Regenerative thermodynamic power generation cycle systems, and methods for operating thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9644502-B2
Application number	US-201514682421-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 9, 2015
Priority date	Apr 9, 2015
Publication date	May 9, 2017
Grant date	May 9, 2017

Abstract

A regenerative closed loop thermodynamic power generation cycle system is presented. The system includes a high-pressure expander to deliver an exhaust stream. A conduit is fluidly coupled to the high-pressure expander, which is configured to split the exhaust stream from the high-pressure expander into a first exhaust stream and a second exhaust stream. The system further includes a first low-pressure expander and a second low-pressure expander. The first low-pressure expander is coupled to a pressurization device through a turbocompressor shaft, and fluidly coupled to receive the first exhaust stream. The second low-pressure expander is coupled to the high-pressure expander and an electrical generator through a turbogenerator shaft, and fluidly coupled to receive the second exhaust stream. A method for operating the regenerative closed loop thermodynamic power generation cycle system is also presented.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for operating a regenerative closed loop thermodynamic power generation cycle system, comprising:
delivering an exhaust stream from a high-pressure expander;
splitting the exhaust stream from the high-pressure expander to a first exhaust stream and a second exhaust stream;
directing the first exhaust stream to a first low-pressure expander, wherein the first low-pressure expander is coupled to a pressurization device through a turbocompressor shaft;
directing the second exhaust stream to a second low-pressure expander, wherein the second low-pressure expander is coupled to the high-pressure expander and an electrical generator through a turbogenerator shaft; and
delivering a pressurized fluid stream above a critical point of a working fluid from the pressurization device and providing the pressurized fluid stream to the high-pressure expander.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising heating the exhaust stream before splitting the exhaust stream to the first exhaust stream and the second exhaust stream.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising heating the pressurized fluid stream before supplying the pressurized fluid stream to the high-pressure expander.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising delivering a third exhaust stream from the first low-pressure expander and a fourth exhaust stream from the second low-pressure expander and regeneratively supplying each of the third exhaust stream and the fourth exhaust stream to one or more heat exchangers.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising supplying the third exhaust stream and the fourth exhaust stream to a precooler through the one or more heat exchangers.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising receiving a cooled fluid stream from the precooler to supply the cooled fluid stream to the pressurization device.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein splitting the exhaust stream from the high pressure expander comprises controlling a flow ratio of the first exhaust stream to the second exhaust stream.

8. A regenerative closed loop thermodynamic power generation cycle system, comprising:
a high-pressure expander to deliver an exhaust stream,
a conduit fluidly coupled to the high-pressure expander, and configured to split the exhaust stream into a first exhaust stream and a second exhaust stream;
a first low-pressure expander coupled to a pressurization device through a turbocompressor shaft, and fluidly coupled to receive the first exhaust stream; and
a second low-pressure expander coupled to the high-pressure expander and an electrical generator through a turbogenerator shaft, and fluidly coupled to receive the second exhaust stream, wherein the pressurization device is fluidly coupled to the high-pressure expander to supply a pressurized fluid stream above a critical point of a working fluid to the high-pressure expander.

9. The thermodynamic power generation cycle system of claim 8 , wherein the thermodynamic power generation cycle system forms a closed flow path for the working fluid.

10. The thermodynamic power generation cycle system of claim 9 , wherein the working fluid comprises carbon dioxide.

11. The thermodynamic power generation cycle system of claim 8 , wherein the pressurization device comprises a first compressor and a second compressor coupled to each other.

12. The thermodynamic power generation cycle system of claim 8 , wherein the pressurization device is fluidly coupled to the high-pressure expander through one or more heat exchangers.

13. The thermodynamic power generation cycle system of claim 12 , wherein the one or more heat exchangers comprise a first heat exchanger and a second heat exchanger fluidly coupled to each other.

14. The thermodynamic power generation cycle system of claim 12 , further comprising a first heat source fluidly coupled between the one or more heat exchangers and the high-pressure expander.

15. The thermodynamic power generation cycle system of claim 12 , wherein the one or more heat exchangers are further fluidly coupled to the first low-pressure expander and the second low-pressure expander to receive a third exhaust stream and a fourth exhaust stream.

16. The thermodynamic power generation cycle system of claim 8 , further comprising a second heat source fluidly coupled between the high-pressure expander and the conduit to receive the exhaust stream from the high-pressure expander and deliver a heated exhaust stream to the conduit.

17. The thermodynamic power generation cycle system of claim 8 , further comprising a pressure regulating valve to control a flow ratio of the first exhaust stream to the second exhaust stream.

18. The thermodynamic power generation cycle system of claim 8 , further comprising a precooler fluidly coupled to the pressurization device to supply a cooled fluid stream to the pressurization device.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Peter Andrew Maxwell
• Kalra Chiranjeev Singh
• Hofer Douglas Carl

Classifications

• F02C1/10 Primary

  Closed cycles · CPC title

• F01K5/00

  Plants characterised by use of means for storing steam in an alkali to increase steam pressure, e.g. of Honigmann or Koenemann type · CPC title

• F04D25/04

  the pump being fluid-driven {(pumps driven by exhaust gases F02B37/00, F02B39/00; turbochargers F02C6/12)} · CPC title

• F01K7/32

  the engines using steam of critical or overcritical pressure · CPC title

• F01K25/103 Primary

  Carbon dioxide (F01K25/065 takes precedence) · CPC title