Cascaded power plant using low and medium temperature source fluid
First Claim
1. A method for operating a plurality of independent, closed cycle power plant modules each having a vaporizer comprising the steps of:
- (a) serially applying a medium or low temperature source fluid to the vaporizers of the power plants for producing heat depleted source fluid;
(b) providing a preheater for each vaporizer; and
(c) applying said heat depleted source fluid to all of the preheaters in parallel.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A plurality of independent, closed Rankine cycle power plants, each of which has a vaporizer, is operated by serially applying a medium or low temperature source fluid to the vaporizers of the power plants for producing heat depleted source fluid. A preheater is provided for each vaporizer; and said heat depleted source fluid is applied to all of the preheaters in parallel. The heat depleted source fluid thus serves to heat the operating fluid to the evaporization temperature, while the source fluid applied to the vaporizers supplies the latent heat of vaporization to the operating fluid of the power plant. The present invention is advantageous, as compared to a conventional cascaded power plant of the type described, because the temperature drop of the source fluid can be increased without reducing the efficiency. Alternatively, the temperature drop can be maintained but the efficiency can be increased. In either case, the power produced by the power plant according to the present invention is increased.
66 Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A method for operating a plurality of independent, closed cycle power plant modules each having a vaporizer comprising the steps of:
-
(a) serially applying a medium or low temperature source fluid to the vaporizers of the power plants for producing heat depleted source fluid; (b) providing a preheater for each vaporizer; and (c) applying said heat depleted source fluid to all of the preheaters in parallel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9)
-
- 8. In a power plant of the type having a plurality of independent, closed cycle power plant modules each of which has a vaporizer to which a medium or low temperature fluid is serially applied for producing heat depleted fluid, the improvement comprising a preheater for each vaporizer, and means for applying said heat depleted fluid to all of the preheaters in parallel.
-
11. A power plant operating on a source of low or medium temperature fluid of the type described comprising:
-
(a) a plurality of closed Rankine cycle power plant modules each having a vaporizer associated therewith responsive to said source fluid for converting the operating fluid of the power plant modules to vapor; (b) means for serially applying said source fluid to the vaporizers of the power plants for producing heat depleted source fluid; (c) a preheater associated with each vaporizer for preheating operating fluid that is vaporized in the associated vaporizer; and (d) means for applying said heat depleted source fluid to all of the preheaters in parallel. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
-
Specification