System and method for high efficiency power generation using a carbon dioxide circulating working fluid

• US 8,959,887 B2
• Filed: 11/04/2013
• Issued: 02/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 8 Rivers Capital, LLC, Palmer Labs, LLC
• Original Assignee: 8 Rivers Capital, LLC, Palmer Labs, LLC
• Inventors: Allam, Rodney John, Brown, Glenn William Jr., Palmer, Miles R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wongwian, Phutthiwat
• Assistant Examiner(s): Goyal, Arun
• Application Number:
  US14/068,786
• Publication Number:
  US 20140053529A1
• Time in Patent Office: 477 Days
• Field of Search: 60/391.2, 60/391.82, 60/394.64, 60/394.7, 60/395, 60/395.2, 607/34, 607/37, 607/53, 607/54, 607/72, 607/83, 608/05
• US Class Current: 60/39.5
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 13/00 General layout or general methods of operation of complete plants
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 23/10 with exhaust fluid of one cycle heating the fluid in another cycle F01K17/025 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 25/103 Carbon dioxide F01K25/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 3/185 using waste heat from outside the plant F02G5/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F01K 3/186 using electric heat
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 1/005 being recirculated
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 3/04 having a turbine driving a compressor power transmission arrangements F02C7/36; control of working fluid flow F02C9/16
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 3/20 using a special fuel, oxidant, or dilution fluid to generate the combustion products
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 3/22 the fuel or oxidant being gaseous at standard temperature and pressure F02C3/28 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 3/34 with recycling of part of the working fluid, i.e. semi-closed cycles with combustion products in the closed part of the cycle
• CPC Class Codes: F02C 7/00 Features, components parts, details or accessories, not provided for in, or of interest apart form groups F02C1/00 - F02C6/00; Air intakes for jet-propulsion plants controlling F02C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: F02G 5/02 Profiting from waste heat of exhaust gases
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/203 by transpiration cooling
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/61 Removal of CO2 removal of CO2 from waste gases B01D53/62
• CPC Class Codes: F05D 2260/611 Sequestration of CO2
• CPC Class Codes: F22B 35/12 operating at critical or supercritical pressure
• CPC Class Codes: F23D 1/00 Burners for combustion of pulverulent fuel disposition of burners F23C
• CPC Class Codes: F23J 15/027 using cyclone separators
• CPC Class Codes: F23J 2900/15025 Cyclone walls forming heat exchangers
• CPC Class Codes: F23L 2900/07001 Injecting synthetic air, i.e. a combustion supporting mixture made of pure oxygen and an inert gas, e.g. nitrogen or recycled fumes
• CPC Class Codes: F23L 2900/07002 : Injecting inert gas, other than steam or evaporated water, into the combustion chambers
• CPC Class Codes: F23L 2900/07003 : Controlling the inert gas supply
• CPC Class Codes: F23L 2900/07007 : using specific ranges of oxygen percentage
• CPC Class Codes: F23L 2900/07008 : Injection of water into the combustion chamber
• CPC Class Codes: F23L 7/002 : Supplying water
• CPC Class Codes: F23L 7/007 : Supplying oxygen or oxygen-enriched air
• CPC Class Codes: F23M 2900/05004 : Special materials for walls or lining
• CPC Class Codes: F23M 5/00 : Casings; Linings; Walls
• CPC Class Codes: F23M 5/08 : Cooling thereof; Tube walls
• CPC Class Codes: F23M 5/085 : using air or other gas as the cooling medium
• CPC Class Codes: F23R 2900/00004 : Preventing formation of deposits on surfaces of gas turbine components, e.g. coke deposits
• CPC Class Codes: F23R 3/005 : Combined with pressure or heat exchangers
• CPC Class Codes: F23R 3/06 : Arrangement of apertures along the flame tube
• CPC Class Codes: F25J 2230/06 : Adiabatic compressor, i.e. without interstage cooling
• CPC Class Codes: F25J 2240/70 : Steam turbine, e.g. used in a Rankine cycle
• CPC Class Codes: F25J 2240/82 : with waste heat recovery, e.g. in a combined cycle, i.e. for generating steam used in a Rankine cycle
• CPC Class Codes: F25J 2260/80 : Integration in an installation using carbon dioxide, e.g. for EOR, sequestration, refrigeration etc.
• CPC Class Codes: F25J 3/04018 : of main feed air
• CPC Class Codes: F25J 3/04533 : for the direct combustion of fuels in a power plant, so-called "oxyfuel combustion"
• CPC Class Codes: F25J 3/04545 : for the gasification of solid or heavy liquid fuels, e.g. integrated gasification combined cycle [IGCC]
• CPC Class Codes: F25J 3/04618 : for cooling an air stream fed to the air fractionation unit
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 20/32 : Direct CO2 mitigation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 20/34 : Indirect CO2mitigation, i.e. by acting on non CO2directly related matters of the process, e.g. pre-heating or heat recovery

Abstract

The present invention provides methods and system for power generation using a high efficiency combustor in combination with a CO₂ circulating fluid. The methods and systems advantageously can make use of a low pressure ratio power turbine and an economizer heat exchanger in specific embodiments. Additional low grade heat from an external source can be used to provide part of an amount of heat needed for heating the recycle CO₂ circulating fluid. Fuel derived CO₂ can be captured and delivered at pipeline pressure. Other impurities can be captured.

Claims

1. A power generation system comprising:

a combustor configured for receiving a fuel, O₂, and a CO₂ circulating fluid stream, and having at least one combustion stage that combusts the fuel in the presence of the CO₂ circulating fluid and provides a combustion product stream comprising CO₂ at a pressure of at least about 8 MPa and a temperature of at least about 800°

C.;

a primary power production turbine in fluid communication with the combustor, the primary turbine having an inlet for receiving the combustion product stream and an outlet for release of a turbine discharge stream comprising CO₂, the primary turbine being adapted to control pressure drop such that a ratio of pressures of the combustion product stream at the inlet compared to the turbine discharge stream at the outlet is less than about 12;

a primary heat exchange unit in fluid communication with the primary turbine for receiving the turbine discharge stream and transferring heat therefrom to the CO₂ circulating fluid stream;

at least one compressor in fluid communication with the primary heat exchange unit for pressurizing the CO₂ circulating fluid stream; and

one or more heat transfer components in addition to the primary heat exchange unit, the one or more heat transfer components including a side heater that heats a side stream of the CO₂ circulating fluid stream that is split from the CO₂ circulating fluid stream in the primary heat exchange unit and then input back into the CO₂ circulating fluid stream in the primary heat exchange unit upstream from the combustor, the one or more heat transfer components being configured to add heat from a source other than the turbine discharge stream.

2. The power generation system of claim 1, further comprising one or more separation devices positioned between the heat exchange unit and the at least one compressor for removal of one or more secondary components present in the CO₂ circulating fluid in addition to the CO₂.

3. The power generation system of claim 1, comprising a first compressor adapted to compress the CO₂ circulating fluid stream to a first pressure.

4. The power generation system of claim 3, comprising a cooling device adapted to cool the CO₂ circulating fluid stream exiting the first compressor to a temperature where its density is greater than about 200 kg/m³.

5. The power generation system of claim 4, comprising a second compressor adapted to compress the cooled CO₂ circulating fluid stream to a second pressure required for input to the combustor.

6. The power generation system of claim 5, wherein the one or more heat transfer components is adapted to transfer heat to the CO₂ circulating fluid upstream from the combustor and downstream from the second compressor.

7. The power generation system of claim 6, wherein the one or more heat transfer components are associated with an O₂ production device.

8. The power generation system of claim 1, wherein the combustor is a first combustor, and wherein the system comprises a second combustor located upstream from and in fluid communication with the first combustor.

9. The power generation system of claim 8, further comprising one or more filters or separation devices located between the second combustor and the first combustor.

10. The power generation system of claim 9, wherein the second combustor is a transpiration cooled combustor.

11. The power generation system of claim 8, further comprising a mixing device for forming a slurry of a particulate fuel material with a fluidizing medium.

12. The power generation system of claim 8, further comprising a milling device for particularizing a solid fuel.

13. The power generation system of claim 1, wherein the primary heat exchange unit comprises at least two heat exchangers.

14. The power generation system of claim 13, wherein the primary heat exchange unit comprises a series of at least three heat exchangers.

15. The power generation system of claim 13, wherein the first heat exchanger in the series is adapted for receiving the primary turbine discharge stream and is formed of a high temperature alloy that withstands a temperature of at least about 700°

C.

16. The power generation system of claim 1, wherein the primary power production turbine comprises a series of at least two turbines.

17. The power generation system of claim 1, further comprising a secondary heat exchange unit located between and in fluid communication with the primary power production turbine and the primary heat exchange unit.

18. The power generation system of claim 17, further comprising a boiler in fluid communication with the secondary heat exchange unit via at least one steam stream.

19. The power generation system of claim 18, further comprising a secondary power production turbine having an inlet for receiving the at least one steam stream from the secondary heat exchange unit.

20. The power generation system of claim 1, wherein the combustor is a transpiration cooled combustor.

21. A power generation system comprising:

a combustor adapted to combust a fuel with oxygen in the presence of a recycle CO₂ stream and form a combustion product stream comprising CO₂;

a turbine in a working arrangement with an outlet of the combustor and adapted to expand the combustion product stream and form a turbine discharge stream;

a recuperator heat exchanger in a working arrangement with an outlet of the turbine and adapted to transfer heat between the turbine discharge stream and the recycle CO₂ stream;

at least one compressor in a working arrangement with the recuperator heat exchanger and adapted to pressurize the recycle CO₂ stream to a pressure required for input to the combustor; and

a heat transfer element in a working arrangement with the recuperator heat exchanger and adapted to provide additional heat from a source other than the turbine discharge stream to a portion of the recycle CO₂ stream that is split from the CO₂ circulating fluid stream during passage through the recuperator heat exchanger and is input back into the CO₂ circulating fluid stream in the recuperator heat exchanger.

22. The power generation system of claim 21, wherein the source of the additional heat is an air separation unit.

23. The power generation system of claim 21, wherein the source of the additional heat is a steam supply.

24. The power generation system of claim 21, wherein the source of the additional heat is a hot exhaust gas from a conventional open cycle gas turbine.

25. The power generation system of claim 21, wherein the recuperator heat exchanger comprises a series of at least three heat exchangers.

26. The power generation system of claim 21, further comprising a separation unit in a working arrangement with the recuperator heat exchanger and the at least one compressor and adapted to separate one or more impurities from the turbine discharge stream and output the recycle CO₂ stream.

27. The power generation system of claim 21, comprising a first compressor and a second compressor, the second compressor being in a working arrangement with the recuperator heat exchanger and adapted to pressurize the recycle CO₂ stream to a pressure required for input to the combustor.

28. The power generation system of claim 27, wherein the first compressor is adapted to compress the recycle CO₂ stream to a pressure that is above the CO₂ critical pressure.

29. The power generation system of claim 27, further comprising a cooling device in a working arrangement with an outlet of the first compressor and an inlet of the second compressor, the cooling device being adapted to cool the recycle CO₂ stream to a temperature where its density is greater than about 200 kg/m³.

30. The power generation system of claim 21, wherein the heat transfer element is a side heater adapted to heat a side stream split from the recuperator heat exchanger.