Heat Engine System Having a Selectively Configurable Working Fluid Circuit

• US 20150076831A1
• Filed: 09/03/2014
• Published: 03/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Echogen Power Systems, LLC
• Original Assignee: Echogen Power Systems, LLC
• Inventors: Giegel, Josua
• Granted Patent: US 9,874,112 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 290/1.R
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 23/12 the engines being mechanically coupled F01K23/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 25/08 using special vapours
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 25/10 the vapours being cold, e.g. ammonia, carbon dioxide, ether
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 7/40 Use of two or more feed-water heaters in series
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 9/02 Arrangements or modifications of condensate or air pumps
• CPC Class Codes: F22D 1/32 arranged to be heated by steam, e.g. bled from turbines

Abstract

Heat engine systems having selectively configurable working fluid circuits are provided. One heat engine system includes a pump that circulates a working fluid through a working fluid circuit and an expander that receives the working fluid from a high pressure side of the working fluid circuit and converts a pressure drop in the working fluid to mechanical energy. A plurality of waste heat exchangers are each selectively positioned in or isolated from the high pressure side. A plurality of recuperators are each selectively positioned in or isolated from the high pressure side and the low pressure side. A plurality of valves are actuated to enable selective control over which of the plurality of waste heat exchangers is positioned in the high pressure side, which of the plurality of recuperators is positioned in the high pressure side, and which of the plurality of recuperators is positioned in the low pressure side.

Claims

1. A heat engine system, comprising:

a working fluid circuit having a high pressure side and a low pressure side and being configured to flow a working fluid therethrough;

a plurality of waste heat exchangers, wherein each of the waste heat exchangers is configured to be fluidly coupled to and in thermal communication with the high pressure side of the working fluid circuit, to be fluidly coupled to and in thermal communication with a heat source stream, and to transfer thermal energy from the heat source stream to the working fluid within the high pressure side;

a plurality of recuperators, wherein each of the recuperators is fluidly coupled to the working fluid circuit and configured to transfer thermal energy between the high pressure side and the low pressure side of the working fluid circuit;

a first expander fluidly coupled to the working fluid circuit, disposed between the high pressure side and the low pressure side, and configured to convert a pressure drop in the working fluid to mechanical energy;

a second expander fluidly coupled to the working fluid circuit, disposed between the high pressure side and the low pressure side, and configured to convert the pressure drop in the working fluid to mechanical energy;

a first pump fluidly coupled to the working fluid circuit between the low pressure side and the high pressure side of the working fluid circuit and configured to circulate or pressurize the working fluid within the working fluid circuit; and

a first condenser configured to be in thermal communication with the working fluid on the low pressure side of the working fluid circuit and configured to remove thermal energy from the working fluid on the low pressure side of the working fluid circuit.

2. The heat engine system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of waste heat exchangers are disposed in series on the high pressure side of the working fluid circuit upstream of the first expander or the second expander.

3. The heat engine system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of recuperators are disposed in series on the high pressure side of the working fluid circuit upstream of the first expander or the second expander.

4. The heat engine system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of recuperators are disposed in series on the low pressure side of the working fluid circuit downstream of the first expander or the second expander.

5. The heat engine system of claim 4, wherein the first recuperator is disposed downstream of the first expander on the low pressure side and the second recuperator is disposed downstream of the second expander on the low pressure side.

6. The heat engine system of claim 1, further comprising a generator coupled to the first expander by a driveshaft, wherein the generator or the alternator is configured to convert the mechanical energy into electrical energy.

7. The heat engine system of claim 1, further comprising a driveshaft coupled to the first expander and the second expander, wherein the driveshaft is configured to drive the first pump, a compressor, a generator, an alternator, or a combination thereof with the mechanical energy.

8. The heat engine system of claim 1, further comprising:

a second pump fluidly coupled to the working fluid circuit and configured to circulate or pressurize the working fluid within the working fluid circuit;

a second condenser in thermal communication with the working fluid in the working fluid circuit and configured to remove thermal energy from the working fluid in the working fluid circuit;

a third pump fluidly coupled to the working fluid circuit and configured to circulate or pressurize the working fluid within the working fluid circuit; and

a third condenser in thermal communication with the working fluid in the working fluid circuit and configured to remove thermal energy from the working fluid in the working fluid circuit.

