Cascade power system

• US 7,458,218 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2005
• Issued: 12/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kalina Power Limited
• Original Assignee: Kalex, LLC
• Inventors: Kalina, Alexander I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Hoang M
• Application Number:
  US11/235,654
• Publication Number:
  US 20080000225A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,167 Days
• Field of Search: 606/49, 606/51, 606/71
• US Class Current: 60/649
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 25/065 with an absorption fluid remaining at least partly in the liquid state, e.g. water for ammonia F01K5/00 takes precedence

Abstract

A cascade power system and a method are disclosed for using a high temperature flue gas stream to directly or indirectly vaporize a lean and rich stream derived from an incoming, multi-component, working fluid stream, extract energy from these streams, condensing a spent stream and repeating the vaporization, extraction and condensation cycle.

Claims

1. A cascade power system comprising:

an energy extraction subsystem,

a separation subsystem,

a heat exchange subsystem,

a heat recovery vapor generator (HRVG) subsystem and

a condensation thermal compression (CTCSS) subsystem,

where the system is adapted to establish two interacting working fluid cycles, one cycle utilizes a rich multi-component working fluid stream having a higher concentration of a lower boiling component and the other cycle utilizes a lean working multi-component working fluid stream having a lower concentration of the lower boiling component,

where each stream is derived from a fully condensed incoming multi-component stream,

where the separation subsystem is adapted to produce the lean working fluid stream and a rich make-up working fluid streams, which is combined with the fully condensed incoming multi-component stream to form the rich multi-component working fluid stream,

where the heat exchange subsystem and the heat recovery vapor generator (HRVG) subsystem are adapted to heat and vaporize the lean working fluid stream and the rich working fluid stream from heat derived directly and/or indirectly from an external flue gas stream,

where the energy extraction subsystem is adapted to extract energy from the lean working fluid stream and the rich working fluid stream in separate turbine or turbine stages,

where the CTCSS subsystem is adapted to condense a spent rich stream to form the fully condensed incoming multi-component stream,

where a flue gas flow rate is the same throughout the entire HRVG subsystem or is different in different portions of the HRVG subsystem and

where an initial hot flue gas stream is cooled by a re-circulated portion of a spent flue gas stream exiting the HRVG subsystem prior to the flue gas stream entering the HRVG subsystem.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the energy extraction subsystem comprises a lean stream turbine, at least one rich stream turbine and at least two throttle control valves, where the lean stream turbine is adapted to extract energy from a lean multi-component working fluid stream, where the rich stream turbine is adapted to extract from a rich multi-component working fluid stream and where the first throttle control valve adjusts a pressure of the rich multi-component working fluid stream to that of a pressure of the rich stream turbine, where a second throttle control valve adjusts a pressure of the lean multi-component working fluid stream to a pressure of the lean stream turbine and optionally a third throttle control valve adjusts a pressure of an optional rich multi-component working fluid substream to a pressure of the lean multi-component working fluid stream prior to the lean stream entering the lean stream turbine.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the separation subsystem comprises a scrubber, a separator and three pumps, where the separation subsystem is adapted to form the lean multi-component working fluid stream and the make-up multi-component working fluid stream having a composition the same or substantially the same as an incoming working fluid stream.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the heat exchange subsystem comprises at least four heat exchangers adapted to vaporize the rich multi-component working fluid stream, while cooling a rich spent multi-component working fluid stream, a spent lean multi-component working fluid stream and the rich make-up working fluid stream.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the heat recovery vapor generator subsystem comprises a heat recovery vapor generator and a recirculating fan, where the heat recovery vapor generator subsystem is adapted cool a hot flue gas stream with a portion of a cool flue gas stream to form a cooled flue gas stream and to transfer heat from the cooled flue gas stream to the lean and rich working fluid streams and where the cooled flue gas stream has a higher flow rate than the hot flue gas stream and where the cooled flue gas stream has a desired temperature lower than a temperature of the hot flue gas stream.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the condensation subsystem comprising a condenser.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the condensation subsystem comprising:

a condensation separation subsystem comprising a separator adapted to produce a rich vapor stream and a lean liquid stream;

