Fluid flow in a fluid expansion system
First Claim
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1. A generator system for use in a Rankine cycle, comprising:
- a turbine generator apparatus including an inlet conduit to direct a working fluid in a Rankine cycle toward a turbine wheel that is rotatable in response to expansion of the working fluid;
an electrical energy generator having a stator and a rotor, wherein the rotor is coupled to the turbine wheel so as to rotate when the turbine wheel rotates in response to expansion of the working fluid flowing from proximate an inlet side to an outlet side of the turbine wheel, the electrical energy generator is disposed adjacent to the outlet side of the turbine wheel, and the inlet conduit is in fluid communication with the electric energy generator to direct working fluid from the turbine wheel in direct contact with the electric energy generator to cool the electric energy generator;
a liquid separator that receives the working fluid comprising a liquid state portion and a gaseous state portion and that separates the liquid state portion of the working fluid from the gaseous state portion of the working fluid, the liquid separator being connected in the Rankine cycle upstream of the turbine generator apparatus and downstream of a heat exchanger, the liquid separator in direct fluid communication with the turbine generator apparatus so that the gaseous state portion of the working fluid is directed from an outlet of the liquid separator directly to the inlet conduit of the turbine generator after separation of the liquid state portion;
a flow valve arranged in the Rankine cycle upstream of the turbine generator apparatus so as to selectively close the flow of the working fluid to the turbine generator apparatus; and
a bypass valve arranged in the Rankine cycle to selectively open the flow of the working fluid to bypass the turbine generator apparatus, wherein the flow valve and the bypass valve are mechanically coupled to the same actuator device to operate in unison.
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Abstract
Some embodiments of a fluid expansion system can be used with the working fluid in a Rankine cycle. For example, the fluid expansion 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 fluid expansion system may include a turbine generator apparatus to generate electrical energy and a liquid separator arranged upstream of the turbine generator apparatus.
163 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A generator system for use in a Rankine cycle, comprising:
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a turbine generator apparatus including an inlet conduit to direct a working fluid in a Rankine cycle toward a turbine wheel that is rotatable in response to expansion of the working fluid; an electrical energy generator having a stator and a rotor, wherein the rotor is coupled to the turbine wheel so as to rotate when the turbine wheel rotates in response to expansion of the working fluid flowing from proximate an inlet side to an outlet side of the turbine wheel, the electrical energy generator is disposed adjacent to the outlet side of the turbine wheel, and the inlet conduit is in fluid communication with the electric energy generator to direct working fluid from the turbine wheel in direct contact with the electric energy generator to cool the electric energy generator; a liquid separator that receives the working fluid comprising a liquid state portion and a gaseous state portion and that separates the liquid state portion of the working fluid from the gaseous state portion of the working fluid, the liquid separator being connected in the Rankine cycle upstream of the turbine generator apparatus and downstream of a heat exchanger, the liquid separator in direct fluid communication with the turbine generator apparatus so that the gaseous state portion of the working fluid is directed from an outlet of the liquid separator directly to the inlet conduit of the turbine generator after separation of the liquid state portion; a flow valve arranged in the Rankine cycle upstream of the turbine generator apparatus so as to selectively close the flow of the working fluid to the turbine generator apparatus; and a bypass valve arranged in the Rankine cycle to selectively open the flow of the working fluid to bypass the turbine generator apparatus, wherein the flow valve and the bypass valve are mechanically coupled to the same actuator device to operate in unison. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method comprising:
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directing heated and pressurized working fluid comprising a liquid state portion and a gaseous state portion in a Rankine cycle from a heat exchanger to a liquid separator, the liquid separator including an outlet for the gaseous state portion arranged in the Rankine cycle upstream of a turbine generator apparatus and in direct fluid communication to an inlet conduit of the turbine generator apparatus; separating the liquid state portion of the heated and pressurized working fluid from the gaseous state portion of the heated and pressurized working fluid; directing the gaseous state portion of the working fluid directly from the outlet for the gaseous state portion of the liquid separator to the inlet conduit of the turbine generator apparatus and toward a turbine wheel that is rotatable in response to expansion of the working fluid; directing the liquid state portion of the working fluid from the liquid separator to a secondary reservoir in the Rankine cycle, wherein the secondary reservoir does not comprise a heat exchange device; and directing the liquid state portion from the secondary reservoir to a low pressure reservoir in the Rankine cycle, wherein the low pressure reservoir does not comprise a heat exchange device. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A generator system for use in a Rankine cycle, comprising:
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a low pressure reservoir for a working fluid of a Rankine cycle, wherein the low pressure reservoir does not comprise a heat exchange device; a pump device to pressurize the working fluid delivered from the low pressure reservoir; a liquid separator to separate a liquid state portion of the working fluid from a gaseous state portion of the working fluid, the liquid separator being arranged in the Rankine cycle between a heat exchanger and a turbine generator, upstream of the turbine generator and downstream of the pump device and the heat exchanger so as to receive the pressurized working fluid from the pump device; a secondary reservoir fluidly coupled to the liquid separator and the low pressure reservoir, wherein the secondary reservoir consists of an inlet coupled to the liquid separator, an outlet coupled to the low pressure reservoir, and a chamber to contain the liquid state portion, and the secondary reservoir does not comprise a heat exchange device; a turbine generator apparatus that generates electrical energy in response to expansion of the working fluid, the turbine generator apparatus being arranged in the Rankine cycle downstream of the liquid separator so that the gaseous state portion of the working fluid is directed from an outlet of the liquid separator directly to an inlet conduit of the turbine generator apparatus after separation of the liquid state portion; a conduit to direct the working fluid through the turbine generator apparatus, wherein the working fluid is configured to remove heat from the turbine generator apparatus; a flow valve arranged in the Rankine cycle upstream of the turbine generator apparatus so as to selectively close the flow of the working fluid to the turbine generator apparatus; a bypass valve arranged in the Rankine cycle to selectively open a bypass conduit that directs the working fluid toward the low pressure reservoir without passing into the turbine generator apparatus, wherein the flow valve and the bypass valve are mechanically coupled to the same actuator device one another to operate in unison; and a transportable system package that houses the low pressure reservoir, the pump device, the liquid separator, the turbine generator apparatus, the flow valve, and the bypass valve. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification