Thermodynamic power conversion cycle and methods of use

• US 7,900,450 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2006
• Issued: 03/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Echogen Power Systems (Delawere) Inc
• Original Assignee: Echogen Power Systems (Delawere) Inc
• Inventors: Gurin, Michael H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; Hoang M
• Application Number:
  US11/612,417
• Publication Number:
  US 20070151244A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,541 Days
• Field of Search: 606/412, 606/416, 606/418, 606/411.5
• US Class Current: 60/641.2
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 25/08 using special vapours
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 3/12 having two or more accumulators
• CPC Class Codes: F03G 6/003 having a Rankine cycle F03G6/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F03G 6/065 having a Rankine cycle
• CPC Class Codes: F03G 7/04 using pressure differences or thermal differences occurring in nature F03G7/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F03G 7/047 Environmental heat plants or OTEC plants using heat pumps
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/30 Energy from the sea, e.g. using wave energy or salinity gradient
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/46 Conversion of thermal power into mechanical power, e.g. Rankine, Stirling or solar thermal engines
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/7072 Electromobility specific charging systems or methods for batteries, ultracapacitors, supercapacitors or double-layer capacitors

Abstract

A high efficiency thermodynamic power conversion cycle is disclosed using thermal storage, atmospheric heat exchangers, and wind channeling in a synergistic method. Using the preferred configuration with ground source water, solar collectors, and heat pump including the further preferred utilization of ionic liquids or electride solutions as the working fluid in the system, achieves optimal total energy efficiency and enables otherwise insufficient thermal differentials to effectively generate power.

Claims

1. A thermodynamic power conversion device comprising:

at least one first configuration designed to operate when an ambient, or atmospheric, temperature is greater than the ground source, or geothermal water, temperature and at least one first configuration designed to operate when an ambient, or atmospheric, temperature is less than the ground source, or geothermal water, temperature, where both configurations comprise;

at least one working fluid;

at least one reversible pump designed to utilize the at least one working fluid wherein the at least one reversible pump and the working fluid therein are in fluid communication with either at least one external atmospheric interface or at least one liquid-based heat exchanger, wherein the combination of the at least one reversible pump, the at least one working fluid and the contact with either the least one external atmospheric interface or the at least one liquid-based heat exchanger results in an increase in the temperature of the at least one working fluid;

at least one expansion device that is operatively coupled via fluid communication to the at least one reversible pump via either the at least one external atmospheric interface or the at least one liquid-based heat exchanger, wherein the at least one expansion device is able to accomplish work as a result of the expansion of the at least one working fluid, whereby as a result of the work generated by the expansion of the at least one working fluid, the at least one expansion device causes the at least one working fluid to undergo a temperature drop; and

at least one geothermal condenser that is operatively coupled by fluid communication to both the at least one reversible pump and the at least one expansion device, wherein the at least one geothermal condenser is designed to enable the transport of energy, or heat, to the at least one working fluid,

wherein when the ambient, or atmospheric, temperature is greater than the ground source, or geothermal water, temperature the at least one working fluid of the thermodynamic power conversion device flows in a direction from the at least one reversible pump to the at least one external atmospheric interface or at least one liquid-based heat exchanger to the at least one expansion device to the at least one geothermal condenser and then back to the at least one reversible pump, and

wherein when the ambient, or atmospheric, temperature is less than the ground source, or geothermal water, temperature the at least one working fluid of the thermodynamic power conversion device flows in a direction from the at least one reversible pump to the at least one geothermal condenser to the at least one expansion device to the at least one external atmospheric interface or at least one liquid-based heat exchanger and then back to the at least one reversible pump.

2. The thermodynamic power conversion device of claim 1, further comprising at least one solar assisted thermal source is operatively coupled via the at least one working fluid and is located between the at least one at least one external atmospheric interface or at least one liquid-based heat exchanger and the at least one expansion device.

3. The thermodynamic power conversion device of claim 1, further comprising at least one solar assisted thermal source is operatively coupled via the at least one working fluid and is located between the at least one geothermal condenser and the at least one expansion device.

4. The thermodynamic power conversion device of claim 1, further comprising at least one solar assisted thermal source is operatively coupled via the at least one working fluid and is located between the at least one at least one external atmospheric interface or at least one liquid-based heat exchanger and the at least one expansion device;

and at least one solar assisted thermal source is operatively coupled via the at least one working fluid and is located between the at least one geothermal condenser and the at least one expansion device.

