Energy-recovery turbines for gas streams
AssigneeUop LLC
InventorStanley Joseph Frey
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Processes for controlling the flowrate of and recovering energy from a gas stream in a processing unit are described. One process comprises directing a portion of the gas stream through one or more variable-resistance power-recovery turbines to control the flowrate of the gas stream and generate electric power therefrom; and controlling the pressure and temperature of the gas stream so that the gas exiting the power-recovery turbine remains in the gas phase.
Claims19
A process for controlling a flowrate of and recovering energy from a gas stream in a processing unit comprising:
- directing at least a portion of the gas stream through one or more variable-resistance power-recovery turbine to control the flowrate of the gas stream and generate electric power therefrom, wherein the flowrate to the one or more power-recovery turbine varies by less than about 10%;
- controlling a pressure and temperature of the gas stream through the one or more power-recovery turbines so that the gas exiting the one or more power-recovery turbine remains in a gas phase;
- and
- measuring the flowrate using turbine revolutions per minute of the one or more power-recovery turbine and a load on a circuit.
A process for controlling a flowrate of and recovering energy from a gas stream in a processing unit comprising:
- directing at least a portion of the gas stream through one or more variable-resistance power-recovery turbines to control the flowrate of the gas stream and generate electric power therefrom, wherein the flowrate to the one or more power-recovery turbine varies by less than about 10%;
- controlling a pressure and temperature of the gas stream through the one or more power-recovery turbines so that the gas exiting the one or more power-recovery turbine remains in the gas phase;
- and
- measuring the flowrate using a position of the variable position inlet guide vanes, turbine revolutions per minute of the one or more power-recovery turbine, and power output;
- wherein the one or more power-recovery turbine replaces a control valve in the process.
A process for controlling a flowrate of and recovering energy from a gas stream in a processing unit comprising:
- directing at least a portion of the gas stream through one or more variable-resistance power-recovery turbine to control the flowrate of the gas stream and generate electric power therefrom, wherein the flowrate to the one or more power-recovery turbine varies by less than about 10%;
- controlling a pressure and temperature of the gas stream through the one or more power-recovery turbines so that the gas exiting the one or more power-recovery turbine remains in the gas phase;
- measuring the flowrate using turbine revolutions per minute of the one or more power-recovery turbine and a load on a circuit;
- receiving information from a plurality of pressure reducing devices, the plurality of pressure reducing devices comprising:
- the one or more power-recovery turbine, a control valve, or, both;
- determining a power loss value or a power generated value for each of the pressure reducing devices;
- determining a total power loss value or a total power generated value based upon the power loss values or the power generated values from each of the pressure reducing devices;
- and,
- displaying the total power loss value or the total power generated value on at least one display screen.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.