Mobile modular intermodal cogeneration system

• US 6,250,080 B1
• Filed: 06/24/1999
• Issued: 06/26/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Wartsila NSD North America Incorporated (Wartsila Oyj Abp)
• Original Assignee: Wartsila NSD North America Incorporated (Wartsila Oyj Abp)
• Inventors: Shelor, F. Mack, Finn, Dennis, Cerquetti, Jeffrey, Han, Zhen
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HOANG M
• Application Number:
  US09/339,201
• Time in Patent Office: 733 Days
• Field of Search: 606/18, 606/48, 606/98, 60/391.8, 622/381
• US Class Current: 60/618
• CPC Class Codes: F02G 5/00 Profiting from waste heat of combustion engines, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 20/14 Combined heat and power generation [CHP]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/12 Improving ICE efficiencies

Abstract

A mobile cogeneration system fitted into modular intermodal transportation units for ease of transportation, relocation, configuration and reconfiguration, as well as providing an operating environment for the cogeneration system.

Claims

1. A cogeneration system comprising:

a support grid comprising support beams and support framing mounted to a foundation;

at least one engine fitted into a modular intermodal transportation unit removably mounted to said support grid;

at least one electrical modular intermodal transportation unit removably mounted to said support grid;

at least one boiler fitted into a modular intermodal transportation unit removably mounted to said support grid;

at least one chiller fitted into a modular intermodal transportation unit removably mounted to said support grid;

at least one cooling tower or radiator removably mounted to said support grid, and further wherein said cooling tower is physically separated from all of the above modular transportation units to provide ventilation for said cooling unit.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said engine further comprises a single engine or a double engine.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein said chiller further comprises an absorption chiller or a centrifugal chiller.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein said cooling tower further comprises a single cooling tower or a double cooling tower.

5. The system according to claim 3, wherein said radiator further comprises a single radiator or a double radiator.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said modular intermodal transportation units further comprise weather-proof doors or openings for access between said modular intermodal transportation units by operations, maintenance and other necessary personnel.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein said modular intermodal transportation units further comprise weather-proof openings, ports, inlets, or outlets through which all necessary pipes, fittings, valves, wires, cables, exhaust outlets, intakes and other necessary inputs to and outputs from each modular intermodal transportation unit can pass to effect equipment interface and interconnection.

20. The system according to claim 1, wherein said foundation is concrete.

8. A cogeneration system comprising:

a support grid mounted to a foundation;

a plurality of engines each fitted into a modular intermodal transportation unit, each modular intermodal transportation unit containing one of said engines removably mounted to said support grid;

a plurality of electrical modular intermodal transportation units removably mounted to said support grid;

a plurality of boilers each fitted into a modular intermodal transportation unit, each of said modular intermodal transportation unit containing one of said boilers removably mounted to said support grid;

a plurality of chillers each fitted into a modular intermodal transportation unit, each of said modular intermodal transportation unit containing one of said chillers removably mounted to said support grid;

a plurality of cooling towers or radiators removably mounted to said support grid, and further wherein said cooling towers or radiators are physically separated from all of the above modular transportation units to provide ventilation for said cooling unit or radiator, further wherein each of said cooling towers or radiators may be physically separated from each other to provide ventilation for each other, and further wherein said cooling towers or radiators may be remote from the remainder of said cogeneration system components.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein each of said modular intermodal transportation units containing one of said engines further comprises a single engine or a double engine.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein each of said modular intermodal transportation units containing one of said chillers further comprises an absorption chiller or a centrifugal chiller.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein each of said cooling towers further comprises a single cooling or a double cooling tower.

12. The system according to claim 10, wherein each of said radiators further comprises a single or a double radiator.

13. The system according to claim 8, wherein said modular intermodal transportation units further comprise weather-proof doors or openings for access between said modular intermodal transportation units by operations, maintenance and other necessary personnel.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein said modular intermodal transportation units further comprise weather-proof openings, ports, inlets, or outlets through which all necessary pipes, fittings, valves, wires, cables, exhaust outlets, intakes and other necessary inputs to and outputs from each modular intermodal transportation unit can pass to effect equipment interface and interconnection.

15. The method of generating electric power in a mobile cogeneration system comprising the steps of:

driving an engine component fitted into a modular intermodal transportation unit with a natural gas or biogas;

capturing hot exhaust gasses from said engine to recover thermal energy therefrom, and to reuse said recovered thermal energy;

driving an exhaust boiler component fitted into a modular intermodal transportation unit with a portion of the output power of said engine to generate hot water; and

venting by cooling towers.

17. The method according to claim 15, further comprising the step of:

driving a chiller fitted into a modular intermodal transportation unit with a portion of the output power of said engine to generate cooling.

16. The method of generating electric power in a mobile cogeneration system comprising the steps of:

driving an engine component fitted into a modular intermodal transportation unit with a natural gas or biogas;

capturing hot exhaust gasses from said engine to recover thermal energy therefrom, and to reuse said recovered thermal energy; and

driving a chiller fitted into a modular intermodal transportation unit with a portion of the output power of said engine to generate cooling.

18. A method of operating a mobile modular cogeneration system comprising the steps of:

driving an exhaust boiler component fitted into a modular intermodal transportation unit with a portion of the output power of said engine to generate hot water;

venting by cooling towers; and

driving a chiller component fitted into a modular intermodal transportation unit with a portion of the output power of said engine to generate cooling.

19. The method according to claim 18, further comprising the steps of:

detecting a long term increase or decrease in consumer load demand;

removing cogeneration system component that needs to be resized to meet said consumer demand; and

replacing said removed cogeneration system component with a larger or smaller capacity cogeneration system component as required.