a condensation heat exchange subsystem comprising three heat exchangers and two throttle control valves adapted to mix a pressure adjusted first portion of the lean liquid stream with an incoming stream to form a pre-basic solution stream, to mix a pressure adjusted second portion of the lean liquid stream with the pre-basic solution stream to form a basic solution stream, to bring a first portion of a pressurized fully condensed basic solution stream into a heat exchange relationship with the pre-basic solution steam to form a partially condensed basic solution stream;

a first condensing and pressurizing subsystem comprising a first condenser and a first pump adapted to fully condense the partially condensed basic solution stream to form a fully condensed basic solution stream and to pressurize the fully condensed basic solution stream to form a pressurized fully condensed working fluid stream; and

a second condensing and pressurizing subsystem comprising a second condenser and a second pump adapted to mix a second portion of the fully condensed basic solution stream and the rich vapor stream to form an outgoing stream, to fully condense the outgoing stream and to pressurize the outgoing stream to a desired high pressure,

where the first portion of the lean liquid steam is pressure adjusted to have the same or substantially the same pressure as the incoming stream and where the second portion of the lean stream is pressure adjusted to have the same or substantially the same pressure as the pre-basic solution stream and where the streams comprise at least one lower boiling component and at least one higher boiling component and the compositions of the streams are the same or different with the composition of the incoming stream and the outgoing stream being the same.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the composition of the incoming multi-component stream is selected from the group consisting of an ammonia-water mixture, a mixture of two or more hydrocarbons, a mixture of two or more freons, and a mixture of hydrocarbons and freons.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the composition of the incoming multi-component stream comprises a mixture of water and ammonia.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the hot flue gas steam comprises a combustion effluent stream formed from combustion of biomass, agricultural waste, municipal waste, coal, oil, natural gas and other fuels.

25. The system of claim 2, wherein the energy extraction subsystem comprises a high pressure rich stream turbine and a low pressure rich stream turbine.

26. The system of claim 5, wherein the heat recovery vapor generator subsystem comprises a top stage and a bottom stage, where the flue gas stream is split into two substreams between the top stage and the bottom stage to form a bottom stage flue gas stream and a recycle flue gas stream, where the flue gas stream has a first flue gas flow rate and the bottom stage flue gas stream has a second flue gas flow rate, and where the first flue gas flow rate is greater than the second flue gas flow rate.

11. A cascade power system comprising:

a separation subsystem adapted to produce a lean working fluid stream and a rich working fluid stream from a fully condensed, rich incoming working fluid stream, where the fully condensed, rich incoming working fluid stream comprises a lower boiling component and a higher boiling component, where the lean working fluid stream comprises a lower concentration of the lower boiling component and the rich stream has a higher concentration of the lower boiling component,

a heat exchange subsystem is adapted to heat and vaporize the rich working fluid stream indirectly from heat derived from a hot flue gas stream,

a heat recovery vapor generator (HRVG) subsystem is adapted to vaporize the lean working fluid stream and to superheat the rich working fluid streams directly from heat derived from a cooled flue gas stream comprising a hot flue gas stream and a re-circulated portion of a spent flue gas stream exiting the HRVG subsystem,

an energy extraction subsystem adapted to convert a portion of the thermal energy in the rich working fluid stream and the lean working fluid stream to a usable form of energy, and

a condensation thermal compression (CTCSS) subsystem adapted to fully condensing a spent rich stream to form the fully condensed, rich incoming working fluid stream,

where the system establishes two interacting working fluid cycles, a lean stream cycle and a rich stream cycle adapted to improve the efficiency of energy conversion of thermal energy from the external flue gas stream.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the energy extraction subsystem comprises a lean stream turbine, at least one rich stream turbine and at least two throttle control valves, where the lean stream turbine is adapted to extract energy from a lean working fluid stream, where the rich stream turbine is adapted to extract from the rich working fluid stream and where the first throttle control valve adjusts a pressure of the rich working fluid stream to that of a pressure of the rich stream turbine, where a second throttle control valve adjusts a pressure of the lean working fluid stream to a pressure of the lean stream turbine and optionally a third throttle control valve adjusts a pressure of an optional rich working fluid substream to a pressure of the lean working fluid stream prior to the lean working fluid stream entering the lean stream turbine.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the separation subsystem comprises a scrubber, a separator and three pumps, where the separation subsystem is adapted to form the lean working fluid stream and a make-up working fluid stream having a composition the same or substantially the same as an the fully condensed, rich incoming working fluid stream, where the make-up working fluid stream and the fully condensed, rich incoming working fluid stream comprises the rich working fluid stream.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the heat exchange subsystem comprises at least four heat exchangers adapted to vaporize the rich stream, while cooling a rich spent stream, a spent lean stream and the rich make-up working fluid stream.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the heat recovery vapor generator subsystem comprises a heat recovery vapor generator and a recirculating fan, where the heat recovery vapor generator subsystem is adapted cool a hot flue gas stream with a portion of a cooled flue gas stream to form a cooled flue gas stream and to transfer heat from the cooled flue gas stream to the lean and rich working fluid streams and where the cooled flue gas stream has a higher flow rate than the hot flue gas stream and where the cooled flue gas stream has a desired temperature lower than a temperature of the hot flue gas stream.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the condensation subsystem comprising a condenser.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the condensation subsystem comprising:

a condensation separation subsystem comprising a separator adapted to produce a rich vapor stream and a lean liquid stream;

a condensation heat exchange subsystem comprising three heat exchangers and two throttle control valves adapted to mix a pressure adjusted first portion of the lean liquid stream with an incoming stream to form a pre-basic solution stream, to mix a pressure adjusted second portion of the lean liquid stream with the pre-basic solution stream to form a basic solution stream, to bring a first portion of a pressurized fully condensed basic solution stream into a heat exchange relationship with the pre-basic solution stream to form a partially condensed basic solution stream;

a first condensing and pressurizing subsystem comprising a first condenser and a first pump adapted to fully condense the partially condensed basic solution stream to form a fully condensed basic solution stream and to pressurize the fully condensed basic solution stream to form a pressurized fully condensed working fluid stream; and

a second condensing and pressurizing subsystem comprising a second condenser and a second pump adapted to mix a second portion of the fully condensed basic solution stream and the rich vapor stream to form an outgoing stream, to fully condense the outgoing stream and to pressurize the outgoing stream to a desired high pressure,

where the first portion of the lean liquid stream is pressure adjusted to have the same or substantially the same pressure as the incoming stream and where the second portion of the lean stream is pressure adjusted to have the same or substantially the same pressure as the pre-basic solution stream and where the streams comprise at least one lower boiling component and at least one higher boiling component and the compositions of the streams are the same or different with the composition of the incoming steam and the outgoing stream being the same.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the external flue gas stream comprises a combustion effluent stream formed from combustion of biomass, agricultural waste, municipal waste, coal, oil, natural gas and other fuels.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the composition of the incoming multi-component stream is selected from the group consisting of an ammonia-water mixture, a mixture of two or more hydrocarbons, a mixture of two or more freons, and a mixture of hydrocarbons and freons.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the composition of the incoming multi-component stream comprises a mixture of water and ammonia.

21. A method for efficient extraction of energy from a hot flue gas stream comprising the steps of:

establishing two interacting vaporization and energy extraction cycles, where one cycle utilizes a multi-component fluid stream having a higher concentration of a lower boiling component of the multi-component fluid, a rich working fluid stream, and the other cycle utilizes a multi-component fluid stream having a higher concentration of a higher boiling component of the multi-component fluid, a lean working fluid stream, each stream being derived from a fully condensed incoming multi-component working fluid stream;

vaporizing the lean and rich working fluid streams utilized in the two interacting cycles from heat derived directly and/or indirectly form a hot flue gas stream, where the direct heat transfer occurs between a cooled flue gas stream comprising a hot flue gas stream and a portion of a cool flue gas stream and the lean and rich working fluid streams, substreams thereof and stream derived therefrom;

converting a portion of thermal energy associated with a stream derived from the rich and the lean working fluid streams and the rich working fluid stream to a usable form of energy to form a spent rich working fluid stream and a spent lean working fluid stream,

separating a portion of the spent lean working fluid stream to form the lean working fluid stream and make-up stream, where the make-up stream has a composition the same or substantially the same as the incoming multi-component working fluid stream; and

condensing the spent rich working fluid stream to form the fully condensed incoming multi-component working fluid stream in a condensation unit or a condensation thermal compression.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the external flue gas stream comprises a combustion effluent stream formed from combustion of biomass, agricultural waste, municipal waste, coal, oil, natural gas and other fuels.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the composition of the incoming multi-component stream is selected from the group consisting of an ammonia-water mixture, a mixture of two or more hydrocarbons, a mixture of two or more freons, and a mixture of hydrocarbons and freons.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the composition of the incoming multi-component stream comprises a mixture of water and ammonia.

