SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR POWER COGENERATION

• US 20140039707A1
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Published: 02/06/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Concentric Power, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Concentric Power, Inc.
• Inventors: Curtis, Brian Mark, SHIPCHANDLER, Riyaz Mohammed
• Granted Patent: US 9,453,477 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/288
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 13/00 General layout or general methods of operation of complete plants
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 13/02 Controlling, e.g. stopping or starting
• CPC Class Codes: F02B 63/04 for electric generators
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 25/00 Controlling two or more co-operating engines
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 29/06 peculiar to engines driving electric generators
• CPC Class Codes: F02G 5/00 Profiting from waste heat of combustion engines, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 2400/06 Several compression cycles arranged in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: F25B 27/00 Machines, plants or systems, using particular sources of energy F25B30/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/406 characterised by monitoring or safety G05B19/19 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31334 Database with devices, configuration, of plant
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0202 Market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/1815 structurally associated with reciprocating piston engines general aspects of generating sets, e.g. housing, F02B63/04
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 20/14 Combined heat and power generation [CHP]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 80/15 On-site combined power, heat or cool generation or distribution, e.g. combined heat and power [CHP] supply

Abstract

The invention includes systems and methods for power cogeneration. In certain embodiments the cogeneration systems include one or more units that are modularized; in some of these embodiments, the modules contain components that are integrated and ready for use with a control system that optimizes a result for the cogeneration plant. In some cases, the cogeneration system is part of a network of cogeneration systems.

Claims

1. A cogeneration system comprising

(i) a cogeneration plant operably connected to a host facility that receives a thermal and/or mechnical work product and, optionally, electrical power from the cogeneration plant under an agreement with the cogeneration plant owner, wherein the cogeneration plant comprises a plurality of operably connected modular transportable units;

and

(ii) a control system operably connected to the cogeneration plant comprising

(a) a receiver system for receiving inputs from a plurality of sources of input wherein the sources of input comprise input from sensors in one or more of the modular units, inputs from the host facility, and inputs from indicators of market and/or other external conditions,

(b) a processor system operably connected to the receiver system, configured to process the inputs and determine outputs for modulating the activities of a plurality of actuators or actuator systems in one or more of the modular units to achieve a desired result in the operation of the cogeneration plant based on the inputs and on the agreement; and

(c) a transmitter system operably connected to the processor system for transmitting the outputs to the actuators or actuator systems.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the modular transportable units exist in a first form that is a transportable form and second form that is an assembled form, and the first form and the second form are substantially the same for at least two of the modular transportable units, and wherein the sensors and actuators do not require substantial modification to convert from the transportable form to the assembled form.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the sensors comprise at least 2 sensors for sensing inputs selected from the group consisting of a HRSG exhaust temperature, a steam flow rate, a generator output, an exhaust temperature, a thermal product carrier outlet temperature, a thermal product carrier inlet temperature, a thermal product carrier outlet flow rate, a thermal product carrier inlet flow rate, and/or at least one of a NOx, NH3, SOx, CO, CO2, particulate, and O2 emission.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the receiver is configured to further receive at least 2 inputs indicating at least two environmental conditions at or near the cogeneration plant, wherein the environmental conditions are selected from the group consisting of temperature, humidity, wind speed, wind direction, time of day, and air pressure.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the receiver is configured to further receive input indicating a desired future modulation in the conditions of the host facility, wherein the input is inputted from an interface for interaction between the system and an operator of the host facility.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the receiver is further configured to receive at least 2 inputs inidicating a market condition wherein the market conditions are selected from the group consisting of a price for a fuel for the cogeneration plant, a price for electrical energy exported from the cogeneration plant, a price for imported electrical energy to the cogeneration plant, a price for an incentive for the cogeneration plant, a price for a demand response action, a price for a thermal product produced by the cogeneration plant, a price for water, and a price for a variable maintenance price.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the inputs from the host facility comprise an electrical energy demand, a thermal product demand, a thermal product carrier flow rate, an air temperature, a thermal product carrier temperature, a fan rate, a humidity, a set point for an air temperature, a set point for a thermal product carrier temperature, or any combination thereof.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the processing of step (ii)(b) comprises a forecast step comprising forecasting a future value or range of values or a probability of a future value or range of values for one or more conditions selected from the group consisting of a fuel price, an electricity export price, an electricity import price, an ambient environmental condition, an emissions limit, an incentive for the cogeneration plant, a price for a demand response action, a price for a thermal product, a price for mechanical work product, a price for water, an electrical demand from the host facility, a thermal product demand from the host facility, and a mechanical product demand from the host facility.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the control system further comprises a data storage unit for storing a timing, and/or a value for a result that occurs after the change in the one or more outputs, and wherein the control system is configured to adjust the processing step based on one or more of the results stored in the data storage unit.