5. The thermodynamic power conversion device of claim 1, wherein the at least one expansion device is operatively coupled to at least one compressor, heat pump, pump, generator, or a combination of two or more thereof, and wherein the at least one expansion device transmits the work generated to any of the one or more devices to which the at least one expansion device is operatively coupled to.

6. The thermodynamic power conversion device of claim 1, further comprising at least one absorption- and/or expansion-based cooling device that is operatively coupled to the at least one expansion device.

7. The thermodynamic power conversion device of claim 1, wherein the at least one pump is selected from at least one heat driven pulse pump, heat pump, a gerotor, a high efficiency pump, or any combination of two of more thereof.

8. A method for operating a geothermal system, the method comprising the steps of:

(A) supplying at least one thermodynamic power conversion device, the thermodynamic power conversion device comprising;

at least one first configuration designed to operate when an ambient, or atmospheric, temperature is greater than the ground source, or geothermal water, temperature and at least one first configuration designed to operate when an ambient, or atmospheric, temperature is less than the ground source, or geothermal water, temperature, where both configurations comprise;

at least one working fluid;

at least one reversible pump designed to utilize the at least one working fluid wherein the at least one reversible pump and the working fluid therein are in fluid communication with either at least one external atmospheric interface or at least one liquid-based heat exchanger, wherein the combination of the at least one reversible pump, the at least one working fluid and the contact with either the least one external atmospheric interface or the at least one liquid-based heat exchanger results in an increase in the temperature of the at least one working fluid;

at least one expansion device that is operatively coupled via fluid communication to the at least one reversible pump via either the at least one external atmospheric interface or the at least one liquid-based heat exchanger, wherein the at least one expansion device is able to accomplish work as a result of the expansion of the at least one working fluid, whereby as a result of the work generated by the expansion of the at least one working fluid, the at least one expansion device causes the at least one working fluid to undergo a temperature drop; and

at least one geothermal condenser that is operatively coupled by fluid communication to both the at least one reversible pump and the at least one expansion device, wherein the at least one geothermal condenser is designed to enable the transport of energy, or heat, to the at least one working fluid,

wherein when the ambient, or atmospheric, temperature is greater than the ground source, or geothermal water, temperature the at least one working fluid of the thermodynamic power conversion device flows in a direction from the at least one reversible pump to the at least one external atmospheric interface or at least one liquid-based heat exchanger to the at least one expansion device to the at least one geothermal condenser and then back to the at least one reversible pump, and

wherein when the ambient, or atmospheric, temperature is less than the ground source, or geothermal water, temperature the at least one working fluid of the thermodynamic power conversion device flows in a direction from the at least one reversible pump to the at least one geothermal condenser to the at least one expansion device to the at least one external atmospheric interface or at least one liquid-based heat exchanger and then back to the at least one reversible pump; and

(B) utilizing the at least one thermodynamic power conversion device to increase the average temperature differential between at least one heat source and at least one heat sink, so as to result in an increase in the energy efficiency of a geothermal system.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the at least one thermodynamic power conversion device further comprises at least one solar assisted thermal source is operatively coupled via the at least one working fluid and is located between the at least one at least one external atmospheric interface or at least one liquid-based heat exchanger and the at least one expansion device.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the at least one thermodynamic power conversion device further comprises at least one solar assisted thermal source is operatively coupled via the at least one working fluid and is located between the at least one geothermal condenser and the at least one expansion device.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the at least one thermodynamic power conversion device further comprises at least one solar assisted thermal source is operatively coupled via the at least one working fluid and is located between the at least one at least one external atmospheric interface or at least one liquid-based heat exchanger and the at least one expansion device;

and at least one solar assisted thermal source is operatively coupled via the at least one working fluid and is located between the at least one geothermal condenser and the at least one expansion device.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the at least one expansion device is operatively coupled to at least one compressor, heat pump, pump, generator, or a combination of two or more thereof, and wherein the at least one expansion device transmits the work generated to any of the one or more devices to which the at least one expansion device is operatively coupled to.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the at least one thermodynamic power conversion device further comprises at least one absorption- and/or expansion-based cooling device that is operatively coupled to the at least one expansion device.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the at least one pump is selected from at least one heat driven pulse pump, heat pump, a gerotor, a high efficiency pump, or any combination of two of more thereof.