# US 12,110,822 B2 · Control schemes for thermal management of power production systems and methods > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,110,822 B2 - Document ID: US12110822B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/087,235 - Filed: 2022-12-22 - Published: 2023-04-27 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2019-10-22 - Assignees: 8 Rivers Capital, LLC - Applicants: 8 Rivers Capital, LLC - Inventors: Brock Alan Forrest; Xijia Lu; Jeremy Eron Fetvedt; Navid Rafati - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12110822B2 ## CPC - F01K 25/103: {Carbon dioxide (F01K25/065 takes precedence)} - F02C 3/34: with recycling of part of the working fluid, i.e. semi-closed cycles with combustion products in the closed part of the cycle - B01D 53/58: Ammonia - B01D 53/9445: {Simultaneously removing carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons or nitrogen oxides making use of three-way catalysts [TWC] or four-way-catalysts [FWC]} - 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) - F05D 2210/12: gaseous, i.e. compressible - F01K: STEAM ENGINE PLANTS; STEAM ACCUMULATORS; ENGINE PLANTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ENGINES USING SPECIAL WORKING FLUIDS OR CYCLES (gas-turbine or jet-propulsion plants F02; nuclear power plants, engine arrangements therein G21D) - 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) - 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) - F05D: INDEXING SCHEME FOR ASPECTS RELATING TO NON-POSITIVE-DISPLACEMENT MACHINES OR ENGINES, GAS-TURBINES OR JET-PROPULSION PLANTS ## Abstract The present invention relates to systems and methods for controlling a power production plant and optionally providing a one or more product streams for an end use thereof. Control of a power production plant specifically can include executing one or more functions effective for adjusting a heat profile of a heat exchange unit (HEU) operating with a plurality of streams passing therethrough. This can include implementing a control function that alters a flow of one or more of the plurality of streams by adding flow to or withdrawing flow one or more of the plurality of streams at an intermediate temperature range within the HEU at a point that is positioned between a first end and a second end of the HEU. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for control of a power production plant, the method comprising: passing a plurality of streams through a heat exchange unit (HEU) defining a first HEU end having a first operational temperature and a second HEU end having a second, lower operational temperature, the plurality of streams comprising at least a first, higher temperature stream passing from the first HEU end toward the second HEU end and at least a second, lower temperature stream passing from the second HEU end toward the first HEU end so that the at least a first, higher temperature stream is cooled and the at least a second, lower temperature stream is heated; and implementing a control function that causes a portion of the at least a first, higher temperature stream to bypass a section of the HEU so that a mass flow of the at least a first, higher temperature stream through the section that is bypassed is reduced, wherein the control function is implemented in response to a signal received by a controller and defining an operating condition of the power production plant, the signal comprising one or both of the following: a signal indicating a change in power demand effective to cause an operational change of a turbine altering power generation from the power production plant; a signal indicating that a temperature within the HEU is within a defined threshold of a maximum operating temperature of the HEU. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the at least a first, higher temperature stream includes a heated turbine exhaust stream from the turbine. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the at least a second, lower temperature stream is a recycle stream that is being heated in the HEU, wherein the at least a first, higher temperature stream is an exhaust stream being cooled in the HEU, and wherein a portion of the recycle stream is passed to the exhaust stream such that a mass flow of the exhaust stream passing through a section of the HEU is increased. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the at least a second, lower temperature stream is an oxidant stream that is being heated in the HEU, wherein the at least a first, higher temperature stream is an exhaust stream being cooled in the HEU, and wherein a portion of the oxidant stream is passed to the exhaust stream such that a mass flow of the exhaust stream passing through a section of the HEU is increased. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising adding heat to one or more of the plurality of streams passing through the HEU, wherein the heat is added at an intermediate temperature range within the HEU at a point that is positioned between the first HEU end and the second HEU end, and wherein the heat is added using a heater that is operated independent of the HEU. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the heater is a combustion heater. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the heat is added to a turbine exhaust stream passing through the HEU, and wherein an exhaust stream from the combustion heater is added directly to the turbine exhaust stream. ### Claim 8 A power production plant comprising: a turbine; a power generator; a heat exchange unit (HEU); one or more compressors or pumps; and a control unit; wherein the HEU is configured for heat exchange between a plurality of streams passing between a first HEU end having a first operational temperature and a second HEU end having a second, lower operational temperature, the plurality of streams comprising at least a first stream passing from the first HEU end toward the second HEU end and at least a second stream passing from the second HEU end toward the first HEU end; wherein the HEU includes a recirculation line and a recirculation valve that are interposed between a turbine exhaust stream and a recycle stream or are interposed between a turbine exhaust stream and an oxidant stream; and wherein the control unit is configured to receive a signal defining an operating condition of the power production plant and, based thereon, output one or more signals effective to one or both of: divert a portion of one or more of the plurality of streams around a section of the HEU; and cause the recirculation line and the recirculation valve to implement flow of fluid between one of the at least a first stream and one of the at least a second stream. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The power production plant of claim 8, further comprising a bypass line, a bypass valve, and a bypass heat exchanger operational with the bypass line. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The power production plant of claim 8, further comprising a heater that is configured for operation independent of the HEU, the heater being configured for addition of heat to an exhaust stream from the turbine at a point that is positioned between the first HEU end and the second HEU end. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The power production plant of claim 10, wherein the heater is a combustion heater. ### Claim 12 A method for control of a power production plant, the method comprising: passing a plurality of streams through a heat exchange unit (HEU) defining a first HEU end having a first operational temperature and a second HEU end having a second, lower operational temperature, the plurality of streams comprising at least a first stream passing from the first HEU end toward the second HEU end and at least a second stream passing from the second HEU end toward the first HEU end so that the at least a first stream is cooled and the at least a second stream is heated; and implementing a control function that alters a mass flow of one or more of the plurality of streams passing through the HEU, the control function being effective to: cause a portion of the at least a first stream to be passed to the at least a second stream so that a mass flow of the at least a second stream is increased while passing through a section of the HEU; or cause a portion of the at least a second stream to be passed to the at least a first stream so that a mass flow of the at least a first stream is increased while passing through a section of the HEU. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the at least a second stream is a recycle stream that is being heated in the HEU, wherein the at least a first stream is an exhaust stream being cooled in the HEU, and wherein a portion of the recycle stream is passed to the exhaust stream such that a mass flow of the exhaust stream passing through a section of the HEU is increased. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12, wherein the at least a second stream is an oxidant stream that is being heated in the HEU, wherein the at least a first stream is an exhaust stream being cooled in the HEU, and wherein a portion of the oxidant stream is passed to the exhaust stream such that a mass flow of the exhaust stream passing through a section of the HEU is increased. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the control function is executed in response to one or both of the following signals received by a controller: a signal indicating a change in power demand effective to cause an operational change of a turbine altering power generation from the power production plant; a signal indicating that a temperature within the HEU is within a defined threshold of a maximum operating temperature of the HEU. ### Claim 16 A method for control of a power production plant, the method comprising: passing a plurality of streams through a heat exchange unit (HEU) defining a first HEU end having a first operational temperature and a second HEU end having a second, lower operational temperature, the plurality of streams comprising at least a first, higher temperature stream passing from the first HEU end toward the second HEU end and at least a second, lower temperature stream passing from the second HEU end toward the first HEU end so that the at least a first, higher temperature stream is cooled and the at least a second, lower temperature stream is heated; and implementing a control function that causes a portion of the at least a first, higher temperature stream to bypass a section of the HEU so that a mass flow of the at least a first, higher temperature stream through the section that is bypassed is reduced, wherein the control function is implemented in response to a signal defining an operating condition of the power production plant; wherein the at least a second, lower temperature stream is a recycle stream that is being heated in the HEU, wherein the at least a first, higher temperature stream is an exhaust stream being cooled in the HEU, and wherein a portion of the recycle stream is passed to the exhaust stream such that a mass flow of the exhaust stream passing through a section of the HEU is increased. ### Claim 17 A method for control of a power production plant, the method comprising: passing a plurality of streams through a heat exchange unit (HEU) defining a first HEU end having a first operational temperature and a second HEU end having a second, lower operational temperature, the plurality of streams comprising at least a first, higher temperature stream passing from the first HEU end toward the second HEU end and at least a second, lower temperature stream passing from the second HEU end toward the first HEU end so that the at least a first, higher temperature stream is cooled and the at least a second, lower temperature stream is heated; and implementing a control function that causes a portion of the at least a first, higher temperature stream to bypass a section of the HEU so that a mass flow of the at least a first, higher temperature stream through the section that is bypassed is reduced, wherein the control function is implemented in response to a signal defining an operating condition of the power production plant; wherein the at least a second, lower temperature stream is an oxidant stream that is being heated in the HEU, wherein the at least a first, higher temperature stream is an exhaust stream being cooled in the HEU, and wherein a portion of the oxidant stream is passed to the exhaust stream such that a mass flow of the exhaust stream passing through a section of the HEU is increased. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein the control function is executed in response to one or both of the following: a signal indicating a change in power demand effective to cause an operational change of a turbine altering power generation from the power production plant; a signal indicating that a temperature within the HEU is within a defined threshold of a maximum operating temperature of the HEU. ### Claim 19 A method for control of a power production plant, the method comprising: passing a plurality of streams through a heat exchange unit (HEU) defining a first HEU end having a first operational temperature and a second HEU end having a second, lower operational temperature, the plurality of streams comprising at least a first, higher temperature stream passing from the first HEU end toward the second HEU end and at least a second, lower temperature stream passing from the second HEU end toward the first HEU end so that the at least a first, higher temperature stream is cooled and the at least a second, lower temperature stream is heated; implementing a control function that causes a portion of the at least a first, higher temperature stream to bypass a section of the HEU so that a mass flow of the at least a first, higher temperature stream through the section that is bypassed is reduced, wherein the control function is implemented in response to a signal defining an operating condition of the power production plant; and adding heat to one or more of the plurality of streams passing through the HEU, wherein the heat is added at an intermediate temperature range within the HEU at a point that is positioned between the first HEU end and the second HEU end, and wherein the heat is added using a heater that is operated independent of the HEU. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19, wherein the heater is a combustion heater. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The method of claim 20, wherein the heat is added to a turbine exhaust stream passing through the HEU, and wherein an exhaust stream from the combustion heater is added directly to the turbine exhaust stream.