OPTIMIZED SYSTEM FOR RECOVERING WASTE HEAT

• US 20100326076A1
• Filed: 06/30/2009
• Published: 12/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Bartlett, Michael Adam, Ast, Gabor, Frey, Thomas Johannes, Kopecek, Herbert, Huck, Pierre Sebastien
• Application Number:
  US12/494,358
• Publication Number:
  US 20100326076A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 60/671
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 23/04 condensation heat from one cycle heating the fluid in another cycle
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 23/065 the combustion taking place in an internal combustion piston engine, e.g. a diesel engine
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 25/10 the vapours being cold, e.g. ammonia, carbon dioxide, ether
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 27/02 Plants modified to use their waste heat, other than that of exhaust, e.g. engine-friction heat

Abstract

A waste heat recovery system includes at least two integrated rankine cycle systems coupled to at least two separate heat sources having different temperatures. The first rankine cycle system is coupled to a first heat source and configured to circulate a first working fluid. The second rankine cycle system is coupled to at least one second heat source and configured to circulate a second working fluid. The first and second working fluid are circulatable in heat exchange relationship through a cascading heat exchange unit for condensation of the first working fluid in the first rankine cycle system and evaporation of the second working fluid in the second rankine cycle system. At least one bypass unit is configured to divert at least a portion of the first working fluid to bypass the first evaporator, the first expander, the cascaded heat exchange unit, or combinations thereof; at least a portion of the second working fluid to bypass the second expander, the cascaded heat exchange unit, or combinations thereof.

Claims

1. A waste heat recovery system including at least two integrated rankine cycle systems, the recovery system comprising:

a heat generation system comprising at least two separate heat sources having different temperatures;

a first rankine cycle system comprising a first evaporator and a first expander, wherein the first rankine cycle system is coupled to a first heat source among the at least two separate heat sources and configured to circulate a first working fluid;

wherein the first rankine system is configured to remove heat from the first heat source;

a second rankine cycle system comprising a second evaporator and a second expander;

wherein the second rankine cycle system is coupled to at least one second heat source among the at least two separate heat sources and configured to circulate a second working fluid, the at least one second heat source comprising a lower temperature heat source than the first heat source, wherein the second rankine cycle system is configured to remove heat from the at least one second heat source;

a cascaded heat exchange unit, wherein the first and second working fluids are circulatable in heat exchange relationship through the cascaded heat exchange unit for condensation of the first working fluid in the first rankine cycle system and evaporation of the second working fluid in the second rankine cycle system; and

at least one bypass unit configured to divert at least a portion of the first working fluid to bypass the first evaporator, the first expander, the cascaded heat exchange unit, or combinations thereof;

at least a portion of the second working fluid to bypass the second expander, the cascaded heat exchange unit, or combinations thereof.

2. The recovery system of claim 1, wherein the first evaporator is coupled to the first heat source, and wherein the first heat source comprises an engine exhaust unit.

3. The recovery system of claim 2, wherein the first evaporator is coupled to the engine exhaust unit via a thermal oil heat exchanger, exhaust economizer, or combinations thereof.

4. The recovery system of claim 3, further comprising one bypass unit configured to divert at least a portion of thermal oil to bypass the first evaporator;

wherein the one bypass unit comprises a control valve coupled to a bypass path.

5. The recovery system of claim 3, further comprising one bypass unit configured to divert at least a portion of thermal oil to bypass the thermal oil heat exchanger;

wherein the one bypass unit comprises a control valve coupled to a bypass path.

6. The recovery system of claim 2, further comprising one bypass unit configured to divert at least a portion of engine exhaust gas to bypass the thermal oil heat exchanger;

wherein the one bypass unit comprises a control valve coupled to a bypass path.

7. The recovery system of claim 1, wherein the second rankine cycle system comprises a condenser coupled to the at least one second heat source selected from a group comprising an oil heat exchanger, an engine jacket, a water jacket heat exchanger, a lower temperature intercooler, a higher temperature intercooler, or combinations thereof.

8. The recovery system of claim 7, further comprising a partial evaporator;

wherein the condenser is coupled to the oil heat exchanger, the engine jacket, the water jacket heat exchanger, the engine jacket, the lower temperature intercooler, the higher temperature intercooler, or combinations thereof through the partial evaporator configured to partially evaporate the second working fluid before entering the cascaded heat exchange unit.

9. The recovery system of claim 8, further comprising one bypass unit configured to divert at least a portion of water to bypass the partial evaporator;

wherein the one bypass unit comprises a control valve coupled to a bypass path.

10. The recovery system of claim 8, further comprising one bypass unit configured to divert at least a portion of the second working fluid to bypass the partial evaporator, wherein the one bypass unit comprises a control valve coupled to a bypass path.

11. The recovery system of claim 1, wherein the at least one bypass unit comprises a control valve, a three-way valve, pressure reduction valve, or combinations thereof coupled to a bypass path.

