Integrated micro combined heat and power system
First Claim
1. A cogeneration system configured to operate with an organic working fluid, said system comprising:
- a heat source;
a first circuit configured to transport said organic working fluid, said first circuit in thermal communication with said heat source such that heat transferred therefrom superheats said organic working fluid, said first circuit comprising;
a scroll expander configured to receive said organic working fluid such that said organic working fluid remains superheated after passage through said scroll expander;
a condenser in fluid communication with said scroll expander; and
a pump configured to circulate said organic working fluid through said first circuit; and
a generator operatively coupled to said scroll expander to produce electricity.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An integrated system to provide both heat and electric power. The integrated, or cogeneration, system operates with an organic working fluid that circulates in a Rankine-type cycle, where the organic working fluid is superheated by a heat source, expanded through an involute spiral wrap (scroll) expander such that the organic working fluid remains superheated through the expander, cooled in a condenser, and pressurized by a pump. Heat exchange loops within the system define hot water production capability for use in space heating and domestic hot water, while the generator is coupled to the scroll expander to generate electricity.
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Citations
92 Claims
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1. A cogeneration system configured to operate with an organic working fluid, said system comprising:
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a heat source;
a first circuit configured to transport said organic working fluid, said first circuit in thermal communication with said heat source such that heat transferred therefrom superheats said organic working fluid, said first circuit comprising;
a scroll expander configured to receive said organic working fluid such that said organic working fluid remains superheated after passage through said scroll expander;
a condenser in fluid communication with said scroll expander; and
a pump configured to circulate said organic working fluid through said first circuit; and
a generator operatively coupled to said scroll expander to produce electricity.
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2. A cogeneration system comprising:
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an organic working fluid;
a heat source capable of superheating said organic working fluid;
a first circuit configured to transport said organic working fluid, at least a portion of said first circuit in thermal communication with said heat source, said first circuit comprising;
a scroll expander configured to receive said organic working fluid such that said organic working fluid remains superheated after passage through said scroll expander;
a condenser in fluid communication with said scroll expander; and
a pump configured to circulate said organic working fluid through said first circuit; and
a generator operatively coupled to said scroll expander to produce electricity. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36)
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37. A directly-fired micro combined heat and power system comprising:
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an organic working fluid;
a piping loop that defines an organic working fluid flow path;
an evaporator disposed in said organic working fluid flow path;
a burner in thermal communication with said evaporator such that heat transferred thereto superheats said organic working fluid;
a scroll expander disposed in said organic working fluid flow path such that said superheated organic working fluid passing through said scroll expander remains superheated upon discharge from said scroll expander;
a generator operatively responsive to said scroll expander to generate electricity;
a condenser comprising;
a primary loop disposed in said organic working fluid flow path such that said primary loop is in fluid communication with said scroll expander; and
a secondary loop in heat exchange relationship with said primary loop, said secondary loop configured to transfer at least a portion of the heat contained in said organic working fluid passing through said primary loop to a space heating device; and
a pump disposed in said organic working fluid flow path between said condenser and said evaporator. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55)
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56. A micro combined heat and power system comprising:
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an electricity generating loop comprising;
an organic working fluid;
a burner for superheating said organic working fluid;
a scroll expander to receive said organic working fluid, said scroll expander configured to leave said organic working fluid in a superheated state after passing therethrough;
a generator operatively coupled to said scroll expander to produce electricity;
a condenser disposed in fluid communication with said scroll expander; and
a pump to circulate said organic working fluid through said electricity generating loop; and
a connection in said condenser, said connection configured to couple to an external heating loop. - View Dependent Claims (57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66)
an exhaust duct in combustion communication with said burner;
a secondary fluid flow path disposed adjacent said burner; and
an exhaust gas recirculation duct in fluid communication with said burner.
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65. A micro combined heat and power system according to claim 64, further comprising an exhaust fan coupled to said exhaust duct to facilitate the removal of exhaust gas from said combustion chamber.
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66. A micro combined heat and power system according to claim 58, further comprising a coupling loop to facilitate thermal communication between said electricity generating loop and said domestic hot water loop, said coupling loop comprising:
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a circulating fluid flow path;
a combustion chamber disposed in said working fluid flow path, said combustion chamber comprising;
a burner in thermal communication with said heat source such that the temperature of said organic working fluid in said organic working fluid flow path is raised;
an exhaust duct in combustion communication with said burner;
an exhaust fan coupled to said exhaust duct to facilitate the removal of exhaust gas from said combustion chamber; and
an exhaust gas recirculation duct in fluid communication with said burner; and
a thermal interface with said at least one heat exchanger disposed in said domestic hot water loop such that a least a portion of the heat extant in working fluid flowing through said working fluid flow path is transferred to domestic hot water flowing through said domestic hot water loop.