12. A cogeneration network comprising a plurality of cogeneration systems of claim 1.

10-11. -11. (canceled)

13. (canceled)

14. A method for achieving a desired result during a time period for a modular cogeneration plant comprising

(i) receiving inputs from

(a) a cogeneration plant, wherein the cogeneration plant comprises a plurality of modular transportable units;

(b) a first facility to which the cogeneration plant is obligated to provide electrical power under a first agreement and a second facility to which the cogeneration plant is obligated to provide a thermal product under a second agreement and, optionally, a third facility under which the cogeneration plant is obligated to provide a mechanical work product under a third agreement,

(c) indicators of expenses or potential expenses for the cogeneration plant, and

(d) indicators of revenues or potential revenues for the cogeneration plant;

(ii) determining an output to modulate the activity of an actuator in the cogeneration plant, the first facility, the second facility, the third facility, or any combination thereof, based on the inputs and on the first agreement and the second agreement and the third agreement, wherein the output is determined to achieve a desired result in the time period for the operation of the cogeneration plant; and

(iii) transmitting the output to the actuator or actuator system to modulate the activity of the actuator or actuator to approach the desired result;

whereby the desired result for the cogeneration plant in the time period is achieved.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the inputs from the cogeneration plant are from sensors in the modular transportable units of the cogeneration plant, wherein the modular transportable units exist in a transportable form and in an assembled form, and wherein the sensors are configured to be fully operational in the assembled form with no substantial modification from the transportable form.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the output is an output to an actuator or actuator system in a modular transportable unit of the cogeneration plant, wherein the modular transportable units exist in a transportable form and in an assembled form, and wherein the actuator or actuator system is configured to be fully operational in the assembled form with no substantial modification from the transportable form.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein the inputs further comprise environmental data comprises ambient temperature, absolute pressure, relative pressure, precipitation, humidity, wind, time of day, or any combination thereof.

19. The method of claim 14 wherein the facility is a refrigerated facility, a food and/or beverage processing facility, a university, a pharmaceutical facility, an oil and/or gas production facility, an EOR facility, a LNG facility, a process industry facility such as a refining facility, an ethanol facility, or a chemicals facility, a commercial building, a hospital, a waste water treatment facility, a landfill, or any combination thereof.

20. The method of claim 14 wherein the desired result is an optimum profit the cogeneration facility or a profit that contributes to maximizing a total profit for a network comprising a plurality of cogeneration plants, wherein the cogeneration plant is part of the network.

22. The method of claim 14 wherein the determining of step (ii) is modulated or not modulated based on a result of a past determination for an output, or a plurality of results of a plurality of determinations for an output or a plurality of outputs, or based on an input or plurality of inputs from an operator of the first facility or the second facility, or a combination thereof.

24. The method of claim 14 wherein the input from the first facility comprises information about one or more aspects of a process electric load, or one or more aspects of a process thermal load, or a combination thereof.

28. The method of claim 14 wherein at least part of the determining of step (ii) is performed at a location that is remote from the cogeneration plant, the first facility, the second facility, and the third facility, wherein the location is at least 5 miles from any of the cogeneration plant, the first facility, the second facility, or the third facility.

18. (canceled)

21. (canceled)

23. (canceled)

25-27. -27. (canceled)

29. (canceled)

30. A cogeneration system comprising a cogeneration plant that is operably connected to a host facility to which the cogeneration plant provides a thermal and/or mechanical work product and electrical power at a host site under an agreement, wherein the cogeneration plant comprises

(i) a set of operably connected modular transportable units that comprises

(a) a first modular transportable unit comprising a natural gas-fired turbine generator with a maximum power output of between 1 and 40 MW,

(b) a second modular transportable unit comprising a HRSG for utilizing the exhaust gases of the turbine to generate steam and further comprising an emissions control unit to control NOx emissions, operably connected to the turbine, and

(c) a third transportable unit comprising an exhaust stack unit with integrated emissions monitoring for NOx, operably connected to the HRSG;

wherein the modular transportable units exist in a transportable form that is suitable for transport on an ordinary roadway and in an assembled form that is fixed at the host site, and wherein the first, second, and third modular transportable units each comprise at least one sensor and at least one actuator or actuator system, wherein the sensors are configured to transmit inputs to a control system for controlling the cogeneration plant and the actuators are configured to receive an output from the control system, with no substantial modification from their configurations in the transportable units to their configuration in the assembled units; and

(ii) the control system comprises

(a) a receiver system that receives inputs from the sensors in the modular units, signals from sensors in the host facility, signals from ambient environmental sensors, inputs from markets for natural gas, inputs from power markets, inputs from forecast systems that comprise a weather forecast system and a price forecast system, and inputs from an interface through which the operator of the host facility may enter changes in upcoming conditions at the host facility;

(b) a processing system operably connected to the receiver system for processing the inputs and determining outputs for modulating the activities of a plurality of actuators or actuator systems in one or more of the modular units, wherein the plurality of actuators or actuator systems comprises the actuator or actuator systems in the first, second, and third modular transportable units, to achieve a desired result in the operation of the cogeneration plant based on the inputs and on the agreement; and

(c) a transmitter system operably connected to the processor system for transmitting the outputs to the actuators or actuator systems;

wherein the control system is at least partially Web-based and is configured to learn from an outcome of one or more previous outputs and adjust the determining of future outputs based on the learning, or on an override of an output or a plurality of overrides of outputs by an operator of the host facility, or a combination thereof.

