Re-condensing power cycle for fluid regasification
AssigneeJust In Time Energy Co.
InventorJames E. Berry
Life of this patent
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Abstract
To produce power using the cold in a stored fluid in a cold condensed state (for example, LNG or liquid air), the fluid is initially pumped, heated, and expanded to generate a first amount of power and form initially expanded fluid, which is then re-condensed, re-pumped, re-heated, and re-expanded to generate a second amount of power, where the initially expanded fluid is re-condensed against the pumped fluid from the initial pumping. The technique can be used to store excess energy in the cold condensed fluid using excess energy generation capacity for subsequent recovery when energy is either deficient or otherwise more expense to generate.
Claims32
A method for producing power using an initial fluid in a cold condensed state, the method comprising:
- (a) pumping fluid derived from the initial fluid to form pumped fluid at above the fluid's critical pressure;
- (b) heating fluid derived from the pumped fluid to form heated fluid;
- (c) expanding fluid derived from only the heated fluid in at least one power-producing expansion step to form expanded fluid;
- (d) cooling and re-condensing fluid derived from the expanded fluid against only the pumped fluid in a heat exchanger to form re-condensed fluid in a liquid state, wherein the re-condensing of the fluid derived from the expanded fluid provides heat to gasify the pumped fluid in the heat exchanger;
- (e) pumping fluid derived from the re-condensed fluid to form re-pumped fluid;
- (f) heating fluid derived from the re-pumped fluid to form re-heated fluid;
- and
- (g) expanding fluid derived from the re-heated fluid in at least one power-producing expansion step to form re-expanded fluid.
A power cycle for producing power using an initial fluid in a cold condensed state, the power cycle comprising:
- a first pump configured to pump fluid derived from the initial fluid to form pumped fluid at above the fluid's critical pressure;
- one or more first heat exchangers configured to heat fluid derived from the pumped fluid to form heated fluid;
- at least one first power-producing expansion device configured to expand fluid derived from only the heated fluid to form expanded fluid, wherein the one or more first heat exchangers comprise a gasifying/condensing heat exchanger configured to cool and re-condense fluid derived from the expanded fluid against only the pumped fluid to form re-condensed fluid in a liquid state;
- a second pump configured to pump fluid derived from the re-condensed fluid to form re-pumped fluid;
- one or more second heat exchangers and/or at least one duct burner configured to heat fluid derived from the re-pumped fluid to form re-heated fluid;
- and
- at least one second power-producing expansion device configured to expand fluid derived from the re-heated fluid to form re-expanded fluid.
A method for producing power using an initial fluid in a cold condensed state, the method comprising:
- (a) pumping fluid derived from the initial fluid to form pumped fluid at above the fluid's critical pressure;
- (b) heating fluid derived from the pumped fluid to form heated fluid;
- (c) expanding fluid derived from only the heated fluid in at least one power-producing expansion step to form expanded fluid;
- (d) cooling fluid derived from the expanded fluid against the fluid derived from the pumped fluid to form re-condensed fluid in a liquid state;
- (e) pumping fluid derived from the re-condensed fluid to form re-pumped fluid;
- (f) heating fluid derived from the re-pumped fluid to form re-heated fluid;
- and
- (g) expanding fluid derived from the re-heated fluid in at least one power-producing expansion step to form re-expanded fluid, wherein:
- in step (d), the fluid derived from the expanded fluid is re-condensed against the fluid derived from the pumped fluid in a gasifying/condensing heat exchanger;
- the fluid derived from the pumped fluid enters the gasifying/condensing heat exchanger at a supercritical pressure and leaves the gasifying/condensing heat exchanger as a superheated supercritical fluid;
- and
- the fluid derived from the expanded fluid enters the gasifying/condensing heat exchanger as superheated fluid at a sub-critical pressure and leaves the gasifying/condensing heat exchanger as only the re-condensed fluid.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.