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67. A system for the production of domestic hot water, space heat and electricity from a Rankine-based cycle, said system comprising:
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an organic working fluid;
a substantially closed circuit fluid path configured to transport said organic working fluid therethrough, said substantially closed circuit fluid path at least partially defined by conduit configured to act as a heat transfer element for said organic working fluid, said substantially closed circuit fluid path comprising;
a scroll expander configured to accept said organic working fluid such that said organic working fluid remains superheated after passage through said scroll expander;
a generator operatively coupled to said scroll expander to generate electricity;
a condenser configured to extract at least a portion of the heat remaining in said organic working fluid after said organic working fluid passes through said scroll expander; and
a pump capable of circulating said organic working fluid through said substantially closed circuit fluid path;
a burner in thermal communication with said conduit, said burner configured to provide sufficient heat to superheat said organic working fluid; and
a controller to regulate the operation of said system. - View Dependent Claims (68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 76, 77)
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73. A method of producing heat and electrical power from a cogeneration device, the method comprising the steps of:
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configuring a first circuit to transport an organic working fluid;
superheating said organic working fluid with a heat source that is in thermal communication with said first circuit;
expanding said superheated organic working fluid in a scroll expander;
maintaining said organic working fluid in a superheated state through said expanding step;
turning a generator that is coupled to said scroll expander to generate electricity;
cooling said organic working fluid in a condenser such that at least a portion of the heat in said organic working fluid passing through said condenser is transferred to an external heating loop;
using at least a portion of said heat that has been transferred to said external heating loop heat to provide space heat; and
returning said organic working fluid exiting said condenser to a position in said first circuit such that it can receive additional heat input from said heat source. - View Dependent Claims (74, 75, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86)
configuring a second circuit to transport a heat exchange fluid, said second circuit defined by a piping loop in thermal communication with said heat source and heat exchange communication with at least one domestic hot water loop;
heating said heat exchange fluid with said heat source; and
using at least a portion of said heat that has been transferred to said heating exchange fluid to heat a fluid in said domestic hot water loop.
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78. A method according to claim 73, wherein said superheating step produces a maximum temperature of said organic working fluid between about 250 to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
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79. A method according to claim 73, wherein said expanding step is conducted such that the electrical output of said generator is up to 10 kilowatts.
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80. A method according to claim 73, wherein said cooling step is conducted such that the thermal output transferred to said external heating loop is up to 60 kilowatts.
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81. A method according to claim 73, wherein said superheating step is conducted such that said organic working fluid is directly fired with said heat source.
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82. A method according to claim 73, wherein said superheating step is conducted such that said organic working fluid is indirectly fired with said heat source.
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83. A method according to claim 73, comprising the additional step of operating a set of valves configured to permit said organic working fluid to bypass said scroll expander upon a preset condition.
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84. A method according to claim 83, wherein said preset condition is a grid outage.
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85. A method according to claim 83, wherein said preset condition is a startup transient.
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86. A method according to claim 83, wherein said preset condition is a shutdown transient.
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87. A system for the production of electricity and space heat, said system comprising:
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an organic working fluid;
a flow path configured to transport said organic working fluid;
a combustion chamber disposed in said flow path, said combustion chamber comprising;
a burner;
a heat transfer element adapted to convey said organic working fluid adjacent said burner such that upon operation of said burner, said organic working fluid becomes superheated; and
an exhaust duct to convey combustion products produced by said burner to the atmosphere;
a scroll expander disposed in said flow path to receive and discharge said organic working fluid such that said organic working fluid remains superheated after passage through said scroll expander;
a generator operatively coupled to said scroll expander to produce electricity;
a condenser in fluid communication with said scroll expander; and
a pump to circulate said organic working fluid through said flow path. - View Dependent Claims (88, 89, 90, 91, 92)
a controller configured to monitor and selectively vary the extent to which said organic working fluid is superheated;
at least one switch responsive to a level of said organic working fluid at the exit of said condenser, said at least one switch coupled to said controller; and
a set of valves configured to permit said organic working fluid to bypass said scroll expander upon a preset condition.
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90. A system according to claim 88, further comprising a heat exchanger adjacent said exhaust duct.
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91. A system according to claim 90, wherein said heat exchanger further comprises an exhaust gas recirculation device.
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92. A system according to claim 90, further comprising a supplemental heat device placed in heat exchange communication with said heat exchanger, said supplemental heat device configured to increase the fluid temperature in at least one of said organic working fluid flow path or said space heating loop.
Specification