, a refrigerant, and a liquefied product of the liquefaction system.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein transferring heat from the air flow to the liquefaction fluid via the intercooler heat exchanger comprises:
directing a working fluid to the intercooler heat exchanger, wherein the air flow is configured to transfer heat to the working fluid within the intercooler heat exchanger; and directing the liquefaction fluid to a working fluid heat exchanger, wherein the working fluid is configured to transfer heat to the liquefaction fluid within the working fluid heat exchanger.

20 . The method of claim 18 , wherein a first stage configured to compress the air flow to the first pressure, a second stage configured to compress the air flow to the second pressure, the turbine, and the intercooler heat exchanger are disposed along a turbine axis.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• De Barros Ian Alexandre Araujo
• Storage Michael Ralph
• Richmond Paul
• Angel Paul R
• Stanley David

Classifications

• F25J1/0283 Primary

  Gas turbine as the prime mechanical driver · CPC title

• F25J1/0022

  Hydrocarbons, e.g. natural gas · CPC title

• F28D7/0041

  the conduits for only one medium being tubes having parts touching each other or tubes assembled in panel form (F28D7/0008, F28D7/0058 take precedence) · CPC title

• F28D2021/0026

  for combustion engines, e.g. for gas turbines or for Stirling engines · CPC title

• F02C7/143

  before or between the compressor stages · CPC title