Thermodynamic cycles with thermal diluent

• US 8,631,657 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2006
• Issued: 01/21/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vast Holdings LLC (JayHawk Energy, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Vast Power Portfolio, LLC
• Inventors: Hagen, David L., Ginter, Gary, Goheen, Bill, McGuire, Allan, Rankin, Janet, Massardo, Aristide, Klaus, Ronald L., Traverso, Alberto
• Primary Examiner(s): Hu, Kang
• Assistant Examiner(s): DECKER, PHILLIP
• Application Number:
  US11/548,281
• Publication Number:
  US 20070234702A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,660 Days
• Field of Search: 237/12.1, 60/390.1, 607/75
• US Class Current: 60/775
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/032 from the cooling liquid of the propulsion plant and from a burner
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 23/101 Regulating means specially adapted therefor F01K23/105, F01K23/108 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 23/12 the engines being mechanically coupled F01K23/02 takes precedence
• 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: Y02P 80/15 On-site combined power, heat or cool generation or distribution, e.g. combined heat and power [CHP] supply

Abstract

Thermodynamic cycles with diluent that produce mechanical power, electrical power, and/or fluid streams for heating and/or cooling are described. Systems contain a combustion system producing an energetic fluid by combusting fuel with oxidant. Thermal diluent is preferably used in the cycle to improve performance, including one or more of power, efficiency, economics, emissions, dynamic and off-peak load performance, temperature regulation, and/or cooling heated components. Cycles include a heat recovery system and preferably recover and recycle thermal diluent from expanded energetic fluid to improve cycle thermodynamic efficiency and reduce energy conversion costs. Cycles preferably include controls for temperatures, pressures, and flow rates within a combined heat and power (CHP) system, and controls for power, thermal output, efficiency, and/or emissions.

Claims

1. An energy transfer system comprising:

(a) a combustion system, comprising a combustor having an outlet, operative to react fuel fluid comprising a fuel with oxidant fluid comprising an oxidant, thereby forming products of combustion;

(b) an oxidant delivery system comprising an oxidant pressurizer, operative to deliver pressurized oxidant fluid upstream of the combustor outlet;

(c) a fuel delivery system comprising a fuel pressurizer, operative to deliver fuel fluid upstream of the combustor outlet;

(d) a diluent delivery system having a vaporizable diluent supply, operative to pressurize and deliver diluent fluid comprising vaporizable diluent upstream of the combustor outlet;

(e) an expansion system downstream of the combustion system comprising an expander operative to recover energy from an energetic fluid received from the combustor outlet and form an expanded energetic fluid;

(f) a heat and mass transfer system, operative to receive vaporizable diluent from the diluent delivery system and to vaporize a portion of the vaporizable diluent, the heat and mass transfer system comprising;

(i) a plurality of heat exchangers, the plurality of heat exchangers being operative collectively to transfer heat from the expanded energetic fluid to vaporizable diluent to produce vaporized diluent and heated vaporizable diluent, and to cool the expanded energetic fluid;

(ii) a plurality of ports each operative to deliver one of vaporized diluent and heated vaporizable diluent upstream of the combustor outlet;

(iii) a diluent outlet port to supply one of vaporized diluent and heated vaporizable diluent to a diluent utilization device; and

(g) a control system having a plurality of flow control devices operable to;

(i) control delivery of vaporizable diluent to the plurality of heat exchangers;

(ii) control delivery of vaporized diluent and heated vaporizable diluent upstream of the combustor outlet; and

(iii) control delivery of at least one of the vaporized diluent and heated vaporizable diluent to the diluent outlet port;

wherein the control system is operative to control the total quantity of diluent delivered upstream of the combustor outlet directly or indirectly, the total quantity of diluent comprising the vaporized diluent and the heated vaporizable diluent and being greater than an amount of diluent that would saturate the pressurized oxidant fluid delivered to the combustor at an oxidant fluid delivery temperature, and greater than an amount of diluent that could be vaporized by the plurality of heat exchangers from the heat transferred from the expanded energetic fluid.

2. The energy transfer system of claim 1 wherein the control system is operable to control distribution of heated diluent delivery within the energy transfer system,

such that the temperature of heated diluent delivered to the diluent utilization device exceeds a minimum utilization temperature.

