# US 10,118,108 B2 · System and method of distillation process and turbine engine intercooler > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,118,108 B2 - Document ID: US10118108B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/259,003 - Filed: 2014-04-22 - Published: 2015-10-22 - Granted: 2018-11-06 - Earliest claimed: 2014-04-22 - Assignees: General Electric Company - Applicants: General Electric Company - Inventors: Richard Michael Watkins - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10118108B2 ## CPC - B01D 3/146: {Multiple effect distillation} - B01D 1/0058: {Use of waste energy from other processes or sources, e.g. combustion gas (for water treatment C02F1/16)} - C02F 1/16: using waste heat from other processes - F02C 6/10: supplying working fluid to a user, e.g. a chemical process, which returns working fluid to a turbine of the plant - F02C 6/18: using the waste heat of gas-turbine plants outside the plants themselves, e.g. gas-turbine power heat plants (using waste heat as source of energy for refrigeration plants F25B27/02; using the waste heat of a gasturbine for steam generation or in a steam cycle see F01K23/10) - F02C 7/143: before or between the compressor stages - F02C 7/185: {Cooling means for reducing the temperature of the cooling air or gas} - C02F 2103/08: Seawater, e.g. for desalination - F05D 2220/60: making use of surplus or waste energy - F05D 2240/40: Use of a multiplicity of similar components - F05D 2260/205: Cooling fluid recirculation, i.e. after cooling one or more components is the cooling fluid recovered and used elsewhere for other purposes - F05D 2260/211: by intercooling, e.g. during a compression cycle - Y02A 20/124: Water desalination - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) - C02F: TREATMENT OF WATER, WASTE WATER, SEWAGE, OR SLUDGE (separation in general B01D; special arrangements on waterborne vessels of installations for treating water, waste water or sewage, e.g. for producing fresh water, B63J; adding materials to water to prevent corrosion C23F; treating radioactively-contaminated liquids G21F9/04; regeneration of reactants for recirculation into processes, see the relevant places for the processes) - F02C: GAS-TURBINE PLANTS; AIR INTAKES FOR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS; CONTROLLING FUEL SUPPLY IN AIR-BREATHING JET-PROPULSION PLANTS (construction of turbines F01D; jet-propulsion plants F02K; construction of compressors or fans F04; generating combustion products of high pressure or high velocity F23R; using gas turbines in compression refrigeration plants F25B11/00) - F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS - Y02A: TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE ## Abstract A system includes an intercooler configured to flow a working fluid and compressed air of a gas turbine engine through the intercooler to exchange heat between the working fluid and the compressed air. The system also includes a multi-effect distillation system configured to flow the working fluid and a mixture to exchange heat between the working fluid and the mixture to enable distillation of the mixture. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system, comprising: an intercooler configured to flow a working fluid and compressed air of a compressor section of a gas turbine engine through the intercooler to exchange heat between the working fluid and the compressed air; a multi-effect distillation system having a first effect vessel configured to flow the working fluid and a mixture to exchange heat between the working fluid and the mixture to enable distillation of the mixture, wherein the working fluid comprises a maximum temperature of at most 220 degrees Fahrenheit and a minimum temperature of at least 180 degrees Fahrenheit as the working fluid enters the first effect vessel; and a closed loop configured to flow the working fluid between the intercooler and the multi-effect distillation system within the closed loop. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the multi-effect distillation system comprises a plurality of effect vessels configured to distill the mixture, wherein the plurality of effect vessels comprises the first effect vessel, and wherein the first effect vessel of the plurality of effect vessels is configured to exchange heat only between the working fluid received from the intercooler and the mixture to produce a first distillate steam and a first concentrated mixture. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The system of claim 2, wherein the plurality of effect vessels comprises a second effect vessel downstream of the first effect vessel with respect to a flow of the first concentrated mixture, wherein the second effect vessel is configured to exchange heat between the first distillate steam and the first concentrated mixture to produce a second distillate steam and a second concentrated mixture. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, comprising a controller configured to regulate operation of one or more valves to control flow of the working fluid through the intercooler and/or the multi-effect distillation system. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4, wherein the one or more valves comprise a flow control valve disposed downstream of the intercooler and upstream of the multi-effect distillation system. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, comprising at least one temperature sensor, wherein the at least one temperature sensor is configured to measure a temperature of the working fluid, a temperature of the compressed air, or both, wherein the controller is configured to regulate operation of the one or more valves based on feedback received from the at least one temperature sensor. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The system of claim 5, wherein the one or more valves comprise a warm up valve configured to divert at least a portion of the working fluid away from the multi-effect distillation system and back to the intercooler, such that the portion of the working fluid flows in a bypass segment of the closed loop in and out of the intercooler, bypassing the multi-effect distillation system but remaining within the closed loop, until the working fluid reaches a desired temperature. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, comprising a cooler disposed downstream of the multi-effect distillation system and upstream of the intercooler, wherein the cooler is configured to exchange heat between the working fluid exiting the multi-effect distillation system and a cooling agent. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8, comprising a blend valve configured to divert a first portion of the working fluid from entering the cooler, such that the first portion of the working fluid is combined with a second portion of the working fluid flowed through the cooler downstream of the cooler. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9, comprising a bypass valve disposed downstream of the intercooler, wherein the bypass valve is configured to divert the working fluid from entering the multi-effect distillation system, and the bypass valve is configured to flow the working fluid to the cooler. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, comprising a feed heater configured to exchange heat between the working fluid exiting the multi-effect distillation system and the mixture prior to the mixture entering the first effect vessel of the multi-effect distillation system. ### Claim 12 A system, comprising: a controller configured to regulate at least one valve to control a flow of a working fluid through an intercooler of a compressor section of a gas turbine engine and through a multi-effect distillation system, wherein the flow of the working fluid is in a closed loop between the intercooler and the multi-effect distillation system, and wherein the working fluid comprises a maximum temperature of at most 220 degrees Fahrenheit and a minimum temperature of at least 180 degrees Fahrenheit as the working fluid enters a first effect vessel of the multi-effect distillation system. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, comprising: the at least one valve; and the multi-effect distillation system; wherein the at least one valve comprises a flow control valve disposed between the intercooler and the first vessel of the multi-effect distillation system. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the at least one valve comprises a bypass valve disposed downstream of the intercooler, wherein the bypass valve is configured to divert the working fluid from entering the multi-effect distillation system, and the bypass valve is configured to flow the working fluid to a cooler disposed upstream of the intercooler. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the at least one valve comprises a blend valve configured to divert a first portion of the working fluid from entering a cooler, such that the first portion of the working fluid is combined with a second portion of the working fluid flowed through the cooler downstream of the cooler. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, wherein the at least one valve comprises a warm up valve configured to divert at least a portion of the working fluid away from the multi-effect distillation system and back to the intercooler, such that the portion of the working fluid bypasses the multi-effect distillation system until the working fluid reaches a desired temperature. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The system of claim 13, comprising at least one temperature sensor, wherein the at least one temperature sensor is configured to measure a temperature of the working fluid, a temperature of the compressed air, or both, wherein the controller is configured to regulate operation of one of the at least one valve based on feedback received from the at least one temperature sensor. ### Claim 18 A method, comprising: flowing a working fluid through an intercooler of a compressor section of a gas turbine engine; exchanging heat between the working fluid and compressed air from the compressor section of the gas turbine engine; flowing the working fluid along a first flow path from the intercooler to a multi-effect distillation system such that the working fluid comprises a maximum temperature of at most 220 degrees Fahrenheit and a minimum temperature of at least 180 degrees Fahrenheit as the working fluid enters a vessel of the multi-effect distillation system; providing heat only from the working fluid to a mixture within the vessel of the multi-effect distillation system; and flowing the working fluid along a second path from the multi-effect distillation system to the intercooler, wherein the first path and the second path are coupled together in a closed loop. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1, wherein the maximum temperature is at most 210 degrees Fahrenheit. ### Claim 20 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the maximum temperature is at most 210 degrees Fahrenheit.