USE OF PERFLUOROHEPTENES IN POWER CYCLE SYSTEMS

• US 20200131943A1
• Filed: 02/24/2017
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Chemours Company FC, LLC (The Chemours Company)
• Original Assignee: The Chemours Company FC, LLC (The Chemours Company)
• Inventors: Kontomaris, Konstantinos, Simoni, Luke David
• Granted Patent: US 11,220,932 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 25/08 using special vapours

Abstract

A process is provided for converting heat energy from a heat source to mechanical work or electricity by utilizing a working fluid comprising perfluoroheptene. The process comprises heating a working fluid using heat supplied from the heat source; and expanding the heated working fluid to generate mechanical work. Also provided is an organic Rankine power cycle system utilizing a working fluid comprising perfluoroheptene. Further provided is a method of replacing the working fluid of an Organic Rankine Power Cycle System designed and configured to utilize a working fluid comprising HFC-245fa with a working fluid comprising of a perfluoroheptene.

Claims

1. A process for converting heat into mechanical work in a power cycle comprising the steps of:

heating a working fluid with a heat source to a temperature sufficient to pressurize the working fluid; and

causing the pressurized working fluid to perform mechanical work;

wherein said working fluid comprises a perfluoroheptene.

2. The process of claim 1, wherein said perfluoroheptene is selected from the group consisting of 2-perfluoroheptene, 3-perfluoroheptene, and a combination thereof.

3. The process of claim 1, wherein said perfluoroheptene consists of 2-perfluoroheptene.

4. The process of claim 1, wherein said perfluoroheptene consists of 3-perfluoroheptene.

5. The process of claim 1, wherein said perfluoroheptene consists of a mixture of 2-perfluoroheptene and 3-perfluoroheptene.

6. The process of claim 1, wherein said step of heating the working fluid with a heat source further comprises heating the working fluid to a temperature sufficient to vaporize the working fluid and form a pressurized vapor of the working fluid.

7. The process of claim 6, further comprises expanding said pressurized vapor of the working fluid through an expansion device to perform the mechanical work.

8. The process of claim 7, wherein the mechanical work is transmitted to an electrical generator to produce electrical power.

9. The process of claim 1, wherein said heat is converted to said mechanical work by using a sub-critical cycle comprising:

(a) compressing a liquid working fluid to a pressure below its critical pressure;

(b) heating compressed liquid working fluid from step (a) using heat supplied by the heat source to form vapor working fluid;

(c) expanding heated working fluid from step (b) to generate mechanical work and lowering the pressure of the working fluid;

(d) cooling expanded working fluid from step (c) to form a cooled liquid working fluid; and

(e) cycling cooled liquid working fluid from steps (d) to (a) to repeat the cycle.

10. The process of claim 1, wherein said heat is converted to said mechanical work by using a trans-critical cycle comprising:

(a) compressing a liquid working fluid above said working fluid'"'"'s critical pressure;

(b) heating compressed working fluid from step (a) using heat supplied by the heat source;

(c) expanding heated working fluid from step (b) to generate mechanical work and lowering the pressure of the working fluid below its critical pressure;

(d) cooling expanded working fluid from step (c) to form a cooled liquid working fluid; and

(e) cycling cooled liquid working fluid from steps (d) to (a) to repeat the cycle.

11. The process of claim 1, wherein said heat is converted to mechanical work by using a super-critical cycle comprising:

(a) compressing a working fluid from a pressure above its critical pressure to a higher pressure;

(b) heating compressed working fluid from step (a) using heat supplied by the heat source;

(c) expanding the heated working fluid from step (b) to generate mechanical work and lowering the pressure of the working fluid to a pressure above its critical pressure;

(d) cooling expanded working fluid from step (c) to form a cooled working fluid above its critical pressure; and

(e) cycling cooled liquid working fluid from steps (d) to (a) to repeat the cycle.

12. A process of converting heat to mechanical work in a Rankine cycle comprising the steps of:

vaporizing a liquid working fluid with a low temperature heat source;

expanding the resulting vapor through an expansion device to generate mechanical work;

cooling the resulting expanded vapor to condense the vapor into a liquid;

pumping the liquid working fluid to said heat source to repeat the process;

wherein said working fluid comprises a perfluoroheptene.

13. The process of claim 12, wherein said perfluoroheptene is selected from the group consisting of 2-perfluoroheptene, 3-perfluoroheptene, and a combination thereof.

14. The process of claim 12, wherein said perfluoroheptene consists of 2-perfluoroheptene.

15. The process of claim 12, wherein said perfluoroheptene consists of 3-perfluoroheptene.

16. The process of claim 12, wherein said perfluoroheptene consists of a mixture of 2-perfluoroheptene and 3-perfluoroheptene.

17. The process of claim 12, wherein said working fluid further comprises a component selected from the group consisting of HFOs, HCFOs, HFCs, HFEs, HFEOs, Alcohols, Ethers, Ketones, HCs, and combinations thereof.

18. The process of claim 12, wherein said working fluid further comprises a component selected from the group consisting of Vertrel®

HFX-110, HFO-153-10mzzy, F22E, HFO-1438mzz(E), HFO-1438mzz(Z), HFO-1438ezy(Z), HFO-1438ezy(E), HFO-1336ze(Z), HFO-1336ze(E), HFO-1336mzz(Z), HFO-1336mzz(E), HFO-1234ze(E), HFO-1234ze(Z), HFO-1234yf, HCFO-1233zd(Z), HCFO-1233zd(E), HFC-43-10mee, HFC-365mfc, HFC-236ea, HFC-245fa, HFE-7000, HFE-7100, HFE-7200, HFE-7300, HFE-7500, pentanes, hexanes, methanol, ethanol, propanols, fluorinol, dimethoxymethane, dimethoxyethane, diethoxyethane, and combinations thereof.

19. An organic Rankine cycle system comprising:

a primary loop configured to utilize a working fluid comprising HFC-245fa to convert heat to mechanical work;

wherein said primary loop is charged with a working fluid comprising a perfluoroheptene.

20. The organic Rankine cycle system of claim 19, wherein said perfluoroheptene is selected from the group consisting of 2-perfluoroheptene, 3-perfluoroheptene, and a combination thereof.

21. The organic Rankine cycle system of claim 19, wherein said perfluoroheptene consists of 2-perfluoroheptene.

22. The organic Rankine cycle system of claim 19, wherein said perfluoroheptene consists of 3-perfluoroheptene.

23. The organic Rankine cycle system of claim 19, wherein said perfluoroheptene consists of a mixture of 2-perfluoroheptene and 3-perfluoroheptene.

24. The organic Rankine cycle system of claim 19, further comprising a secondary heat exchange loop configured to transfer heat from a heat source to said primary loop;

wherein said secondary heat exchange loop is charged with a working fluid comprising perfluoroheptene.

25. A method to replace the working fluid of an Organic Rankine Power Cycle System charged with a working fluid containing HFC-245fa, comprising:

(a) evacuating the working fluid containing HFC-245fa from said Organic Rankin Cycle System; and

(b) charging said ORC system with a working fluid comprising perfluoroheptene.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein said perfluoroheptene is selected from the group consisting of 2-perfluoroheptene, 3-perfluoroheptene, and a combination thereof.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein said perfluoroheptene consists of 2-perfluoroheptene.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein said perfluoroheptene consists of 3-perfluoroheptene.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein said perfluoroheptene consists of a mixture of 2-perfluoroheptene and 3-perfluoroheptene.