3. The energy transfer system of claim 2 wherein the control system is further operable to control fuel fluid delivery such that the delivery of heated diluent to the diluent utilization device exceeds a desired flow rate, and to control the quantity of diluent in the diluent supply above a prescribed minimum quantity.

4. The energy transfer system of claim 3 wherein heated diluent is delivered to the combustor, and the system further comprises a fluid control device operable to control delivery of heated diluent to the combustor.

5. The energy transfer system of claim 1 wherein the diluent comprises water.

6. The energy transfer system of claim 1 wherein the diluent comprises one or more of:

crude oil, tar sand oil, shale oil, syncrude, coal derived fuels, fuel oil, heavy fossil liquids, coal derived fuels, bunker oil, diesel fuel, aviation fuel, and kerosene.

7. The energy transfer system of claim 1 wherein one of the combustor and the expander comprises a heat-sensitive component, and the control system is operable to control the distribution of diluent delivery upstream of the expander outlet, and is operable to maintain the fluid temperature at a fluid control location thermally proximate to the heat-sensitive component below a fluid control temperature limit.

8. The energy transfer system of claim 7 wherein a component temperature at a component control location remains below a component control temperature limit.

9. The energy transfer system of claim 7 wherein the expander is operable to deliver mechanical power, and the control system is further operable to control fuel delivery such that the expander supplies at least a minimum desired level of mechanical power, wherein the Compressor Exit Specific Net Power ratio of net mechanical power to compressor oxidant fluid flow rate is greater than 925 kW/(kg/s).

10. The energy transfer system of claim 9 wherein the control system is further operable to control fuel delivery and operable to maintain a flow rate of heated diluent fluid deliverable to the diluent outlet port above a minimum desired flow rate.

11. The energy transfer system of claim 9 wherein the control system is further operable to control fuel delivery and to control diluent distribution so as to control the mechanical power delivery and the heated diluent flow rate to the diluent outlet port.

12. The energy transfer system of claim 11 wherein the control system is further operable to control the distribution of diluent within the energy transfer system thereby controlling the thermal efficiency of the energy transfer system.

13. The energy transfer system of claim 1 wherein the heat and mass transfer system comprises an evaporator downstream of the expander operable to vaporize diluent with expanded energetic fluid thereby forming a vaporized diluent.

14. The energy transfer system of claim 13 wherein the control system is operable to control delivery of vaporized diluent to the combustor.

15. The energy transfer system of claim 13 wherein the control system is operable to control delivery of vaporized diluent to the diluent outlet port.

16. The energy transfer system of claim 15 wherein the heat and mass transfer system comprises an inlet port operable to receive utilized diluent from the diluent utilization device.

17. The energy transfer system of claim 13 wherein the heat and mass transfer system comprises a surface heat exchange device operable to heat fuel with vaporized diluent and to deliver heated fuel to the combustor.

18. The energy transfer system of claim 13 wherein the heat and mass transfer system comprises a mixing device operable to mix fuel with vaporized diluent and deliver the fuel-diluent mixture to the combustor.

19. The energy transfer system of claim 18 wherein the fuel is vaporized.

20. The energy transfer system of claim 13 wherein the heat and mass transfer system comprises a superheater downstream of the expander operable to superheat vaporized diluent with expanded energetic fluid.

21. The energy transfer system of claim 20 wherein the heat and mass transfer system is operable to deliver superheated diluent to the combustor.

22. The energy transfer system of claim 13 wherein the heat and mass transfer system is operable to deliver vaporized diluent to a second diluent outlet port connectable to a second diluent utilization device thereby forming utilized diluent.

23. The energy transfer system of claim 22 wherein the heat and mass transfer system comprises a diluent inlet port operable to receive utilized diluent from the second diluent utilization device.

24. The energy transfer system of claim 1 wherein the heat and mass transfer system further comprises a diluent recovery system operable to recover diluent from cooled expanded fluid.

25. The energy transfer system of claim 24 wherein the diluent recovery system comprises a cooling apparatus to cool a cooling fluid, and a direct contact condensor operable to deliver cooling fluid and recover cooled liquid diluent.

