Dual heat exchanger power cycle

• US 7,770,376 B1
• Filed: 01/19/2007
• Issued: 08/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Florida Turbine Technologies, Inc. (Kratos Defense & Security Solutions Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Florida Turbine Technologies, Inc. (Kratos Defense & Security Solutions Incorporated)
• Inventors: Brostmeyer, Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuff; Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Choi; Young
• Application Number:
  US11/655,706
• Time in Patent Office: 1,299 Days
• Field of Search: 60/391.82, 60/391.83, 60/391.81, 607/91, 60/391.7, 60/395.11, 606/50, 606/55, 606/82, 606/83
• US Class Current: 60/39.182
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 23/10 with exhaust fluid of one cycle heating the fluid in another cycle F01K17/025 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 23/103 with afterburner in exhaust boiler
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 1/04 the working fluid being heated indirectly in a fluidised-bed combustor F02C3/205
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 6/18 using the waste heat of gas-turbine plants outside the plants themselves, e.g. gas-turbine power heat plants using waste heat as source of energy for refrigeration plants F25B27/02; using the waste heat of a gasturbine for steam generation or in a steam cycle see F01K23/10
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/08 Heating air supply before combustion, e.g. by exhaust gases
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2220/31 in steam turbines
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2240/40 Use of a multiplicity of similar components
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 20/14 Combined heat and power generation [CHP]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 20/16 Combined cycle power plant [CCPP], or combined cycle gas turbine [CCGT]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/10 Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel

Abstract

A power plant for burning a fuel in a low pressure combustion chamber to produce electrical power. A first compressor supplies compressed air through a first heat exchanger to add heat to the compressed air. The heated compressed air is passed through a first turbine to drive a first electric generator. The first turbine outlet is passed through a second heat exchanger in series with the first heat exchanger to further heat the compressed air. The compressed air is then passed through a second turbine to drive a second electric generator and produce electric power. The outlet from the second turbine is passed through a first combustor to produce the hot gas flow through the second heat exchanger. The outlet from the second heat exchanger is passed through a second combustor before passing through the first heat exchanger. The outlet from the first heat exchanger is passed through a heat recovery steam generator to generate steam to drive another turbine and another generator. An additional compressor and intercooler can be used to supply the compressed air to the first heat exchanger. With this system, one or more fuels can be burned under low pressure and without passing the contaminants from combustion through the turbines.

Claims

1. A power plant for generating electric power comprising:

a compressor to compress air at atmospheric pressure to a high pressure;

a heat exchanger connected to the compressor such that the compressed air from the compressor passes through the heat exchanger;

a first turbine connected to the heat exchanger such that the compressed air passing through the heat exchanger passes into the first turbine for expansion of the compressed air;

a first electrical generator rotatably connected to the first turbine;

an atmospheric pressure combustor connected to the turbine outlet;

the heat exchanger connected to the combustor outlet such that a hot gas flow from the combustor passes through the heat exchanger to transfer heat from the combustion gas to the compressed air;

a heat recovery steam generator connected to the hot gas outlet of the heat exchanger to generate steam from the hot gas flow from the heat exchanger;

a second turbine connected to the heat recovery steam generator to use the steam to drive the second turbine;

a second electrical generator connected to the second turbine to produce electric power;

a second heat exchanger connected upstream from the first combustor and connected to the first turbine such that the turbine outlet passes through the second heat exchanger;

a third turbine connected to the second heat exchanger such that the outlet of the first turbine is heated in the second heat exchanger and passed into the third turbine;

a third electric generator driven by the third turbine to produce electric power;

a second low pressure combustor connected to the outlet of the third turbine, the second low pressure combustor connected to the second heat exchanger such that the hot gas flow from the second combustor passes through the second heat exchanger to transfer heat to the compressed air passing into the third turbine; and

,

the two heat exchangers and two low pressure combustors being connected in series such that the combustion gas passes into the heat recovery steam generator.

2. The power plant of claim 1, and further comprising:

a second compressor to compress the air delivered into the first compressor; and

,

a third heat exchanger to form an intercooler between the first and second compressors.

3. The power plant of claim 1, and further comprising:

a second compressor to compress the air delivered into the first compressor; and

,

a second heat exchanger to form an intercooler between the first and second compressors.