US 11,143,102 B2Granted

Waste heat recovery cascade cycle and method

AssigneeNuovo Pignone Tecnologie Srl

InventorsPaolo Del Turco, Jury Auciello, Stefano Capodanno, Simone Amidei

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Abstract

A power conversion system including a first working fluid circuit and a second working fluid circuit. Heat, e.g. waste heat from a top, high-temperature thermodynamic cycle, is transferred to working fluid circulating in the first working fluid circuit and expanded in a first expander to generate useful mechanical power. A heat transfer arrangement is provided, between the first working fluid circuit and second working fluid circuit, configured for transferring low-temperature heat from the first working fluid circuit to the second working fluid circuit. In the second working fluid circuit working fluid is processed, which is expanded in at least one expander to generate useful mechanical power which is used to power a pump or compressor of the first working fluid circuit. The heat of the expanded gas is further used in a second recuperator to pre-heat the first working fluid.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A power conversion system comprising:

a first working fluid circuit having a high pressure side and a low pressure side and configured to flow a first working fluid therethrough;
a heater configured to circulate the first working fluid in heat exchange relationship with a heat source to vaporize the first working fluid;
a first expander arranged between the high pressure side and the low pressure side of the first working fluid circuit, configured to expand the first working fluid therein and generate mechanical power therewith;
a first pump or compressor arranged between the low pressure side and the high pressure side of the first working fluid circuit;
a second working fluid circuit having a high pressure side and a low pressure side and configured to flow a second working fluid therethrough;
a heat transfer arrangement, configured for transferring heat from the low pressure side of the first working fluid circuit to the high pressure side of the second working fluid circuit and vaporize the second working fluid;
an expander arrangement arranged between the high pressure side and the low pressure side of the second working fluid circuit, configured to expand the second working fluid therein and generate mechanical power therewith;
a second pump or compressor arranged between the low pressure side and the high pressure side of the second working fluid circuit;
a heat recuperator, with a heat-dispensing side in heat exchange relationship with a heat-receiving side, the heat-dispensing side being fluidly coupled to the second working fluid circuit and the heat-receiving side being fluidly coupled to the first working fluid circuit, such that heat is transferred from the second working fluid, circulating in the heat-dispensing side of the heat recuperator, to the first working fluid circulating in the heat-receiving side of the heat recuperator;
wherein the first pump or compressor is drivingly coupled to the expander arrangement and driven by mechanical power generated therewith.

7 more elements

A method for producing useful power from heat from a heat source, comprising:

circulating a first working fluid by means of a first pump or compressor through a first working fluid circuit having a high pressure side and a low pressure side, wherein the high pressure side of the first working fluid circuit is in heat exchange relationship with the heat source and the low pressure side of the first working fluid circuit is in heat exchange relationship with a second working fluid circuit;
transferring thermal energy from the heat source to the first working fluid;
expanding the first working fluid through a first expander arranged between the high pressure side of the first working fluid circuit and the low pressure side of the first working fluid circuit, and generate mechanical power therewith;
transferring low-temperature heat from the first working fluid circuit to the second working fluid circuit;
wherein the second working fluid circuit comprises a high pressure side and a low pressure side, an expander arrangement between the high pressure side of the second working fluid circuit and the low pressure side of the second working fluid circuit, and a second pump or compressor between the low pressure side of the second working fluid circuit and the high pressure side of the second working fluid circuit;
expanding a second working fluid circulating in the second working fluid circuit in the expander arrangement and generating mechanical power therewith;
transferring heat from the second working fluid circuit to the first working fluid circuit by means of a heat recuperator;
driving the first pump or compressor by means of mechanical power generated by the expander arrangement.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 16/075,645Filed 20 Feb 2017
Priority: IT 10201600001810222 Feb 2016
Published: US 2019/0048747 A114 Feb 2019
Granted: 12 Oct 2021
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

F01K 23/04
The engine cycles being thermally coupled: condensation heat from one cycle heating the fluid in another cycle
F02C 6/18
Plural gas-turbine plants; Combinations of gas-turbine plants with other apparatus; Adaptations of gas-turbine plants for special use: using the…
F01K 23/10
Combustion heat from one cycle heating the fluid in another cycle: with exhaust fluid of one cycle heating the fluid in another cycle
F02C 7/143
Of working fluid: before or between the compressor stages