26. The energy transfer system of claim 24 wherein the diluent recovery system comprises a condenser, and the heat and mass transfer system comprises a cooling heat exchanger and a coolant pressurizing device and is operable to cool and circulate coolant through the condenser to condense diluent.

27. The energy transfer system of claim 24 wherein the diluent recovery system comprises a condensor operable to recover liquid water and to deliver it within the heat and mass transfer system with a net positive water balance.

28. The energy transfer system of claim 24 wherein the diluent recovery system is operable to recover water and utilize it within the heat and mass transfer system, wherein the ratio of make-up water to fuel is less than 2.2.

29. The energy transfer system of claim 26 wherein the heat and mass transfer system is operable to condense and deliver water to the cooling heat exchanger.

30. The energy transfer system of claim 26 wherein the heat and mass transfer system is operable to recover condensed diluent and deliver it to a condensed diluent outlet port.

31. The energy transfer system of claim 1 wherein the control system is operable to control delivery of heated diluent to the diluent utilization device, and wherein the utilization device is operable to cool diluent and to control delivery of cooled diluent from the diluent utilization device.

32. The energy transfer system of claim 24 wherein the heat and mass transfer system is further operable to discharge condensed diluent from the energy-transfer system, and the control system is operable to control a diluent discharge rate, thereby controlling a contaminant concentration in the diluent not discharged.

33. The energy transfer system of claim 32 further comprising a diluent treatment system, operable to control the concentration of a contaminant in diluent delivered upstream of the expander outlet such that the contaminant concentration is less than a prescribed concentration limit.

34. The energy transfer system of claim 32 wherein the control system is operable to control diluent delivery such that the concentration of a contaminant in residual fluid exhausted from the energy transfer system is maintained below a prescribed limit.

35. The energy transfer system of claim 13 wherein the control system is operable to control distribution of vaporized diluent within the energy transfer system.

36. The energy transfer system of claim 20 wherein the control system is operable to control distribution of superheated diluent within the energy transfer system.

37. The energy transfer system of claim 26 wherein the expansion system comprises at least one recompressor downstream of the diluent condenser heat exchanger operable to recompress cooled expanded fluid, thereby forming a recompressed fluid.

38. The energy transfer system of claim 37 wherein the diluent condenser heat exchanger exchanges heat with a district heating system.

39. The energy transfer system of claim 37 wherein the heat and mass transfer system comprises an exhaust heat exchange device downstream of the recompressor operable to exchange heat between diluent and recompressed fluid.

40. The energy transfer system of claim 37 wherein the heat and mass transfer system further comprises a fluid-mixing device configured downstream of one of the expander and the recompressor, and the heat and mass transfer system is operable to deliver diluent into the downstream flow.

41. The energy transfer system of claim 40 comprising a fluid-mixing device operable to deliver diluent into at least one of the expander and the recompressor.

42. The energy transfer system of claim 1 wherein the heat and mass transfer system comprises a fluid mixing device operable to deliver diluent to the oxidant-delivery system, and to mix diluent with oxidant fluid in the oxidant delivery system.

43. The energy transfer system of claim 42 comprising a plurality of oxidant pressurizers, wherein the fluid-mixing device is operable upstream of one of the plurality of oxidant pressurizers.

44. The energy transfer system of claim 42 comprising a flow control device and multiple fluid-mixing devices, which are operable to control diluent delivery to multiple locations within the oxidant pressurizer displaced along the streamwise flow.

45. The energy transfer system of claim 1 wherein the oxidant-delivery system is operable to deliver oxidant fluid to the heat and mass transfer system.

46. The energy transfer system of claim 45 wherein the heat and mass transfer system is operable to exchange heat between oxidant fluid and expanded energetic fluid, thereby forming heated oxidant fluid, and to deliver heated oxidant fluid to the combustor.

47. The energy transfer system of claim 1 wherein the heat and mass transfer system is operable to deliver a product fluid comprising one of products of combustion, energetic fluid, expanded energetic fluid, and/or cooled expanded fluid, to a product outlet port connectable to a product utilization device.

48. The energy transfer system of claim 47 wherein the product utilization device is further connectable to the diluent outlet port, and is operable to mix diluent with product fluid.

