System and method for generating electricity using well pressures

• US 20060108808A1
• Filed: 11/22/2004
• Published: 05/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Mervyn A.R. Chen
• Original Assignee: Mervyn A.R. Chen
• Inventors: Chen, Mervyn A.R.
• Application Number:
  US10/994,771
• Publication Number:
  US 20060108808A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 290/54
• CPC Class Codes: E02B 9/00 Water-power plants; Layout, construction or equipment, methods of, or apparatus for, making same
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 1/026 Impact turbines with buckets, i.e. impulse turbines, e.g. Pelton turbines F01D1/16, F01D1/34 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F03B 1/00 Engines of impulse type, i.e. turbines with jets of high-velocity liquid impinging on blades or like rotors, e.g. Pelton wheels; Parts or details peculiar thereto
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2210/16 Air or water being indistinctly used as working fluid, i.e. the machine can work equally with air or water without any modification
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2240/95 offshore
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/20 Hydro energy

Abstract

In a system and method for generating electricity, an inlet of a turbine having rotating fan blades is connected to a line from a flowing well with fluid under pressure. A nozzle is provided in front of an inlet to the turbine. An outlet from the turbine provides an exit for the fluid after the fluid drives the turbine fan blades. An electrical generator is connected to the rotating fan blades to rotate a rotor of the generator to generate electricity. The fluid exiting from the turbine may be commercially used.

Claims

1. A system for generating electricity, comprising:

a well production line section for connection to a flowing well with fluid under pressure;

the well production line section providing an inlet to a turbine having rotating fan blades;

a nozzle acting as a choke for the pressurized fluid from the well and for increasing a velocity of fluid hitting the fan blades;

an outlet from the turbine for the fluid; and

an electrical generator having a rotor connected to the turbine rotating fan blades to generate electricity.

2. A system of claim 1 wherein the well production line section comprises a tube section having an inlet and an outlet, the nozzle being mounted in a region of said tube section inlet, and said production tube section having a cutout at which the turbine is received, the turbine having an outer casing with a corresponding cutout to match the cutout of the production tube section.

3. A system of claim 2 wherein said inlet of said production tube section is connected to an inlet well production tube having one end connected to the well and the other end connected to said inlet of said production tube section.

4. A system of claim 2 wherein said outlet of said production tube section is connected to an outlet well production tube through which fluid exists after existing from the turbine.

5. A system of claim 1 wherein the fan blades are part of a rotating drum supported on a center shaft supported by respective rotational bearings mounted to support arms.

6. A system of claim 1 wherein a center shaft of the fan blades is connected to a first gear which drives a second smaller gear connected to said rotor of said generator.

7. A system of claim 1 wherein said fan blades have a planar surface perpendicular to a flow direction of the fluid from said nozzle.

8. A system of claim 1 wherein said fan blades have a surface at an angle other than perpendicular to a running direction of said fluid from said nozzle.

9. A system of claim 1 wherein the turbine and the well production line section are constructed of hardened steel.

10. A system of claim 5 wherein said rotating drum comprises radially outwardly extending fan blades having respective inner portions supporting a peripheral surface and outer portions outside of the peripheral surface, and sidewalls connected to said peripheral surface and between which the outer portions of the fan blades are provided.

11. A system of claim 10 wherein the fan blade outer portions have respective lips at right angles to the respective fan blade.

12. A system of claim 1 wherein said turbine has a casing of cylindrical shape comprising side plates and an outer peripheral surface between the side plates.

13. A system of claim 12 wherein the side plates are detachable from the outer peripheral surface, mount to a lip of the outer peripheral surface, and have projections.

14. A system for generating electricity, comprising:

a line for connecting a flowing well with fluid under pressure to a turbine having rotating fan blades;

an outlet from the turbine for the fluid; and

an electrical generator having a rotor connected to the turbine rotating fan blades to generate electricity.

15. A system of claim 14 wherein a nozzle acting as a choke for the pressurized fluid from the well and for increasing the velocity of fluid hitting the fan blades is positioned between the well and the inlet to the turbine.

16. A method for generating electricity, comprising the steps of:

providing a flowing well with fluid under pressure;

connecting an output of the well through a nozzle acting as a choke for the pressurized fluid from the well and for increasing a velocity of fluid;

directing the fluid from the nozzle to an inlet of a turbine so that the increased velocity of fluid exiting from the nozzle hits the fan blades of the turbine to turn the fan blades; and

using the turning fan blades to turn a rotor of an electrical generator to generate electricity.

17. A method of claim 16 including the step of connecting an outlet from the turbine for the fluid to a location where the fluid from the well is utilized for a commercial purpose.

18. A method of claim 16 wherein the fluid from the well comprises water.

19. A method of claim 18 wherein the water from the well after it passes through the turbine is utilized for a commercial purpose.

20. A method of claim 16 wherein the fluid from the well comprises a hydrocarbon gas.

21. A method of claim 20 wherein the hydrocarbon gas exiting from the turbine is utilized for a commercial use.

22. A method of claim 16 including the step of providing a tube section, and connecting the turbine to an opening in the tube section at an opening in the turbine.

23. A method of claim 16 including the step of connecting a shaft from the turbine to a first gear which interacts with a smaller second gear, the smaller second gear driving the rotor of the generator.

24. A method for generating electricity, comprising the steps of:

providing a flowing well with fluid under pressure;

connecting an output of the well to an inlet of a turbine, said turbine having an outlet for the fluid; and

using the turbine to turn a rotor of an electrical generator to generate electricity.