SYSTEMS, METHODS AND APPARATUSES FOR CONVERTING THERMAL ENERGY INTO MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL POWER

• US 20100205962A1
• Filed: 02/02/2010
• Published: 08/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kalina Power Limited
• Original Assignee: Kalex, LLC
• Inventors: Kalina, Alexander I.
• Granted Patent: US 8,695,344 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 60/641.800
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 15/10 Adaptations for driving, or combinations with, electric generators
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 25/08 using special vapours
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 7/22 the turbines having inter-stage steam heating
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 1/05 characterised by the type or source of heat, e.g. using nuclear or solar energy
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 6/18 using the waste heat of gas-turbine plants outside the plants themselves, e.g. gas-turbine power heat plants using waste heat as source of energy for refrigeration plants F25B27/02; using the waste heat of a gasturbine for steam generation or in a steam cycle see F01K23/10
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/46 Conversion of thermal power into mechanical power, e.g. Rankine, Stirling or solar thermal engines

Abstract

The present invention discloses systems and methods for converting heat from external heat source streams or from solar energy derived from a solar collector subsystem. The systems and methods comprise a thermodynamic cycle including three internal subcycles. Two of the subcycles combine to power a higher pressures turbine and third or main cycle powers a lower pressure turbine. One of the cycles increases the flow rate of a richer working solution stream powering the lower pressure turbine. Another one of the cycles is a leaner working solution cycle, which provides increased flow rate for leaner working solution stream going into the higher pressure turbine.

Claims

9. A method for power generation comprising:

fully condensing a basic rich solution stream in a first heat exchange unit HE1 using an external coolant stream to form a fully condensed basic rich solution stream and a spent external coolant stream,

increasing a pressure of the fully condensed basic rich solution stream in a first ump P1 to form a higher pressure fully condensed basic rich solution stream,

preheating the higher pressure fully condensed basic rich solution stream with heat from a basic rich solution stream in a second heat exchange unit HE2 to form a preheated higher pressure basic rich solution stream and a partially condensed S1 rich solution stream,

heating the preheated higher pressure basic rich solution stream with heat from a first condensing solution substream in a third heat exchange unit HE3 to form a heated higher pressure basic rich solution stream and a partially condensed first condensing solution substream,

fully vaporizing and superheating the heated higher pressure basic rich solution stream with heat from a spent working solution stream in a fifth heat exchange unit HE5 to form a fully vaporized and superheated higher pressure basic rich solution stream and a cooled spent richer working solution stream,

combining the fully vaporized and superheated higher pressure basic rich solution stream with a first spent leaner working solution substream to form a richer working solution stream,

superheating the richer working solution stream in a heat generator subsystem to form a fully vaporized and superheated richer working solution stream,

converting a portion of heat in the vaporized and superheated richer working solution stream in a lower pressure turbine T2 to a second quantity of a useable form of energy to form the spent richer working solution stream,

combining the cooled spent richer working solution stream with a higher pressure first S1 lean solution substream to form a condensing solution stream,

dividing the condensing solution stream into the first condensing solution substream and a second condensing solution substream,

preheating a higher pressure leaner working solution stream with heat from the second condensing solution substream in a fourth heat exchange unit HE4 to form a partially condensed second condensing solution substream and a preheated higher pressure leaner working solution stream,

combining the first and second partially condensed condensing solution substreams to form a partially condensed combined condensing solution stream,

separating the partially condensed combined condensing solution stream in a first separator S1 to form a vapor S1 rich solution stream and a liquid S1 lean solution stream,

dividing the vapor S1 rich solution stream into a first vapor S1 rich solution substream and a second vapor S1 rich solution substream and the liquid S1 lean solution stream into a first liquid S1 lean solution substream and a second liquid S1 lean solution substream,

increasing a pressure of the first S1 lean solution substream in a third pump P3 to form the higher pressure first S1 lean solution substream,

separating the partially condensed S1 rich solution stream in a second separator S2 to form a vapor S2 rich solution stream and a liquid S2 lean solution stream,

dividing the liquid S2 lean solution stream into a first liquid S2 lean solution substream and a second liquid S2 lean solution substream,

combining the second liquid S2 lean solution substream with the vapor S2 rich solution stream to form an intermediate solution stream,

scrubbing the first liquid S2 lean solution substream with the second vapor S1 rich solution stream in a scrubber SCR to form a vapor SCR rich solution stream and a liquid SCR lean solution stream,

combining the vapor SCR rich solution stream with the intermediate solution stream to form the basic rich solution stream,

combining the liquid SCR lean solution stream with the second S1 lean solution stream to form a leaner working solution stream,

