Power generation apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9083215-B2
Application number	US-201213723578-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 21, 2012
Priority date	Feb 14, 2012
Publication date	Jul 14, 2015
Grant date	Jul 14, 2015

Abstract

A power generation apparatus according to the present invention includes: an inlet which is provided at a location on an opposite side of an expander rotor with respect to a power generator stator in a power generator housing and which is capable of leading a working medium into the power generator housing, a cooling flow passage which supplies the inlet from a circulation pump with the working medium without interposition of an evaporator, a communication opening which is capable of leading the working medium out of the power generator housing so as to lead the working medium to a condenser, and a throttle valve which depressurizes the working medium led via the cooling flow passage from the circulation pump into the power generator housing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A power generation apparatus comprising:
an evaporator that evaporates a working medium;
an expander that includes an expander rotor rotated by an expansion force of the working medium evaporated in the evaporator;
a power generator that includes a power generator rotor connected to the expander rotor, a power generator stator arranged around the power generator rotor for generating electric power with the power generator rotor, and a power generator housing for storing the power generator rotor and the power generator stator;
a condenser that condenses the working medium led out from the expander;
a circulation pump that transfers the working medium from the condenser to the evaporator; and
a cooling mechanism that cools the power generator, wherein the cooling mechanism includes:
an inlet which is provided at a location on an opposite side of the expander rotor with respect to the power generator stator in the power generator housing, and is capable of leading the working medium into the power generator housing;
a cooling flow passage which supplies the inlet from the circulation pump with the working medium;
an outlet capable of leading the working medium out of the power generator housing so as to lead the working medium to the condenser; and
a depressurizing mechanism that depressurizes the working medium led via the cooling flow passage from the circulation pump into the power generator housing,
wherein the expander includes an expander housing directly connected with the power generator housing and which stores the expander rotor, and the power generator housing and the expander housing are detachable from each other,
wherein an exhaust opening which leads the working medium used for rotation of the expander rotor out from the expander housing is provided on the expander housing, and
wherein the outlet capable of leading the working medium out of the power generator housing communicates the power generator housing and the expander housing with each other so that the working medium in the power generator housing is led to the exhaust opening.

2. The power generation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the outlet is provided at a location closer to an expander rotor with respect to the power generator stator.

3. The power generation apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the power generator housing includes a cylindrical portion which covers a periphery of the power generator stator about a rotation shaft of the power generator rotor, and a lid portion which blocks an opening of the cylindrical portion and on which the inlet is formed.

4. A power generation apparatus comprising:
an evaporator that evaporates a working medium;
an expander that includes an expander rotor rotated by an expansion force of the working medium evaporated in the evaporator;
a power generator that includes a power generator rotor connected to the expander rotor, a power generator stator arranged around the power generator rotor for generating electric power with the power generator rotor, and a power generator housing for storing the power generator rotor and the power generator stator;
a condenser that condenses the working medium led out from the expander;
a circulation pump that transfers the working medium from the condenser to the evaporator; and
a cooling mechanism that cools the power generator, wherein the cooling mechanism includes:
an inlet which is provided at a location on an opposite side of the expander rotor with respect to the power generator stator in the power generator housing, and is capable of leading the working medium into the power generator housing;
a cooling flow passage which supplies the inlet from the circulation pump with the working medium;
an outlet capable of leading the working medium out of the power generator housing so as to lead the working medium to the condenser; and
a depressurizing mechanism that depressurizes the working medium led via the cooling flow passage from the circulation pump into the power generator housing,
wherein the inlet is arranged on an extension of the rotation shaft of the power generator rotor.

5. A power generation apparatus comprising:
an evaporator that evaporates a working medium;
an expander that includes an expander rotor rotated by an expansion force of the working medium evaporated in the evaporator;
a power generator that includes a power generator rotor connected to the expander rotor, a power generator stator arranged around the power generator rotor for generating electric power with the power generator rotor, and a power generator housing for storing the power generator rotor and the power generator stator;
a condenser that condenses the working medium led out from the expander;
a circulation pump that transfers the working medium from the condenser to the evaporator; and
a cooling mechanism that cools the power generator, wherein the cooling mechanism includes:
an inlet which is provided at a location on an opposite side of the expander rotor with respect to the power generator stator in the power generator housing, and is capable of leading the working medium into the power generator housing;
a cooling flow passage which supplies the inlet from the circulation pump with the working medium;
an outlet capable of leading the working medium out of the power generator housing so as to lead the working medium to the condenser; and
a depressurizing mechanism that depressurizes the working medium led via the cooling flow passage from the circulation pump into the power generator housing,
wherein the depressurizing mechanism includes at least one flow passage which generates a pressure loss in the working medium,
wherein the depressurizing mechanism includes, on the cooling flow passage, a regulation valve capable of adjusting a flow rate of the working medium flowing through the cooling flow passage,
wherein the depressurizing mechanism further includes a detector which detects the temperature of the power generator, and a controller which controls the flow rate of the working medium by the regulation valve based on a detection result by the detector, and the controller controls the flow rate of the working medium in accordance with the temperature of the power generator so that the flow rate of the working medium flowing through the cooling flow passage increases as the temperature of the power generator increases, and
wherein the depressurizing mechanism further includes an output device which outputs a control command in accordance with the temperature of the power generator, and the regulation valve controls the flow rate of the working medium in response to the control command from the output device so that the flow rate of the working medium flowing through the cooling flow passage increases as the temperature of the power generator increases.

6. The power generation apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the depressurizing mechanism includes, in the power generator housing, a distributor which includes a plurality of discharge openings for discharging the working medium, which is led through the inlet into the power generator housing, into the power generator housing.

Assignees

• Kobe Steel Ltd

Inventors

• Tsuboi Noboru

Classifications

• H02K9/19

  for machines with closed casing and closed-circuit cooling using a liquid cooling medium, e.g. oil · CPC title

• H02K9/193 Primary

  with provision for replenishing the cooling medium; with means for preventing leakage of the cooling medium · CPC title

• H02K7/1823

  structurally associated with turbines or similar engines · CPC title

• F01K13/00

  General layout or general methods of operation of complete plants · CPC title

• H02K9/20

  wherein the cooling medium vaporises within the machine casing · CPC title