12. A waste heat recovery system including at least two integrated organic rankine cycle systems, the recovery system comprising:

a combustion engine comprising one heat source having an engine exhaust unit; and

at least one other heat source selected from a group comprising an oil heat exchanger, an engine jacket, a water jacket heat exchanger, a lower temperature intercooler, a higher temperature intercooler, or combinations thereof;

a first organic rankine cycle system comprising a first evaporator and a first expander, wherein the first organic rankine cycle system is coupled to the engine exhaust unit and configured to circulate a first organic working fluid;

wherein the first organic rankine system is configured to remove heat from the engine exhaust unit;

a second organic rankine cycle system comprising a second evaporator and a second expander;

wherein the second organic rankine cycle system is coupled to the at least one other heat source selected from the group comprising the oil heat exchanger, the engine jacket, the water jacket heat exchanger, the lower temperature intercooler, the higher temperature intercooler, or combinations thereof; and

configured to circulate a second organic working fluid, the one heat source comprising a higher temperature heat source than the at least one other heat source, wherein the second organic rankine cycle system is configured to remove heat from the at least one other heat source; and

a cascaded heat exchange unit, wherein the first and second organic working fluids are circulatable in heat exchange relationship through the cascaded heat exchange unit for condensation of the first organic working fluid in the first organic rankine cycle system and evaporation of the second organic working fluid in the second organic rankine cycle system;

at least one bypass unit configured to divert at least a portion of the first working fluid to bypass the first evaporator, the first expander, the cascaded heat exchange unit, or combinations thereof;

at least a portion of the second working fluid to bypass the second expander, the cascaded heat exchange unit, or combinations thereof.

13. The recovery system of claim 12, wherein the first evaporator is coupled to the engine exhaust unit via a thermal oil heat exchanger, exhaust economizer, or combinations thereof.

14. The recovery system of claim 13, further comprising one bypass unit configured to divert at least a portion of thermal oil to bypass the first evaporator;

wherein the one bypass unit comprises a control valve coupled to a bypass path.

15. The recovery system of claim 13, further comprising one bypass unit configured to divert at least a portion of thermal oil to bypass the thermal oil heat exchanger;

wherein the one bypass unit comprises a control valve coupled to a bypass path.

16. The recovery system of claim 12, further comprising one bypass unit configured to divert at least a portion of engine exhaust gas to bypass the thermal oil heat exchanger;

wherein the one bypass unit comprises a control valve coupled to a bypass path.

17. The recovery system of claim 12, wherein the second rankine cycle system comprises a condenser coupled to the at least one other heat source selected from a group comprising an oil heat exchanger, an engine jacket, a water jacket heat exchanger, a lower temperature intercooler, a higher temperature intercooler, or combinations thereof.

18. The recovery system of claim 17, further comprising a partial evaporator;

wherein the condenser is coupled to the oil heat exchanger, the engine jacket, the water jacket heat exchanger, the engine jacket, the lower temperature intercooler, the higher temperature intercooler, or combinations thereof through the partial evaporator configured to partially evaporate the second working fluid before entering the cascaded heat exchange unit.

19. The recovery system of claim 18, further comprising one bypass unit configured to divert at least a portion of water to bypass the partial evaporator;

wherein the one bypass unit comprises a control valve coupled to a bypass path.

20. The recovery system of claim 18, further comprising one bypass unit configured to divert at least a portion of the second working fluid to bypass the partial evaporator, wherein the one bypass unit comprises a control valve coupled to a bypass path.

21. The recovery system of claim 12, wherein the at least one bypass unit comprises a control valve, a three-way valve, pressure reduction valve, or combinations thereof coupled to a bypass path.

22. A waste heat recovery system including at least two integrated rankine cycle systems, the recovery system comprising:

a heat generation system comprising at least two separate heat sources having different temperatures;

a first rankine cycle system comprising a first evaporator and a first expander, wherein the first rankine cycle system is coupled to a first heat source among the at least two separate heat sources and configured to circulate a first working fluid;

wherein the first rankine system is configured to remove heat from the first heat source;

a second rankine cycle system comprising a second evaporator and a second expander;

wherein the second rankine cycle system is coupled to at least one second heat source among the at least two separate heat sources and configured to circulate a second working fluid, the at least one second heat source comprising a lower temperature heat source than the first heat source, wherein the second rankine cycle system is configured to remove heat from the at least one second heat source;

a cascaded heat exchange unit, wherein the first and second working fluids are circulatable in heat exchange relationship through the cascaded heat exchange unit for condensation of the first working fluid in the first rankine cycle system and evaporation of the second working fluid in the second rankine cycle system;

wherein the second rankine cycle is configured to preheat and/or partially evaporate the second working fluid before entering the cascaded heat exchange unit and

at least one bypass unit configured to divert at least a portion of the first working fluid to bypass the first evaporator, the first expander, the cascaded heat exchange unit, or combinations thereof;

at least a portion of the second working fluid to bypass the second expander, the cascaded heat exchange unit, or combinations thereof.

23. The recovery system of claim 22, wherein the second rankine cycle system comprises a condenser coupled to the at least one second heat source selected from a group comprising an oil heat exchanger, an engine jacket, a water jacket heat exchanger, a lower temperature intercooler, a higher temperature intercooler, or combinations thereof.

24. The recovery system of claim 23, further comprising a partial evaporator;

wherein the condenser is coupled to the oil heat exchanger, the engine jacket, the water jacket heat exchanger, the engine jacket, the lower temperature intercooler, the higher temperature intercooler, or combinations thereof through the partial evaporator configured to partially evaporate the second working fluid before entering the cascaded heat exchange unit.

25. The recovery system of claim 24, further comprising one bypass unit configured to divert at least a portion of water to bypass the partial evaporator;

wherein the one bypass unit comprises a control valve coupled to a bypass path.

26. The recovery system of claim 24, further comprising one bypass unit configured to divert at least a portion of the second working fluid to bypass the partial evaporator, wherein the one bypass unit comprises a control valve coupled to a bypass path.

27. The recovery system of claim 22, wherein the at least one bypass unit comprises a control valve, a three-way valve, pressure reduction valve, or combinations thereof coupled to a bypass path.