increasing a pressure of the leaner working fluid stream in a second pump P2 to form a higher pressure leaner working solution stream,

combining the preheated higher pressure leaner working solution stream with a cooled second spent leaner solution substream to form an increased flow rate, higher pressure leaner working solution stream,

increasing a pressure of the increased flow rate, higher pressure leaner working solution stream in a fifth pump P5 to from a high pressure, increased flow rate leaner working solution stream,

heating the high pressure, increased flow rate leaner working solution stream with heat from a spent second leaner solution substream to form the cooled second spent leaner solution substream and a heated high pressure, increased flow rate leaner working solution stream,

fully vaporizing and superheating the heated high pressure, increased flow rate leaner working solution stream in the heat generator subsystem to form a fully vaporized and superheated leaner working solution stream,

passing the fully vaporized and superheated leaner working solution stream through an addition valve or throttle control valve TV to adjust a pressure of the fully vaporized and superheated leaner working solution stream to form a pressure adjusted fully vaporized and superheated leaner working solution stream,

converting a portion to heat in the pressure adjusted fully vaporized and superheated leaner working solution stream in a higher pressure turbine T2 into a first quantity of a useable form of energy to form a spent leaner working solution stream, and

dividing the spent leaner working solution stream into the first and second spent leaner working solution substreams,

where all streams are derived from a multi-component fluid and

where method comprises a closed thermodynamic cycle including three interacting internal subcycles, each cycle comprising a plurality of streams of different compositions of a multi-component fluid,

where the first internal cycle comprises circulating of a spent leaner working solution substream through a heat exchange unit HE6 and the heat generator subsystem and then into the higher pressure turbine,

where the second internal cycle comprises circulating a upcoming leaner working solution stream through a heat exchange unit HE4, the heat exchange unit HE6 and heat generator subsystem and then into the higher pressure turbine,

where the first and second internal cycles utilize the leaner working solution which combine to generate a first quantity of useable energy,

where the third and main internal cycle comprises a basic rich solution stream, which passes through the three heat exchange units HE2, HE3, an HE5 to vaporize and superheat the basic rich solution stream, which is then mixed with a leaner working solution substream to form a richer working solution stream, the richer working solution stream then passes through the heat generator subsystem and then into a lower pressure turbine to generate a second quantity of useable energy, and

where the first and second internal cycles reject their heat in such a way that it is fully recuperated by the third and main internal cycle, whereas heat rejected by the main internal cycle is reject into the ambient in the condenser heat exchange unit in counterflow with an external coolant stream.

1. A system for power generation comprising:

a thermodynamic cycle including three interacting internal subcycles, where each cycle comprising a plurality of streams of different compositions of a multi-component fluid,

a heat generator subsystem, where the subsystem fully vaporizes and superheats a richer working solution stream and a leaner working solution stream,

a heat conversion subsystem including a lower pressure turbine and a higher pressure turbine, where the higher pressure turbine converts a portion of heat from the fully vaporized and superheated leaner working solution stream and the lower pressure turbine converts a portion of heat from the fully vaporized and superheated richer working solution stream,

a heat exchange subsystem including at least five heat exchange units, where the heat transfer units transfer heat from a spent richer working solution stream and condensing solution substreams to a basic rich solution stream and a lean solution substream,

a condenser for fully condense a basic rich solution stream using an external coolant stream,

a separator subsystem, where the separator subsystem separates partially condensed streams into a rich vapor stream and a lean liquid stream,

four pumps for increasing a pressure of four streams, and

mixing and splitting valves for splitting and combining stream,

where all streams are derived from a multi-component fluid and

where the first internal cycle comprises circulating of a spent leaner working solution substream through a heat exchange unit HE6 and the heat generator subsystem and then into the higher pressure turbine,

where the second internal cycle comprises circulating a upcoming leaner working solution stream through a heat exchange unit HE4, the heat exchange unit HE6 and heat generator subsystem and then into the higher pressure turbine,

where the first and second internal cycles utilize the leaner working solution which combine to generate a first quantity of useable energy,

where the third and main internal cycle comprises a basic rich solution stream, which passes through the three heat exchange units HE2, HE3, an HE5 to vaporize and superheat the basic rich solution stream, which is then mixed with a leaner working solution substream to form a richer working solution stream, the richer working solution stream then passes through the heat generator subsystem and then into a lower pressure turbine to generate a second quantity of useable energy, and

where the first and second internal cycles reject their heat in such a way that it is fully recuperated by the third and main internal cycle, whereas heat rejected by the main internal cycle is reject into the ambient in the condenser heat exchange unit in counterflow with an external coolant stream.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the heat generator subsystem includes:

