Power plant using CO.sub.2 as a working fluid
First Claim
1. A system for storing energy and then using such stored energy plus heat to generate power, which system comprisesinsulated vessel means for storing liquid carbon dioxide at its triple point,means for creating a reservoir of carbon dioxide liquid at about the triple point thereof in said vessel means, which reservoir contains a substantial amount of solid carbon dioxide,means for withdrawing liquid carbon dioxide from said vessel means and very substantially increasing the pressure of said withdrawn liquid,means for heating said higher pressure carbon dioxide,means connected to an outlet from said heating means for expanding said heated carbon dioxide to dry vapor or to vapor containing some entrained liquid to create rotary power, andmeans for returning the discharge stream from said expanding means to said vessel means where carbon dioxide vapor is condensed by melting solid carbon dioxide therein.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for storing electrical energy in the form of triple-point CO2 and then using such stored energy plus heat to generate electrical power. A reservoir of carbon dioxide liquid at about the triple point is created in an insulated vessel. Liquid carbon dioxide is withdrawn and pumped to a high pressure, which high pressure carbon dioxide is heated and expanded to create rotary power which generates electrical power. The discharge stream from the expander is cooled and returned to the vessel where carbon dioxide vapor is condensed by melting solid carbon dioxide. A fuel-fired gas turbine connected to an electrical power generator can be used to heat the high pressure carbon dioxide, and an ambient air stream flowing toward the gas turbine can be cooled by giving up heat to the high pressure carbon dioxide stream. The returning expanded carbon dioxide stream can be returned to a separate auxiliary vessel, and liquid carbon dioxide pumped from such auxiliary vessel to a main vessel wherein solid carbon dioxide is formed and then transferred to the auxiliary vessel.
197 Citations
21 Claims
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1. A system for storing energy and then using such stored energy plus heat to generate power, which system comprises
insulated vessel means for storing liquid carbon dioxide at its triple point, means for creating a reservoir of carbon dioxide liquid at about the triple point thereof in said vessel means, which reservoir contains a substantial amount of solid carbon dioxide, means for withdrawing liquid carbon dioxide from said vessel means and very substantially increasing the pressure of said withdrawn liquid, means for heating said higher pressure carbon dioxide, means connected to an outlet from said heating means for expanding said heated carbon dioxide to dry vapor or to vapor containing some entrained liquid to create rotary power, and means for returning the discharge stream from said expanding means to said vessel means where carbon dioxide vapor is condensed by melting solid carbon dioxide therein.
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10. A method for storing energy and then using such stored energy plus heat to generate electrical power, which method comprises the following steps
creating a reservoir of carbon dioxide at about the triple point thereof, which reservoir contains a substantial percentage of solid carbon dioxide, withdrawing a stream of liquid carbon dioxide from said reservoir and very substantially increasing the pressure of said stream of withdrawn liquid, heating said higher pressure carbon dioxide, expanding said heated carbon dioxide to dry vapor or to vapor containing some entrained liquid to create rotary power, using said rotary power to generate electrical power, and returning the lower pressure stream to said reservoir where carbon dioxide vapor is condensed by melting solid carbon dioxide therein.
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14. Apparatus for utilizing carbon dioxide slush in combination with the generation of power, which apparatus comprises:
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vessel means including a main vessel for holding carbon dioxide slush to an internal depth of at least about 15 feet, refrigeration means associated with said vessel means for creating a reservoir of carbon dioxide slush at the triple point, means for withdrawing liquid carbon dioxide from said vessel means, increasing the pressure of said withdrawn carbon dioxide, heating said pressurized carbon dioxide and expanding said heated carbon dioxide in a manner to perform useful work used in the generation of power and to create carbon dioxide vapor, said vessel means also including an auxiliary vessel, means for transferring carbon dioxide slush from said main vessel to said auxiliary vessel, means for returning said carbon dioxide vapor to said auxiliary vessel where it is condensed to liquid by melting solid carbon dioxide, and means for transferring liquid carbon dioxide from said auxiliary vessel to said main vessel. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for utilizing carbon dioxide slush in combination with the generation of electric power, which method comprises:
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establishing a reservoir zone containing carbon dioxide slush at the triple point to a depth of at least about 15 feet, withdrawing liquid carbon dioxide from said reservoir zone, increasing the pressure of said withdrawn carbon dioxide, heating said pressurized carbon dioxide and expanding said heated carbon dioxide to create carbon dioxide vapor in a manner to perform useful work in connection with the ultimate generation of electric power, transferring a portion of said carbon dioxide slush from a main section of said reservoir zone to a separate auxiliary section thereof, returning said carbon dioxide vapor to said auxiliary reservoir section in a manner so that it is condensed to liquid by melting solid carbon dioxide, and transferring liquid carbon dioxide from said auxiliary reservoir section to said main reservoir section. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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Specification