Back to results
US 10,472,992 B2Granted
On-demand steam generator and control system
AssigneeEnviro Power, Inc.
InventorsMichael A. Cocuzza, Patrick J. Emerick
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The disclosed apparatus and control system produces a single, on demand, energetic gaseous working fluid from any heat source. Working fluid in a liquid phase is released into a heat exchange tube in the form of very fine droplets or atomized mist, where it is rapidly heated to its gaseous phase. The gaseous working fluid can continue to absorb heat before exiting the heat exchange tube to perform work. The disclosed system controls the release of working fluid into the heat exchange tube and/or the heat energy to which the tube is exposed, resulting in a flow of energetic gaseous working fluid that can be quickly adjusted in response to changing conditions without a large pressure vessel.
Claims15
A system for generating a variable flow of gaseous phase working fluid, comprising:
- a heat exchange tube arranged in a combustion chamber, said heat exchange tube having a first end receiving liquid phase working fluid and a second end from which gaseous phase working fluid leaves the heat exchange tube;
- a variable output heat source arranged to release a variable quantity of heat into said combustion chamber, said variable quantity of heat proportional to power applied to said variable output heat source, wherein said heat is absorbed by said liquid phase working fluid which transitions to a gaseous phase working fluid in said heat exchange tube;
- a variable flow rate source of liquid phase working fluid arranged to deliver liquid phase working fluid to the first end of said heat exchange tube, wherein a flow rate of said variable flow rate source is proportional to power applied to said variable flow rate source;
- an expander in a gaseous phase working fluid pathway connected to said heat exchange tube second end, said expander configured to use said variable flow of said gaseous phase working fluid at a pre-determined target temperature T to perform work;
- a temperature sensor arranged to generate a temperature signal TEMP corresponding to the temperature of said gaseous phase working fluid in said gaseous phase working fluid pathway;
- a controller operatively connected to said variable output heat source, said variable flow rate source of working fluid and said temperature sensor, wherein during operation of the system, the controller is configured to execute a program that comprises steps of:
- retrieving an initial set point from memory, said initial set point including an initial heat power level applied to said variable output heat source and an initial flow rate power level applied to said variable flow rate source;
- operating said variable output heat source according to said initial heat power level;
- operating said variable flow rate source of working fluid according to said initial flow rate power level;
- receiving said temperature signal TEMP;
- calculating a fluid flow correction factor according to the formula X*ΔT, where X is a predetermined constant and ΔT is calculated according to TEMP−T so that the fluid flow correction factor is positive when TEMP>T and negative when TEMP<T;
- and
- adjusting the flow rate power level by an amount equal to the fluid flow correction factor to provide an adjusted flow rate power level and operating said variable flow rate source according to the adjusted flow rate power level while operating said variable output heat source according to said initial heat power level,
- wherein said steps of operating, receiving, calculating and adjusting are performed in a control loop running continuously until said TEMP stabilizes within a pre-determined range relative to said target temperature T for a pre-determined period of time.
11 more elements
A method of generating a flow of gaseous working fluid comprising steps of:
- exposing a heat exchange tube having first and second ends to a variable output heat source, a variable quantity of heat generated by said variable output heat source being proportional to power applied to said variable output heat source;
- providing a variable flow rate source of liquid phase working fluid in communication with a first end of said heat exchange tube, a flow rate of said variable flow rate source proportional to power applied to said variable flow rate source and said liquid phase working fluid absorbing heat from said variable output heat source which transitions to a gaseous phase working fluid in said heat exchange tube;
- connecting a gaseous working fluid pathway from said heat exchange tube second end to a turbine driven electric generator;
- measuring the temperature of the gaseous phase working fluid in said gaseous phase working fluid pathway and generating a temperature signal TEMP corresponding to the temperature of said gaseous phase working fluid in said gaseous phase working fluid pathway;
- operating said variable output heat source according to an initial heat power level;
- operating said variable flow rate source of working fluid according to an initial flow rate power level;
- receiving said temperature signal TEMP;
- calculating a fluid flow correction factor according to the formula X*ΔT, where X is a predetermined constant and ΔT is calculated according to TEMP−T so that the fluid flow correction factor is positive when TEMP>T and negative when TEMP<T;
- and
- adjusting the initial flow rate power level by an amount equal to the fluid flow correction factor to provide an adjusted flow rate power level and operating said variable flow rate source according to the adjusted flow rate power level while operating said variable output heat source according to said initial heat power level,
- wherein said steps of operating, receiving, calculating and adjusting are performed in a control loop running continuously until said TEMP stabilizes within a pre-determined range relative to said target temperature T for a pre-determined period of time.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.