FLUID FLOW IN A FLUID EXPANSION SYSTEM

• US 20080250789A1
• Filed: 04/16/2007
• Published: 10/16/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Clean Energy HRS LLC
• Original Assignee: TurboGenix, Inc.
• Inventors: Miller, Robert, Myers, Scott R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,839,622 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 60/645
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 25/10 the vapours being cold, e.g. ammonia, carbon dioxide, ether
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 3/00 Plants characterised by the use of steam or heat accumulators, or intermediate steam heaters, therein regenerating exhaust steam F01K19/00
• CPC Class Codes: F22B 37/26 Steam-separating arrangements vapour-liquid separators, e.g. for drying steam, B01D; B04

Abstract

Some embodiments of a fluid expansion system can be used with the working fluid in a Rankine cycle. For example, the fluid expansion system can be used in a Rankine cycle to recover heat from one of a number of commercial applications and to convert that heat energy into electrical energy. In particular embodiments, the fluid expansion system may include a turbine generator apparatus to generate electrical energy and a liquid separator arranged upstream of the turbine generator apparatus.

Claims

1. A generator system for use in a Rankine cycle, comprising:

a turbine generator apparatus including an inlet conduit to direct a working fluid in a Rankine cycle toward a turbine wheel that is rotatable in response to expansion of the working fluid; and

a liquid separator to separate a liquid state portion of the working fluid from a gaseous state portion of the working fluid, the liquid separator being connected in the Rankine cycle upstream of the turbine generator apparatus so that the gaseous state portion of the working fluid is directed to the inlet conduit after separation of the liquid state portion.

2. The generator system of claim 1, wherein the liquid separator comprises a cyclone separator device.

3. The generator system of claim 2, wherein at least a component of the cyclone separator mechanically rotates to centrifugally separate the liquid state portion of the working fluid from the gaseous state portion of the working fluid.

4. The generator system of claim 1, wherein the liquid separator comprises a coalescing membrane device.

5. The generator system of claim 1, wherein the liquid separator is connected in the Rankine cycle upstream of the turbine generator apparatus so that the working fluid is in a heated and pressurized state when received by the liquid separator.

6. The generator system of claim 5, wherein the liquid separator directs the liquid state portion to a low pressure reservoir in the Rankine cycle and directs the gaseous state portion to the inlet conduit of turbine generator apparatus.

7. The generator system of claim 6, wherein the liquid separator serves as a reservoir volume disposed upstream of the turbine generator apparatus in the Rankine cycle so as to maintain flow stability to the turbine generator apparatus in the event of a burst of flow from upstream of the turbine generator apparatus.

8. The generator system of claim 1, further comprising a system package that houses the turbine generator apparatus, the liquid separator, a fluid pump device, and a low pressure reservoir for the working fluid, the system package having a width of less than about 72 inches and a height of less than about 80 inches so as to fit through a double-door passage.

9. The generator system of claim 8, wherein system package has a width of about 48 inches or less and a height of about 78 inches or less.

10. The generator system of claim 1, further comprising a flow valve arranged in the Rankine cycle upstream of the turbine generator apparatus so as to selectively close the flow of the working fluid to the turbine generator apparatus.

11. The generator system of claim 10, further comprising a bypass valve arranged in the Rankine cycle to selectively open the flow of the working fluid to bypass the turbine generator apparatus, wherein the flow valve and the bypass valve are mechanically coupled to one another to operate in unison.

12. The generator system of claim 1, wherein the turbine generator apparatus comprises:

an electrical energy generator having a stator and a rotor, the rotor coupled to the turbine wheel so as to rotate when the turbine wheel rotates in response to expansion of the working fluid flowing from proximate an inlet side to an outlet side of the turbine wheel, the rotor being arranged on the outlet side of the turbine wheel.

13. The generator system of claim 1, wherein the Rankine cycle is an organic Rankine cycle.

14. A method comprising:

directing heated and pressurized working fluid in a Rankine cycle toward a liquid separator arranged in the Rankine cycle upstream of a turbine generator apparatus;

separating a liquid state portion of the heated and pressurized working fluid from a gaseous state portion of the heated and pressurized working fluid; and

directing the gaseous state portion of the working fluid to an inlet conduit of the turbine generator apparatus and toward a turbine wheel that is rotatable in response to expansion of the working fluid.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the liquid separator comprises a cyclone separator device, the method further comprising rotating at least a component of the cyclone separator to centrifugally separate the liquid state portion of the working fluid from the gaseous state portion of the working fluid.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising directing the liquid state portion of the working fluid to a low pressure reservoir in the Rankine cycle.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising maintaining flow stability to the turbine generator apparatus in the event of a burst of flow from upstream of the turbine generator apparatus.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising rotating the turbine wheel of the turbine generator apparatus a rotor of a generator using a turbine in response to expansion of the working fluid flowing from proximate an inlet side to an outlet side of the turbine wheel.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising generating electrical energy from the rotation of the turbine wheel, the turbine wheel being coupled to a rotor of an electrical energy generator, the rotor being arranged on the outlet side of the turbine wheel.

20. A generator system for use in a Rankine cycle, comprising:

a low pressure reservoir for a working fluid of a Rankine cycle;

a pump device to pressurize the working fluid delivered from the low pressure reservoir;

a liquid separator to separate a liquid state portion of the working fluid from a gaseous state portion of the working fluid, the liquid separator being arranged in the Rankine cycle downstream of the pump device so as to receive the pressurized working fluid from the pump device;

a turbine generator apparatus that generates electrical energy in response expansion of the working fluid, the turbine generator apparatus being arranged in the Rankine cycle downstream of liquid separator so that the gaseous state portion of the working fluid is directed to the turbine generator apparatus after separation of the liquid state portion;

a flow valve arranged in the Rankine cycle upstream of the turbine generator apparatus so as to selectively close the flow of the working fluid to the turbine generator apparatus;

a bypass valve arranged in the Rankine cycle to selectively open a bypass conduit that directs the working fluid toward the low pressure reservoir without passing into the turbine generator apparatus, wherein the flow valve and the bypass valve are mechanically coupled to one another to operate in unison

a transportable system package that houses the low pressure reservoir, the pump device, the liquid separator, the turbine generator apparatus, the flow valve, and the bypass valve.