27. A method comprising:

combining a fully condensed incoming work fluid stream comprising a lower boiling point component and a higher boiling component and a pressurized fully condensed mixed stream to form a fully condensed rich working fluid stream, where the fully condensed incoming work fluid stream and the pressurized fully condensed mixed stream have the same or substantially the same composition;

bringing the fully condensed rich working fluid stream into a first heat exchange relationship with a mixed stream to form a fully condensed mixed stream and a heated rich working fluid stream;

bringing the heated rich working fluid stream into a second heat exchange relationship with a first cooled spent enriched lean working fluid substream to form a hotter rich working fluid stream and a cooler first cooled spent enriched lean working fluid substream;

splitting the hotter rich working fluid stream into a first hotter rich working fluid substream and a second hotter rich working fluid substream;

bringing the first hotter rich working fluid substream into a third heat exchange relationship with a spent enriched lean working fluid stream to form a first fully vaporized rich working fluid substream and a cooled spent enriched lean working fluid stream;

bringing the second hotter rich working fluid substream into a forth heat exchange relationship with a lower pressure rich working fluid stream to form a second fully vaporized rich working fluid substream and a cooled lower pressure rich working fluid stream;

combining the first fully vaporized working fluid substream and second rich working fluid substream to form a fully vaporized rich working fluid stream;

splitting the fully vaporized rich working fluid stream into a third fully vaporized rich working fluid substream and a fourth fully vaporized rich working fluid substream;

bringing the third fully vaporized rich working fluid substream into a fifth heat exchange relationship with a cooled external flue gas stream in a top part of a heat recovery vapor generator to form a superheated rich working fluid steam;

adjusting a pressure of the superheated rich working fluid stream to a pressure of a high pressure turbine to form a pressure adjusted superheated rich working fluid stream;

converting a portion of thermal energy in the pressure adjusted superheated rich working fluid stream into a first amount of a usable form of energy in the high pressure turbine to form the lower pressure rich working fluid stream;

converting a portion of thermal energy in the cooled lower pressure rich working fluid stream into a second amount of a usable form of energy in a low pressure turbine to form a spent rich working fluid stream;

adjusting a pressure of the fourth fully vaporized rich working fluid substream to a pressure of a partially vaporized, pressurized lean working fluid stream to form a pressure adjusted fourth fully vaporized rich working fluid substream;

combining the pressure adjusted fourth fully vaporized rich working fluid substream with the partially vaporized, pressurized lean working fluid stream in a middle portion of the heat recovery vapor generator to form an enriched, partially vaporized, lean working fluid stream;

bringing the enriched, partially vaporized, lean working fluid stream into a sixth heat exchange relationship with the cooled external flue gas stream in an upper part of the heat recovery vapor generator to form a fully vaporized, enriched lean working fluid stream;

adjusting a pressure of the fully vaporized, enriched lean working fluid stream to a pressure of a low concentration working stream turbine to form a pressure adjusted fully vaporized, enriched lean working fluid stream;

converting a portion of thermal energy in the pressure adjusted fully vaporized, enriched lean working fluid stream into a third amount of a usable form of energy in the low concentration working stream turbine to form the spent enriched lean working fluid stream;

splitting the cooled spent enriched lean working fluid stream into the first cooled spent enriched lean working fluid substream and a second cooled spent enriched lean working fluid substream;

bringing a pressurized liquid lean working fluid stream into a seventh heat exchange relationship with the cooled external flue gas stream in a lower part of the heat recovery vapor generator to form the partially vaporized, pressurized lean working fluid stream and a spent flue gas stream;

scrubbing the second cooled spent enriched lean working fluid substream introduced in a lower part of a scrubber and a pressurized first lean liquid separator substream introduced in a top of the scrubber to form a lean liquid working fluid stream taken form a bottom of the scrubber and a rich vapor scrubber stream taken from a upper part of the scrubber;

