Submersible power generators and method of operating thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9651032-B2
Application number	US-201414564563-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 9, 2014
Priority date	Dec 9, 2014
Publication date	May 16, 2017
Grant date	May 16, 2017

Abstract

A submersible liquid-vapor generator (LVG) includes an evaporator portion in heat transfer communication with a heat energy source. The LVG also includes a magnetic field apparatus coupled in flow communication with the evaporator portion. The LVG further includes a condenser portion coupled in flow communication with the magnetic field apparatus. The LVG also includes a hybrid working fluid including nanoparticles. The evaporator portion, the magnetic field portion, and the condenser portion at least partially define a hybrid working vapor flow path. The LVG further includes an electrically non-conductive wick structure coupled in flow communication with the evaporator portion and the condenser portion. The wick structure at least partially defines a hybrid working liquid flow path extending between the condenser portion and the evaporator portion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of generating power in an undersea environment, said method comprising:
submerging a subsea power generation assembly in the undersea environment, the subsea power generation assembly including:
a substantially annular heat exchanger at least partially extending about a heat source; and
a plurality of submersible liquid-vapor generators (LVGs) coupled to the heat exchanger and the heat source, each LVG of the plurality of LVGs extending radially outward from the heat source to the substantially annular heat exchanger, each LVG including:
an evaporator portion in heat transfer communication with the heat energy source:
a magnetic field apparatus coupled in flow communication with the evaporator portion;
a condenser portion coupled in flow communication with the magnetic field apparatus;
a hybrid working fluid including nanoparticles, wherein the evaporator portion, the magnetic field apparatus, and the condenser portion at least partially define a hybrid working vapor flow path; and
an electrically non-conductive wick structure coupled in flow communication with the evaporator portion and the condenser portion, the wick structure at least partially defining a hybrid working liquid flow path extending between the condenser portion and the evaporator portion;

forming the hybrid working liquid comprising combining a liquid and the nanoparticles;
transferring heat energy from the heat source into the hybrid working liquid, thereby evaporating the hybrid working liquid into a hybrid working vapor;
channeling the hybrid working vapor through a magnetic field, thereby inducing a voltage on an electric current carrying conductor;
transferring heat energy from the hybrid working vapor, thereby condensing the hybrid working vapor into the hybrid working liquid; and
channeling the hybrid working liquid toward the heat source.

2. The method in accordance the claim 1 , wherein combining a liquid and nanoparticles comprises mixing substantially non-magnetic and substantially electrically-conducting nanoparticles with a metal liquid.

3. The method in accordance the claim 1 , wherein combining a liquid and nanoparticles comprises mixing substantially non-magnetic and substantially electrically-conducting nanoparticles with a fluid having a boiling point less than 100° C. at atmospheric pressure.

4. The method in accordance the claim 1 , wherein transferring heat energy from a heat source comprises transferring heat from a fluid channeled from a subsea wellhead into the hybrid working liquid in the evaporator portion of each LVG.

5. The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein inducing a voltage on an electric current carrying conductor comprises powering an electric load.

6. The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein condensing the hybrid working vapor into the hybrid working liquid comprises transferring the heat energy from the hybrid working vapor into a steam generation system configured to drive a turbomachine including an electric generator.

7. The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein channeling the hybrid working liquid toward the heat source comprises channeling the hybrid working liquid through the electrically non-conductive wick structure using capillary action.

8. A subsea power generation assembly comprising:
a substantially annular heat exchanger at least partially extending about a heat source; and
a plurality of submersible liquid-vapor generators (LVGs) coupled to said heat exchanger and said heat source, each LVG of said plurality of LVGs extending radially outward from said heat source to said substantially annular heat exchanger, said each LVG comprising:
an evaporator portion in heat transfer communication with a heat energy source;
a magnetic field apparatus coupled in flow communication with said evaporator portion;
a condenser portion coupled in flow communication with said magnetic field apparatus;
a hybrid working fluid comprising nanoparticles, wherein said evaporator portion, said magnetic field apparatus, and said condenser portion at least partially define a hybrid working vapor flow path; and
an electrically non-conductive wick structure coupled in flow communication with said evaporator portion and said condenser portion, said wick structure at least partially defining a hybrid working liquid flow path extending between said condenser portion and said evaporator portion.

9. The subsea power generation assembly in accordance with claim 8 , wherein said heat exchanger comprises:
a heat transfer medium inlet connection; and
a heat transfer medium outlet connection, wherein said heat transfer medium inlet connection and said heat transfer medium outlet connection are coupled to at least one turbomachine.

10. The subsea power generation assembly in accordance with claim 9 , wherein said heat transfer medium inlet connection and said heat transfer medium outlet connection at least partially define a steam generation system.

11. The subsea power generation assembly in accordance with claim 8 , wherein said condenser portion is coupled in heat transfer communication with said heat exchanger.

12. The subsea power generation assembly in accordance with claim 8 , wherein said hybrid working fluid further comprises a metal in one of liquid and gaseous states and said nanoparticles are substantially non-magnetic and substantially electrically-conducting.

13. The subsea power generation assembly in accordance with claim 8 further comprising a power generator comprising said magnetic field apparatus and a plurality of electrodes.

14. The subsea power generation assembly in accordance with claim 8 , wherein said hybrid working fluid further comprises a fluid having a boiling point less than 100° C. at atmospheric pressure in one of liquid and gaseous states and said nanoparticles are substantially non-magnetic and substantially electrically-conducting.

15. The subsea power generation assembly in accordance with claim 8 , wherein said substantially annular heat exchanger comprises a plurality of ridges defining a plurality of grooves, thereby increasing a heat transfer surface area of said substantially annular heat exchanger.

16. The subsea power generation assembly in accordance with claim 8 , wherein said heat source comprises a pipeline portion comprising a plurality of flanges, said plurality of flanges facilitating scalability and stackability of said plurality of LVGs.

17. The subsea power generation assembly in accordance with claim 8 , wherein said magnetic field apparatus comprises a permanent magnet.

18. The subsea power generation assembly in accordance with claim 8 further comprising a casing coupled to and extending about said electrically non-conductive wick structure, at least a portion of said casing electrically non-conductive.

19. The subsea power generation assembly in accordance with claim 18 , wherein said casing comprises a ceramic material that facilitates hermetically sealing said each LVG of said plurality of LVGs.

20. The subsea power generation assembly in accordance with claim 8 , wherein said evaporator portion and said condenser portion define opposite ends of said each LVG of said plurality of LVGs, said magnetic field apparatus positioned therebetween.

21. The subsea power generation assembly in accordance with claim 8 , said electrically non-conductive wick structure configured to channel said hybrid working liquid using capillary action.

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Weaver Stanton Earl
• Bray James William
• Bowman Michael John

Classifications

• Y02E10/34

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• H02K44/085

  with conducting liquids · CPC title

• F01K25/12

  the vapours being metallic, e.g. mercury · CPC title

• H02K44/08

  Magnetohydrodynamic [MHD] generators · CPC title

• F03G7/05 Primary

  Ocean thermal energy conversion, i.e. OTEC · CPC title