31. The system of claim 30 wherein the cogeneration plant further comprises a fourth modular transportable unit comprising a steam-driven compression refrigeration unit, operably connected to the HRSG, a fifth modular transportable unit comprising a cooling tower operably connected to the refrigeration unit, or a combination thereof.

32. (canceled)

33. A method of manufacturing a modular cogeneration plant comprising

(i) transporting a set comprising a plurality of modular transportable units to a host site comprising a host facility that requires a thermal product and/or a mechanical work product and, optionally, electrical power from the cogeneration plant, wherein

(a) each of the modular transportable units contains one or more components, or parts of one or more components, of the cogeneration plant, and the components comprise a generator, a heat transfer unit, an air intake unit, and an exhaust unit;

(b) the modular transportable units exist in a transportable form and an assembled form; and

(c) at least two of the modular transportable units comprise at least one sensor and at least one actuator or actuator system, wherein the sensors are configured to transmit inputs to a control system for controlling the cogeneration plant and the actuators are configured to receive an output from the control system, with no substantial modification from their configurations in the transportable units to their configuration in the assembled units; and

(ii) assembling the modules into a complete cogeneration plant wherein the modules are operably connected to provide a functioning cogeneration plant under the control of the control system, wherein the cogeneration plant is configured to provide the thermal product and/or mechanical work product and, optionally, electrical power to the host facility under an agreement between a provider of the cogeneration plant and a provider of the host facility.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein the control system is further configured to receive inputs from the host facility and from external sources and to determine outputs for the actuators to achieve a desired result for the operation of the cogeneration plant over a period of time based on the inputs from the sensors, the host facility, and the external sources, and on the agreement.

36. The method of claim 33 wherein the modular transportable units comprise a total of at least 5 sensors to transmit inputs to the control system, wherein the sensors are configured to transmit the inputs with no substantial modification from their configurations in the transportable units to their configurations in the assembled units and wherein the sensors comprise sensors for a temperature, one or more sensors for a pressure, one or more sensors for a volume, one or more sensors for a first or a second state of one or more units that can exist in the first or the second state, one or more sensors for a power generation level, one or more electrical sensors, one or more acoustical sensors, one or more optical sensors, one or more chemical detection sensors, one or more pH sensors, one or more electrical potential sensors, or one or more current sensors, or any combination thereof.

37. The method of claim 33 wherein the control system is further configured to receive an input from the host facility comprising an electrical energy demand, a thermal product demand, a thermal product carrier flow rate, an air temperature, a thermal product carrier temperature, a mechanical work product demand, a mechanical work product carrier flow rate, a fan rate, a humidity, a set point for an air temperature within the host facility, or a set point for a thermal product carrier temperature, or any combination thereof.

38. The method of claim 33 wherein the control system is further configured to receive inputs from external sources, wherein the external sources comprise sources of information about one or more market conditions comprising information of a price for a fuel for the cogeneration plant, a price for electrical energy exported from the cogeneration plant, a price for imported electrical energy to the cogeneration plant, a price for an incentive for the cogeneration plants, a price for a thermal and/or mechanical work product produced by the cogeneration plant, a price for water for the cogeneration plant, and/or a price for a variable maintenance contract for the cogeneration plant, or any combination thereof.

40. The method of claim 33 wherein the external sources comprise sources of information about environmental conditions comprising one or more of a temperature, a humidity, a wind speed, a wind direction, a time of day, a day of the year, or an air pressure, or any combination thereof.

41. The method of claim 33 wherein the receiver is configured to further receive input indicating a desired or predicted future modulation in the conditions of the host facility, wherein the input is inputted from an interface for interaction between the system and an operator of the host facility.

43. The method of claim 33 wherein the control system is configured to determine a forcast step, wherein the forecast step forecasts a future value or range of values, or a probability of a future value or range of values, for a fuel price, an electricity export price, an electricity import price, an ambient environmental condition, an emissions limit, an incentive for the cogeneration plant, a price for a thermal product, a price for water, an electrical demand from the host facility, a thermal product demand from the host facility, or a combination thereof.

44. The method of claim 33 wherein the control system is configured to adjust the determining of a change or no change in the one or more outputs on one or more of outcomes from one or more past outputs to the cogeneration plant.

35. (canceled)

39. (canceled)

42. (canceled)