Heat Engine and Heat to Electricity Systems and Methods with Working Fluid Mass Management Control
First Claim
1. A heat engine system for converting thermal energy into mechanical energy, comprising:
- a working fluid circuit that circulates a working fluid through a high pressure side and a low pressure side of the working fluid circuit, the working fluid circuit comprising;
a first heat exchanger in thermal communication with a heat source to transfer thermal energy to the working fluid;
a first expander in fluid communication with the first heat exchanger and fluidly arranged between the high and low pressure sides;
a first recuperator fluidly coupled to the first expander and configured to transfer thermal energy between the high and low pressure sides;
a cooler in fluid communication with the first recuperator and configured to control a temperature of the working fluid in the low pressure side; and
a first pump fluidly coupled to the cooler and configured to circulate the working fluid through the working fluid circuit; and
a mass management system fluidly coupled to the working fluid circuit and configured to regulate a pressure and an amount of working fluid within the working fluid circuit, the mass management system comprising;
a mass control tank fluidly coupled to the high pressure side at a first tie-in point located upstream from the first expansion device and to the low pressure side at a second tie-in point located upstream from an inlet of the pump; and
a control system communicably coupled to the working fluid circuit at a first sensor arranged before the inlet of the pump and at a second sensor arranged after an outlet of the pump, and communicably coupled to the mass control tank at a third sensor arranged either within or adjacent the mass control tank.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Various thermodynamic power-generating cycles employ a mass management system to regulate the pressure and amount of working fluid circulating throughout the working fluid circuits. The mass management systems may have a mass control tank fluidly coupled to the working fluid circuit at one or more strategically-located tie-in points. A heat exchanger coil may be used in conjunction with the mass control tank to regulate the temperature of the fluid within the mass control tank, and thereby determine whether working fluid is either extracted from or injected into the working fluid circuit. Regulating the pressure and amount of working fluid in the working fluid circuit helps selectively increase or decrease the suction pressure of the pump, which can increase system efficiency.
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Citations
27 Claims
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1. A heat engine system for converting thermal energy into mechanical energy, comprising:
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a working fluid circuit that circulates a working fluid through a high pressure side and a low pressure side of the working fluid circuit, the working fluid circuit comprising; a first heat exchanger in thermal communication with a heat source to transfer thermal energy to the working fluid; a first expander in fluid communication with the first heat exchanger and fluidly arranged between the high and low pressure sides; a first recuperator fluidly coupled to the first expander and configured to transfer thermal energy between the high and low pressure sides; a cooler in fluid communication with the first recuperator and configured to control a temperature of the working fluid in the low pressure side; and a first pump fluidly coupled to the cooler and configured to circulate the working fluid through the working fluid circuit; and a mass management system fluidly coupled to the working fluid circuit and configured to regulate a pressure and an amount of working fluid within the working fluid circuit, the mass management system comprising; a mass control tank fluidly coupled to the high pressure side at a first tie-in point located upstream from the first expansion device and to the low pressure side at a second tie-in point located upstream from an inlet of the pump; and a control system communicably coupled to the working fluid circuit at a first sensor arranged before the inlet of the pump and at a second sensor arranged after an outlet of the pump, and communicably coupled to the mass control tank at a third sensor arranged either within or adjacent the mass control tank. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A method for regulating a pressure and an amount of a working fluid in a thermodynamic cycle, comprising:
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placing a thermal energy source in thermal communication with a heat exchanger arranged within a working fluid circuit, the working fluid circuit having a high pressure side and a low pressure side; circulating the working fluid through the working fluid circuit with a pump; expanding the working fluid in an expander to generate mechanical energy; sensing operating parameters of the working fluid circuit with first and second sensor sets communicably coupled to a control system, the first sensor set being configured to sense at least one of a pressure and a temperature proximate an inlet of the pump and the second sensor set being configured to sense at least one of the pressure and the temperature proximate an outlet of the pump; extracting working fluid from the working fluid circuit at a first tie-in point arranged upstream from the expander in the high pressure side, the first tie-in point being fluidly coupled to a mass control tank; and injecting working fluid from the mass control tank into the working fluid circuit via a second tie-in point arranged upstream from an inlet of the pump to increase a suction pressure of the pump. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for regulating a pressure and an amount of a working fluid in a thermodynamic cycle, comprising:
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placing a thermal energy source in thermal communication with a heat exchanger arranged within a working fluid circuit, the working fluid circuit having a high pressure side and a low pressure side; circulating the working fluid through the working fluid circuit with a pump; expanding the working fluid in an expander to generate mechanical energy; extracting working fluid from the working fluid circuit and into a mass control tank by transferring thermal energy from working fluid in the mass control tank to a heat exchanger coil, the working fluid being extracted from the working fluid circuit at a first tie-in point arranged upstream from the expander in the high pressure side and being fluidly coupled to the mass control tank; and injecting working fluid from the mass control tank to the working fluid circuit via the first tie-in point by transferring thermal energy from the heat exchanger coil to the working fluid in the mass control tank. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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22. A mass management system, comprising:
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a mass control tank fluidly coupled to a low pressure side of a working fluid circuit that has a pump configured to circulate a working fluid throughout the working fluid circuit, the mass control tank being coupled to the low pressure side at a tie-in point located upstream from an inlet of the pump; a heat exchanger configured to transfer heat to and from the mass control tank to either draw in working fluid from the working fluid circuit and to the mass control tank via the tie-in point or inject working fluid into the working fluid circuit from the mass control tank via the tie-in point; and a control system communicably coupled to the working fluid circuit at a first sensor set arranged adjacent the inlet of the pump and a second sensor set arranged adjacent an outlet of the pump, and communicably coupled to the mass control tank at a third sensor set arranged either within or adjacent the mass control tank. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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Specification