pressurizing the lean liquid working fluid stream to a desired higher pressure to form the pressurized lean liquid working fluid stream;

combining the rich vapor scrubber stream and the cooler first cooled spent enriched lean working fluid substream to form a separator feed stream;

separating the separator feed stream in a separator to form a lean liquid separator stream and a rich vapor separator stream;

splitting the lean liquid separator stream into a first lean liquid separator substream and a second lean liquid separator substream;

pressurizing the first lean liquid lean separator substream to a pressure sufficient to lift the stream to the top of the scrubber to form the pressurized first lean liquid separator substream;

combining the second lean liquid separator substream and the rich vapor separator stream to form the mixed stream;

condensing the spent rich working fluid stream to form the fully condensed incoming working fluid stream in a condenser or a condensation thermal compression (CTCSS);

pressurizing the fully condensed mixed stream to a pressure the same or substantially the same as the fully condensed incoming working fluid stream to form the pressurized fully condensed mixed stream;

splitting the spent external flue gas stream into a recycle external flue gas stream and a discard spent flue gas stream;

pressurizing the recycle external flue gas stream in a re-circulation fan to form a pressurized external flue gas stream; and

combining a hot external flue gas stream with the pressurized recycle external flue gas stream to form the cooled external flue gas stream.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the external flue gas stream comprises a combustion effluent stream formed from combustion of biomass, agricultural waste, municipal waste, coal, oil, natural gas or other fuels.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein the composition of the incoming multi-component stream is selected from the group consisting of an ammonia-water mixture, a mixture of two or more hydrocarbons, a mixture of two or more freons, and a mixture of hydrocarbons and freons.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the composition of the incoming multi-component stream comprises a mixture of water and ammonia.

31. A method comprising:

combining a fully condensed incoming work fluid stream comprising a lower boiling point component and a higher boiling component and a pressurized fully condensed mixed stream to form a fully condensed rich working fluid stream, where the fully condensed incoming work fluid stream and the pressurized fully condensed mixed stream have the same or substantially the same composition;

bringing the fully condensed rich working fluid steam into a first heat exchange relationship with a mixed stream to form a fully condensed mixed stream and a heated rich working fluid steam;

bringing the heated rich working fluid stream into a second heat exchange relationship with a first cooled spent enriched lean working fluid substream to form a hotter rich working fluid stream and a cooler first cooled spent enriched lean working fluid substream;

splitting the hotter rich working fluid stream into a first hotter rich working fluid substream and a second hotter rich working fluid substream;

bringing the first hotter rich working fluid substream into a third heat exchange relationship with a spent enriched lean working fluid stream to form a first fully vaporized rich working fluid substream and a cooled spent enriched lean working fluid steam;

bringing the second hotter rich working fluid substream into a forth heat exchange relationship with a lower pressure rich working fluid stream to form a second fully vaporized rich working fluid substream and a cooled lower pressure rich working fluid stream;

combining the first and second fully vaporized rich working fluid substreams to form a fully vaporized rich working fluid stream;

splitting the fully vaporized rich working fluid stream into a third fully vaporized rich working fluid substream and a fourth fully vaporized rich working fluid substream;

bringing the third fully vaporized rich working fluid substream into a fifth heat exchange relationship with a cooled external flue gas stream in a top part of a heat recovery vapor generator to form a superheated rich working fluid stream;

adjusting a pressure of the superheated rich working fluid stream to a pressure of a high pressure turbine to form a pressure adjusted superheated rich working fluid stream;

converting a portion of thermal energy in the pressure adjusted superheated rich working fluid stream into a first amount of a usable form of energy in the high pressure turbine to form the lower pressure rich working fluid stream;

converting a portion of thermal energy in the cooled lower pressure rich working fluid stream into a second amount of a usable form of energy in a low pressure turbine to form a spent rich working fluid stream;

splitting the fourth fully vaporized rich working fluid substream into a fifth fully vaporized rich working fluid substream and a sixth fully vaporized rich working fluid substream;

combining the fifth fully vaporized rich working fluid substream with a partially vaporized, enriched lean working fluid stream in a middle portion of the heat recovery vapor generator to form an enriched, partially vaporized, pressurized lean working fluid stream;

