Cooling process and system for dry cooling power plants

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9927178-B1
Application number	US-201615149152-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	May 8, 2016
Priority date	May 8, 2015
Publication date	Mar 27, 2018
Grant date	Mar 27, 2018

Abstract

A seasonal process that captures stores and uses water in an ambient temperature-dependent manner to improve the efficiency of a natural gas power plant, comprising: (a) providing a natural gas power plant, the natural gas power plant having a flue gas stream, a cooling tower, and a gas turbine; (b) providing a water collection system; (c) providing a water storage facility; wherein the flue gas stream comprises uncondensed water vapor; wherein the water collection system is operably connected to the flue gas stream and the flue gas stream is directed to flow, at least in part, into the water collection system; wherein the water collection system is operably connected to the water storage facility; wherein the water storage facility is operably connected to the cooling tower and the water storage facility is operably connected to the gas turbine; wherein the process comprises the following steps of condensing flue gas water or using water that has been condensed from the flue gas stream based on outdoor ambient dry bulb temperature: (I) Only condensing water from the flue gas stream to produce a condensed water stream if outdoor ambient dry bulb temperature is less than 85° F.; (II) Only using condensed water to spray cool the cooling tower if outdoor ambient dry bulb temperature is at least 85° F.; (III) Only using condensed water to fog cool the gas turbine if outdoor ambient dry bulb temperature is at least 55° F.; wherein condensed water that is not immediately used to cool the cooling tower or to fog cool the gas turbine is stored in the water storage facility; and wherein the process uses a total amount of water on an annual basis to cool the cooling tower and to fog cool the gas turbine that does not exceed the annual amount of water condensed from the flue gas stream. Optionally, the process has a cooling tower that is a dry cooling tower and condensed water is used to spray cool the dry cooling tower, or the cooling tower is a wet cooling tower, or the cooling tower is a hybrid wet-dry cooling tower. The process may further comprise a water collection system having a three stage desiccant cycle and a calcium chloride desiccant that recovers at least about 60 wt % of the water from the flue gas, operates at or above ambient pressure or comprises plastic piping or plastic vessels. Or the process may further comprise using a water collection system having at least one direct contact condensing column that recovers at least about 60 wt % of the water from the flue gas, operates at or above ambient pressure or comprises plastic piping or plastic vessels. Or the process may further comprise using a water collection system having at least one direct contact condenser and a rotating wheel heat exchanger that recovers at least about 60 wt % of the water from the flue gas, operates at or above ambient pressure, or further comprises plastic piping or plastic vessels. The coefficient of performance for the cooling process is optionally at least 2.0.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A seasonal process that captures stores and uses water in an ambient temperature-dependent manner to improve the efficiency of a natural gas power plant, the process comprises:
(a) providing the natural gas power plant, the natural gas power plant having a flue gas stream, a cooling tower, and a gas turbine;
(b) providing a water collection system;
(c) providing a water storage facility;
wherein the flue gas stream comprises uncondensed water vapor;
wherein the water collection system is operably connected to the flue gas stream and the flue gas stream is directed to flow, at least in part, into the water collection system;
wherein the water collection system is operably connected to the water storage facility;
wherein the water storage facility is operably connected to the cooling tower and the water storage facility is operably connected to the gas turbine;
wherein the process comprises the following steps of condensing flue gas water or using water that has been condensed from the flue gas stream based on outdoor ambient dry bulb temperature:
(I) condensing water from the flue gas stream to produce a condensed water stream only if the outdoor ambient dry bulb temperature is less than 85° F.;
(II) using condensed water to spray cool the cooling tower only if the outdoor ambient dry bulb temperature is at least 85° F.;
(III) using condensed water to fog cool the gas turbine only if the outdoor ambient dry bulb temperature is at least 55° F.;

wherein condensed water that is not immediately used to cool the cooling tower or to fog cool the gas turbine is stored in the water storage facility; and
wherein the process uses a total amount of water, on an annual basis to cool the cooling tower and to fog cool the gas turbine, that does not exceed the annual amount of water condensed from the flue gas stream.

2. The process of claim 1 wherein the cooling tower is a dry cooling tower and condensed water is used to spray cool the dry cooling tower.

3. The process of claim 1 wherein the cooling tower is a wet cooling tower.

4. The process of claim 1 wherein the cooling tower is a hybrid wet-dry cooling tower.

5. The process of claim 2 , wherein the water collection system further comprises a three stage desiccant cycle and a calcium chloride desiccant.

6. The process of claim 5 wherein the water collection system recovers at least about 60 wt % of the water from the flue gas.

7. The process of claim 6 wherein the water collection system operates at or above ambient pressure.

8. The process of claim 7 wherein the water collection system further comprises plastic piping or plastic vessels.

9. The process of claim 2 , wherein the water collection system further comprises at least one direct contact condensing column.

10. The process of claim 9 wherein the water collection system recovers at least about 60 wt % of the water from the flue gas.

11. The process of claim 10 wherein the water collection system operates at or above ambient pressure.

12. The process of claim 11 wherein the water collection system further comprises plastic piping or plastic vessels.

13. The process of claim 2 , wherein the water collection system further comprises at least one direct contact condenser and a rotating wheel heat exchanger.

14. The process of claim 13 wherein the water collection system recovers at least about 60 wt % of the water from the flue gas.

15. The process of claim 14 wherein the water collection system operates at or above ambient pressure.

16. The process of claim 15 wherein the water collection system further comprises plastic piping or plastic vessels.

Assignees

• Tda Research Inc

Inventors

• Srinivas Girish
• Gebhard Steven Charles
• Copeland Robert James
• Eisenberg David P

Classifications

• F01K9/003 Primary

  condenser cooling circuits · CPC title

• F05D2220/31

  in steam turbines · CPC title

• F05D2220/32

  in gas turbines · CPC title

• F28C1/04 Primary

  with cross-current only · CPC title

• F28C1/00

  Direct-contact trickle coolers, e.g. cooling towers (building construction E04H5/12; enclosed spaces cooled by trickle F25; components parts of trickle coolers F28F25/00; {indirect-contact cooling towers F28B1/06}) · CPC title