Thermodynamic cycle with compressor recuperation, and associated systems and methods
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A modular power infrastructure system comprising:
- a supercritical power module including;
a first compressor structured to compress a supercritical fluid;
a first recuperator structured to heat compressed supercritical fluid from the first compressor;
a second compressor structured to compress heated supercritical fluid received from the first recuperator;
a second recuperator structured to heat compressed supercritical fluid from the second compressor;
an outlet path structured to provide heated compressed supercritical fluid from the second recuperator to a heat source;
an inlet path structured to provide heated compressed supercritical fluid from the heat source;
an expander coupled to receive heated compressed supercritical fluid from the heat source and structured to convert a drop in enthalpy of supercritical fluid to mechanical energy; and
a cooler structured to cool expanded supercritical fluid from the first recuperator and provide cooled supercritical fluid to the first compressor.
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Abstract
Disclosed illustrative embodiments include modular power infrastructure networks, distributed electrical power infrastructure networks, methods for operating a modular power infrastructure network, and methods for fabricating a modular power infrastructure network.
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Citations
37 Claims
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1. A modular power infrastructure system comprising:
a supercritical power module including; a first compressor structured to compress a supercritical fluid; a first recuperator structured to heat compressed supercritical fluid from the first compressor; a second compressor structured to compress heated supercritical fluid received from the first recuperator; a second recuperator structured to heat compressed supercritical fluid from the second compressor; an outlet path structured to provide heated compressed supercritical fluid from the second recuperator to a heat source; an inlet path structured to provide heated compressed supercritical fluid from the heat source; an expander coupled to receive heated compressed supercritical fluid from the heat source and structured to convert a drop in enthalpy of supercritical fluid to mechanical energy; and a cooler structured to cool expanded supercritical fluid from the first recuperator and provide cooled supercritical fluid to the first compressor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A modular power infrastructure system comprising:
a supercritical power module including; a first compressor having an inlet and an outlet and being structured to raise a pressure of a supercritical fluid; a first recuperator in fluid communication with the first compressor outlet and being structured to transfer heat to the compressed supercritical fluid; a second compressor having an inlet in fluid communication with the first recuperator, having an outlet, and being structured to raise the pressure of the supercritical fluid; a second recuperator in fluid communication with the second compressor outlet and being structured to transfer heat to the compressed supercritical fluid; an outlet path structured to provide heated compressed supercritical fluid from the second recuperator to a heat source; an inlet path structured to provide the heated compressed supercritical fluid from the heat source; an expander having an inlet operatively coupled in fluid communication with the inlet path, the expander being structured to convert a drop in enthalpy of the supercritical fluid to mechanical energy, the expander having an outlet operatively coupled in fluid communication with the second recuperator to transfer heat from expanded supercritical fluid to compressed supercritical fluid; and a cooler being structured to cool expanded supercritical fluid from the first recuperator and provide cooled expanded supercritical fluid to the first compressor inlet. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A modular power infrastructure network comprising:
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a thermal input module; a supercritical power module in fluid communication with the thermal input module, the supercritical power module including; a first compressor structured to compress a supercritical fluid; a first recuperator structured to heat compressed supercritical fluid from the first compressor; a second compressor structured to compress heated supercritical fluid received from the first recuperator; a second recuperator structured to heat compressed supercritical fluid from the second compressor, the thermal input module being coupled to receive compressed supercritical fluid from the second recuperator; an expander coupled to receive heated compressed supercritical fluid from the thermal input module and structured to convert a drop in enthalpy of supercritical fluid to mechanical energy; and a cooler structured to cool expanded supercritical fluid from the first recuperator and provide cooled supercritical fluid to the first compressor. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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Specification