Thermodynamic cycle with compressor recuperation, and associated systems and methods

• US 8,820,083 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 09/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SuperCritical Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: SuperCritical Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Davidson, Chal S., Wright, Steven A., Fuller, Robert L.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HOANG M
• Application Number:
  US13/843,517
• Publication Number:
  US 20140084595A1
• Time in Patent Office: 536 Days
• Field of Search: 606/50, 606/59, 606/76, 60682-684, 606/51, 606/71
• US Class Current: 60/671
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 23/06 combustion heat from one cycle heating the fluid in another cycle
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 25/103 Carbon dioxide F01K25/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 7/32 the engines using steam of critical or overcritical pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F24H 9/0005 for water heaters
• CPC Class Codes: G05F 1/66 Regulating electric power
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 4/00 Circuit arrangements for mains or distribution networks not specified as ac or dc
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 7/18 Structural association of electric generators with mechanical driving motors, e.g. with turbines

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.

Claims

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.

2. The modular power infrastructure system of claim 1, further comprising:

a supercritical fluid supply path structured to supply supercritical fluid from the supercritical power module; and

a supercritical fluid return path structured to return supercritical fluid to the supercritical power module.

3. The modular power infrastructure system of claim 1, further comprising a thermal input module in fluid communication with the outlet path and the inlet path, the thermal input module including a heat source structured to heat compressed supercritical fluid.

4. The modular power infrastructure system of claim 3, wherein the thermal input module further includes a waste heat supply path structured to supply waste heat from the thermal input module to at least one selected other module.

5. The modular power infrastructure system of claim 2, further comprising a heat rejection module in fluid communication with the supercritical fluid supply path and the supercritical fluid return path.

6. The modular power infrastructure system of claim 5, wherein the heat rejection module includes a heat exchanger.

7. The modular power infrastructure system of claim 2, further comprising a process module in fluid communication with the supercritical fluid supply path and the supercritical fluid return path.

8. The modular power infrastructure system of claim 7 wherein the process module includes an expansion device and a heat exchanger.

9. The modular power infrastructure system of claim 2, further comprising a work module in fluid communication with the supercritical fluid supply path and the supercritical fluid return path.

10. The modular power infrastructure system of claim 9, wherein the work module includes at least one thermo mechanical work device.

11. The modular power infrastructure system of claim 1, wherein the supercritical power module further includes an electrical power generator coupled to the expander.

12. The modular power infrastructure system of claim 1, wherein the expander includes a device chosen from a reciprocating engine, an axial flow turbine, and a radial flow turbine.

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.

14. The modular power infrastructure system of claim 13, further comprising:

a supercritical fluid supply path structured to supply supercritical fluid from the supercritical power module to at least one selected other module; and

a supercritical fluid return path structured to return supercritical fluid from the at least one selected other module to the supercritical power module.

15. The modular power infrastructure system of claim 13, further comprising a thermal input module in fluid communication with the outlet path and the inlet path, the thermal input module including a heat source structured to heat compressed supercritical fluid.

16. The modular power infrastructure system of claim 15, wherein the thermal input module further includes a waste heat supply path structured to supply waste heat from the thermal input module to at least one selected other module.

17. The modular power infrastructure system of claim 14, further comprising a heat rejection module in fluid communication with the supercritical fluid supply path and the supercritical fluid return path.

18. The modular power infrastructure system of claim 17, wherein the heat rejection module includes a heat exchanger.

19. The modular power infrastructure system of claim 14, further comprising a process module in fluid communication with the supercritical fluid supply path and the supercritical fluid return path.

20. The modular power infrastructure system of claim 19, wherein the process module includes an expansion device and a heat exchanger.

21. The modular power infrastructure system of claim 14, further comprising a work module in fluid communication with the supercritical fluid supply path and the supercritical fluid return path.

22. The modular power infrastructure system of claim 21, wherein the work module includes at least one thermo mechanical work device.

23. The modular power infrastructure system of claim 14, wherein the supercritical power module further includes an electrical power generator coupled to the expander.

24. The modular power infrastructure system of claim 14, wherein the expander includes a device chosen from a reciprocating engine, an axial flow turbine, and a radial flow turbine.

25. A modular power infrastructure network comprising:

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.

26. The modular power infrastructure network of claim 25, wherein the supercritical power module further includes:

a supercritical fluid supply path structured to supply supercritical fluid from the supercritical power module; and

a supercritical fluid return path structured to return supercritical fluid to the supercritical power module.

27. The modular power infrastructure network of claim 26, further comprising at least one selected other module in fluid communication with the supercritical fluid supply path and the supercritical fluid return path.

28. The modular power infrastructure network of claim 25, wherein the thermal input module includes a heat source structured to heat compressed supercritical fluid.

29. The modular power infrastructure network of claim 27, wherein the thermal input module further includes a waste heat supply path structured to supply waste heat from the thermal input module to the at least one selected other module.

30. The modular power infrastructure network of claim 27, wherein the at least one selected other module includes a heat rejection module.

31. The modular power infrastructure network of claim 30, wherein the heat rejection module includes a heat exchanger.

32. The modular power infrastructure network of claim 27, wherein the at least one selected other module includes a process module.

33. The modular power infrastructure network of claim 32, wherein the process module includes an expansion device and a heat exchanger.

34. The modular power infrastructure network of claim 27, wherein the at least one selected other module includes a mechanical work module.

35. The modular power infrastructure network of claim 34, wherein the work module includes at least one thermo mechanical work device.

36. The modular power infrastructure network of claim 27, wherein the supercritical power module includes an electrical power generator coupled to the expander.

37. The modular power infrastructure network of claim 27, wherein the expander includes a device chosen from a reciprocating engine, an axial flow turbine, and a radial flow turbine.