Recovering heat energy
First Claim
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1. A method of using a turbine generator system, comprising:
- pumping a working fluid in a Rankine cycle from a low pressure reservoir toward at least one exhaust oxidizer;
heating the working fluid from heat energy recovered from the exhaust oxidizer, at least a portion of the working fluid being pressurized and heated to a gaseous state;
directing the heated and pressurized working fluid toward a turbine generator apparatus, the turbine generator apparatus including an inlet conduit to direct the working fluid toward a turbine wheel that is rotatable in response to expansion of the working fluid;
generating electrical energy from the rotation of the turbine wheel, the turbine wheel being coupled to a rotor of an electrical energy generator that rotates within a_stator of the electrical energy generator,further comprising separating a liquid state portion of the heated and pressurized working fluid from a gaseous state portion of the heated and pressurized working fluid using a cyclone separator device before the working fluid is delivered to the turbine generator apparatus.
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Abstract
Some embodiments of a generator system can be used with the working fluid in a Rankine cycle. For example, the generator system can be used in a Rankine cycle to recover heat from one of a number of commercial applications and to convert that heat energy into electrical energy. In particular embodiments, the generator system may include a turbine generator apparatus to generate electrical energy and a liquid separator arranged upstream of the turbine generator apparatus.
176 Citations
9 Claims
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1. A method of using a turbine generator system, comprising:
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pumping a working fluid in a Rankine cycle from a low pressure reservoir toward at least one exhaust oxidizer; heating the working fluid from heat energy recovered from the exhaust oxidizer, at least a portion of the working fluid being pressurized and heated to a gaseous state; directing the heated and pressurized working fluid toward a turbine generator apparatus, the turbine generator apparatus including an inlet conduit to direct the working fluid toward a turbine wheel that is rotatable in response to expansion of the working fluid; generating electrical energy from the rotation of the turbine wheel, the turbine wheel being coupled to a rotor of an electrical energy generator that rotates within a_stator of the electrical energy generator, further comprising separating a liquid state portion of the heated and pressurized working fluid from a gaseous state portion of the heated and pressurized working fluid using a cyclone separator device before the working fluid is delivered to the turbine generator apparatus. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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Specification