Power generation system and method with partially recuperated flow path
First Claim
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1. A method for generating power in a system that includes a supercritical fluid cycle having a supercritical fluid flowing therethrough, an air-breathing cycle having air flowing therethrough that does not mix with the flow of the supercritical fluid, the method comprising:
- directing air along the air-breathing cycle to flow through a plurality of heat exchangers;
compressing the supercritical fluid in a supercritical fluid compressor along the supercritical fluid cycle;
splitting the supercritical fluid discharged from the supercritical fluid compressor into first and second discharge streams of compressed supercritical fluid, such that the first discharge stream of compressed supercritical fluid flows through a recuperating heat exchanger;
mixing the supercritical fluid discharged from the recuperating heat exchanger with the second discharge stream of compressed supercritical fluid;
directing a mixture of compressed supercritical fluid through one of the plurality of heat exchangers arranged and into an inlet of a supercritical fluid turbine, such that heat from the air along the air-breathing cycle is transferred to the mixture of compressed supercritical fluid;
splitting the supercritical fluid discharged from the supercritical fluid turbine into a first and second discharge streams of expanded supercritical fluid such that the first discharge stream of expanded supercritical fluid flows through the recuperating heat exchanger so as to heat the first discharge stream of compressed supercritical fluid;
mixing the expanded supercritical fluid discharged from the recuperating heat exchanger with the second discharge stream of expanded supercritical fluid; and
directing a mixture of expanded supercritical fluid toward the inlet of the supercritical compressor,wherein heat from the mixture of expanded supercritical fluid is transferred to the air of the air-breathing cycle, thereby cooling the mixture of expanded supercritical fluid to approximately its critical point.
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Abstract
The present disclosure relates to a power generation system and related methods that use supercritical fluids, whereby a portion of the supercritical fluid is recuperated.
41 Citations
43 Claims
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1. A method for generating power in a system that includes a supercritical fluid cycle having a supercritical fluid flowing therethrough, an air-breathing cycle having air flowing therethrough that does not mix with the flow of the supercritical fluid, the method comprising:
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directing air along the air-breathing cycle to flow through a plurality of heat exchangers; compressing the supercritical fluid in a supercritical fluid compressor along the supercritical fluid cycle; splitting the supercritical fluid discharged from the supercritical fluid compressor into first and second discharge streams of compressed supercritical fluid, such that the first discharge stream of compressed supercritical fluid flows through a recuperating heat exchanger; mixing the supercritical fluid discharged from the recuperating heat exchanger with the second discharge stream of compressed supercritical fluid; directing a mixture of compressed supercritical fluid through one of the plurality of heat exchangers arranged and into an inlet of a supercritical fluid turbine, such that heat from the air along the air-breathing cycle is transferred to the mixture of compressed supercritical fluid; splitting the supercritical fluid discharged from the supercritical fluid turbine into a first and second discharge streams of expanded supercritical fluid such that the first discharge stream of expanded supercritical fluid flows through the recuperating heat exchanger so as to heat the first discharge stream of compressed supercritical fluid; mixing the expanded supercritical fluid discharged from the recuperating heat exchanger with the second discharge stream of expanded supercritical fluid; and directing a mixture of expanded supercritical fluid toward the inlet of the supercritical compressor, wherein heat from the mixture of expanded supercritical fluid is transferred to the air of the air-breathing cycle, thereby cooling the mixture of expanded supercritical fluid to approximately its critical point. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A system configured to generate power, comprising:
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a supercritical fluid cycle including a supercritical fluid compressor configured to receive and compress a supercritical fluid, a supercritical fluid turbine configured to receive and expand the supercritical fluid, and a recuperating heat exchanger configured to receive discharge streams from the supercritical fluid compressor and the supercritical fluid turbine; an air breathing cycle configured to heat air flowing along the air breathing cycle; and a plurality of heat exchangers arranged so that supercritical fluid from the supercritical fluid cycle and air from the an air breathing cycle passes therethrough but does not intermix, wherein the system is configured to; 1) split the supercritical fluid discharged from the supercritical fluid compressor into first and second discharge streams of compressed supercritical fluid, such that a) the first discharge stream of compressed supercritical fluid flows through the recuperating heat exchanger, and b) the second discharge stream of compressed supercritical fluid flows through one set of the plurality of heat exchangers; and 2) split the supercritical fluid discharged from the supercritical fluid turbine into a first and second discharge streams of expanded supercritical fluid such that a) the first discharge stream of expanded supercritical fluid flows through the recuperating heat exchanger, and b) the second discharge stream of expanded supercritical fluid flows through a different set of the plurality of heat exchangers, wherein heat from the first discharge stream of expanded supercritical fluid is transferred to the first discharge stream of the compressed supercritical fluid in the recuperating heat exchanger. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A system configured to generate power, comprising:
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a supercritical fluid cycle including a supercritical fluid compressor configured to receive and compress a supercritical fluid, a supercritical fluid turbine configured to receive and expand the supercritical fluid, and a recuperating heat exchanger configured to receive discharge streams from the supercritical fluid compressor and the supercritical fluid turbine; an air breathing cycle configured to heat air flowing along the air breathing cycle; and a plurality of heat exchangers arranged so that supercritical fluid from the supercritical fluid cycle and air from the an air breathing cycle passes therethrough but does not intermix, wherein a first heat exchanger of the plurality of heat exchangers is arranged to feed into an inlet of the supercritical fluid turbine, and a second heat exchanger of the plurality of heat exchangers is arranged to feed into an inlet of the supercritical fluid compressor, wherein the first heat exchanger has a first heat capacity rate and the second heat exchanger has a second heat capacity rate that is substantially different than the first heat capacity rate; wherein the system is configured to 1) split the supercritical fluid discharged from the supercritical fluid compressor into first and second discharge streams of compressed supercritical fluid, such that a) the first discharge stream of compressed supercritical fluid flows through the recuperating heat exchanger, and b) the second discharge stream of compressed supercritical fluid flows through the first heat exchanger of the plurality of heat exchangers, and 2) split the supercritical fluid discharged from the supercritical fluid turbine into a first and second discharge streams of expanded supercritical fluid such that a) the first discharge stream of expanded supercritical fluid flows through the recuperating heat exchanger, and b) the second discharge stream of expanded supercritical fluid flows through the second heat exchanger of the plurality of heat exchangers. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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Specification