a first separator S1, a second separator S2, and a scrubber SCR, where the first separator S1 separates a partially condense condensing solution stream into a vapor S1 rich solution stream and a liquid S1 lean solution stream, the second separator S2 into a vapor S2 rich solution stream and a liquid S2 lean solution stream, and the scrubber SCR mixes a vapor S1 rich solution substream and a liquid S2 lean solution stream to form a vapor SCR rich solution stream and a liquid SCR lean solution stream.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the heat generator subsystem includes:

a separator, where the separator separates a partially condensed condensing solution stream into a vapor rich solution stream and a liquid lean solution stream.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the multi-component fluid comprises:

an ammonia-water mixture, a mixture of two or more hydrocarbons, a mixture of two or more freon, or a mixture of hydrocarbons and freon.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the multi-component fluid comprises:

mixtures of any number of compounds with favorable thermodynamic characteristics and solubility.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the multi-component fluid comprises:

a mixture of water and ammonia.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the heat generator subsystem includes a heat recovery vapor generator subsystem utilizing a hot heat source stream, a solar generator subsystem utilizing a heat transfer fluid, a solar generator subsystem or a combination thereof to indirectly or directly fully vaporize and superheat the richer and leaner working solution streams.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the solar generator subsystem including two solar collectors and two heat exchange units, where the two solar collectors heat a heat transfer fluid which in turn vaporizes and superheats the richer working solution and the lean working solution streams.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the heat generator subsystem includes:

a first separator S1, a second separator S2, and a scrubber SCR, where the first separator S1 separates a partially condense condensing solution stream into a vapor S1 rich solution stream and a liquid S1 lean solution stream, the second separator S2 into a vapor S2 rich solution stream and a liquid S2 lean solution stream, and the scrubber SCR mixes a vapor S1 rich solution substream and a liquid S2 lean solution stream to form a vapor SCR rich solution stream and a liquid SCR lean solution stream.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the heat generator subsystem includes:

a separator, where the separator separates a partially condensed condensing solution stream into a vapor rich solution stream and a liquid lean solution stream.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the multi-component fluid comprises:

mixtures of any number of compounds with favorable thermodynamic characteristics and solubility.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the multi-component fluid comprises:

a mixture of water and ammonia.

13-1. The method of claim 9, wherein the multi-component fluid comprises:

an ammonia-water mixture, a mixture of two or more hydrocarbons, a mixture of two or more freon, or a mixture of hydrocarbons and freon.

16. A method for power generation comprising:

fully condensing a cooled basic rich solution stream in a first heat exchange unit HE1 using an external coolant stream to form a fully condensed basic rich solution stream and a spent external coolant stream,

increasing a pressure of the fully condensed basic rich solution stream in a first ump P1 to form a higher pressure fully condensed basic rich solution stream,

preheating the higher pressure fully condensed basic rich solution stream with heat from a basic rich solution stream in a second heat exchange unit HE2 to form a preheated higher pressure basic rich solution stream and the cooled basic rich solution stream,

heating the preheated higher pressure basic rich solution stream with heat from a first condensing solution substream in a third heat exchange unit HE3 to form a heated higher pressure basic rich solution stream and a partially condensed first condensing solution substream,

fully vaporizing and superheating the heated higher pressure basic rich solution stream with heat from a spent working solution stream in a fifth heat exchange unit HE5 to form a fully vaporized and superheated higher pressure basic rich solution stream and a cooled spent richer working solution stream,

combining the fully vaporized and superheated higher pressure basic rich solution stream with a first spent leaner working solution substream to form a richer working solution stream,

superheating the richer working solution stream in a heat generator subsystem to form a fully vaporized and superheated richer working solution stream,

converting a portion of heat in the vaporized and superheated richer working solution stream in a lower pressure turbine T2 to a second quantity of a useable form of energy to form the spent richer working solution stream,

combining the cooled spent richer working solution stream with a higher pressure first S1 lean solution substream to form a condensing solution stream,

dividing the condensing solution stream into the first condensing solution substream and a second condensing solution substream,

preheating a higher pressure leaner working solution stream with heat from the second condensing solution substream in a fourth heat exchange unit HE4 to form a partially condensed second condensing solution substream and a preheated higher pressure leaner working solution stream,

combining the first and second partially condensed condensing solution substreams to form a partially condensed combined condensing solution stream,

separating the partially condensed combined condensing solution stream in a first separator S1 to form a vapor S1 rich solution stream and a liquid S1 lean solution stream,

dividing the liquid S1 lean solution stream into a first liquid S1 lean solution substream, a second S1 lean solution substream and a third liquid S1 lean solution substream,

increasing a pressure of the first S1 lean solution substream in a third pump P3 to form the higher pressure first S1 lean solution substream,