bringing the partially vaporized, enriched lean working fluid stream into a sixth heat exchange relationship with the cooled external flue gas stream in an upper part of the heat recovery vapor generator to form a fully vaporized, enriched lean working fluid stream;

adjusting a pressure of the fully vaporized, enriched lean working fluid stream to a pressure of a low concentration working stream turbine to form a pressure adjusted fully vaporized, enriched lean working fluid stream;

converting a portion of thermal energy in the pressure adjusted fully vaporized, enriched lean working fluid stream into a third amount of a usable form of energy in the low concentration working stream turbine to form the spent enriched lean working fluid stream;

splitting the cooled spent enriched lean working fluid stream into-the first cooled spent enriched lean working fluid substream and a second cooled spent enriched lean working fluid substream;

combining the sixth fully vaporized rich working fluid substream with a pressurized lean working fluid stream to form an enriched lean working fluid stream;

bringing the enriched lean working fluid stream into a seventh heat exchange relationship with the cooled external flue gas stream to form the partially vaporized, enriched lean working fluid stream and a spent flue gas stream;

scrubbing the second cooled spent enriched lean working fluid substream introduced in a lower part of a scrubber and a pressurized first lean liquid separator substream introduced in a top of the scrubber to form a lean liquid working fluid stream taken from a bottom of the scrubber and a rich vapor scrubber stream taken from a upper part of the scrubber;

pressurizing the lean liquid working fluid stream to a desired higher pressure to form the pressurized lean liquid working fluid stream;

combining the rich vapor scrubber stream and the cooler first cooled spent enriched lean working fluid substream to form a separator feed stream;

separating the separator feed stream in a separator to form a lean liquid separator stream and a rich vapor separator stream;

splitting the lean liquid separator stream into a first lean liquid separator substream and a second lean liquid separator substream;

pressurizing the first lean liquid lean separator substream to a pressure sufficient to lift the stream to the top of the scrubber to form the pressurized first lean liquid separator substream;

combining the second lean liquid separator substream and the rich vapor separator stream to form the mixed stream;

condensing the spent rich working fluid stream to form the fully condensed incoming working fluid stream in a condenser or a condensation thermal compression (CTCSS);

pressurizing the fully condensed mixed stream to a pressure the same or substantially the same as the fully condensed incoming working fluid stream to form the pressurized fully condensed mixed stream;

splitting the spent external flue gas stream into a recycle external flue gas stream and a discard spent flue gas stream;

pressurizing the recycle external flue gas stream in a re-circulation fan to form a pressurized external flue gas stream; and

combining a hot external flue gas stream with the pressurized recycle external flue gas stream to form the cooled external flue gas stream.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the external flue gas stream comprises a combustion effluent stream formed from combustion of biomass, agricultural waste, municipal waste, coal, oil, natural gas or other fuels.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the composition of the incoming multi-component stream is selected from the group consisting of an ammonia-water mixture, a mixture of two or more hydrocarbons, a mixture of two or more freons, and a mixture of hydrocarbons and freons.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the composition of the incoming multi-component stream comprises a mixture of water and ammonia.

35. A method comprising:

combining a fully condensed incoming work fluid stream comprising a lower boiling point component and a higher boiling component and a pressurized fully condensed mixed stream to form a fully condensed rich working fluid stream, where the fully condensed incoming work fluid stream and the fully condensed mixed steam have the same or substantially the same composition;

bringing the fully condensed rich working fluid stream into a first heat exchange relationship with a mixed stream to form a fully condensed mixed stream and a heated rich working fluid stream;

bringing the heated rich working fluid stream into a second heat exchange relationship with a first cooled spent enriched lean substream to form a hotter rich working fluid stream and a cooler first spent enriched lean working fluid substream;

splitting the hotter rich working fluid stream into a first hotter rich working fluid substream and a second hotter rich working fluid substream;

bringing the first hotter rich working fluid substream into a third heat exchange relationship with a spent enriched lean working fluid stream to form a first fully vaporized rich working fluid substream and the cooled spent enriched lean working fluid stream;

bringing the second hotter rich working fluid substream into a forth heat exchange relationship with a lower pressure rich working fluid stream to form a second fully vaporized rich working fluid substream and a cooled lower pressure rich working fluid stream;

combining the first and second fully vaporized rich working fluid substreams to form a fully vaporized rich working fluid steam,