49. The energy transfer system of claim 47 comprising a product pressurizer operable to compress product fluid.

50. The energy transfer system of claim 47 wherein the product utilization device is operable to deliver product fluid for petroleum recovery as a flooding fluid and/or a thermal heating fluid.

51. The energy transfer system of claim 20 wherein the control system is operable to control the distribution of a plurality of diluent fluids having a plurality of different temperatures.

52. The energy transfer system of claim 48 wherein the diluent comprises vaporized diluent.

53. The energy transfer system of claim 48 wherein the diluent comprises liquid diluent.

54. The energy transfer system of claim 1 wherein the heat and mass transfer system is operable to deliver and contact diluent with oxidant fluid in the oxidant-delivery system.

55. The energy transfer system of claim 1 wherein the heat and mass transfer system comprises an oxidant surface heat exchange device, operable to deliver diluent and to exchange heat between diluent and pressurized oxidant fluid.

56. The energy transfer system of claim 55 wherein the heat and mass transfer system is further operable to deliver at least some heated diluent to one or more of the combustor, the expander, a heat generating component, and the diluent utilization device.

57. The energy transfer system of claim 1 wherein the heat and mass transfer system further comprises at least one protective heat exchanger operable to exchange heat between diluent and at least one heat generating component other than the combustor and the oxidant pressurizer.

58. The energy transfer system of claim 57 wherein the control system is further operable to control delivery of diluent to the protective heat exchanger, such that a heat generating component temperature is maintained below a prescribed component upper temperature limit.

59. The energy transfer system of claim 58, wherein the diluent comprises heated diluent.

60. The energy transfer system of claim 58, further comprising a coolant heat exchanger in coolant fluid communication with the heat generating component and configured to exchange heat between coolant fluid and diluent.

61. The energy transfer system of claim 1 wherein the heat and mass transfer system comprises an expansion surface heat exchange device operable to deliver and exchange heat between diluent and expanded energetic fluid within the expansion system thereby forming heated diluent.

62. The energy transfer system of claim 61 wherein the heat and mass transfer system is operable to deliver at least some heated diluent to one or more of the:

oxidant delivery system, the combustion system, the expansion system, and/or the diluent utilization device.

63. The energy transfer system of claim 1 wherein the combustion system comprises a cooling system having a combustor heat exchanger operable to exchange heat between the energetic fluid within the combustor and diluent supplied to the cooling system.

64. The energy transfer system of claim 1 wherein the combustion system comprises a cooling system operable for direct contact heat exchange between a fluid within the combustor and diluent from the heat and mass transfer system.

65. The energy transfer system of claim 1 wherein the diluent delivery system is operable to deliver diluent to the heat and mass transfer system.

66. The energy transfer system of claim 1 wherein the heat and mass transfer system is operable to receive fuel from the fuel delivery system, exchange heat between heated diluent and fuel, thereby forming heated fuel, and to deliver heated fuel to the combustor.

67. The energy transfer system of claim 1 wherein the heat and mass transfer system is operable to deliver diluent to a plurality of locations within the combustor, and the control system is operable to control distribution of diluent within the combustor.

68. The energy transfer system of claim 1 wherein the heat and mass transfer system comprises a fluid-mixing device operable to deliver diluent to the expansion system and to mix diluent with one of expanded fluid and oxidant fluid.

69. The energy transfer system of claim 1 wherein the heat and mass transfer system comprises a second economizer heat exchanger operable to exchange heat between a second portion of expanded energetic fluid and diluent.

70. The energy transfer system of claim 1 wherein the heat and mass transfer system is operable to deliver diluent and/or oxidant fluid to the expansion system.

71. The energy transfer system of claim 1 comprising a pump.

72. The energy transfer system of claim 71 wherein the heat and mass transfer system is operable to deliver diluent and/or heated diluent to a pump and to cool the pump.

73. The energy transfer system of claim 1 wherein the diluent utilization device is located remotely from the expander.

74. The energy transfer system of claim 1 comprising a surface heat exchange device operable to further cool cooled expanded fluid with diluent, thereby forming a heated diluent.