9. The heat engine system of claim 1, further comprising a process heating system fluidly coupled to and in thermal communication with the low pressure side of the working fluid circuit.

10. The heat engine system of claim 9, wherein the process heating system comprises a process heat exchanger configured to transfer thermal energy from the working fluid on the low pressure side of the working fluid circuit to a heat-transfer fluid flowing through the process heat exchanger.

11. The heat engine system of claim 10, wherein the process heat exchanger is configured to transfer thermal energy from the working fluid on the low pressure side of the working fluid circuit to a fluid comprising methane during a preheating step to form a heated methane fluid, and the heat source stream is derived from a heat source configured to combust the heated methane fluid.

12. A heat engine system, comprising:

a pump configured to pressurize and circulate a working fluid through a working fluid circuit having a high pressure side and a low pressure side;

a first expander configured to receive the working fluid from the high pressure side and to convert a pressure drop in the working fluid to mechanical energy;

a plurality of waste heat exchangers disposed in series along a flow path of a heat source stream and each configured to transfer thermal energy from the heat source stream to the working fluid and to be selectively positioned in or isolated from the high pressure side;

a plurality of recuperators, each configured to transfer thermal energy from the working fluid flowing through the low pressure side to the working fluid flowing through the high pressure side and to be selectively positioned in or isolated from the high pressure side and the low pressure side; and

a plurality of valves, each configured to be actuated to enable selective control over which of the plurality of waste heat exchangers is positioned in the high pressure side, which of the plurality of recuperators is positioned in the high pressure side, and which of the plurality of recuperators is positioned in the low pressure side.

13. The heat engine system of claim 12, further comprising a second expander configured to receive the working fluid from the high pressure side and to convert the pressure drop in the working fluid to mechanical energy.

14. The heat engine system of claim 13, further comprising a stop valve configured to be positioned in an open position to fluidly couple the second expander to the high pressure side or in a closed position to fluidly isolate the second expander from the high pressure side.

15. The heat engine system of claim 13, wherein the low pressure side comprises a working fluid flow path from the second expander, through the plurality of recuperators, through a condenser, and to the pump.

16. The heat engine system of claim 12, wherein the low pressure side comprises a working fluid flow path from the first expander, through one of the plurality of recuperators, through a condenser, and to the pump.

17. The heat engine system of claim 12, further comprising a pump bypass valve fluidly coupled to the low pressure side and configured to enable transfer of the working fluid from the low pressure side to the high pressure side.

18. The heat engine system of claim 12, further comprising a recuperator bus system fluidly coupled to and in thermal communication with the low pressure side of the working fluid circuit.

19. The heat engine system of claim 18, wherein the recuperator bus system comprises fluid lines and valves fluidly coupled to the working fluid circuit downstream of the first expander and to the plurality of recuperators.

20. A heat engine system, comprising:

a working fluid circuit having a high pressure side and a low pressure side and being configured to flow a working fluid therethrough;

a first expander configured to receive the working fluid from the high pressure side and to convert a pressure drop in the working fluid to mechanical energy;

a second expander configured to receive the working fluid from the high pressure side and to convert the pressure drop in the working fluid to mechanical energy;

a plurality of waste heat exchangers disposed in series along a flow path of a heat source stream and each configured to transfer thermal energy from the heat source stream to the working fluid and to be selectively positioned in or isolated from the high pressure side;

a plurality of recuperators, each configured to transfer thermal energy from the working fluid flowing through the low pressure side to the working fluid flowing through the high pressure side and to be selectively positioned in or isolated from the high pressure side and the low pressure side; and

a plurality of valves, each configured to be actuated to enable selective control over which of the plurality of waste heat exchangers is positioned in the high pressure side, which of the plurality of recuperators is positioned in the high pressure side, which of the plurality of recuperators is positioned in the low pressure side, and which of the first expander and the second expander is to receive the working fluid from the high pressure side.

21. The heat engine system of claim 20, further comprising a condenser configured to be in thermal communication with the working fluid on the low pressure side of the working fluid circuit and to remove thermal energy from the working fluid on the low pressure side of the working fluid circuit.