increasing a pressure of the second S1 lean solution substream in a second pump P2 to form a higher pressure leaner working solution stream,

combining the third S1 lean solution stream with the vapor S1 rich solution steam to form the basic rich solution stream,

combining the preheated higher pressure leaner working solution stream with a cooled second spent leaner solution substream to form an increased flow rate, higher pressure leaner working solution stream,

increasing a pressure of the increased flow rate, higher pressure leaner working solution stream in a fifth pump P5 to from a high pressure, increased flow rate leaner working solution stream,

heating the high pressure, increased flow rate leaner working solution stream with heat from a spent second leaner solution substream to form the cooled second spent leaner solution substream and a heated high pressure, increased flow rate leaner working solution stream,

fully vaporizing and superheating the heated high pressure, increased flow rate leaner working solution stream in the heat generator subsystem to form a fully vaporized and superheated leaner working solution stream,

passing the fully vaporized and superheated leaner working solution stream through an addition valve or throttle control valve TV to adjust a pressure of the fully vaporized and superheated leaner working solution stream to form a pressure adjusted fully vaporized and superheated leaner working solution stream,

converting a portion to heat in the pressure adjusted fully vaporized and superheated leaner working solution stream in a higher pressure turbine T2 into a first quantity of a useable form of energy to form a spent leaner working solution stream, and

dividing the spent leaner working solution stream into the first and second spent leaner working solution substreams,

where all streams are derived from a multi-component fluid and

where method comprises a closed thermodynamic cycle including three interacting internal subcycles, each cycle comprising a plurality of streams of different compositions of a multi-component fluid,

where the first internal cycle comprises circulating of a spent leaner working solution substream through a heat exchange unit HE6 and the heat generator subsystem and then into the higher pressure turbine,

where the second internal cycle comprises circulating a upcoming leaner working solution stream through a heat exchange unit HE4, the heat exchange unit HE6 and heat generator subsystem and then into the higher pressure turbine,

where the first and second internal cycles utilize the leaner working solution which combine to generate a first quantity of useable energy,

where the third and main internal cycle comprises a basic rich solution stream, which passes through the three heat exchange units HE2, HE3, an HE5 to vaporize and superheat the basic rich solution stream, which is then mixed with a leaner working solution substream to form a richer working solution stream, the richer working solution stream then passes through the heat generator subsystem and then into a lower pressure turbine to generate a second quantity of useable energy, and

where the first and second internal cycles reject their heat in such a way that it is fully recuperated by the third and main internal cycle, whereas heat rejected by the main internal cycle is reject into the ambient in the condenser heat exchange unit in counterflow with an external coolant stream.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the heat generator subsystem includes a heat recovery vapor generator subsystem utilizing a hot heat source stream, a solar generator subsystem utilizing a heat transfer fluid, a solar generator subsystem or a combination thereof to indirectly or directly fully vaporize and superheat the richer and leaner working solution streams.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the solar generator subsystem including two solar collectors and two heat exchange units, where the two solar collectors heat a heat transfer fluid which in turn vaporizes and superheats the richer working solution and the lean working solution streams.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the heat generator subsystem includes a heat recovery vapor generator subsystem utilizing a hot heat source stream, a solar generator subsystem utilizing a heat transfer fluid, a solar generator subsystem or a combination thereof to indirectly or directly fully vaporize and superheat the richer and leaner working solution streams.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the solar generator subsystem including two solar collectors and two heat exchange units, where the two solar collectors heat a heat transfer fluid which in turn vaporizes and superheats the richer working solution and the lean working solution streams.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the heat generator subsystem includes:

a first separator S1, a second separator S2, and a scrubber SCR, where the first separator S1 separates a partially condense condensing solution stream into a vapor S1 rich solution stream and a liquid S1 lean solution stream, the second separator S2 into a vapor S2 rich solution stream and a liquid S2 lean solution stream, and the scrubber SCR mixes a vapor S1 rich solution substream and a liquid S2 lean solution stream to form a vapor SCR rich solution stream and a liquid SCR lean solution stream.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein the heat generator subsystem includes:

a separator, where the separator separates a partially condensed condensing solution stream into a vapor rich solution stream and a liquid lean solution stream.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein the multi-component fluid comprises:

mixtures of any number of compounds with favorable thermodynamic characteristics and solubility.

22. The system of claim 16, wherein the multi-component fluid comprises:

a mixture of water and ammonia.

20-2. The system of claim 16, wherein the multi-component fluid comprises:

an ammonia-water mixture, a mixture of two or more hydrocarbons, a mixture of two or more freon, or a mixture of hydrocarbons and freon.