75. The energy transfer system of claim 1 wherein the heat and mass transfer system is operable to deliver heated diluent to the combustor.

76. The energy transfer system of claim 1 wherein the heat and mass transfer system is operable to contact and mix oxidant fluid with heated diluent.

77. The energy transfer system of claim 1 wherein the heat and mass transfer system is operable to heat fuel and deliver it to the combustor.

78. The energy transfer system of claim 1 wherein the heat and mass transfer system comprises a mixing device operable to mix fuel with heated diluent and deliver the mixture to the combustor.

79. The energy transfer system of claim 1 wherein the heat and mass transfer system further comprises a cooling device operable to use mechanical power and/or heated diluent to cool oxidant fluid, cool diluent fluid, condense diluent vapor, freeze diluent fluid, and/or cool a refrigerant fluid.

80. The energy transfer system of claim 78 wherein the heat and mass transfer system is operable to vaporize fuel and deliver vaporized fuel to the combustor.

81. The energy transfer system of claim 1 wherein the heat and mass transfer system is operable to recirculate a portion of one of carbon dioxide and nitrogen from the expanded energetic fluid.

82. The energy transfer system of claim 1 wherein the heat and mass transfer system comprises a surface heat exchange device operable to exchange heat between oxidant fluid with one of a second portion of expanded energetic fluid, heated diluent, vaporized diluent, and/or cooled diluent.

83. The energy transfer system of claim 1 wherein the heat and mass transfer system comprises a mixing device operable to mix and vaporize diluent with oxidant fluid.

84. The energy transfer system of claim 1 wherein the heat and mass transfer system comprises a second pressurizing device operable to further pressurize one of diluent fluid and fuel fluid.

85. The energy transfer system of claim 1 wherein the combustion system is insulated to reduce heat loss from energetic fluid to the environment.

86. The energy transfer system of claim 1 wherein the heat and mass transfer system comprises a combustor heat exchanger operable to cool the combustor with diluent, and the combustion system further comprises components insulated to reduce heat gain from the energetic fluid.

87. The energy transfer system of claim 1 wherein the combustion system comprises at least one radiation shield operable to intercept and recycle radiation from fluid comprising products of combustion, and operable to exchange heat with diluent.

88. The energy transfer system of claim 1 wherein the fuel delivery system is operable to deliver liquid fuel comprising one of crude oil, tar sand oil, shale oil, syncrude, coal derived fuels, liquified natural gas, diesel fuel, fuel oil, heavy fossil liquids, coal derived fuels, bunker oil, aviation fuel, and kerosene.

89. The energy transfer system of claim 1 wherein the fuel delivery system is operable to deliver gaseous fuel comprising one of natural gas, coal bed methane, biogas, producer gas, and synthesis gas.

90. The energy transfer system of claim 1 wherein the fuel delivery system and/or the diluent delivery system comprises fluid delivery orifices, and further comprises a fluid filter having orifices smaller than the size of the respective fluid delivery orifices.

91. The energy transfer system of claim 1 wherein the expander comprises a plurality of shafts.

92. The energy transfer system of claim 1 wherein the diluent utilization device is operable to cool oxidant fluid, cool diluent fluid, freeze diluent fluid and/or cool a refrigerant fluid.

93. The energy transfer system of claim 1 wherein the diluent heat exchanger comprises a once through heat exchanger operable to recover heat from the expanded fluid into heated diluent fluid.

94. The energy transfer system of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of once through heat exchangers in series operable to recover heat from the expanded fluid into one or more of heated diluent fluid, gaseous diluent fluid, and superheated diluent fluid.

95. The energy transfer system of claim 1, further comprising a recuperator operative to exchange heat between a second portion of expanded energetic fluid and a portion of pressurized oxidant fluid, with a direct contact heat exchanger, operable to deliver diluent fluid into the portion of pressurized oxidant fluid upstream of the recuperator, and further operable to deliver upstream of the combustor outlet the heated portion of oxidant fluid formed thereby.

96. The energy transfer system of claim 95, wherein said direct contactor is operable to deliver more diluent fluid into the pressurized oxidant fluid upstream of the recuperator than is required to saturate the pressurized oxidant fluid entering the recuperator.