splitting the fully vaporized rich working fluid stream into a third fully vaporized rich working fluid substream and a fourth fully vaporized rich working fluid substream;

bringing the third fully vaporized rich working fluid substream into a fifth heat exchange relationship with a cooled external flue gas stream in a top part of a heat recovery vapor generator to form a superheated rich working fluid stream;

splitting the superheated rich working fluid stream into a first superheated rich working fluid substream and a second superheated rich working fluid substream;

adjusting a pressure of the first superheated rich working fluid stream to a pressure of a high pressure turbine;

converting a portion of thermal energy in the first superheated rich working fluid stream into a first amount of a usable form of energy in the high pressure turbine to form the lower pressure rich working fluid stream;

converting a portion of thermal energy in the cooled lower pressure rich working fluid stream into a second amount of a usable form of energy in a low pressure turbine to form a spent rich working fluid stream;

adjusting a pressure of the fourth vaporized rich working fluid substream to a pressure of a partially vaporized, pressurized lean working fluid stream;

combining the pressure adjusted fourth vaporized rich working fluid substream with a pressurized lean working fluid stream to form an enriched lean working fluid stream;

bringing the enriched lean working fluid stream into a sixth heat exchange relationship with the cooled external flue gas stream in the heat recovery vapor generator to form a fully vaporized, enriched lean working fluid stream;

adjusting a pressure of the fully vaporized, enriched lean working fluid stream to a pressure of a low concentration working stream turbine to form a pressure adjusted fully vaporized, enriched lean working fluid stream;

adjusting a pressure of the second superheated rich working fluid stream to the pressure of the low concentration working stream turbine to form a pressure adjusted second superheated rich working fluid stream;

combining the pressure adjusted, fully vaporized, enriched lean working fluid stream and the pressure adjusted second superheated rich working fluid stream to form a fully vaporized richer enriched lean working fluid stream;

converting a portion of thermal energy in the fully vaporized richer enriched lean working fluid stream into a third amount of a usable form of energy in the low concentration working stream turbine to form the spent enriched lean working fluid stream;

splitting the cooled spent enriched lean working fluid stream into the first cooled spent enriched lean working fluid substream and a second cooled spent enriched lean working fluid substream;

scrubbing the second cooled spent enriched lean working fluid substream introduced in a lower part of a scrubber and a pressurized first lean liquid separator substream introduced in a top of the scrubber to form a lean liquid working fluid stream taken from a bottom of the scrubber and a rich vapor scrubber stream taken from a upper part of the scrubber;

pressurizing the lean liquid working fluid stream to a desired higher pressure to form the pressurized lean liquid working fluid stream;

combining the rich vapor scrubber stream and the cooler first cooled spent enriched lean working fluid substream to form a separator feed stream;

separating the separator feed stream in a separator to form a lean liquid separator stream and a rich vapor separator stream;

splitting the lean liquid separator stream into a first lean liquid separator substream and a second lean liquid separator substream;

pressurizing the first lean liquid lean separator substream to a pressure sufficient to lift the stream to the top of the scrubber to form the pressurized first lean liquid separator substream;

combining the second lean liquid separator substream and the rich vapor separator stream to form the mixed stream;

condensing the spent rich working fluid stream to form the fully condensed incoming working fluid stream in a condenser or a condensation thermal compression (CTCSS);

pressurizing the fully condensed mixed stream to a pressure the same or substantially the same as the fully condensed incoming working fluid stream to form the pressurized fully condensed mixed stream;

splitting the spent external flue gas stream into a recycle external flue gas stream and a discard spent flue gas stream;

pressurizing the recycle external flue gas stream in a re-circulation fan to form a pressurized external flue gas stream and

combining a hot external flue gas stream with the pressurized recycle external flue gas stream to form the cooled external flue gas stream.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the external flue gas stream comprises a combustion effluent stream formed from combustion of biomass, agricultural waste, municipal waste, coal, oil, natural gas or other fuels.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein the composition of the incoming multi-component stream is selected from the group consisting of an ammonia-water mixture, a mixture of two or more hydrocarbons, a mixture of two or more freons, and a mixture of hydrocarbons and freons.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the composition of the incoming multi-component stream comprises a mixture of water and ammonia.