Auto-reheat turbine system

• US 6,082,110 A
• Filed: 06/29/1999
• Issued: 07/04/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Joel H. Rosenblatt
• Original Assignee: Joel H. Rosenblatt
• Inventors: Rosenblatt, Joel H.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HOANG M
• Application Number:
  US09/342,096
• Time in Patent Office: 371 Days
• Field of Search: 60/641.2, 60/641.5, 60/653, 60/663, 60/670
• US Class Current: 60/663
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 7/22 the turbines having inter-stage steam heating

Abstract

An auto-reheat system for use with a steam turbine in which a portion of the heat energy supplied to the turbine from a heat source is directed to an ensuing region of the vapor path where the transiting vapor has expanded to such an extent that it begins to become "wet." The portion of heat energy directed to the ensuing region is delivered concurrently with the supply of heat energy to the admission port of the turbine, permitting a higher temperature to be maintained within the transiting vapor and thereby reducing the quantity of moisture developing in the vapor during the latter stages of the turbine expansion cycle. The result is improved turbine energy output and reduced blade maintenance costs.

Claims

1. An auto-reheat system for use with a Rankine cycle turbine engine having an expansion cycle, said turbine having an admission port to admit heat energy, obtained from a heat source, to a main path through the turbine, the heat energy entering said turbine embodied as high temperature high pressure vapor, said turbine equipped with the necessary blading and stages to permit isentropic expansion of the vapor therethrough, beginning through an entry zone adjacent the admission port, the entry zone containing high pressure high temperature vapor, through a subsequent zone containing lower temperature lower pressure vapor, to an exit port, the auto-reheat system comprising:

a conduit having a first end and a second end, the first end for receiving high temperature high pressure vapor originating from the heat source;

a manifold connected to the second end of said conduit; and

a plurality of injectors located around a perimeter of the turbine and connected to said manifold, said plurality of injectors for injecting the high temperature high pressure vapor received from said conduit into the turbine in an area corresponding to the subsequent zone, the injected vapor increasing the temperature of expanding vapor within the subsequent zone and thereby reducing a volume of moisture condensing therein.

2. The auto-reheat system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising:

an extraction port, located on a side of the turbine and connected to the first end of said conduit, for extracting a portion of said high temperature high pressure vapor from the entry zone, the extracted portion of said high temperature high pressure vapor being input to the first end of said conduit.

3. The auto-reheat system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first end of said conduit is connected to the heat source, for directing a portion of high temperature high pressure vapor produced by the heat source directly to said manifold.

9. The auto-reheat system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the heat energy obtained from the heat source is delivered to the entry zone and to the subsequent zone nearly concurrently.

4. An auto-reheat system for use with a Rankine cycle turbine engine having an expansion cycle, said turbine having an admission port to admit heat energy, obtained from a heat source, to a main path through the turbine, the heat energy entering said turbine embodied as high temperature high pressure vapor, said turbine equipped with the necessary blading and stages to permit isentropic expansion of the vapor therethrough, beginning through an entry zone adjacent the admission port, the entry zone containing high pressure high temperature vapor, through a subsequent zone containing lower temperature lower pressure vapor, to an exit port, the auto-reheat system comprising:

a conduit having a first end and a second end, the first end for receiving high temperature high pressure vapor originating from the heat source;

an annular jacket around an outer surface of the turbine in an area corresponding to at least part of the subsequent zone, said jacket connected to the second end of said conduit, said jacket defining an annular chamber for receiving high temperature high pressure vapor through said conduit, the high temperature high pressure vapor within the chamber acting, via heat transfer through the outer surface, to increase the temperature of expanding vapor within the subsequent zone and thereby reduce a volume of moisture condensing therein.

5. The auto-reheat system as set forth in claim 4, further comprising:

an extraction port, located on a side of the turbine and connected to the first end of said conduit, for extracting a portion of said high temperature high pressure vapor from the entry zone, the extracted portion of said high temperature high pressure vapor being input to the first end of said conduit.

6. The auto-reheat system as set forth in claim 4, wherein the first end of said conduit is connected to the heat source, for directing a portion of high temperature high pressure vapor produced by the heat source directly to said annular jacket.

10. The auto-reheat system as set forth in claim 4, wherein the heat energy obtained from the heat source is delivered to the entry zone and to the subsequent zone nearly concurrently.

7. An auto-reheat system for use with a Rankine cycle turbine engine having an expansion cycle, said turbine connected to a heat source, said turbine having an admission port to admit high temperature high pressure vapor obtained from the heat source, said heat source generating high temperature high pressure vapor and a hot liquid residue by flashing a high pressure high temperature liquid phase medium at a reduced pressure to yield a vapor fraction, said vapor fraction input to said admission port as the high temperature high pressure vapor, said turbine equipped with the necessary blading and stages to permit isentropic expansion of the vapor therethrough, the auto-reheat system comprising:

a conduit, coupled at a first end to said heat source, for conveying the hot liquid residue;

an annular jacket around an outer surface of the turbine, said jacket connected to a second end of said conduit, said jacket defining a chamber for receiving the hot liquid residue conveyed by said conduit, the hot liquid residue, acting via heat transfer through the outer surface, increasing the temperature of the vapor expanding through the turbine and thereby reducing a volume of moisture condensing therein.

8. The auto-reheat system as set forth in claim 7, wherein the high pressure high temperature liquid phase medium is a pressurized hot geothermal fluid from a well field, and wherein the hot liquid residue, after supplying auxiliary heat to the turbine, is returned to the well field at a temperature and pressure that allow dissolved geothermal brine solutes to remain in solution.

11. The auto-reheat system as set forth in claim 7, wherein the hot liquid residue is conveyed to said jacket nearly concurrently with delivery of said high temperature high pressure vapor to said admission port.